Rails to Resort a challenging climb climb

SANDPOINT — While it may not be one of those monster Category 1 climbs you see in the Tour de France, the annual Rails to Resort Hill Climb up to Schweitzer is about as close as you can get in these parts.

The annual bike race will be held on Saturday, July 9, at 11 a.m. However, if you want a T-shirt from the event, the registration deadline is today so act quickly.

According to Bruce Trejos, owner of Sports Plus in Sandpoint and one of the race organizers, the climb is 8.6 miles from the train tracks at the bottom of the hill to Schweitzer, with a tidy elevation gain of 2,531 feet. Were it one of the climbs in the Tour, where the King of the Mountain gets to wear a polka dot jersey, Trejos said it would probably be a Category 4 climb, noting there are some grade elevations in the teens.

“There’s nothing easy about that thing,” described Trejos of the climb. “There’s no rest, it’s a straight grind.”

The event usually draws around 30 brave cyclists, ranging in speed from defending champ Jamey Yanik, a pro cyclist with Sandpoint ties who finished in just over 33 minutes last year, to riders who ascend at a much more leisurely clip. The cost is $15/rider.

You can pick up a registration form at Sandpoint Sports, Sports Plus or Sandpoint Parks and Recreation (1123 Lake St.). You can also find them on the web at www.teamsideline.com/sandpoint by going to downloads.

Late registration and check in will be held on race day from 9:30-10:45am at the Red Barn Lot, with a pre-race meeting at 10:45 a.m. and an 11 a.m. start time.

For more information, call 263-3613.