Fernie Gravel Grind Routes
The Short Haul
35km | 500m Elevation Gain
Perfect for gravel-curious beginners or intermediate riders looking for more of a mellow ride than the Medium Haul. The Short Haul packs plenty of Fernie Gravel Grind flavour into a more approachable distance. Expect beautiful backroads, loose and bumpy descents, and enough climbing to make that finish line beer in Station Square taste extra good.
Riders should be comfortable spending 1.5–3 hours on the bike and climbing roughly 500m elevation gain with one on-course Stoke Station.
The Medium Haul
56km | 1200m Elevation Gain
The Medium Haul delivers the classic Fernie Gravel Grind experience without those extra Long Haul kilometres. Don’t let the 56km distance fool you this is not your average gravel race. This is racing in the Canadian Rockies, you’re getting into true alpine climbs and big mountain descents.
Rolling out from downtown Fernie along the machine-built Coal Creek Heritage Trail, riders head skyward up the legendary Paige’s Draw climb, grinding to 1,800m above sea level before dropping into a 17km descent packed with a mixture of gravel from rough and rugged ATV track to steep and high-speed sections before the final grind back toward town.
With 1,200m of elevation gain, long alpine climbing, and a demanding descent, the Medium Haul rides much bigger than the numbers suggest, as riders should expect to be in the saddle for 3-5 hours. Wide-tread tires, fresh brake pads, and a good sense of adventure are strongly recommended.
Medium Haul racers will pass by two on-course Stoke Stations throughout the race fully loaded with ride fuel, No Nonsense Fuel, first aid services, and plenty of stoke to get you back to the finish line. Buckle up, you’re racing in the Rockies.
The Long Haul
86km | 1700m Elevation Gain
Starting in Station Square and heading out along the Coal Creek Heritage Trail, the Long Haul follows the same route as the Medium Haul, climbing high into the alpine via Paige’s Draw, topping out at 1,800m above sea level before dropping down the rough, loose, and technical 17km descent back toward the Elk Valley. But instead of turning for home, Long Haul riders hang a left and head deeper into the Rockies for an additional out-and-back adventure along the beautiful Lodgepole & Wigwam FSR, a new road for the Fernie Gravel Grind that adds even more remote scenery, rugged terrain, and a final dose of type-two fun to the day.
Built for intermediate to expert riders looking for a big day out, the Long Haul serves over 1,700m of elevation gain in just 85km(!) Expect to see it all, and come prepared for 4–6 hours of proper alpine gravel racing.
We reckon this will be one of the hardest 85km most will ever encounter, so don’t let this one fool you. Just like the Medium Haul, wide tires with plenty of tread and fresh brake pads are an absolute must. While we highly suggest packing plenty of ride fuel, Long Haul racers will pass by three on-course Stoke Stations throughout the race fully loaded with ride fuel, No Nonsense Fuel, first aid services, and plenty of stoke to get you back to the finish line.
This is full the Fernie Gravel Grind experience.