3 cycling events in Poultney, Vermont

About the Slate Valley Epic

Join Slate Valley Trails (SVT) on July 18th 2026 for our Sixth Annual Slate Valley Epic Mountain Bike Race, sponsored by Frost Beer Works. This race is one of SVT's biggest event fundraisers and riders can expect some of the best singletrack riding in Vermont. This race is approximately 40 miles with about 5,000 feet of climbing and will surely challenge you, but be a memorable weekend in the Vermont woods!

Returning this year we will have both individual and relay race options. Share the excitement and challenge in a team of two racers on the same course and starting waves as the individual race!

The event's trailhead and expo is open to the public so come watch, cheer, eat, and celebrate with SVT and the racers Saturday. After the race, hang out and enjoy some food, music, refreshments, and comradery! Primitive camping is also available at the trailhead and is free for SVT members (join today) or can be purchased during registration.

Join or renew your SVT membership here

Frost Beer Works

The Details

• Racer Handbook (2025 hand book , 2026 will be posted soon)

• The race starts at 7:20 AM and we expect all racers to be complete by around 4 PM.

• There will be wave starts at 5 minute intervals

• Competitive Awards and a Free Sponsor Raffle at 2:00 PM

• All racers will receive a great meal after the race from The Rollin Rooster and the public can purchase food on site

• Frost Beer Works voucher included for after race celebratory brew

• The exact course will be released to participants prior to race day

• The Epic Race will start and finish at the Slate Valley Trails' Fairgrounds trailhead located at 131 Town Farm Rd, Poultney, VT.

• This is a cupless race. Racers are encouraged to bring a water bottle to refill at the aid stations set up along the Race course. Small snacks will be available, but racers are encouraged to bring enough calories to sustain the duration of the race.

• All of our trails are on private land so littering and trail cutting will not be tolerated, racers will be disqualified!!!

• Choose between racing as an individual or as part of a two-person relay team.

• Relay: the relay will follow the same rules as the standard race with the exception that teammates will check in and pass off their “baton” in front of an official at Aid Station #2. Each leg will be approximately 20mi. No parking is available at Aid #2; there will be shuttle available to & from the start/finish or can be self shuttled by bike (3 miles) on dirt/ class 4 roads. See hand book for further details.

• Previous race route (2025 follow link below). The course for 2026 will be largely the same. New route will be published when finalized.

https://www.trailforks.com/route/svt-epic-2025/

Registration Periods

• February 16th-28th, 2026: 125 spots open for racers that were registered for the 2025 event.

• On March 1st, 2026 8AM : Registration opens for remaining spots with a racer registration cap of 250. Registration for the relay (40 teams) will open on March 1st as well.

• In an effort to promote diversity and inclusivity in mountain bike racing, we will reserve 40 spots for women/non-binary participants through March 31st, 2026. After March 31st, if not all 40 of the abovementioned spots are filled, we will open them up to any registrant on the Wait List.

Registration Information

When you register you understand that: The SVT Board of Directors reserves the right to cancel the event at any time, with NO RACER REFUND, due to any adverse events (ie. this may include, but is not limited to extreme weather, a community tragedy, etc.)·

• SVT does not offer refunds if the Wait List is empty. If you withdraw your registration, and someone on the Wait List accepts your position, you will be offered a 50% refund

• There are no registration transfers to another racer

• A meal by Rollin’ Rooster WILL be included

• A shirt is NOT included with the registration fee this year, but they can be purchased separately at the time of online registration, or on the registration site up to a month before race day

• If you register for the waitlist (if the spots are currently full) you will WILL AUTOMATICLY BE REGISTERED & CHARGED when a spot opens up. YOU MUST REMOVE YOURSELF from the waitlist PRIOR to this if you no longer want to be entered.

Volunteer Opportunity

We are in need of volunteers Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for course route set-up, clean-up, route marshals, check-point station attendants and parking/traffic attendants. Volunteers will be provided with a meal at the trailhead on Saturday from the The Rolling Rooster ! If you are interested and available, please register as a volunteer through the ticketing button. We are in need of a few medical professionals the day of the race.

Gorey Hollows VIII features 4 ride options for ‘26. There's the classic brutal 90 mile ATB race, with the rocky class 4 roads and extended hike a bikes, the 60 mile Scramble (pick any two of the ATB race loops) and the Ramble (pick any 1 of the ATB race loops). We also have added in an ‘Amble’ ride, for folks who wanna get out and enjoy the changing seasons but don't want to walk up some terrible climb or do huge miles. Finally, we're making the ‘Just hanging out’ option permanent. If you or your friend / partner / etc wants to just come, drink some good coffee, eat a donut, and chow down on some dinner, this is the category for you. More info on the ride options at the bottom of these notes.

All Routes are self navigated with minimal or no sag. You'll get a GPS track and some notes, that's it. No sag, no medical support, nothing but a nice camp fire to come back to and some good food.

All Analog events are rain or shine. If you think you can't make it, get the event insurance, it's only a few bucks. No refunds for cancelations. It's like a concert, not a dinner reservation.

This year, for the first time ever, there is a legit prize for the Race, a handmade ATB wheelset, plus the usual Pie and donut prizes. We'll break it down this year: First prize gets the wheels, second gets the pie and 3rd gets the donuts. Your race fee gets you dinner, but not breakfast, cause no one is eating anything at 4am. If you are doing any of the other categories, your entry fee gets you a pour over coffee, a handmade donut, and a big autumnal dinner spread (all of that from our friends at the Poultney Pub) plus a cooler full of free for all Octoberfest Beers and NAs, plus the ride of course!

The Gorey Hollows features some of the SKOV (Southwest Kingdom of Vermont’s) most scenic (and gnar) ATB riding. Plus ya know, Class 4 roads which are dirt roads that are not generally maintained and sorta left to fall to pieces. Poultney’s road maintenance budget is basically non-existent, so our class 4 roads are wonderfully terrible. Expect wash outs, ‘gravel’ the size of GMO grapefruits, steep grades and wonderful views. The ride weaves in and out of the woods and farm lands. Plenty of climbing but lots of great eye candy, like cows and red barns.

A note about camping: in the past, we've had folks sign up for camping thru bikereg. This year, we're doing the camping registration thru hip camp. It'll cost you less if you're in a group or even if there is just two of you. We'll email info about camping sign ups to you as soon as you register.

We revamped the Gorey Hollows format for ‘24. Feedback was universally positive, so we're sticking with the new format. In the spirit of Choose Your Own Adventure books (originally published in Vermont!) you decide your destiny. Three possible loops. Racers have to do all 3, but pick the order of the loops. Scramblers pick any 2 and choose the order. Ramblers pick one. Loops start and end at the sugar house HQ, so you can restock on water, food, clothing.

The Amble is 15ish miles. Dirt roads, a rail trail, a class 4 road, one big hill. It's doable, chill, you can use any bike that isn't a road bike, more or less. Ideally 38mm plus tires and low gearing. James will be leading this ride, very slow group pace.

The Ramble is 30ish miles, dirt roads, plenty of climbing, bushwacking, singletrack and some sketchy class 4 roads. Doable on a bike with decently low gearing and 50mm tires. One of the loops has less than 4k of climbing, most ramblers will probably want to do that. This is a very hard 30 miles. It took ramblers over 5 hours last year. Self Navigated.

The Scramble is 60ish miles. Very difficult, even if you pick the easiest loop and one of the two hard loops. Many riders will not finish the scramble. You need to bring lights in case you get caught in the dark. Lots of folks will not finish the 60 miles before sundown. Self Navigated.

The Race is 90ish miles, with around 13,000 feet of climbing. Singletrack, horrible rocky roads, check points, hike a bikes, and other sketch delights. Hardest, most ridiculous ATB ride you'll ever do, we bet. 1 rider finished the race last year, out of a field of 25 or so. Starts early. Totally self supported old school race. Winner gets a nice alloy ATB wheelset, second place gets pie and third some donuts. You have to do all 3 loops to win, in any order. Loops are directional. You can pick which to start with but you have to do them in a set direction. Self Navigated.

Rules for 2026 race:

• To podium, the following stuff is banned: Aero Bars, Suspension forks, suspension frames, suspension Seatposts and stems. E bikes are of course banned. You can race with any of this stuff, but your results will not count toward the official record.

• Mandatory Race time cuts so we are not up till 11pm waiting for you to come back.

• One bike, one set of wheels and tires. No swapping bikes like it’s a cross race.

• Racers can refuel, change clothes, take naps, at Analog HQ in between loops.

• Mandatory check in after every loop.

The Gorey Hollows is a different kinda ride. No ride leader. No sag wagon. It's more like a free for all with a common course and goal. These roads are impassable to all but the most modified jeeps. Nothing is marked. You have to use your cue sheet and a GPS track to make it through.That's not impossible, but you have to pay attention. There won't be any cell service for most of the ride. We will release the GPX track a few days before the race via email.

Pre Ride Stuff:

Racers: get here at 4:00, race starts at 5am. Scramblers: Leave at 8am. Ramblers: Leave at 10am. Amblers leave at 11am. Donuts and coffee at 7:30am and 9am

Equipment requirements for 30, 60 and 90 mile ride:

• Sturdy walking shoes

• Low enough gearing to make it up 15% grades that are loose and wet

• Spare tubes/tubeless patch kits

• Tire boots

• GPS or Phone with GPS ability with some sort of back up battery situation.

• Ride with GPS or GAIA.

• 1.75" / 44mm wide tires or bigger. Advise 2.25 or bigger. Most past winners rode 2.8” tires.

• Basic tools and bike repair know-how in case you break down

• First Aid stuff.

• There are no sag wagons! There is no way to get out of the woods! Be safe. Ride Smart.

Post ride:

Fire pit hangs at the old Analog Sugar House. Cheer on racers as they finish laps and become more and more worn out! Autumn Feast provided by our friends at Poultney Pub. If you saw the taco scene at the 4x4 you know these will be good. Optional camping at the Analog HQ as well. We’ll have some refreshments, but mainly this is a BYOB kinda deal.