Days 4 Nights 3 Starting Dates June 5, 2009 July 24, 2009 Start City Markleeville Activity Level 4-5 Daily Distance 40-90 miles Price Per Person $598 Single Supplement $129

KIss of Death™ — High Sierra Challenge Bike Tour

California Bicycle Tour in the High Sierra Nevada Mountains

For many years, an epic bicycle ride has been staged on the mountain roads of the High Sierra. It’s called The Tour of the California Alps - Death Ride. Held on one day in July, it attracts 2,800 avid cyclists from across the country who test their fitness climbing the high and spectacular roads of the California Sierra Nevada mountain range. It is one of the most difficult one-day rides in the country.

The Death Ride has become so popular that it sells out months in advance. Many riders don’t get in, and the ones that do get in have to compete with all the other riders for dining, hotel rooms, and space on the road.

 

 

Death Ride News

As sponsors of The Tour of the California Alps — Death Ride, we receive a limited number of reserved entries into the Death Ride. We will provide a reserved Death Ride entry to any confirmed 2009 Kiss of Death guest who requests one on a first come, first served based (does not include Death Ride entry fee). If you receive a reserved entry from us and are also selected in the Death Ride lottery, you must forfeit one of your entries. For more information, please contact us.

 

In 2003, we thought that a smaller, quieter, but just as challenging cycling experience over the same mountain roads would be a fun alternative. Thus was founded the Kiss of Death™. Instead of a couple thousand riders, we limit it to a dozen. We challenge ourselves on all of the same bicycles climbs of the Death Ride, plus a few more. But instead of doing them all in one day, we do them over a long weekend.

Please Note: Undiscovered Country Tours is a contributing sponsor of The Tour of the California Alps — Death Ride and a member of the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, organizers of this ride. The name “Tour of the California Alps - Death Ride” is owned by the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce.

The Kiss of Death Cyclist

What type of riders come on this trip? People training for the Death Ride. People who want to do the Death Ride but didn't win an entry. People who want a quieter, more relaxed version of the Death Ride. Or mostly, people who love the exhiliration and challenge of cycling the majestic and peaceful High Sierra of Alpine County—the least populated county in California.

We schedule the Kiss of Death in the weeks prior to the official Markleeville Death Ride. The roads are very quiet at this time in the High Sierra, and the selected date gives riders planning to do the Death Ride the ability to get in some high altitude training on the same hills they will be climbing. Due to the popularity of the Kiss of Death, we have added a trip in July—one week after the Death Ride—and another trip in early August.

Extend Your Biking Trip

New for this year: we have added a five-day Lake Tahoe Bike Tour that immediately precedes most of the Kiss of Death dates. By combining the Lake Tahoe and Kiss of Death tours, you can enjoy nine days of the beautiful California Sierra mountains and alpine lakes.

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