On May 31, the inaugural Outlaw Gravel ride set out from the base of Howelsen Hill and wound its way through the back roads of Routt County.

Outlaw Gravel is more than a ride though. It’s an event that supports the Dirt to Snow – Mark Satkiewicz Legacy Fund. The fund, under the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, helps Routt County youth access bike and snow sports though various programs, equipment and opportunities.

Local rider highlights included Deanna McCurdy, victorious in the solo women’s long ride; Hombres de Velo, second among four-person teams; Bode Rhodes, third in the junior team long-course; Lindsay Berke, first among junior women’s short-course riders; and Livia Spector, second among junior women’s short-course participants.

“Outlaw Gravel chose to support Dirt to Snow because Mark’s impact on Steamboat’s cycling community is hard to overstate,” said Outlaw Gravel founder Garett Mariano. “Mark was also a good friend, mentor, and one of those rare people whose presence made everyone around him want to be better.”

The legacy fund honors Mark Satkiewicz, who passed away in 2020 at 51. He was a Smartwool executive and SBT GRVL founder.

Funds raised from Outlaw Gravel will be distributed to the Mark Satkiewicz Fund and then awarded to the Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Colorado.

“Mark was also an active member of Steamboat Velo,” said Mariano. “He led rides, welcomed new cyclists, motivated longtime riders and reminded all of us to live life to its fullest.”

He was one of the driving forces that made Steamboat Springs a destination for gravel.

“Mark believed Routt County’s gravel roads were world-class and worth sharing,” said Mariano. “He also believed outdoor sports should be more inclusive and accessible. That combination of big vision and community-first values is something we want Outlaw Gravel to carry forward.”