Doing it by yourself, you need to tote lots of drink and some food along, or stop and buy stuff, in which case, you need to tote your 40-lb lock along. And on organized rides, they may have a certain amount of traffic control that can help you out. And you're probably a bit safer if you're one of 500 riders than if you're a lone rider on the road. In other words, it ought to be easier on an organized ride. It's still a century either way.

Speaking as a person who has done approx. 100 solo centuries and other longer rides .... I have never brought anything more than a tiny little cord lock with me. Most of the time, if I have to stop and buy something along the way, I prop my bicycle against the little grocery store or convenience store, go in, chat with the owner while selecting and buying my stuff, and come out again to continue my ride. I rarely feel the need to lock my bicycle.

I've done a few solo centuries and rarely stop besides the usual breaks. Just in case I use a small cable lock.
Usually, I can pack enough gels, energy bars, bananas, and such to fuel me for the entire ride. A restroom is more important.

Plus, I feel perfectly safe. It's not like Colorado is the wild wild west.

Organized rides are nice, easy, and fun due to the support and comradery but a solo century is perfectly doable and fun in its own right.

But does it "count?"

I still think the premise behind this thread is funny. Reminds me of that age old "if a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around, does it make a sound?" question.

If EC isn't hardcore, i don't want to see hardcore.

EC = ?
EG = Empire Grade ...

Anyway, I have steeper routes in Santa Cruz, just none I've mapped out since that site stopped working.

Yes, it does have that ring to it.
That and all the whip it out and measure juvenile masculinity issues.

On topic:

Heck, you can cheat on organized rides but that would defeat the purpose.
That and for those of us who are riding a century each month being forced to ride only organized centuries would be a wee bit difficult in winter.

Everest Challenge. https://www.everestchallenge.com/

I was just wondering if it would be frowned upon at all by seasoned bikers. See,I'm fairly new to the road cycling game and I'm thinking my first Century ride will in all likelihood be on my own or with a very small group. I appreciate the clarifying of "hardcore hills." When I lived along the Wasatch I knew what hardcore hills were, but in my current area, unless I'm crossing the Continental Divide I'm surrounded by "rolling hills." I really appreciate everyone's input. Thanks.

Yeah, no kidding. Odd that there are no organized centuries here in central Alberta in January. I can't quite figure it out.

For what it is worth, I find solo centuries to be more difficult. Followed by self supported centuries with a small group. My easiest centuries have been organized rides. No need to carry anything.

I wonder..... could it be that less than 10 riders would show up? j/k

I found that winter centuries require a wee bit of flexibility. In January I waited for the first available time and went. The previous two weekends I had to cancel due to snow.

That would be a bit difficult to plan.

I've had people ask me to tell them what day in January, February, March, November or December I'm going to do my century, so that they can plan ahead and think about joining me ... but you just can't plan that far ahead for winter centuries. The first day I have off with relatively decent weather, I go.

nothing like a good BF

I really think it is unfortunate that a previous poster chose to call it "hardcore hills". I think it would be better to distinguish between flat, rolling, hilly, and mountainous.