Welcome to Crosby where small town friendliness and service are a tradition. Built around Serpent Lake in the heart of Cuyuna Country, the Crosby area offers dozens of beautiful natural lakes and Minnesota's newest lakes. Today, the mines have closed and are filled with crystal-clear water, and the hills of overburden are covered in poplar and spruce. More than half our city is located within the 5,000 acre Cuyuna State Recreation Area, which has more than 24 miles of natural shoreline, seven miles of paved bike trail, and nearly 25 miles of world-class, IMBA certified mountain bike trails.
Race #9- Cuyuna Lakes Crusher
2021 Race Information
Join Us in Cuyuna
Photo Courtesy of Randy Harrison
Voted MNMBS 'Best Race' in 2015, 2017, 2018 & 2019
Cuyuna's World Famous Red Dirt Flow Trails are in great shape!
More than 500 mountain bikers, their friends and families will come to Crosby the weekend of Aug. 21-22 for the Sixth Annual Cuyuna Crusher Race sponsored by the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber and the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series. The Cuyuna Crusher takes place in the Mahnomen Unit of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.
Don't just drive into town for the day on Sunday, Aug. 22—we invite you to the Cuyuna Lakes to make a weekend of it. Bring your family and enjoy swimming, diving, fishing, kayaking and paddle boarding in our crystal clear mine lakes. You will not regret the chance to explore our great town and get a quality pre-ride to prepare for your race. Visit our local businesses that sponsor the Crusher, without them we couldn’t do what we do!
NO DAY OF REGISTRATION
Register to race by Saturday, Aug. 21 at 8:00 PM. Please note: Race numbers will not be available for pick up on Saturday at the Crusher Happy Hour.
Racers who have NOT raced a Series race this year will pick up their race number on Sunday, Aug. 22 before their race. Racers who HAVE raced a Series race this year will use their existing race number and will NOT pick up a new race number for the Cuyuna Crusher race.
Start Times, Distances, Fees : ONLINE REGISTRATION ONLY
| Class | Start Time | Approx. Distance | # of Laps | Early Pre-Registration (closes 8/19 @ 8:00 pm) | Late Pre-registration (closes 8/21 @ 8:00 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Comp | 9:00 AM | TBD | TBD | $18 | $28 |
| Citizen Men & Women | 9:30 AM | TBD | TBD | $29 | $39 |
| Sport Men | 11:00 AM | TBD | TBD | $34 | $44 |
| Comp Women | 11:00 AM | TBD | TBD | $34 | $44 |
| Sport Women | 11:00 AM | TBD | TBD | $34 | $44 |
| Elite Men | 1:10 PM | TBD | TBD | $38 | $48 |
| Elite Women | 1:10 PM | TBD | TBD | $38 | $48 |
| Comp Men | 1:20 PM | TBD | TBD | $34 | $44 |
| All riders 18 and under | $23 | $33 |
Race-Day Awards: KIDS COMP ONLY FOR 2021
Presentation ceremony for KIDS COMP awards will begin at approx. 9:45 am.
NO RACE-DAY AWARDS FOR CITIZEN, SPORT, COMP, ELITE FOR 2021
Vehicle Permits are Required in the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area (including the day of the race)
EVENT DAY PASS WITH DISCOUNT IS $5 (Instead of $7)
There are several ways you can get your Event Day Pass:
- Online registration: Please check the Event Day pass when you fill out your Online Registration. You will then pick up your vehicle pass at the registration table.
- Crusher Happy Hour in Crosby at Cuyuna Brewing Company on Saturday, August 21, 2021 from 4 to 8 p.m.
- Vehicle permits can also be purchased at the DNR office on 307 3rd Street Ironton, Online or any of our six self-service kiosks. Locations for those kiosks are listed below:
- Yawkey Unit Parking Lot
- Portsmouth Campground
- Portsmouth Boat Access
- Miners Mountain Rally Center
- Mahnomen Unit West, entrance off County Road 128
- Sagamore Boat Access
Your purchased permit helps maintain and improve the natural resources, facilities and education and outreach programs that make Minnesota's state parks among the best in the nation.
Course Maps
*Specific course elements are subject to change based on course conditions on race day and discretion of the race director and property owner.
Crusher course for Citizen, Sport, Comp, Elite
Crusher course for Citizen, Sport, Comp, Elite
Starting at the Rally Center going south Turn right (West) onto Cuyuna Lakes State Trail Enter New Easy Street on the Right. Continue onto Bootcamp/new Easy Street At exit of Bootcamp take gravel road to Easy Street Mucker mountain climb near the bottom of Mucker take a right onto the mine road for a passing lane before entering back onto the singletrack on the right. When the Singletrack crosses the main gravel road, take a left on the road for additional passing opportunity. Enter back onto the Easy Street singletrack on the right where Sandhog entrance is (not doing sandhog however). Take Easy Street to Trammer on left. Climb Miners Mountain Overburden road all the way to where Miner's Mountain Downhill trail crosses. Take a left onto that trail (same as the start to Oremageddon) Straight ahead to Ferrous Wheel. Take a hard left to Roly Poly down to Rally Center. (Note: Where the trail hits the road at the bottom, shoot straight to the Start/finish line rather than doing that short segment where Switchback entrance starts) Total of 7.4 miles. Slightly above average time for Sport class racer will be 35 minutes per lap, 70 minutes total. Comp and Elite will be around 30 minutes per lap or 90 minutes comp/120 Elite totals.
Crusher course for Kids Comp
Pre-Ride
Download the STRAVA map (link above under course maps) and pre-ride the course. Course will be marked race day morning.
Crusher Pre-Party, New Connector Trail Tour, & Concessions
New Connector Trail Tour
Explore the new green level Connector Trails on a guided tour (approx. 8-mile/ 1.5 hour ride) on Saturday, Aug. 21 at 3 p.m. with SureShift MTB and friends. Riders will begin and end the ride at Cuyuna Brewing Company. Guided Bike Tour space is limited to 12 participants. Please RSVP to brielle@cuyunalakes.com by Aug. 18.
Crusher Happy Hour
Join us during the Crusher Happy Hour at Cuyuna Brewing Company from 4-8 p.m. Happy Hour features live music by Bruce Archer. Concessions will be available. Grab a 2021 Crusher T-shirts ($25) and socks ($10) at the Chamber booth.
$10 Raffle
To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the trail system at Cuyuna Country State Recreational Area, you could win an GX Eagle AXS™ component upgrade kit ($600 value) donated by Gear West. Raffles will be for sale during Crusher Happy Hour for $10.
About the Musician
Bruce Archer plays a rollicking combination of blues, bluegrass, country, and folk. His impressive finger-picking and slide guitar display a level of mastery that comes from 40-plus years of playing and sifting through musical styles, keeping the bits that resonate with him. He coaxes from his guitar an instrumental voice that is authentically his own.
Masterful finger-picking and slide guitar punctuate the highly autobiographic lyrics of his album THE HALLOWED LAND. This eclectic, sometimes rollicking, sometimes reflective, genre-bending album is a paean to traditional story-telling.
Archer's career has taken him from open mic nights in college, through forming and writing for bands that regularly played high profile alt-music clubs in Uptown, Downtown and West Bank Minneapolis, to returning to solo gigs in the north woods of Minnesota. He's enjoyed playing with some top-notch musicians, including opening for legendary bass guitarist Ronnie Lane (Small Faces), the Uppity Blues Women, the Jayhawks, the Gear Daddies’ frontman Martin Zellar, the Phones, and Run Westy Run—to name a few.
Through it all, he has relied on his Iowa roots and sense of who he is. Archer brings a raw authenticity to his performances.
Race-day Concessions
Concessions by MAUCIERI'S ITALIAN BISTRO, BAR & DELI & Mixed Company --A Kava House available on race day, Sunday, August 22 in the Mahnomen Unit of the Cuyuna Country State Rec Area.
Directions
From the Twin Cities: Click on the following link for directions:
From Rochester: Click on the following link for directions:
From Wisconsin: Click on the following link for directions:
Local Lodging
IMPORTANT INFORMATION! YOU WILL WANT TO BOOK LODGING EARLY! There is another large event happening in the lakes area and lodging may be hard to come by, book early at any of the locations listed below!
Premier Cuyuna Crusher Lodging Partners:
Crosby Lofts: Eight guest rooms, each a little different, with maximum accommodation for four to six adults.
Book : https://www.crosbyloftsmn.com/
Red Rider Resort: Red Rider is a year-round resort that includes eight cabins 2 with a ¾ bath, 10 tent sites and four RV sites. There is a shared bath house and kitchen.
Book: https://redriderresort.checkfront.com/reserve/
True North Basecamp: Waterfront cabins, furnished cabin tents and campsites with sweeping views in the heart of Cuyuna Lakes.
Book: 218-833-2267 or https://truenorthbasecamp.checkfront.com/reserve/
Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge: Ruttger’s has been welcoming families to the shores of Bay Lake since 1898. It is a truly classic, traditional Minnesota up north vacation destination with rustic cabins, great food and bonfires with s’more.
Book: 855-557-3237 or https://reservations.megasyshms.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=25411&Chain=20689
Deerwood Motel: Great Rooms at Great Prices!
Book: 218-534-3163 or http://deerwoodmotel.com/
City of Crosby Memorial Park: Call 218-546-5021 for reservations.
City of Cuyuna: several sites for pitching a tent or parking an RV; along with the shower/bathroom facility at the track.
Book: https://cuyuna.checkfront.com/reserve/#D20170801
Grand Casino Mille Lacs: The largest casino hotel resort in the Lake Country with 494 rooms.
Book: https://grandcasinomn.com/lodging/grand-casino-mille-lacs-hotel/ or call 800-468- 3517
Cuyuna Lakes Chamber lodging:
Directories – Cuyuna Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area Camping:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/cuyuna_country/camping.html
Other Area Weekend Activities
Heritage Days Aug. 19-22
Heritage Days is Thursday, Aug. 19 through Sunday, Aug. 22. Events include a medallion hunt, 10th anniversary of Backstreet Books at the Jessie F. Hallett Memorial Library, customer appreciation luncheon at Cuyuna Lakes Part City on Thursday, Night to Unite on Thursday evening, Heritage Walk and Steak or Shrimp dinner at the Ironton American Legion on Friday, Author Alley, loon calling contest, story hour, C-I Ranger Great Get-Together breakfast, arts and craft show and Lions car show, all on Saturday and the Cuyuna Crusher Minnesota Mountain Bike Series Race on Sunday and so much more!
Contact Information
Cuyuna Lakes Chamber/Promoter
Brielle Bredsten
218-546-8131 Office
Volunteer Sign-up
Interested in Volunteering?
We appreciate your willingness to help with this great community event.
Volunteers are needed for many different positions to help make the event a success. Large group help is an option for community groups, scout troop or sports teams. We can't host this event without volunteers, and we thank you in advance for signing up!
No experience with bike races? That's okay! We have lots of positions that require zero knowledge of the sport. Positions include check-in, trail stewards, directing traffic, packet pick-up, kids race, etc.
In exchange for your time, we'll be providing volunteers with a free T-shirt and a free meal and/or refreshments during your shift! Please join us at the Cuyuna Brewing Company during the Crusher Happy Hour on Saturday, Aug. 21 from 4-8 p.m. to pick up your shirt, instructions, and goodie bag!
Click below to view available volunteer spots, details and Sign Up:
Please contact the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber 218-546-8131 or info@cuyunalakes.com for more information.
Volunteers will receive a free lunch and T-shirt (please sign up by Aug. 1 so we can order the correct T-shirt size).
Cuyuna Miner's Mountain - MAJOR SPONSORS
City of Cuyuna
Visit WebsiteStrategically placed among the clear lakes and lush woodlands of central Minnesota, Cuyuna is among Minnesota's finest vacation destinations but it is also a wonderful place to call home or start a business. An area rich in history, Cuyuna was once a bustling center for iron ore mining. With the miners long gone, former excavation areas now sparkle with crystal clear water and deep-water trout. We now proudly host the beautiful 5,000 acre Cuyuna Country State Recreational Area and the Cuyuna Lakes State Trail system - each providing a wealth of activities from hiking to mountain biking.
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
Visit WebsiteA community-built facility, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center serves approximately 30,000 people in the beautiful Brainerd Lakes area. Our experienced physicians and staff bring a progressive, “can-do” approach to rural healthcare, delivering a wide range high-quality services through one convenient continuum of care. Over the years, strategic local partnerships and strong community support have enabled CRMC to evolve into a state-of-the-art medical campus that offers an array of services to residents throughout the region. In addition to a critical-access hospital, CRMC manages three physician clinics and a senior living community consisting of a care center, assisted living and memory care.
Cuyuna Man High Sponsor
Cuyuna Adventure Town U.S.A.
Visit WebsiteWelcome home. Welcome to Cuyuna Adventure Town USA®. Cuyuna.com is the lifestyle and outdoor brand of this human-powered outdoor recreation destination—purposefully set out to position our region as not only a top destination within the state, but the nation and the globe.
Cuyuna Hopper Sponsor
Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union
What sets Mid Minnesota apart from other financial institutions is that YOU, our member owner, has a vested interest in our success. Any profits are returned to our membership in the form of higher dividend rates, lower interest rates on loans, additional technology, and growth in services. Minnesota Federal Credit Union (MMFCU) serves all of Becker, Cass, Crow Wing, Douglas, Morrison, Norman, Otter Tail, Todd, and Wadena Counties as well as the Cities of Aitkin, McGregor, and Palisade, in addition to various townships* in Aitkin County.
Bootcamp Sponsors
Anderson Brothers Construction
Anderson Brothers is a multi-disciplined contractor specializing in municipal, commercial and residential infrastructure. Anderson Brothers has earned a reputation as an industry leader and the Contractor of Choice for municipal, commercial and private infrastructure. With over 75 years of proven experience in design-build, material resource management, quality control and product performance to ensure the highest possible level of construction craftsmanship.
City of Deerwood
Visit WebsiteThe City of Deerwood Minnesota is situated among the lakes and hardwood forests of the Cuyuna Range. It is noted for its heritage and rural charm. Cuyler Adams of Deerwood discovered the iron ore that started the mining boom. We invite you to see what Deerwood has to offer for your next vacation, business trip or new place to call home. We have a playground, swimming beach, ball field, Depot picnic area and the Deerwood Auditorium.
City of Ironton
Visit WebsiteThe City of Ironton, Minnesota is in the midst of the Cuyuna Iron Range and was established in 1911. The rich history of mining manganese-rich iron ore is what the town was built on when immigrants from northern and southern Europe settled in the area looking for jobs in the mines. With the closing of mining operations in the area around the 1980’s, the community has since enjoyed the beautiful scenery that now is part of the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area.
Culligan Water
Your local Culligan Water Expert doesn’t just know Culligan products--they know water. They have the knowledge and know-how to service and repair ANY type of water treatment and ANY brand of water softener, water filtration system or drinking water system. They also know how to make sure you’re getting the best possible water by performing basic water quality testing in your home.
Cuyuna Brewing Company
Made on the Range in Crosby, MN! It’s not just about the beer. It’s about the people, the camaraderie, the community. It’s about sipping a beer steeped in Cuyuna’s industrial roots. It’s about embracing our world-renowned red dirt trails and deep-blue, crystal-clear mine lakes. Not only do we want our patrons to enjoy the beer, we want them to love and learn more about this place we call Cuyuna.
Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew
Riders from all over the world are flocking to the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails because of the variety of terrain, trails, and experiences. From simple repair, to full re-building, to building new trail, the Trail Care Crew is making sure your ride on the red gold of Cuyuna is best you've ever had. Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew makes giving back to the trails easy. Whatever time and skills you have are always appreciated.
Deerwood Bank
To this day, Deerwood Bank continues to be a community-based bank. Their expansions and growth represent their desire to broaden their services and convenience to their customers throughout Minnesota. Their business philosophies are based on the belief that “to be a successful community bank, we must be committed to our communities and have a unique ability to know and serve our markets."
Deerwood Technologies
With a depth and breadth of expertise in cybersecurity and regulatory compliance, we deploy a comprehensive approach to proactively protect our clients from increasingly advanced cyberthreats and complex regulatory requirements. We work as your IT department or with your existing internal IT team, so you can leverage our depth and breadth of expertise and get proactive, consistent, affordable and, reliable IT technology solutions from us, every time.
Graphic Packaging International
Graphic Packaging International is a leader in the packaging industry, serving hundreds of the world’s most recognized brands. You’ve probably purchased food, beverages or other consumer products sold in their packaging.
Maucieri's Italian Bistro, Bar & Deli
Food and Beverage Catering located in Crosslake, MN.
Mixed Company --A Kava House
Located in a 100-year-old building on Main Street, our cafe and gift shop offers tasty coffee, espresso, tea, and smoothies as well as delicious sandwiches, wraps, soup, pastries, and sweets. Stop by and try our scrumptious scones! We have also have gifts, accessories, vintage home décor, and one-of-a-kind items.
Mixed Company is "the coffee house that community built." Located on Main Street in Crosby, Minnesota. Whether you live in the Cuyuna area or are passing through Crosby, we invite you to stop by. All our food is made fresh in front of your eyes, is easily customizable, and can be taken to-go.
SuperOne Foods
The Miner's family original business was a small tavern started in 1943 by Tony and Ida Miner that offered local residents ice-cold beer. When Tony Miner noticed that many customers left early in the evening so they could buy their bread and milk before their nearby grocery store closed for the day, he added a milk cooler and bread to the items he sold. And that simple, yet insightful decision based on Tony and Ida's customer's needs is the foundation of what you will still find today when you visit a Super One Foods, County Market or Woodland Marketplace Foods store.
Unbound Adventures
Owners Ashley and Andrew Gustafson love the outdoors and trying new things, but know that can be difficult when you aren't sure where or how to start. Plus, the gear required can be a big investment. They started Unbound Adventures hoping to share their passions with you, without any of the hassle!
Unbound Adventures will meet you at the trailhead, set you up with a bike and gear, and provide some basic riding instruction. They will guide you throughout your ride or just for a few trails, whichever you are most comfortable with. They take care of everything but the pedaling!
Mucker Mountain Sponsor
Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Ruttger’s has grown over the years, adding Minnesota’s first resort golf course in 1921, and then a second 18-hole championship course, but the essence of Ruttger’s remains the same as the day Joseph first opened his home to fishermen.
The peace of a northern Minnesota lake, time spent with the ones you love, a good meal, and a warm and welcoming smile.
