The best trail in 2008 was a battle between various trails in  Moab Utah and Bend Oregon, but the clear winner was the Porcupine Trail in Moab.

In 2009, trails in Moab Utah were again in the finals, but this time they were up against Colorado. The 5 finalists of the 2009 Mountain Bike Mayhem tour of the USA were :

• Hartman Rocks Epic Gunnison Colorado
• Kokopellis Trails Epic Fruita Colorado
• Hall Ranch Lyons Colorado
• Moab Rim via Hidden Valley Moab Utah
• Gold Bar Rim Trail down Portal Moab Utah

Picking this years winner was not easy, I did manage to get the list down to TWO trails, but I could not decide which one was better.

Every trail I tested, I did  at least twice, and usually on one of the rides one was uaually  better than the other, but with these two trails, they were perfect 10/10 both times around.
Numerous times I thought I had made my decision, but I just did not think it was fair towards the other Trail.

One thing is certain, although I am a Moab Junkie, and I luv the Moab Trails, this Year Colorado clearly beat Utah, and I have a DOUBLE WINNER for 2009

Mountain Bike Mayhem’s 2009 BEST Mountain Biking Trail in the USA goes to :

Kokopellis Trails Epic Fruita Colorado

AND  

Hall Ranch Lyons Colorado

Both trails are absolutely fantastic, and in my view offer EVERYTHING a mountain biker looks for.. they are both worthy winners!!

On this 2009 Tour, I took my bike / visited 17 bike shops, out of those 17 only 4 passed my very basic test to qualify for a recommendation article on mountainbikemayhem.com, that is quite shocking, because I was really expecting more than 90% to pass with flying colors.
Other than the obvious being polite and helpful, I looked for honesty and good judgement.
Every shop I went to, I asked them to check my back brakes, I said that I thought they needed replacing. However I knew that the brakes were worn but I also knew that there was still about 100 miles left on them, and did not need replacing… Only 4 shops told me the brakes did not need replacing (yet).

Now I know that, because a shop didn’t advise me against changing my brakes, that the shop is no good.. But let me make it VERY CLEAR, I have NEVER written or said anything bad against ANY shop.. that was and is not what I was looking for. What I was looking for, were the shops that I would recommend to my friends, and that I will definitely use again myself if in the area.

The Shops recommended on the 2009 Mountain Bike Mayhem Tour were:

The Hub Brevard North Carolina : www.hubbicycles.com
Smoky Mountain Bicycles Franklin North Carolina :  www.smokymtnbikes.com
Redstone Cyclery Lyons Colorado : www.redstonecyclery.com
Single Tracks Fruita Colorado :  www.single-tracks.com

All the above shops come highly recommended, and they deserve your custom.

So which shop can officially call it self the ” Best of the Best” ?

First of all, let me tell you WHY I chose this particular Shop.

The owner is very active and helpful on Mountain Bike Forums, he is an avid and active Mountain Biker, and not just locally. He spends a lot of his free time planning, maintaining and working hard on the local trail system. He is the owner of the shop and personally stands behind his products and services. His Shop is small, but has a huge reputation among a lot of hardcore mountain bikers
And most importantly, he is friendly, honest and knows everything there is to know about Mountain Biking and the history that goes with it.
I was hard pressed to find anything bad about the owner or the shop,.. BUT I did find one thing, that I will not forget in a hurry…..  HE was the one that recommended ” Sourdough “!!!!!

So, Mountain Bike Mayhem’s BEST MOUNTAIN BIKING SHOP IN THE USA 2009 goes to

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REDSTONE CYCLERY

Lyons Colorado

Read Article

Visit the official website : www.redstonecyclery.com

From May 2009 through October 2009 I tested more than 1800 miles of pure Mountain Biking Trails, in search of the Best Mountain Biking Trail the USA has to offer.
My search is no where near finished, and as in May 2010 I will yet again take to the trails, this time however I will spend a whole year on the Trails.

Last years Tour was the 2008 Mountain Madness Tour, and it was a very close battle between trails in Oregon’s Bend and Utah’s Moab but in the end I chose “Porcupine Trail” in Moab as the 2008 Mountain Madness Tour Trail of the Year..

This year was the 2009 Mountain Bike Mayhem Tour, and even more States were visited, even more trails were tested and and more miles were spent on the saddle.
This time I got a lot of help from Mountain Bike Forums, and from local mountain bikers. Also I did EVERY trail at least twice, the first time was a ‘Granny Run” and the second time I opened up.
I count myself very lucky that although I had a few “hefty” crashes, I managed to keep myself and my bike in one piece.

I look back at my rides with fond memories, and EVERY single ride I did offered something unique, and choosing the best trail of 2009 was not an easy task, but here are Mountain Bike Mayhems 5 finalists in no particular order:

• Hartman Rocks Epic Gunnison Colorado
  

read article

.

• Kokopellis Trails Epic Fruita Colorado

read article

.

• Hall Ranch Lyons Colorado

read article

.

• Moab Rim via Hidden Valley Moab Utah

read article

.

• Gold Bar Rim Trail down Portal Moab Utah
  

read article

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Next week I will Post the winner of Mountain Bike Mayhem 2009  BEST TRAIL of 2009

I really loved the first ride I did in the Kokopelli’s Loops Area, I decided to ride an Epic, hitting all the trails in one very long but fantastic ride .. all in all just over 6 hours of excellent sweet mountain biking.

Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: Fruita
Length: about 41 miles
Trail Type: Loops
Skill Level: Aerobically: easy – strenuous,  Technically: easiest-difficult
Duration: 6+  hours
Trailhead Elev: 4500 feet
Top Elev: 5300 feet

Book Description (s)

[ Horsethief Bench ]
This ride offers spectacular views of the Colorado River along with an excellent singletrack section that is one of the best in the area for those seeking a moderate ride. The singletrack section along Horsethief Bench is just pure fun. Throw in the great views out to the beautiful Colorado River and you have a wonderful mountain biking experience.

[ Lions Loop ]
Another great ride with excellent singletrack, some great uphills, and spectacular overlooks to the Colorado River. This is one of the must-do rides in the area. You can do this ride and easily hook up with other trails in the area for a longer and more difficult ride.

[ Mary's Loop ]
Spectacular views of the Colorado River and an excellent singletrack section make this one of the best moderate rides in the area. This is a great introductory ride that should not be missed.

[ Troy Built Loop ]
The Troy Built Loop, named in honor of its builder, is the newest addition to the famed Kokopelli Trail, which links Grand Junction, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, via a mountain bike trail. This loop delivers some tough climbing on narrow and rocky singletrack. Views of the Grand Valley are spectacular. Some of the riding involves speedy descents along the edge of Rabbit Valley – one hell-of-a-long-way down. Once at the top of Mack Ridge, however, it’s a speedy wide doubletrack back to your vehicle. The views atop Mack Ridge offer distant sights of Utah, the Grand Mesa, and the entire Grand Valley. Terrain: Singletrack, doubletrack, jeep road, and some slick rock. The trail travels over arid and rocky terrain, skirting, at times, to precipitous canyon edges.

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My Experience

YET AGAIN ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!
I started the ride on a clear sunny Monday morning at 11 0′ clock.

My ride was as followed:

Trailhead >> Mary’s Loop onto >>Rustlers Loop >> back onto Mary’s Loop >> Wranglers Loop >>back onto Mary’s Loop >>  Horsethief Bench Loop >> back onto Mary’s Loop >> Steve’s Loop >> back onto Mary’s Loop >> Lion Loop >> Troy Built Loop >> back onto Lions Loop >> Mack Ridge Trail >> Moore fun Trails >> Trailhead

Conclussion

The first time around I gave this beauty a 10/10 with a Gold Star, and this time around with all the extra trails added I yet again give this Epic a 10 / 10 with another Gold Star..
The Kokopelli’s Trails are just a Mountain Bikers dream, I don’t care what your name is, how much your bike costs, and how tight or baggy your clothes are.. You WILL love this ride.. any mountain biker who can step forward and say he / she does not like these trails, obviously needs to start looking for a new hobby.

The trails are ALL fantastic, technical but far from impossible, stunning views, uphill climbs, fast downhill bombs, smooth singletracks, bumpy singletracks, and lots more.

• Mary’s Trail :[ 6 miles ]  Sweet easy scenic double and singletrack with stunning views.
• Rustlers Loop : [3.6 miles ] Fantastic easy swift running singletrack through stunning scenery.
• Wranglers :  [2.1 miles ] Easy trail, a nice ride.
• Horsethief Bench Loop : [3.7 miles ] Fantastic loop, with a short portage up to / from the trail. Excellent singletrack through stunning scenery
• Steve’s Loop : [ 3.6 miles ] Another beauty, excellent smooth level singletrack with fantastic views of the Colorado River
• Lions Loop : [ 4.8 miles ] bumpy but excellent singletrack with stunning views of the trails below.
• Troy Built Loop : [ 3.8 miles ] Steep rocky but doable downhill followed by sweet level singletrack  and a nice moderate singletrack climb
• Mack Ridge : [ 3.1 miles ] After a brutal gravel road climb ( lions loop) , you are rewarded with one hell of a great but technical singletrack with stunning views and scenery of the area and as far as Utah. Be careful on the steep and rocky downhill.
• Moore Fun Trail : [ 4.5 miles ] What a FUNTASTIC   Finish to the Epic, a brutal climb to the edge, but you get rewarded like a king. Fairly technical ride, but a MUST. Finishing your day on this trail from West >> East is the best you’ll ever get!!

The Kokopelli’s Loops definitely puts Fruita on the USA’s list of Mountain Biking Mecca’s.

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : Fairly busy , But once beyond Steve’s Loop, I had the trails to myself.
Wild Life : who needs wildlife on a ride like this!?
Scenery : Absolutely Fantastic 360 degree 3D Scenery
Other : EVERY trail in the “kokopelli’s” is worth riding, Mack and Moore is pretty technical do not take lightly. Make sure you have PLENTY of fluids with you.

My Trail Rating : 10 / 10 with another  Gold Star

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Known as the Tabeguache Trails, but it seems that the locals call them the “Lunch Loops”. DO NOT make the same mistake I did, and accidentally mention these are in Fruita!!.. These trails are Grand Junctions playground.
After the previous rides I did in this area, I was really looking forward to these trails, as so many people mentioned trails such as “Gunny Loop”, “The Ribbon” and of course “Holy Cross”

Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: Grand Junction
Length: You decide
Trail Type: Loops, Out & Backs and Linking
Skill Level: Aerobically: easy – strenuous, Technically: easiest-difficult
Duration: You decide
Season : Year-round; best between October & April
Trailhead Elev: 4,600 feet
Top Elev: 5,500 feet

Guide Book Description
[ Gunny Loop ] One of the finest advanced rides in the Fruita/Grand Junction area. Several sections of excellent singletrack will demand your utmost attention. This ride is for the expert rider only. This trail is located 2 miles southwest of Grand Junction. Mile for mile this is one of the best mountain bike rides in Colorado Tread: 0.6 mile on pavement; 3.1 miles on doubletrack; and 6.6 miles on singletrack.

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My Experience

The ride I did was [ somewhat ] as followed :

>> Kurts Lane >> Miramonte >> Gunny Loop >> Ribbon ( out & back ) >> Andy’s >> Eagles Tail >> Eagles Wing >> and a few other shorter trails such as >>Ali-Ali >> Lemon Squeezer  and >> Pet-e-kes. and of course >> Holy Cross, and possibly a few more “connector” trails.

I had THREE maps for these loops, and I took a forth map that was at the starting point of the trails.. This FREE map was by far the best one, most trails in this system are NOT mentioned on the “purchased” maps. I must say, that if I had not taken the free map at the Trailhead, I would have missed at least half the rides, and staying on the right trail would have been a problem.

Conclusion

At the start of the trailhead on Monument Road, I was a bit worried about the high amount of cars and people present, but once on the trails I did not see many people at all.
These trails offer everything for all levels of both tech. ability and fitness level. There is climbing, but nothing too serious ( unless you are mad enough to climb Holy Cross)
Gunny Loop is a fantastic 9 mile ride, that gives you an excellent feel of what the Tabeguache Trails has to offer.
The Ribbon [out and back ] is also a nice ride, but pretty demanding on a fitness level, but does offer a fantastic downhill ride.
Miramonte is another short but excellent singletrack loop. The numerous trails you take to reach the “Holy Cross” are also very scenic and nice to ride [ lemon Squeeze ] with some very narrow and tight spots going through, around and over boulders.

The Starting point to the ‘Holy Cross” suggests it is going to be a nice fast singletrack through high grassland, however, after a few minutes the Holy Cross does her best to make this your worst nightmare, or just plain sweet dreams!. If you are not comfortable with extremely narrow, tight, rocky and steep trails, then you definitely do not want to attempt the Holy Cross… portaging this trail is just as hazardous as riding it. If at the end of this mayhem you and your bike are still in one piece, say a prayer of thanks to the ‘Guardian” of the Holy Cross, she obviously took a liking to you.

All in All the Tabeguache Trails are a fantastic trail system that offers everything for everyone. Grand Junction has every right to be Proud of the Tabeguache Trails System.

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : fairly busy
Wild Life : none
Scenery : Nice scenic trails
Other : DO NOT waste your money on a map(s) the FREE map at the Trailhead is by far the best one and most recent and updated. [ but do not rely on the maps always being there, they more than often run out of maps, and are not replaced daily]

My Trail Rating : 8.5 / 10

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18 Road in Fruita is home to what some say the best trails in Colorado, and I had heard a lot about Chutes & Ladders and Zippety Doo Daa, and after my fantastic ride in the Kokopelli’s Area, I was really looking forward to this ride. But, was it be as good as the Kokopelli’s?

Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: Fruita
Length: You decide
Trail Type: Loops
Skill Level: Aerobically: easy – strenuous,  Technically: easiest-difficult
Duration: You decide
Season : Year-round; best between October & April
Trailhead Elev: 5,150 feet
Top Elev: 5,500 feet

Guide Book Description

[ Chutes & Ladders ] This trail has some great singletrack riding; one of the better rides in the Book Cliffs area. The fun factor on this ride is very high. The trail traverses along the lower part of the Book Cliffs and follows a wandering line in and out of several dry washes. Do this ride. This trail is located 8 miles north of Fruita.

[ Zippety Doo Daa ] Steep downhills, excellent singletrack, and some very technical sections add up to make this one of the best expert rides in the area. The downhill sections will test the skills of most cyclists.

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My Experience

After 20 min. of riding, I started to wonder what all the fuss was about, the ride I was on was flat easy and pretty uneventful, but that soon changed for the better… Lots better!!
The ride I did was : >> Parking Trail Head >> Perimeter >> Chutes & Ladders >> Prime Cut [down] >> Vegetarian >> Chutes & Ladders >> Kessel Run [ one way down only ] >> Western Zip [ Up ] >> Zippety Doo Daa [ one way down only ] >> Parking Trail Head

Conclussion

From the Trailhead the first part of the ride ( Perimeter to Chutes & Ladders ) is pretty flat and uneventful, but halfway up Chutes & Ladders, the ride becomes a hell of a lot better and more technical.. nothing too serious yet, but there were some pretty demanding and fast  sections.
Kessel Rim [down] was a hell of a fast and fun section, and definitely worth the run, only minor downside is, that you somehow have to make your way back up to the top section of the trails, because without any doubt, Zippety Doo Daa is the “Piece de Resistence” . Zippety Doo Daa is a just a mental trail, that will have you laughing and shitting yourself at the same time. Do not attempt ZDD if you do not like heights and / or very narrow track with a hell of a penalty for any errors. Certain section of ZDD are easily 75 degree’s downhill, go too slow and you are off, go too fast and you are off!!

one thing is certain, once you are safely at the end of ZDD, all you want is ONE thing, and that is to do it again!!

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : fairly busy 10+
Wild Life : none
Scenery : Nice scenic trails
Other : There are two parking lots used for these trails, the lower and the upper, I preferred the  lower because you can end the ride on a “high” coming down  the Zippety Doo Daa , otherwise you will have to cycle back to the top parking lot.

My Trail Rating : 8.5 / 10

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Walk into Single Tracks in the heart of Fruita, and you will immediately notice how well stocked the shop is, not just with some really niffty looking bikes, but a huge selection of everything you will need and more. Single Tracks is the kind of shop, that once you are in there, you just don’t want to leave.

Usually I ask for peoples recommendations about bike shops on various Mtb forums, but I had not got around to doing this for Fruita. In this case, I approached actuall riders on the Trails, and it is without doubt that the local mountain bikers choice of Fruita bike shop is ” Single Tracks Bike Shop ”

As luck had it, I needed a new back tire, and was curious to see why everyone I spoke to, had such good things to say about this shop.

Once in the shop, I was approached by Chris, the owner, and what a great guy he is. Straight away you feel his enthusiasm, he’s not running a shop purely to make a living, it’s clear he’s running the shop, ‘cos it’s what he loves doing.
I was only in the shop for a few minutes, but in that time Chris advised me about what to, and what not to ride in Fruita and Grand Junction.

Chris is not just the owner of a great shop, and a mountain biker himself, Chris is also the author of a fantastic and highly recommended Book called ” Grand Junction Trails and Camping Guide” that is full of useful trail info.

Click here for more info about this book

Take my word for it, if you are in the Fruita area, and you need anything for your rides, just head for ‘Single Tracks’ and I can guarantee that you too will be recommending the shop to others.

Single Tracks Bike Shop is located in the heart of downtown Fruita, Colorado.
From Exit 19 off of I-70, head north to the stop sign, take a right onto Aspen Street, which leads you to Park Square.

From Exit 19 off of I-70, head north to the stop sign, take a right onto Aspen Street, which leads you to Park Square.  We are on the south side of the park

SINGLE TRACKS BIKE SHOP
150 South Park Square
Fruita, Colorado 81521
970.858.3917 ~ 800.878.3917
chris@single-tracks.com

For more info visit : www.single-tracks.com

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Fruita / Grand Junction has a fantastic reputation among mountain bikers, and many even rate it as the best mountain biking region in the USA.
As soon as I reached Fruita, I knew I was going to love riding these trails, but was I up for a surprise, a very pleasant one!!

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Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: Fruita
Length: 17.2 miles
Trail Type: Loops
Skill Level: Aerobically: easy – strenuous,  Technically: easiest-difficult
Duration: 2 – 3.5 hours
Trailhead Elev: 4500 feet
Top Elev: 4900 feet

Guide Book Description

This ride offers spectacular views of the Colorado River along with an excellent singletrack section that is one of the best in the area for those seeking a moderate ride. The singletrack section along these loops  is just pure fun. Throw in the great views out to the beautiful Colorado River and you have a wonderful mountain biking experience.

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My Experience

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! I enjoyed every second and every mile of this ride.
I started the ride on a clear sunny Tuesday morning at about 11 0′ clock. At the Trailhead I got some useful trail  info from a local mountain biker named “Steve”  [ Thanks Dave and the "Beer Crew" it was great meeting you all ]

My ride was as followed:

>> Mary’s Loop onto >>Rustlers Loop >> back onto Mary’s Loop >> Horsethief Bench Loop >> back onto Mary’s Loop >> Steve’s Loop >> back to Trail head on  Mary’s Loop

Conclussion

This was my first ever ride in Fruita, and I absolutely loved it. In my books, this trail offers everything a mountain biker could wish for, and then more!!.
The weather was fantastic, the trails, the views ….. just everything was fantastic.
I am not just giving this ride a full 10/10, I am also giving it a gold star!!
I don’t care who you are, or where you are from… Mountain Biking just does not get better than this.

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : BUSY 20+
Wild Life : who needs wildlife on a ride like this!?
Scenery : Absolutely Fantastic 360 degree 3D Scenery
Other : Although I loved this ride, it was very busy even on a Tuesday morning, I hate to think what it must be like on a weekend

My Trail Rating : 10 / 10 with a Gold Star

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I arrived in Gunnison  last Monday, and based myself just 2 miles from Hartman Rocks, this gave me a chance to not just study the map, but to actually visit the area, and get my bearings.
Once I had walked around one or two of the trails, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to love riding the Hartman Rocks Trails.
The only thing that could potentially spoil things for me was “too many people” …

Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: Gunnison
Length: +6000 acres of trails
Trail Type: You decide
Skill Level: Aerobically: easy – strenuous,  Technically: easiest-difficult
Duration: You decide
Trailhead Elev: 7700 feet
Top Elev: 8300 feet

Guide Book Description

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My Experience

Seeing as Hartman Rocks was just 2 miles from where I was based, I took my time getting ready.
It was a fantastic day to ride, clear blue sky on a crisp Friday morning.
I started riding at 10am, and there were  just 2 cars in the lot, that was an excellent sign. I sent all in all just over 7 hours riding all the trails I came across.

START >> Jacks Trail >> Tailpipe >> The Ridge >> Top of the World >> Alonso’s >>Behind the Rocks >> The Luge >> Buddy Bear >> Dirty Sock >> Dave Moe’s >> Enchanted Forest >> Skull Pass >>Aberdeen Loop >> Outback >> Back in >> then followed the dirt road back to >>Josie’s >> back to START

In the whole 7  hours that I was on the trails, I did not come across anyone, until the last hour, and then I came across 2 people on a moto trail bike, and 1 group of 3 bikers.

I enjoyed every minute of all the trails I did, and would definitely recommend Hartman Rocks.

Conclussion

Where do I start? I spent more than 7 hours on these fantastic trails, and it seemed like 2 hours. the combination of great weather, excellent trails, no people  and stunning views, made my day a perfect one.
If like me, you love to bike in open rugged spaces with stunning views and fantastic  singletracks, then Hartman Rocks is definitely gonna put a smile on your chops… For me it was a perfect day, and I give Hartman Rocks a perfect 10/10

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : 2 people on a motorbike and 1 group of 3 bikers
Wild Life : a snake
Scenery : Fantastic Scenery
Other : My experience might have been different  if I did this on a weekend or after 4 o’ clock..

My Trail Rating : 10 / 10

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Deer Creek Trail is together with the 401 Trail, Crested Butte’s most well known trail. Deer Creek is more challenging than the previous trails I have done in the Butte area.
It was freezing cold, and snowing, and I had 27 miles ahead of me. The trail was slippery, it was cold, and to make make things worse I crashed, and spent 30 minutes repairing my bike.. So did all of this make me hate the Deer Creek Trail?

Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: Crested Butte
Length: 27.1 total miles
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: Aerobically: strenuous, with a lot of climbing and descending at high altitude. Technically: easiest-difficult
Duration: 3 to 6 hours
Trailhead Elev: 9000 feet
Top Elev: 10750 feet

Guide Book Description

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My Experience

I got an early start on a freezing and snowy Thursday morning, this was going to be my first ride in the snow in 2009, and the first time I wore my winter riding gear.
I’m going to skip the ride on the road, boring as usual, and get straight down to the 10 mile singletrack section.
Deer Creek Trail actually starts off on a moderate climb, and the 2 rides I had done the previous days had me feeling fit, and I was well within my time limit. The climb starts of pretty easy winding through trees, into the open, and then a tiny creek crossing… NOW this is where I started to bust my lungs!!.. I really tried to go all the way, but it was just too much, and the snow was giving me traction issues, I probably walked for 15 min. on this section. Then once at the top things get a hell of a lot easier, and the real fun begins. The trail shoots down through open spaces, and then disappears into the trees, giving you just enough space to zigzag past them. This followed by another moderate climb and then miles of open mountain meadow with a wonderful singletrack cutting through it… sweeeeeeeetttt!!!! The singletrack is fantastic and the views are superb.

CONCLUSION

Oooohh Yessss, this is a real gem, the singletrack section is superb both the trail and the views. When I did this trail it was freezing and snowing, but I still loved it. This trail has an extreme remote feeling to it, or at least when I was did it, and you feel like you are the only person on earth!!
What I really do not like about this trail, is the amount of road milage that has to be taken to make this a loop. My advice to everyone like myself who does not like road riding, is to ride this beauty as an “Out & Back”, that would make it 20 miles of singletrack.

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : None
Wild Life : Lots of Deer
Scenery : Fantastic Scenery
Other : Ride as an 20 mile “Out & Back” and NOT as a 27 mile road loop

My Trail Rating : 9.5 / 10 just the singletrack ….. 7 / 10 using road loop