Whitney Classic
The Whitney Classic is an endurance mountain bike race that is held in late September or October every year. The ride runs from the Badwater Basin in Death Valley to Whitney Portal. Badwater, at below sea level, is the lowest place in the North America and Whitney Portal at is the trailhead that leads to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States with an elevation of . The ride. The ride is long with an elevation gain of . There are three major hills: Townes Pass, climbing up from Stovepipe Wells; Hillcrest, climbing from Panamint Springs; and  the Whitney Portal Road, which leaves the town of Lone Pine, California to climb to the Portal. In addition to long distances and elevation, the temperature can play a major factor. At the start in Badwater, temperatures can routinely be as high as degrees, but the temperature quickly drops at higher altitudes. Below freezing temperatures can be encountered near the Portal at night, making temperature swings of over degrees possible in a single day. The ride is a small event, with an average number of riders in the 50s. Riders may ride as individuals or as a team. Due to  the heat, the cold, the length, the hills, the dark, and a number of other factors, it is not unusual for 25-50% of the participants not to finish. History. The Whitney Classic started in 1981 as a fundraiser for Summit Adventure, a non-profit wilderness ministry in Bass Lake, California, and still serves as a major fundraiser for the organization. There are multiple races and runs that travel the same course, including the Badwater Ultramarathon, held in July every year. The ride was originally conceived as a Badwater to the summit of Whitney bike-hike event, making it the  lowest to highest. In later years, as the United States Forest Service required summit permits to climb Mt. Whitney, the official course was shortened to end at Whitney Portal. Forest Service regulations do not allow competitive events in the John Muir Wilderness, however, many riders choose to continue tradition and complete the ascent to Mount Whitney's summit on their own.