Send & Ascend Skills Clinic
About this race
We're excited to continue to bring you this popular clinic for women and non-binary individuals with options beginner, intermediate, advanced, and adaptive riders. For 2026, we are holding the clinic over two days. Day 1, Saturday May 9, will offer all levels from Beginner to Advanced Tech Descending. Day 2, Sunday May 10, will the same clinics as Sat. plus Intro to Air. The clinic is hosted at Marshall Mountain; beginner and intermediate riders will start in the morning with some skills at the base area with some coffee and snacks--and will head onto the trails after lunch to work on using those skills on single track. We will provide lunch, with gluten free and vegetarian/vegan options either at the base, or on the trail for advanced groups.
Not sure which group to register for? Check out the Event Info page from the options at the top.
Important info:
Closed toe shoes and helmet required. (If you show up in Chaco's we'll have to send you home to get your sneakers!) We'd prefer you wear flat shoes and use flat pedals-- if you use clipless please bring flat shoes in addition to your cleats.
Members get a $25 discount, automatically taken out at checkout.
At MT Alpha, we understand that the cost of cycling can be a significant barrier to entry. If you'd like to attend this clinic but find the cost prohibitive, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via email. We'd be happy to work with you to find a solution that makes it possible for you to join.
USAC Sanction # 15357
Pick your distance
Running
Saturday - Beginner Clinic
Beginner riders: for those new to mountain biking or with 1–2 seasons who are still nervous on singletrack. Coaches cover basics—body position, braking, shifting, and trail scanning. No prior experience required. The afternoon trail ride focuses on practicing these skills with minimal climbing and easier descents. Beginner clinic full? Consider joining MT Alpha and coming to our free beginner clinics, offered intermittently throughout the summer.
Saturday - Beginner/Intermediate Clinic
Beginner–intermediate riders: for those with 1+ season of riding who are comfortable on mostly green and a few blue trails (local ref: Rattlesnake). If you’ve hit a plateau—walking switchbacks, struggling to gain downhill speed, or feeling out of control on technical sections—this clinic will revisit and refine the foundational skills you rely on. Expect coaching to improve control, gain confidence, increase speed, and set clear next steps for progression. The trail ride is more physical than beginner sessions, with regular climb breaks and options to session downhill sections. Intermediate clinic full? Consider joining MT Alpha and taking part in our weeknight Thursday Intermediate Clinics.
Saturday - Intermediate Cornering
Intermediate riders: learn to ride bermed corners with speed and confidence. Ideal for riders interested in park, lift-serve or anyone wanting improve thier cornering technique. Expect to ride a mix of the Dual Slalom, Mission to Mars, and Hello Kitty—bermed trails perfect for practicing flow and progressions. Recommended 3+ seasons riding with a solid skills foundation; comfortable on blue MTB trails. Kneepads recommended (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: front suspension minimum and hydraulic brakes.
Saturday - Intermediate Tech (Descending)
Intermediate riders: improve your technical climbing and descending. Build confidence climbing and descending steep terrain, learn techniques for riding roots and rocks, while improving your line choice. We'll start at the base with skills and drills, then practice technical climbing on Hot Sauce and descending on Moose. Participants should have 2+ seasons riding and be comfortable with longer days on the bike (2–3 hours with multiple climbs and descents), riding mostly blue trails. Knee pads recommended (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: front suspension minimum and hydraulic brakes.
Saturday - Advanced Tech (Descending)
Advanced riders: sharpen your technical skills for bike parks, backcountry descents, or your first enduro race. We'll start with a skill assessment and drills at the base, then progress to Bjorn Again, one of Marshall Mountain’s most advanced trails. Recommended 4+ seasons riding with a background in technical or backcountry terrain. Riders must have some experience on black MTB trails that include drops, jumps, steep terrain and natural features. Knee pads required (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: Full suspension and hydraulic brakes.
Saturday - Intro to Air
Intermediate riders: learn to jump and ride drops safely and with confidence. This clinic teaches progressive skills to get your wheels off the ground at the bike park or on the trail. We'll meet at the base for skills and drills, then progress to the mid-mountain jumpline for coached practice. Recommended 3+ seasons riding and a solid skills foundation; comfortable on blue MTB trails. Knee pads required (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: front suspension minimum and hydraulic brakes.
Sunday - Beginner
Beginner riders: for those new to mountain biking or with 1–2 seasons who are still nervous on singletrack. Coaches cover basics—body position, braking, shifting, and trail scanning. No prior experience required. The afternoon trail ride focuses on practicing these skills with minimal climbing and easier descents. Beginner clinic full? Consider joining MT Alpha and coming to our free beginner clinics, offered intermittently throughout the summer.
Sunday - Beginner/Intermediate
Beginner–intermediate riders: for those with 1+ season of riding who are comfortable on mostly green and a few blue trails (local ref: Rattlesnake). If you’ve hit a plateau—walking switchbacks, struggling to gain downhill speed, or feeling out of control on technical sections—this clinic will revisit and refine the foundational skills you rely on. Expect coaching to improve control, gain confidence, increase speed, and set clear next steps for progression. The trail ride is more physical than beginner sessions, with regular climb breaks and options to session downhill sections. Intermediate clinic full? Consider joining MT Alpha and taking part in our weeknight Thursday Intermediate Clinics.
Sunday - Intermediate Cornering
Intermediate riders: learn to ride bermed corners with speed and confidence. Ideal for riders interested in park, lift-serve or anyone wanting improve thier cornering technique. Expect to ride a mix of the Dual Slalom, Mission to Mars, and Hello Kitty—bermed trails perfect for practicing flow and progressions. Recommended 3+ seasons riding with a solid skills foundation; comfortable on blue MTB trails. Kneepads recommended (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: front suspension minimum and hydraulic brakes.
Sunday - Intermediate Tech (Descending)
Intermediate riders: improve your technical climbing and descending. Build confidence climbing and descending steep terrain, learn techniques for riding roots and rocks, while improving your line choice. We'll start at the base with skills and drills, then practice technical climbing on Hot Sauce and descending on Moose. Participants should have 2+ seasons riding and be comfortable with longer days on the bike (2–3 hours with multiple climbs and descents), riding mostly blue trails. Knee pads recommended (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: front suspension minimum and hydraulic brakes.
Sunday - Advanced Tech (Descending)
Advanced riders: sharpen your technical skills for bike parks, backcountry descents, or your first enduro race. We'll start with a skill assessment and drills at the base, then progress to Bjorn Again, one of Marshall Mountain’s most advanced trails. Recommended 4+ seasons riding with a background in technical or backcountry terrain. Riders must have some experience on black MTB trails that include drops, jumps, steep terrain and natural features. Knee pads required (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: Full suspension and hydraulic brakes.
Sunday - Intro to Air
Intermediate riders: learn to jump and ride drops safely and with confidence. This clinic teaches progressive skills to get your wheels off the ground at the bike park or on the trail. We'll meet at the base for skills and drills, then progress to the mid-mountain jumpline for coached practice. Recommended 3+ seasons riding and a solid skills foundation; comfortable on blue MTB trails. Knee pads required (limited loaners available—email to reserve). Bike requirements: front suspension minimum and hydraulic brakes.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 7 years of historical conditions on this event's race dates in Missoula.
Course
Route map and elevation profile
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
Done this event?
If you've participated in this event, share your experience with other runners
Other races near Missoula
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Members Meeting
Missoula Cyclocross
ZooTown Challenge Obstacle Course Race by VRTX Fitness @Washington-Grizzly Stadium, Missoula MT
Fierce Fab Women's Running Festival
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Missoula
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Missoula 5K Races 8 races
- 10K Run Events in Missoula 2 races
- Missoula Half Marathons 3 races
- Missoula Running Calendar 2026 40 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 60 Missoula events
Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.