Registration open for Tour des Suds Photo: courtesy of Mountain Trails Foundation

PARK CITY, Utah — The annual Tour des Suds community mountain bike event will be held on Sunday, September 13, hosted by the Mountain Trails Foundation (MTF)—the concept: crazy costumes, crazy bikes.

Participants are encouraged to don ‘festive’ costumes and celebrate the beginning of the fall mountain bike season in a spirited manner.

Early bird pricing is in effect; get registration details by clicking here. The registration prices will rise beginning on September 1.

“It’s just fun! It’s hard to believe that a seven-mile, 2,200′ vert climb could ever be described that way, but when you mix in costumes, kids, great trails, and a few suds, something magical happens,” Ian Hartley, Resource Manager, Mountain Trails Foundation, told TownLift. “Participating in the event, you feel a part of something larger and uniquely authentic. Seeing 6 to 80-year-olds pedaling alongside ridiculous costumes reminds you that the joy of trails is universal, if you’re willing to put in the effort. It’s a great analogy for the work we do.”

The starting line is at City Park and the Finishing Line, at Empire Pass, with the Party Station at the top of Guardsman Pass.

The event is not an effective fundraiser; they’re lucky to break even hosting it, but they keep the registration cost low, including the fact that kids under 12 are free, to ensure that the price is not a barrier to access, Hartley explained.

They also make it clear that MTF couldn’t do it without a dedicated crew of volunteers who contribute their time and effort each year.

This year is the 42-ish time, as founder Charlie Sturgis recently said that it’s always been simply a day to have a good time; thus, record-keeping back then wasn’t the most important part.