Howdy, Kurt here! More than 20 years ago, 7th-grade Kurt entered his first mountain bike race at the Minnesota Zoo, and I’ve been racing ever since. After bouncing around the road and scenes while in graduate school, I eventually returned to the dirt and became enamored by probing mental and physical limits in multi-day ultraendurance events, winning and setting records in some of the toughest bikepacking races in the United States – Tour Divide, the Arizona Trail 300 and 750, the Colorado Trail Race, the Iditarod Trail Invitational, and more. But experiencing new-to-me landscapes and developing a deeper understanding of them is what really energizes and inspires me, whether that’s moving through those places at a rapid or relaxed pace. And rugged backcountry trails are where I love riding the most.

I’ve been coaching endurance athletes via UltraMTB since 2015 and have helped passionate riders make their way onto the top step of podiums in everything from grassroots events to the 24 Hour Solo World Championships, as well as podium finishes, records, and personal victories in Tour Divide, the Colorado Trail Race, Arizona Trail 300/750, Highland Trail 550, Iditarod Trail Invitational, Fat Pursuit, 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo, National Ultra Endurance Series 100 milers, XC events, single-day ultras, and more! 

Beyond my main gig as a professional adventure cyclist, I coach endurance athletes, I’m a co-founder and former Executive Director and Routes Directors of Bikepacking Roots, a freelance writer and photographer, a former geology professor, and an advocate for backcountry trails, climate, and wild landscapes.