RACE DETAILS
Bib Pickup, Signing of Release and Pre-Event Meeting
Riders and teams may register for the Fireweed events online until the 750 entry limit is reached, or, on or before midnight JUNE 30th, 2025, whichever comes first. Entry is $100 per person, discounted rates for each relay member as listed, until midnight MAY 17th. Entry is $120 per person from MAY 18th until midnight June 30th, 2025. There will be no refunds, unless the entire event is canceled.
No new registration at BIB pickup or at Sheep Mountain Lodge. Of your entry, $50 is tax deductible to US citizens because the Fireweed is a nonprofit organization §501(c)(3), EIN 27-1713242
No new registration at the safety meeting, or at Sheep Mountain Lodge on Friday or Saturday.
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Pre-Race Mandatory Safety Meeting(s)
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Location: The Nave 3502 Spenard Road Anchorage, AK 99503
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Saturday, June 21st 11:30 AM
Saturday, June 21st 6:00 PM
Monday, July 7th 6:00 PM
THE PRE-RACE SAFETY MEETING IS MANDATORY. You must attend one (1) of the above listed events (unless you have confirmed in writing, pre-authorization of your absence with a race official). You only need to attend one Mandatory Safety Meeting. Multiple dates and times are to accommodate schedules. Riders absent from the meeting will not be allowed to start. The meeting is for BIB pickup, signing and turning in the race waiver, and getting questions answered.
All riders and support crew members must sign and turn in the Release of Liability forms prior to the event. ALL of the riders AND the relay team’s support crew must be at the Pre-Race Meeting to get the vehicle numbers and vehicle information card. Rider(s) and crew members are responsible for making sure they have signed a waiver prior to the event.
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All questions regarding Race Registration should be emailed to: registration@thefireweed.org
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2024 Safety Meeting Presentation​
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The Fireweed Safety Highlights Video
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MANDATORY SAFETY MEETING
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PACKET PICKUP
Start Line
Health and Wellness
Sheep Mountain Lodge
17701 W Glenn Hwy, Chickaloon, AK 99674, USA
Community Forum
Don't die. Please! But like seriously.
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This is a fully self-supported race. There will be no medical services and no aid stations along the way.
Aid Stations 2024
All Aid Station on Richardson Hwy
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Willow Creek ~ MP 91
Tiekel River ~ MP 56
Worthington Glacier ~ MP 29
COURSE DETAILS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
"The most beautiful road race in the state of Alaska"
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Simplified Course Instructions:
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Race starts at Sheep Mountain Lodge at mile 113.5 Glenn Highway (17701 W Glenn Hwy, Chickaloon, AK 99674)
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Start at sign labeled “Start”
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Ride toward Glenallen… stay on the main highway
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Stop at Stop Sign in Glenallen … Turn right at Stop Sign
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Remain on main highway
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Climb a hill
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Hydrate
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Descend a hill
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Follow course markings to Airport Road. Ride to the end of the road and turn around.
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Heed all course markings - especially those pertaining to restricted relay exchanges
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Stop at the sign that says “Finish”
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Rejoice!
Complete Course Description:
Riders will start at Sheep Mountain Lodge at mile 113.5 on the Glenn Highway (17701 W Glenn Hwy, Chickaloon, AK 99674).
The riders will be surrounded for most of the race on the Glenn and Richardson highways by the Talkeetna Range and the Chugach Mountains. In the first 15 miles of the route, racers will find a couple of steep climbs. The first six miles has a 1000 foot elevation rise.
At approximately 15 miles from the start, riders will reach Eureka Summit (3,322), the highest point of the Glenn Highway. In the next 60 miles to Glennallen, the route descends gradually to an elevation of approximately 1000 feet.
Traveling east to Glennallen, riders will have views of the Wrangells, including Mount Sanford (elevation 16,237 ft), Mount Drum (elevation 12,010 ft), Mount Wrangell (elevation 14,163 ft), and Mount Blackburn (elevation 16,390 ft).
Along with the Saint Elias Mountains, the Wrangells contain the most spectacular array of glaciers and icefields outside of the polar regions. The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve is the nation's largest national park, and with the adjacent Kluane National Park of Canada, are designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations.
Riders will climb and descend Thompson Pass, which is a 2,678-foot high mountain pass through the Chugach Mountains near Valdez, Alaska. The road from the base of the pass into Valdez takes you through Keystone Canyon, and Bridal Veil falls on the approximately 17 miles to the finish line.
Once you enter the town of Valdez proper you will follow the course markings to Airport Road. From this turn riders will proceed to the end of the road, turn around and follow all course markings crossing the Richardson Highway and returning to the Goldfields Softball Complex. The race concludes at the entrance to the ballfields. Once you arrive you will be greeted by festivities that include food trucks, a beer garden, vehicle parking, and free camping. The celebration after party closes at 2am.
Ride with GPS Route:
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This link contains a GPS analysis of all major terrain features. This includes descriptions of all measured climbs and descents.
Race maps, GPS files, and elevation data are available. More features are available with premium navigation accounts.
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For those who love data on their handlebars, you're going to love this next section.
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Download raw GPS data here and upload to your own device
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2024_The_Fireweed_GPS_Files.zip Contents:
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cuesheet.csv
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Fireweed__24-2.gpx
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Fireweed__24-2.tcx
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Fireweed__24.fit
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Fireweed__24.gpx
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Fireweed__24.kml
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Fireweed__24.tcx
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If you have never used the file types that we are offering for download, you must have a program or app to view them. There are many choices of free and paid software that will allow you to do this on your iOS, Android, Mac or PC devices. Some examples are:
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Garmin fitness GPS devices
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Google Earth (PC, Mac, iOS, Android)
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Topo Maps or Topo Maps+
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You must click (or tap) on the link to download the 2024_The_Fireweed_GPS_Files.zip file, then open the .zip file to extract the contents. Once extracted you may open your mapping software and import from file the appropriate contents. Note* not all contents of the .zip will be applicable to every program as some of the files are specific to different operating systems.
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