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Birch Creek Valley is a very remote part of Idaho, located off of Highway 28. The remote-ness of this location is why it makes such an incredible location for adventure racing, however amenities are sparse. 🙂 Both races will have a not-too-early start, to accommodate those driving in on race day.

Camping: Plenty of free (donation-based) camping is available at our race headquarters, which will be at the Birch Creek Campground. Potable water and vault toilets are available. Please note that cell service is limited or non-existent.

Hotels: If you prefer not to camp, we recommend you stay in either Dubois, Idaho (45min away, a small town with one or two hotels), Rexburg, Idaho (1hr away, a big town with plenty of hotels/restaurants, etc.), or Idaho Falls, Idaho (1hr away, an even bigger town with plenty of hotels/restaurants/etc.).

The nearest airport is Idaho Falls, Idaho (1hr away). Salt Lake City is the nearest major airport, and is a 4hr drive.

1. All racers and spectators must be prepared and willing to wear a mask and practice social distancing whenever at race headquarters or transition areas, (regardless of vaccine status).
2. Final rankings will be as follows: A) Teams will be ranked by total number of points acquired. B) Teams will be ranked by fastest time. C) Teams not obtaining all mandatory CPs will be unranked, regardless of time.
3. All CPs are worth 10 points each unless otherwise specified. There will be a combination of mandatory and optional CPs
4. Teammates must stay within 50 meters of each other at all times.
5. Racers must cross the finish line before the cut-off time or will be penalized by 2 points per minute for the first 20 minutes. Racers finishing more than 20 minutes late will be unranked. (In other words, don’t be late!)
6. Penalty for a miss-punched CP (i.e., CP is punched in the wrong box) is 5 points per infraction. Pay attention when punching!
7. If a team member must leave the course early, they must do so at a manned CP or TA and inform a race official. Please do not go home early without letting us know!
8. Make sure you have all required gear at all times. Random gear checks may be performed throughout the course. Penalty for not providing required gear is 5 points per infraction.
9. You will be traveling in bear country. Knowledge of bear country safety and etiquette is required.  Bear spray must be easily accessible on the outside of your pack. Please review this website for some bear safety tips:  Bear Safety
10. Bikers must yield to horses and hikers.
11. No E-Bikes
12. NO biking off-trail! If you need to travel with your bike off-trail, you must get off your bike and walk.
13. Bib numbers are to be pinned to backpacks and visible, one per person.
14. We will be practicing Leave No Trace ethics. Pack out everything you bring in!  Please tread lightly and be aware that this is bear country.  We would be so psyched if when we swept the course we found ZERO trash!
15. In the case of snow or mud (a large probability), please be considerate to avoid trail damage. Please walk bikes through deep mud to avoid rutting up the trails.
16. No navigation devices that utilize satellites are allowed! No GPS or using your cell phone for anything other than taking pictures or in an absolute emergency. Bike odometers, barometric altimeters, and compasses are ok.
17. Please no dogs on the course (exceptions may be made if you want to bring your pet Ogre).
18. As a USARA-sanctioned event, we adhere to USARA’s anti-doping policies. It is your (the athlete’s) responsibility to uphold the integrity of the competition and reputation of adventure racing as a clean sport through educated use of supplements, medicines, and other treatments and to understand what is permissible according to USARA standards. In addition to contributing to a level playing field for all competitors, USARA’s policies are designed to help athletes learn more about the medications, substances, and methods they use for the sake of long-term health. We encourage you to spend some time reviewing USARA’s stance on the importance of Ant-Doping, educating yourself through their collection of helpful resources, and understanding the consequences of doping infractions (medicinal, supplemental, or mechanical) by reviewing USARA’s dedicated page to Anti-Doping here.

What is Adventure Racing?

First of all, adventure racing is AWESOME.  It’s like a giant scavenger hunt in the wilderness for grown-ups, and instead of just one mode of transportation, you get to switch things up.  Adventure races last anywhere from three hours to ten or more days non-stop, and always involve travel on foot and on bike while using a map to find checkpoints along the way.  In addition there is often a paddling section involved, as well as rope work and sometimes other surprises along the way!

The essence of adventure racing is teamwork.  Teams are usually co-ed, and team members are required to stick together at all times.  If one person has to drop out, the whole team is disqualified or can finish unranked.

At the beginning of the race or sometimes the day before, racers are given a map with marked checkpoints (CPs).  Most races will have mandatory CPs which must all be found to complete the course.  No GPS allowed, only map and compass. Often there are also optional CPs that teams can find to gain extra points.  Sometimes CPs must be found in a specific order, while sometimes you can find them in any order. A “rogaine” race format means that racers try to find as many CPs as possible in any order, within a certain time limit.  Our races typically will have a combination of mandatory and optional CPs, with some rogaining as well!  Basic white and orange orienteering markers will be used and each one has a specific number and hole punch.  Teams must punch their race “passport” document as they find CPs to prove they were there.

The feeling of finding a tough checkpoint is one of the more satisfying feelings there is, and keeps you hungry for more!

I’m brand new to Adventure Racing. Can I do this?

Yes! Adventure Racing is a sport you can pick up at any point in life. If you can hike, bike, and are willing to spend some time getting familiar with topo maps, you certainly can do this! One of the best parts of AR is teamwork, so a great way to get into the sport is to try it out with a teammate who has either raced before, or who has experience with navigation. Or, just sign up with a friend who is also new to AR and commit to learning navigation together! We get lots of new people at the Teton Ogre every year, in both the 8 and 24hr races.

Some of our tips for newbies:

• Test out your gear and nutrition plan during training, not on race day
• Use a map during training sessions as much as possible. Bring a compass and practice orienting the map as you go along. Get used to keeping track of where you are on the map. You could even try studying a map of where you’re going before you go out, then see how it “feels” in real life. Was it easier than expected? Harder? Steeper?
• Discuss race goals with your teammate before race day–make sure you’re on the same page.
• Get your bikes tuned up before the race…a broken bike is no fun!
• Keep moving, even if you’re stopped! Even if you’re not actually moving forward during the race, there’s always something you can be doing to keep your momentum going. This could be eating, taking care of your feet, feeding your navigator, putting on sunscreen, etc…

What is the biking like in the Teton Ogre?

Terrain varies greatly from year to year. Sometimes there is smooth single track or double track, and sometimes it can be a mix of technical and/or hike-a-bike. The most important thing to remember is to ride at the speed at which you are able to stay in control, even if this is slower than you want to go. As long as you keep moving and stay safe, you’ll be good!

If you are new to mountain biking, we highly recommend taking a lesson from an expert, if you can find someone. Also, check out the book “Mastering Mountain Bike Skills,” by Brian Lopes.

What about bears?

Teton Valley is located within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and yes, there are both Black and Grizzly bears here. That said, they are not out to get you and would much rather be left alone! It is a special thing to see a bear in the wild and it is very rare that an encounter would be dangerous, especially when traveling with others. Be sure to carry your bear spray in an outside pocket of your pack, easily accessible, and know how to use it. Talk and make noise, especially when in dense vegetation.

What kind of food should I eat while racing?

This varies greatly for each person. For the most part, eat whatever your body can take in, and eat frequently. For shorter races, you may feel fine just using bars and gels. For a longer race, you might find that having some “real” food is better. Having some variety is important, in case your body decides that it can’t handle a certain type of food anymore. As mentioned above, practice eating during your training sessions, so you can learn what your body can handle. Keep in mind that some foods will be harder to eat while biking, and eating while on-foot is usually easier. Consuming 100-200 calories per hour of exercise is a good goal. Try not to let more than an hour go by without eating, because this deficit will catch up with you later in the race!

What is the altitude of the Teton Ogre?

This varies from year to year, but generally you’ll be going from around 6,000ft up to as high as 9500ft or more. If you can, spend some time at altitude before you race, so you know how your body will react.

Got more questions? Feel free to send them our way!

Cancellation Policy:
> 2 months before the race date we are able to offer a 75% refund.

1-2 months prior to the race date we are able to offer a 50% refund.

3-4 weeks prior to the race date we are able to offer a 25% refund.

Less than 3 weeks prior to the race, no refund is available. We apologize for any inconvenience but at this point, we have paid for all race expenses and have been planning on you attending.

Entries are non-transferable less than 2 weeks prior to race day.