Fernie Gravel Grind

Fernie Tears and Gears was inspired by two friends who loved to trail run (Abi) and mountain bike (Krista), but could never find an event to compete in together. Thus, Fernie’s first Mountain Duathlon was born in 2010 and was held annually until 2019 marking the race's 10th Anniversary. After a six year hiatus, Tears and Gears is back to raise funds for the newly established Abi Moore Scholarship Fund and to continue to encourage people to get out on our amazing trail network, have fun while doing it, support one another, and be a part of an inclusive and welcoming community.

WHEN: Saturday August 29, 10AM

NUMBER OF RACERS: Limited to 200 racers.

START / FINISH: Elk Valley Nordic Centre

RACE INFO: Trail Running and Mountain Biking Duathlon.

CATEGORIES: Classic Solo (Run then Bike), or find a teammate and go Classic Team. Those under 14 can take part in the Youth Race, as a Soloist or Team. Ages 12+ are also welcome to take part in the Classic Race. Please note: Due to the logistics of this race, there is no option to Run or Bike only - you must find a teammate or do it Solo!

ENTRY FEE INCLUDES: On top of a great race day, you also get branded swag, a Post-Race BBQ by donation, FBC Beer (LOGO, sparkling water, and pop available), stacked Aid Station to hydrate and energize before, during and after, Draw Prizes, and Podium Prizes. ALL FUNDS RAISED BENEFIT THE ABI MOORE SCHOLARSHIP.

PRICING: Classic $115 (suitable for 12+) , Youth (7-14yrs) $55. No early bird, no late entries. First come, first serve.

REGISTRATION: Registration closes Saturday, August 15, at midnight and any additional merchandise orders must be placed by this date. Don't miss out!!

The Ultimate Downcountry Experience

This September 25-26th Steep n’ Deep XC returns for its second edition, bringing to life a new era of mountain bike racing on the world-class trails of Fernie BC.

More than just a bike race. Steep n’ Deep XC offers a weekend of festivities at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre and Mount Fernie Provincial Park with Friday Afternoon Rider Social & Package Pickup, Saturday’s racing followed by finish line festivities back at the Nordic Centre with live music, awards, BBQ, and our FTA Fundraiser Beer Garden.

Steep n’ Deep XC showcases a new age of mountain bike racing featuring an enduro formatted course with 4 unique timed stages around the world-class Mount Fernie Provincial Park. Each of the 4 timed stages will vary in terrain, climbing, and descending and will count towards your overall time. In the spirit of downcountry, there will be more descending than climbing throughout the 4 timed stages, but beware, each descent will be hard earned.

New to 2026! Following Saturday’s Steep n’ Deep XC racing, the inaugural Fernie Femmduro (Fernie Women’s Enduro) will be taking place back at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre. For all ladies who didn't get enough racing on Saturday, we invite you back for Femmduro Sunday, September 27th.

Rider Social, Vendor Village & Package Pickup| Friday, September 25th

2:00pm to 7:00pm - Rider Social, Vendor Village & Package Pickup at the Elk Valley Nordic Center

Race Day | Saturday, September 26th

7:30am to 9:00am - Late Rider Package Pickup at the Elk Valley Nordic Center

9:45am - Start #1 Long Course Start for Elite E-Bike Category

10:00am - Start #2 Long Course Start for All Other Categories

10:15am - Start #3 Short Course Start

12:00pm - Finish Line Vibes Begin

12:00pm to 3:00pm - DJ & Live Entertainment

3:00pm to 4:00pm - Awards Presentation

5:00pm - Venue Closes

Entry

Entry Includes:

• Race entry for the distance of your choice.

• Race plate, professional timing, local's course design, well marked course, and certified first aid throughout.

• On-course Stoke Stations stocked with hydration, tasty snacks and the most stoked volunteers.

• Complimentary Post-Race Meal.

• Complimentary first drink on the house.

• Rider package with goodies from our sponsors.

Entry Fee

Adult Entry: $150 + taxes and processing fees

Junior Entry (18 years old and younger): $80 + taxes and processing fees

Note: Riders 18 and younger are encouraged to participate in the Short Course. Riders 18 and under who are capable of competing in the Long Course can register for the Open category.

Categories:

• Junior Men (18 years and younger)

• Junior Women (18 years and younger)

• Open Women

• Open Men

• Master Men 50+

• Master Women 50+

• Adaptive Men

• Adaptive Women

• E-Bike Men (Long Course Only)

• E-Bike Women (Long Course Only)

Local Legends Podium

There will be an additional podium awarding the fastest Fernie locals of the Day! When registering, you must select a category listed above in addition to selecting the Local's competition.

Long Course Details

Long course riders will take on a 28km course with 1,200m of climbing. Within the 28km course, there will be 4 timed stages broken down in more detail below. It’s going to be a rough and rowdy race with steep ups and technical descents.

Course details to be released soon.

Short Course Details

Short course riders will take on a 21km course with 900m of climbing. Within the 21km course, there will be 3 timed stages broken down in more detail below.

Course details to be released soon.

Blind Stage Details

Both the Short and Long course last stage will be a blind stage. The blind stage will be released the morning of the race. Riders can expect the blind stage to be rated ‘Dark Blue’, with a bit of technical rooty features, bits of flow, and the majority of the stage being downhill. Slightly more difficult than a true Blue, however not quite a Black Diamond.

Recommended Equipment

All mountain bikes are welcome, but a XC or mid-travel bike will serve you best across all 4 stages. Don’t underestimate the distance, plan to be out longer than expected and pack extra food, water, and weather-appropriate gear.

For tires, we recommend something burly yet fast-rolling, like a Schwalbe 2.4 Wicked Will up front paired with a 2.4 Rick XC or Racing Ralph in the rear.

This is not your traditional XC race. You absolutely will need burly tires.

Refund and Transfer Policy

Please see below our refund and transfer policy. FOR REFUNDS, the percentages listed below are based on registration prices. Unfortunately, we cannot refund the transaction fees that are applied at checkout. Riders have the option to purchase third-party refund protection at checkout. If you do not purchase refund protection, you will be subject to the following refund protocols:

Registration Open Date - July 30th: 100% Refund

July 31st - August 27th: 75% Refund

August 28th - September 10th: 50% Refund

September 11th - Event Date: 0% Refund

FOR TRANSFERS, transfers between participants can be made through your Participant Race Roster Dashboard up to two weeks before the event date. There is an additional $3.00+tax processing fee for participant-to-participant transfers. If you wish to change distances after registering, please contact [email protected].

RCR Event Release Agreement

All competitors must complete the online RCR Event Release Agreement(s) prior to completing registration.

• Competitors 16yrs and older must complete the RCR Event Agreement. The competitor can complete this waiver.

• Competitors 15 yrs and younger must complete BOTH the RCR Event Agreement AND the RCR Parental Agreement. The competitor's parent or legal guardian must complete these two agreements in the competitor's name.

Once complete, you will receive a unique "Agreement ID" for each waiver you fill out. Please save the ID code(s), as you will need to enter the code(s) during the registration process below.

Links to the Release Agreements:

RCR Event Release Agreement - https://passes.skircr.com/event

RCR Parental Release Agreement - https://passes.skircr.com/parental

Volunteer

The event would not be possible without our awesome volunteers! If you or someone you know would like to volunteer please email [email protected] or sign up HERE.

Fast. Fierce. Femme. Fernie.

Fernie Femmduro is where fierce meets fabulous. An enduro event designed for self-identifying women and non-binary riders who want to push their limits and have a damn good time doing it because being fast, feminine and having fun don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Whether you're launching the biggest drops or conquering your first technical feature, badass looks different on everyone, and we're here for all of it.

The race stages wind through Mount Fernie Provincial Park, showcasing the terrain that makes this place iconic. Fernie has a reputation for steep, technical riding, but here's the thing: with this community behind you, you'll do things you didn't think you could. We're here to give you a boost, both literally and figuratively. Choose between our Long Course for riders ready to be tested, or our Short Course for those building confidence and skills.

Between stages, the energy is contagious. Social, supportive, and unapologetic. This is where you can be serious about your time splits and your mascara. Where pushing limits and having fun aren't just compatible, they're the whole point.

Fernie Femmduro is brought to you by Anything Goes Event Series in collaboration with the Fernie Trails Alliance, with local female riders leading the charge. Built by riders, for riders, this event celebrates everything we love about mountain biking in Fernie.

The Courses

Long Course | ~25km ~1,100m

4 Stages Surrounding Mt. Fernie Provincial Park

Recommended for intermediate to expert riders ready to push themselves on Fernie's most iconic terrain. Technical descents, challenging climbs, and the full mountain experience. This is where you prove what you're made of.

The Long Course will include 4 timed stages, ranging from blue to black rated trails, including one blue-tech blind stage that will be released the morning of the race.

Short Course | ~20km ~800m

3 Stages Surrounding Mt. Fernie Provincial Park

All the fun, all the style, perfectly sized for riders building confidence or new to enduro racing. Still challenging, still rewarding, 100% badass.

The Short Course will include 3 timed stages, ranging from blue to black rated trails, including one blue-tech blind stage that will be released the morning of the race.

Blind Stage Details

Both the Short and Long course final stage will be a blind stage. The blind stage will be released the morning of the race. Riders can expect the blind stage to be rated ‘Dark Blue’, with a bit of natural technical features, flow, and loam. Slightly more difficult than a true Blue descent, however not quite a Black Diamond. It’s a locals favourite, and we’re excited to share this combination of trails with you!

Schedule

Rider Social, Vendor Village & Package Pickup | Friday, September 25th

2:00pm to 7:00pm - Rider Social, Vendor Village & Package Pickup at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre

Package Pick Up and Pre-Ride | Saturday, September 26th

12:00pm - 5:00pm - Femmduro Package Pick Up

There will be Steep n' Deep XC racing and festivities all day at the Elk Valley Nordic Center. We encourage Femmduro riders to come out, cheer and enjoy the fun!

Race Day | Sunday, September 27th, 2026

7:30am to 9:00am - Final Rider Package Pickup

9:45am - Start #1 Long Course Start for Elite E-Bike Category

10:00am - Start #2 Long Course Start for All Other Categories

10:15am - Start #3 Short Course Start

12:00pm - Finish Line Vibes Begin

12:00pm to 3:00pm - DJ & Entertainment

3:00pm to 4:00pm - Awards Presentation

4:30pm - Venue Closes

Entry

Entry Includes:

• Race entry for the distance of your choice.

• Race plate, professional timing, local's course design, well marked course, and certified first aid throughout.

• On-course Stoke Stations stocked with hydration & tasty snacks.

• Complimentary Post-Race Meal.

• Complimentary first drink on the house.

• Rider package with goodies from our sponsors.

Entry Fee

Adult Entry: $130 + taxes and processing fees

Junior Entry (18 years old and younger): $70 + taxes and processing fees

Note: Riders 18 and younger are encouraged to participate in the Short Course. Riders 18 and under who are capable of competing in the Long Course can register for the Open category.

Categories:

• Junior Women (18 years and younger)

• Open Women

• Open Non-Binary

• Master Women 50+

• Adaptive Women

• E-Bike Women (Long Course Only)

Refund and Transfer Policy

Please see below our refund and transfer policy. FOR REFUNDS, the percentages listed below are based on registration prices. Unfortunately, we cannot refund the transaction fees that are applied at checkout. Riders have the option to purchase third-party refund protection at checkout. If you do not purchase refund protection, you will be subject to the following refund protocols:

Registration Open Date - July 30th: 100% Refund

July 31st - August 27th: 75% Refund

August 28th - September 10th: 50% Refund

September 11th - Event Date: 0% Refund

FOR TRANSFERS, transfers between participants can be made through your Participant Race Roster Dashboard up to two weeks before the event date. There is an additional $3.00+tax processing fee for participant-to-participant transfers. If you wish to change distances after registering, please contact [email protected].

RCR Event Release Agreement

All competitors must complete the online RCR Event Release Agreement(s) prior to completing registration.

• Competitors 16yrs and older must complete the RCR Event Agreement. The competitor can complete this waiver.

• Competitors 15 yrs and younger must complete BOTH the RCR Event Agreement AND the RCR Parental Agreement. The competitor's parent or legal guardian must complete these two agreements in the competitor's name.

Once complete, you will receive a unique "Agreement ID" for each waiver you fill out. Please save the ID code(s), as you will need to enter the code(s) during the registration process below.

Links to the Release Agreements:

RCR Event Release Agreement - https://passes.skircr.com/event

RCR Parental Release Agreement - https://passes.skircr.com/parental