Crested Butte Marks 50 Years of Mountain Biking with Vintage Pearl Pass Ride
On September 13, 2026, over 100 cyclists gathered in Crested Butte, Colorado, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pearl Pass Klunker Tour. Participants rode vintage, custom-modified bicycles, known as 'klunkers,' on a 38-mile route from Crested Butte to Aspen. The event honors the town's status as a birthplace of mountain biking, tracing its roots to 1976 when locals modified newspaper delivery bikes to explore local trails. The celebration included historical video screenings and a ride over Pearl Pass, highlighting the sport's evolution from improvised equipment to modern technology.
