2004 EVENTS

2008 events - Please scroll down to find the event your looking for.

MAKE SURE YOU REFRESH/RELOAD this page every time you look at it! ***

7-12 Extreme Heat Coon Bluff (Phoenix)
Perfect beginners race: Tubing and Trekking (Limited to first 50 registered teams)
The picture was one of the mystery events from last years Coon Bluff race. Kind of a teambuilding event without your boss watching!

What is adventure racing? Trying to get to the finish line, having completed all the tasks along the way.
How do you do it? Using all available resources including the map you're given, written directions, problem solving, route choice, etc.

Nearly anyone can do it, and you'll have these events explained thoroughly either by race staff or in your race guide you receive. We get LOTS of questions from athletes who are used to sports like running or triathlon where the entire race is clearly laid out with little thought necessary. In Adventure racing, you may have to read directions, strategize, come up with new ideas, and generally speaking: If the race director didn't say "you can't" then "You can".
If you have questions, ask: Info@SierraAdventureSports.com. WARNING: Try this sport and you'll be hooked!

Who: Two person teams. Male, Female or Coed
What: Adventure Tubing & Trekking (hiking) over a 12-15K course. You will use an easy to read, pre-marked map to find your way to checkpoints scattered about the Coon Bluff area on foot as well as tube down a mile long section of the salt river. In addition, you will have to complete a few "Mystery Events" (more below) along the way. If your worried about the navigation aspect, worry no further. We've been putting this race on for four years now and nearly everyone has finished in the three hours.

Adventure Tubing? what is it? We will supply you with a K-16 (large car or SUV) innertube that you will have to propel through the water. You supply swim fins, a paddle, hand fins, etc. to make it move, or you can just sit backwards and backstroke your way down the river; It's up to you. You may have to carry your equipment for some distance, though it's not terribly long. You may also bring your own innertube so long as it is a genuine rubber car/truck/tractor innertube. Each person must have and carry one and it may not be inflated until we say so. ...bring a mechanical non-electric (that includes battery operated) pump to inflate them. Our tubes have Schrader valves which are what you have on your car.

A few people have contacted us about buying their own tube to practice with and a pfd. Sure, $8/tube $5/pfd, plus shipping from 85028 or in person. Email us if interested: Info@SierraAdventureSports.com.

Mandatory Gear: each person must carry
A hydration bladder or bottles capable of carrying at least 50 ounces of water
A pen or pencil (extra's are a good idea)A Coast Guard approved personal flotation device which must be worn at all times on the water. The $5 orange around-the-neck models at KmartWal-mart work great & we have a batch we're happy to sell for $5 each if you let us know in advance. Waterproof map carrying case, or a big waterproof Ziploc bag First aid kit for whatever you may encounter while trekking and tubing...Don't skimp! It's your health. Each team must have a hand or foot (manual) pump for inflating inner tubes. You may have and used two pumps. Keep in mind that car innertubes have a SCHRADER valve like the one on your car, not a PRESTA valve that many of you have on your bike. Recommended gear: Cell phone (in the "off" position during the race) in a water tight container or bag, gels, bars, E-caps, Hat, sun block, etc. Trail running shoes are best

We will have a transition area where you can stow your gear when not in use. For instance, you don't need to carry your PFD on the hike. You will be looping back through the Transition Area.

Adventure Racing should be above all else FUN, and the Extreme Heat races are meant to be exactly that. You'll enjoy it even if you come in last. Adventure/Fun/Sweat/Discovery/Accomplishment/Camaraderie. When we personally race, we make mistakes, take pictures, get lost, get found, laugh, cry, sweat, finish and have a BLAST!..and that's our philosophy on creating all of our races. Please join us!!

The Extreme Heat Adventure Racing summer races are short (Approximately 12-20K) adventure races that will each have 2 core disciplines (paddling, mountain biking, hiking, adventure tubing), and a few mystery events thrown in. They will start early in the morning and are designed to be completely finished within 3 hours, though leaders may finish between 60 & 90 minutes. If you are just looking into starting adventure racing, this is the perfect race for you.

Do we get t-shirts and finishers medals? We've tried to make the Extreme Heat series as inexpensive as possible, thus, we won't be giving out t-shirts. What you will get are memories that will last a long time! We will present present medals to top three teams in male, female and Coed categories.

Where: Coon Bluff Recreation Area is just off the Bush Hwy in the lower Salt River Canyon near Mesa.

Every vehicle, including volunteers, must pick up and display a "Tonto National Forest" users pass. You can get them at Big5 Sporting goods, and many other places. It is HIGHLY recommended that you get this before you leave as most places out there won't be open should you decide to arrive the morning of the race. Here is more info: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/tp/index.shtml. If you already have an "Interagency Pass" passport and the "Tonto Upgrade" sticker, you don't need the pass. If you don't know what that is, you don't have one. For those of you coming in from out of town, the closest metro area to Coon Bluff is East Mesa.

When: 6:30am mandatory pre-event meeting, 7am start time. Help us speed things up at check in, each member of your team please print and sign this WAIVER and bring it with you.

Registration $110 per team of two. Add $30 if registering after June 28th. Registration will be limited to the first 100 people registered. We are allowing minors 14 & over who are traveling with a responsible adult on a 2 person team, however please email us and let us know in advance of your age if you are under 18 as we have a special waiver for you.
Click here to register by mail: Manual Registration Form or here:
to register electronically. Refunds will not be given for any reason unless cancelled by us, however, in extreme circumstances the entry fee is transferable to a future (2007) race hosted by Sierra Adventure Sports. Please understand this rule is in effect as arrangements for medical staff, insurance, etc., must be made in advance.

What is a "Mystery Event" you ask? They are team-challenge events in which you'll often have to work together to strategize on how to best complete the event. Examples of past "Mystery Event's" have included: blindfolded puzzles, plank walks, climbing walls, balance beams, padlocked chests, ring toss, etc. They're designed so that almost anyone can complete them. We realize you put a lot of trust in us when you enter into an event where you don't know exactly what you'll be doing, and we carefully consider that in regard to every event.

Finally a FUN adult sport!

8-9 Extreme Heat Dreamy Draw (Phoenix)
Perfect beginners race: Trekking and Mountain biking
1.5 to 4 hours long. Don't miss this race!

Details coming soon.

9-6 Mad Mud Run - Chatfield Reservoir, Denver, CO. Benefiting... (TBD)
Ridiculous Fun! 5 bootcamp style obstacles and a mud pit. Click on the link above for more info.

10-11 Desert Rage SoCal

11-1 Desert Rage Las Vegas at Blue Diamond

Some of the best cross country mountain biking you've ever seen in the desert

11-22 Phoenix Mad Mud Run II

12-3 Desert Rage Finale - Lake Pleasant, AZ

Past Events

More local events

Gilmore Adventure Race: http://www.GilmoreAdventureRace.com

Flagstaff Adventure Series http://www.MtnRacingSports.com

Off-road Triathlons: http://www.DCBadventures.com

Orienteering clubs: http://www.phoenixorienteering.org/ & http://www.tucsonorienteering.org/ This is a great way to brush up on your navigating!

A Note about the Desert Rage Points Series: All of the Desert Rage points races will be approximately 25-30 miles with the exception of the finale which will be substantially longer (possibly a 24hr race) and worth double points. While we hope that people are inclined to race in all of them, we understand not everyone will be able to. Because of that, the series points calculations will be as follows. The best 4 races will be used to calculate your total. Because the finale is worth double points, it would behoove any team to include the finale in their races. Ties will be broken with the best, most recent finish which includes the finale.

We will be holding recreational courses of approximately 12-17 miles (at most DR races) simultaneously with the points races for folks who just want to give adventure racing a try or just want to take a more leisurely approach. This is still a race that we'll post results for, though just not quite as long. Mystery events will be the same, navigation may be simpler, distances will be shorter. Don't let the idea of mileage get in your way of trying this incredible sport...you can do it!

The Desert Rage series should be considered for fun and pride, and in exchange, we'll keep the prices reasonable and do our best to deliver a fun, challenging, and fair race. We don't give cash prizes as we think it takes the fun out of it and the simple fact is, we don't have the stomach for sniveling. We have however given away a kayak to the series winners for the past five years and we'll try and do something similar in 2008. We also give away sponsor provided prizes such as backpacks, Jugs of Hammer gel, socks, and stuff like that. For reviews of our races, check out Adventure-Race-Reports.com.

We hope you'll join us in 2008! Beginning in 2009, all races will be independent of one another with no points accruals.

Thanks
Rick Eastman

Manual Registration Form