For new families
What you need to know
Everything a new family asks, in one place. Who can ride, what it costs, what to bring, how the week goes, and how to sign up. Read it, then register, then come to a ride. The first one is the hardest part, and it isn’t very hard.
Who can join
- Grades 5 through 12. Middle school riders race by grade; high school riders race by ability. The league sets the age limits for each; the short version is 5th grade and up, and still in high school.
- Anyone who calls Moscow Mountain their local trails. The team boundary runs roughly from Colfax to Bovill and from Potlatch to the Lewis-Clark Valley. Public school, private school and homeschool riders all join the same team.
- Every ability. A kid who has never ridden singletrack and a kid chasing a state title get a ride group that fits. Rides are grouped by ability, not age.
- Nobody has to race. We ask every rider to do at least one race a season, because race weekends are the best part. Nobody is cut for not winning, or for not racing.
What it costs
League registration
About $130 for the fall season and $265 for spring, paid to the league when you register. It covers insurance and every race of the season. The league offers financial assistance; apply before you register.
The team
The team doesn’t add a fee. Jerseys, loaner bikes, tents, tools and the trailer are paid for by sponsors, donors, and families who chip in when they can, and we work to make sure nobody is left out because they can’t. If you can help, here’s where.
The jersey
New riders get a team jersey at their first race. Please return it at the end of the season if your rider is done; they’re about $65 each and our biggest expense. Returning riders can swap for a new size.
What to bring
- A mountain bike that works. Not sure yours qualifies? Email a photo to info@palousebicycleracing.org and we’ll look. The league requires a mountain bike with 24- to 29-inch wheels, knobby tires, flat bars and two working brakes; no e-bikes.
- A loaner, if you need one. The team keeps a small fleet for riders who don’t have a bike yet or aren’t ready to buy. Email us before the season starts.
- A helmet, on every ride, every time. No helmet, no ride.
- Water, a bottle or a pack.
- Clothes for the weather. Moscow Mountain is cooler than town, and spring rides can be cold. Layers, gloves, and closed-toe shoes that fasten.
- Race days: the team jersey, a snack, and your plate number. The team brings the tents, tables, tools, a bike stand, a water cooler and a propane heater.
When and where we ride
Three rides a week while a season is on, each 90 minutes to two hours, grouped by ability with at least two coaches per group. Only registered riders and registered coaches ride with the team.
Fall
Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:45 to 7:15, and Saturday mornings, 10:30 to 12:30, mid-August to early October. On Moscow Mountain, rotating through Trail Landing, Idler’s Rest, West Twin and Balsam, Headwaters and 4-Corners.
Spring
Starts around the first of February with weekend rides at Hells Gate State Park in Lewiston, where the trails dry out first. Weeknight rides move to Moscow Mountain once daylight saving time starts and the snow is gone, usually late March. Same days and times as fall. Advanced riders add a session.
We use TeamSnap to manage the exact schedule, trailheads and in-season team communication. You’ll get an invitation after you register. RSVP for every ride and race so coaches know who’s coming, and turn notifications on, because that’s how you hear about a rain cancellation.
Weather, smoke and closures
- Rain. We ride in it, within reason. Coaches post cancellations in TeamSnap, usually by mid-afternoon.
- Smoke. You know your kids better than we do. If the air looks bad to you, or your rider has asthma, or something just feels off, keep them home. No judgement. Coaches will cancel when it’s clearly bad, but the call is yours first.
- Fire closures. Nearly all of Moscow Mountain is private land, and we ride there because the people who own it let us. When it closes for fire danger, as it did in August 2026, weeknight rides move to town and Saturdays go to public land nearby. The season carries on.
Races
Two races in fall, five in spring, all in Washington, all on Sundays. Most riders race one lap of a four- to five-mile course; the older, faster categories ride two or three. The league places each rider in a category by grade and, in high school, by ability, and moves riders up as they get faster.
A race weekend means driving over Saturday, pre-riding the course together, the burrito build in the race village, camping or a motel, and racing Sunday.
Race rules worth knowing before your first one
- Helmet on any time you’re on the bike, including the warm-up.
- Both wheels on the ground and both hands on the bars through the finish. A wheelie at the line is a two-minute penalty, and they do call it.
- Finish on the bike you started on. Flat tires get fixed, bikes don’t get swapped.
- No headphones on course.
- JV and Varsity riders fix their own flats; everyone younger can take help.
- Be in the staging area when your category is called. Start times are on the race flyer.
How we ride together
Four things we ask of every rider, from the newest to the fastest: ready to ride, ready to learn, ready to listen, and positive and encouraging to everyone out here. That last one is the one that makes this team what it is. Faster riders wait at the top of the hill. Slower riders get cheered, not left. Coaches hold everyone to it, including themselves.
The league’s Safe Kids policy applies to every ride: at least two adults at every activity, no one-on-one situations, and no coach alone in a car with a rider. If anything ever feels off, email us or the league.
How to join
- Register with the league. Create an account at the league’s registration site, choose Palouse Composite as your team, sign the waiver and pay the season fee. Registration opens around January 15 for spring and August 1 for fall, and closes about six weeks into the season. If the team shows as sold out, email the league to be put on the wait list.
- Watch for the TeamSnap invitation. It comes within a few days of registering. Accept it, add the calendar, turn notifications on.
- Join the mailing list below, so you hear about registration dates, race weekends and closures even between seasons.
- Come to the first ride. Find a coach, say it’s your first one. We’ll put your rider with the right group and you’ll be done worrying by the second one.
Want to coach?
Every coach is a volunteer and every coach is licensed through the league, starting with a background check and two online courses. We need fast riders who can stay with the kids at the front, and newer riders who remember what the first season feels like. The team reimburses the license fee. How coaching works, or email info@palousebicycleracing.org and tell us how you ride.
Questions
Email info@palousebicycleracing.org for anything about the team. For registration, fees or league rules, the league is at info@washingtonleague.org.