Rebel Route: Down Up Down

August 22, 2020

LAST UPDATED October 1, 2021

Our newest Rebel Route comes from Zwifter Craig Devonshire, who suggested a route planned along the same theme as the infamous Badwater Ultramarathon. This race travels 135 miles from the lowest point in North America (Death Valley) to the highest point in the continental US (Mount Whitney).

For our Zwifty version, we travel from the lowest point on Watopia (Ocean Boulevard, -5m elevation), to the highest point (Alpe du Zwift, 1047m elevation) then back again. Who will be the first to complete the route in under 90 minutes?

About Rebel Routes

“Rebel Routes” are Zwift rides which are not available on Zwift’s routes list, thus requiring manual navigation.

See all rebel routes >

The reward for your rebel ride? Exploring a new route, knowing you’ve gone where few Zwifters have gone before. And a Strava segment rank in the tens or hundreds instead of the thousands! They are included as a separate category on our Veloviewer Route Hunter leaderboard.

Route Description

Before we begin, please note that since we summit the Alpe on this route, you must be a level 6 Zwifter or higher to ride it.

Begin in downtown Watopia by selecting the “Flat Route”. Turn left onto Ocean Boulevard, which will take us underwater to the lowest elevation on Watopia. Enjoy the flat roads while you can – they won’t last long.

After you climb out of the tunnel, turn left at the windmills to head over the dock and up the snaking climb toward the Epic KOM and Jungle. The climbing is beginning, but this is just the start! Turn right at the next fork toward the Jungle, then another right once you’re on the Jungle dirt to being the circuit in a counter-clockwise direction.

Another right finds us at the foot of Alpe du Zwift – time to climb! Hammer you way up those 21 turns, take a breather as you ride the ring road at the summit, then descend and retrace your path home!

The route ends at the main downtown Watopia start/finish banner.

Profile

Getting Started + Lead-In

Start by choosing Watopia’s Flat Route. This will take you in the right direction for the first portion of the ride.

Turn by Turn

Here are the turns you’ll need to make to successfully complete Down Up Down. Start by choosing the Flat Route route, or any route that begins in downtown Watopia heading east. The official Strava segment begins at the downtown start/finish banner.