The start line during the 2024 Pedal Pajarito race featuring Los Alamos HS athletes Calvin Grow and Ian McLean. Courtesy photo

Scene from the 2024 Pedal Pajarito event. Courtesy photo

BY PAULA KNEPPER

Pajarito Mountain will be ringing with cowbells and cheers on Sunday, Oct. 5, when the New Mexico Interscholastic Cycling League (NM NICA) rolls into town for Pedal Pajarito. The course threads the beginner hill just above the lodge, giving spectators great views of the first mile. High school racers will tackle a roughly 3-mile loop with close to 500 feet of climbing; middle schoolers race a just-over-2-mile circuit with about 300 feet of gain—a stout test at altitude and a perfect showcase for local riders who know these slopes well. Over 200 athletes are expected to compete at the Pedal Pajarito mountain bike race on Sunday representing 18 school teams from across the state. 21 Los Alamos HS and MS bike team athletes will be competing.

Pajarito is one of the league’s most scenic and most demanding venues. It mixes wide climbing lanes with singletrack descents, so smart pacing and clean line choice matter. For everyone’s safety, only actively racing student-athletes and race volunteers may be on the course during competition on Sunday so please adjust your recreation plans accordingly.  If you’re coming up to watch the race on Sunday the action begins at 9am. The lodge café will be open, and the deck makes a prime viewing spot.

After team pre-ride wraps for athletes on Saturday October 4, the course opens to the community at 5:30 p.m. Community members are invited take a spin on a cross-country mountain bike racecourse with your family and friends. The Pajarito Café will host a pasta dinner at 6:00 p.m. for $15 per person. 

Between the crisp fall air, fresh trail work, and home-course advantage, Los Alamos riders should put on a show. Hope to see you at Pajarito for this epic adventure.