Overview
The Crusher in the Tushar is not a gravel race that happens to be hard. It's a hard race that happens to use gravel. Burke Swindlehurst, a Beaver native who grew up training in the Tushar Mountains, designed the course in 2011 specifically to punish overconfidence: a mellow paved warm-up that lulls you into early aggression, a 4,000-foot alpine climb to thin air, a 4,000-foot descent on bone-rattling washboard that destroys your hands and empties your bottles, then a flat valley section in full July heat before asking you to climb again — harder — on grades that hit 20%. The Tushars are among Utah's tallest ranges, with several peaks over 12,000 feet, and the course uses that altitude ruthlessly.
At 69.45 miles and 10,201 feet of gain, this is a race where the math doesn't fully explain the suffering. What the numbers miss is the temperature swing — 60-plus degrees between the exposed Piute Valley floor in midday heat and the alpine summit — and the psychological weight of the Col'd Crush, which comes at mile 52, after you're already wrecked. The 40/60 split between tarmac and dirt means no surface is ever a guarantee. Expect hard-pack dirt as smooth as asphalt, stretches of golf-ball-size rock, and patches of pea gravel on steep pitches that make pedaling out of the saddle a lottery you'll lose. Plan for 5.5 to 7.5 hours and accept that the back half of that range is a reasonable outcome regardless of your fitness.
This is an expert-level event. If you're targeting it as your first gravel race, find a different first. If you're targeting it knowing full well what it is, the Tushars will earn your respect in ways most mountains don't.
The Route
The course departs historic downtown Beaver at 5,900 feet, heads up Beaver Canyon on pavement, climbs into Fishlake National Forest, descends into the Piute Valley, follows a valley section through Junction and Circleville, then turns back into the mountains for the Col'd Crush climb to Eagle Point Resort.
Miles 0–11: Beaver Canyon Road (Paved) The first eleven miles follow Beaver Canyon Road along the Beaver River on smooth pavement, climbing at a gradient gentle enough to make you feel strong. Use this section to settle your breathing and hold back — everyone around you is going too hard. The canyon narrows as you climb, with red canyon walls giving way to scrub oak and then ponderosa, the river beside you the whole time. This pavement doesn't last.
Miles 11–24: First Alpine Climb (Forest Road 137) At mile 11 you turn right onto Forest Road 137 and the race begins in earnest. For the next 13 miles the course climbs roughly 4,000 feet to its first summit at around 10,000 feet — the last easy miles you'll see. The dirt ranges from fast-hardpack to chunky loose rock on the steeper pitches, where grades force most riders to spin out rather than power through. The forest opens as you near the summit into high-alpine terrain: aspen stands, open meadows, and the thin air of a place where your body works visibly harder to do the same things.
Miles 24–31: The Big Drop The descent from the first summit loses 4,000 feet in roughly seven miles and is the section that most surprises first-time Crusher riders. It's fast, loose, and relentlessly washboarded — the kind of descent where your hands go numb and your water bottles eject themselves. Technical bike handling matters here. Riders have crashed in conditions that look straightforward. Scrub speed early and don't trust the surface.
Miles 31–46: Piute Valley Floor After the descent you roll out onto pavement into the small town of Junction, where aid station three offers a chance to refuel. The valley here sits below 6,000 feet and in July the exposed floor bakes. This is the mental low point of the race for most riders — flat and open with no shade, wind that can blow either direction, and the knowledge that you need to climb again. Don't skip calories here. Don't skip water. The next climb is the hardest one.
Miles 46–52: Doc Springs Road (The Sarlacc Pit) After Circleville, the course turns onto Doc Springs Road — loose, sandy, and deceptively uphill in ways that read flatter than they are. The false-flat grades combined with soft surface drag your speed down without the dignity of an obvious climb. This section earns its nickname. Stay smooth, stay patient.
Miles 52–62: The Col'd Crush The defining segment of the race: five miles of climbing, 4,000 feet gained, grades reaching 20% on loose gravel that punishes any attempt to accelerate. This is where the race sorts itself. Riders who went out too fast in the first half are reduced to walking sections. The climb earns its name for a reason — it's styled on European col naming conventions, and it demands the same respect. Above 10,000 feet the air is noticeably thin, your legs have been working for five-plus hours, and the pitch never relents enough to let you recover. Seated. Low gear. Patient.
Miles 62–69.45: The Big Flat and Eagle Point Finish The summit opens onto high-alpine meadows at nearly 11,000 feet — wildflowers in full July bloom, panoramic views across the Tushars. The Big Flat section is a brief two-mile recovery before the final pavement climb to Eagle Point Resort at 10,400 feet, gaining another 500 feet at 9% grade. It's a climb after 69 miles and 10,000 feet of work. It's still beautiful, even when you can't fully appreciate it.
What to Bring
- Two full water setups and a hydration plan — Aid stations are spaced 10–15 miles apart and the Piute Valley heat will drain you faster than you expect; one bottle is not enough between stations
- Wind/rain layer — The summit sections can see sudden afternoon storms in July; stuffed in a jersey pocket weighs nothing, hypothermia weighs more
- High-volume tires — 40–45mm with tubeless setup and extra sealant; the washboard descent and Col'd Crush gravel will punish narrow rubber
- Sunscreen applied aggressively — The Piute Valley section at midday is fully exposed; the altitude makes the UV worse than it looks
- Salt and calories front-loaded — Your stomach gets less cooperative at altitude and under heat stress; eat before you're hungry, salt before you cramp
- Spare derailleur hanger — Remote terrain, loose gravel on steep descents; this is the mechanical you don't want to happen 40 miles out
Local Tips
- Best window: Mid-July for the actual race; for personal attempts, early morning start to clear the Piute Valley before midday heat peaks — aim to be through Junction by 11am
- Acclimatize before race day: Beaver sits at 5,900 feet but the course climbs to 11,000+; if you're coming from sea level, arrive at least two days early
- Wind direction in Piute Valley: Check the forecast — south wind on the valley floor can turn Doc Springs into a headwind slog on top of everything else
- Gear selection: A rear cassette with a 42 or larger on the Col'd Crush is not weakness; it's intelligence
- Post-ride: Get food at Arshel's Cafe in Beaver before you leave — classic Utah diner, been there since 1931, and you'll have earned something real to eat