We had originally planned on heading over to Crested Butte again this weekend so that we could ride and fish and perhaps watch the finals of the downhill race on sunday. But after a few beers at work on friday afternoon laziness got the better of me and we stayed home. We had not slept at home on a friday or saturday night in over a month and to be honest it was kinda pleasant just relaxing. (although we did use saturday to clean up the apartment as it was a shambles from not being at home on weekends for a long time)
On sunday we headed up to Keystone for the first time this year. It had opened the previous weekend but between the expected crowds and the fact that some of the trails we closed due to snow we went to New Mexico instead.
Sunday was great times it was not crowded and the trails were all in excellent shape.
I was also looking forward to seeing how my downhill bike felt since I had recently replaced the wheels with lighter rims and tires going from heavy 3" tires to DeeTrax rims with 2.5" rear and 2.7" front Maxxis DH tires. I also replaced the fork with a 3lbs lighter far superior Boxxer Team fork.
The changes were a GREAT investment! My bike felt really good and I was way happy with how I was riding it. Amber rode with full armor on her mojo and also had a great time.
We didn't last long before fatigue got the better of us, but it was a great days riding. It always somewhat depresses me just how sore I am after downhilling, but it is a good feeling to know that you are getting stronger and more adept at it. I may have to have a sick day from work mid-week soon and get back up there to try the new trails they put in this summer.
Random travels, thoughts & pictures with Sean, Amber, Moab, Bishop & Whistler, Driggs
Monday, June 25, 2007
Los Alamos, NM - June 16th
After seeing some great looking photos on mtbr in a thread about a lift mountain near Los Alamos in new mexico we decided that it was time to head down and have a look around that part of the world.
It is a smaller ski mountain that just runs it's lifts on about every 2nd saturday during the summer. The resort is trying toget a feel for demand and a few local guys have taken advantage of the private land status and being building trails and stunts their. It works out well for the resort because they get free labor - but they also get people who know and love what they are doing building things that people want to ride. The style of things they are building is very free-ride oriented rather than downhill with lots of jumps and stunts to play on.
Amber and I both had a hard time mentally since we have not done much of this sort of riding and hadn't been in downhill mode since the end of last summer. But it was still great fun and will be fun to go back again later in the summer and try things again with a fresh perspective. (we will also have had the advantage of riding a fair bit at Keystone as well).
Getting ready for the day. Amber has new upper body armor that she got as a birthday present. It got a good work out as the day went on with a couple of decent spills leaving amber a little beaten and battered.
We had a hard time mentally with these stunts, they look so easy now in the photos but there was a steep gradient on the hill and just a sketchy (for us) feel to them. We definitely need to go back again and keep trying.
A lot of the stunts incorporated fallen trees, but there were fully built structures as well on other trails.
Such is the way of downhilling that we didn't get many photos. Unfortunately they had to stop the lifts early because of lightning so we bailed out and drove up to Taos. We found a nice camping area and decided to go try our hand at fly fishing.
Amber and I went out on her birthday with a fly fishing guide and got an awesome introduction to the sport in boulder canyon. We had long been thinking that fly fishing and mountain biking would be very complimentary, particularly in places like Crested Butte. We figured we could ride during the day and then in evenings or on rest days go fishing in beautiful high country streams and lakes.
We went out to a stream near Angel fire and fished for a while in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, because we hadn't totally decided how fishing would be for us we had only gotten 1 rod & reel for amber and had to share. She also got a great deal on waders and boots in a fly fishing shop in Taos. That meant it was harder for us both to fish and we didn't stay that long.
Amber did get a bite, but we are stilling trying to figure out the whole timing thing that is involved with actually catching the fish. We are doing dry fly catch and release as it seems the most fun and matches well with our travels.
Since getting back from New Mexico I went out and got my own set of fishing gear so next time we head to Crested Butte we can both have fun fishing.
It is a smaller ski mountain that just runs it's lifts on about every 2nd saturday during the summer. The resort is trying toget a feel for demand and a few local guys have taken advantage of the private land status and being building trails and stunts their. It works out well for the resort because they get free labor - but they also get people who know and love what they are doing building things that people want to ride. The style of things they are building is very free-ride oriented rather than downhill with lots of jumps and stunts to play on.
Amber and I both had a hard time mentally since we have not done much of this sort of riding and hadn't been in downhill mode since the end of last summer. But it was still great fun and will be fun to go back again later in the summer and try things again with a fresh perspective. (we will also have had the advantage of riding a fair bit at Keystone as well).
Getting ready for the day. Amber has new upper body armor that she got as a birthday present. It got a good work out as the day went on with a couple of decent spills leaving amber a little beaten and battered.
We had a hard time mentally with these stunts, they look so easy now in the photos but there was a steep gradient on the hill and just a sketchy (for us) feel to them. We definitely need to go back again and keep trying.
A lot of the stunts incorporated fallen trees, but there were fully built structures as well on other trails.
Such is the way of downhilling that we didn't get many photos. Unfortunately they had to stop the lifts early because of lightning so we bailed out and drove up to Taos. We found a nice camping area and decided to go try our hand at fly fishing.
Amber and I went out on her birthday with a fly fishing guide and got an awesome introduction to the sport in boulder canyon. We had long been thinking that fly fishing and mountain biking would be very complimentary, particularly in places like Crested Butte. We figured we could ride during the day and then in evenings or on rest days go fishing in beautiful high country streams and lakes.
We went out to a stream near Angel fire and fished for a while in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, because we hadn't totally decided how fishing would be for us we had only gotten 1 rod & reel for amber and had to share. She also got a great deal on waders and boots in a fly fishing shop in Taos. That meant it was harder for us both to fish and we didn't stay that long.
Amber did get a bite, but we are stilling trying to figure out the whole timing thing that is involved with actually catching the fish. We are doing dry fly catch and release as it seems the most fun and matches well with our travels.
Since getting back from New Mexico I went out and got my own set of fishing gear so next time we head to Crested Butte we can both have fun fishing.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Another Crested Butte weekend - June 9th
We originally had planned on rafting the Numbers at Buena Vista this weekend with some friends from work. But the rafting company we were going to go with had a last minute change and had one less boat doing the trip. We could have fit on anyway but both Amber and I had been waivering about rafting or mountain biking on the weekend and which would be more fun. So we took it as a sign and leapt at the chance to ditch out of the rafting trip and head back to Crested Butte instead. (it turns out the rafting was also very good and they did the numbers twice because the company had paid for the other boat to go down anyway).
So enough with the intro, we headed over the Crested Butte again and this time we were set on doing the Waterfall Creek Cuttoff trail this time. It had long looked a great ride that was lesser known that we just hadn't gotten around to doing. Ride reports said it was open and the conditions good.
You start out by riding some very nice single track along Cement Creek before you turn up the Waterfall Creek trail that is well signed.
There is a lot of steep climbing amoungst the Aspens and my lungs were really struggling for some reason today. (I expect it had something to do with climbing steep trails at close to 11,000')
More climbing in the Aspens. The trail was rougher than other trails in Crested Butte with much of the traffic being animals rather than mountain bikes. Combine the steeps with the rooty, rocky ground and you have a good combination for exploding heart and lungs disease!
We followed the trail until we hit snow up in the dark timber. The guidebook said we should have seen an obvious trail junction taking us to the left but we couldn't find it on the way up or on the way down. It just means we have to go back and do it again some time.
I found it very easy to stay motivated as we ground and slogged up the hill figuring that it was looking more and more likely that we would be returning the way we came and that prospect was exceedingly joyful. The trail look an absolute blast to come down. It was steeper that trails like 401 and Bear Creek and had lots of features. I could actually see coming back with armor and a full face helmet and doing it just to do it at full downhill speed. It was way fun to descend.
Lots of the steep sections that were often torn up by dirt bikes - but that made for very fun descending.
It was very pleasant being in amoungst the dark timber as well.
This is a very steep technical section that rises out of a creek crossing. It had been torn up by moto's and water run off and descending it was decidely non-trivial.
and very photogenic!
You have to be happy to look down a single track section like this and know that there is plenty more just like it further down and amoungst the aspens.
Lots of nice flowy sections.
In amoungst the aspens.
And then, all to soon, the descent is over and you find yourself back at Cement Creek.
The single track section along cement creek also has some very nice riding as well.
But since we hadn't been able to find the full waterfall creek cutoff trail we were feeling like more riding was in order. We had noticed last week walking along the cement creek single track that another trail came in sharply from the left. It was mentioned in passing in the guidebook as being the Fenceline trail. We had walked up about 200 yards last weekend and it looked very enticing.
I had originally hoped to be able to drop into the fenceline trail using a marked but dubious looking trail from the the waterfall creek cutoff trail but had not been not optimistic that would find the turn off from above. So it seemed the best thing to do was just to go ahead and ride Fenceline from Cement Creek and be prepared to turn around if needed.
It was actually some *really* nice riding and is obviously a popular trail with the locals as there was lots of evidence of other bikes having been on the trail.
The riding was narrow single track that was sometimes fast and flowy and at other times steep and technical. The variety was spectacularly excellent.
Just out of sight in this shot is a 3 foot rocky drop to single track that you would have to hit at speed to clear to a landing - we walked it, but it will remain of those obstacles that will make you toss and turn at night wondering when you might be brave enough to try.
Scenic, steep, switchbacks in the aspens - such nice riding.
The problem is that you come to a sign (looks like it was put up by the forest servce) saying "Private property ahead - no through access". We were not sure whether to turn around or to keep going. The riding was so nice and the trail was so obviously travelled we decided to keep going and turn around as soon as we hit a fence or a trespass sign. You do end up coming close to a house but we didn't see any signs so I assume the trail must cross a private parcel of land. It seems from information I got from mtbr.com that the signs are because of issues with noise and motorbikes. Personally, I take this as a ride at your own discretion thing - be quiet and be cool if you meet the land owners and be ready to turn around and return the way you came if needed.
Just after passing the house you are very quickly and obviously back on Forest Service land as there is a fence on one side and Forest Service signs on the other side. The great riding continues all the way until the end of the trail.
All in all the fenceline trail is a great piece of riding that deposits you back on Cement Creek road down little from the Deadmans trailhead and you loop by riding back up the road to where ever you parked your vehicle.
So enough with the intro, we headed over the Crested Butte again and this time we were set on doing the Waterfall Creek Cuttoff trail this time. It had long looked a great ride that was lesser known that we just hadn't gotten around to doing. Ride reports said it was open and the conditions good.
You start out by riding some very nice single track along Cement Creek before you turn up the Waterfall Creek trail that is well signed.
There is a lot of steep climbing amoungst the Aspens and my lungs were really struggling for some reason today. (I expect it had something to do with climbing steep trails at close to 11,000')
More climbing in the Aspens. The trail was rougher than other trails in Crested Butte with much of the traffic being animals rather than mountain bikes. Combine the steeps with the rooty, rocky ground and you have a good combination for exploding heart and lungs disease!
We followed the trail until we hit snow up in the dark timber. The guidebook said we should have seen an obvious trail junction taking us to the left but we couldn't find it on the way up or on the way down. It just means we have to go back and do it again some time.
I found it very easy to stay motivated as we ground and slogged up the hill figuring that it was looking more and more likely that we would be returning the way we came and that prospect was exceedingly joyful. The trail look an absolute blast to come down. It was steeper that trails like 401 and Bear Creek and had lots of features. I could actually see coming back with armor and a full face helmet and doing it just to do it at full downhill speed. It was way fun to descend.
Lots of the steep sections that were often torn up by dirt bikes - but that made for very fun descending.
It was very pleasant being in amoungst the dark timber as well.
This is a very steep technical section that rises out of a creek crossing. It had been torn up by moto's and water run off and descending it was decidely non-trivial.
and very photogenic!
You have to be happy to look down a single track section like this and know that there is plenty more just like it further down and amoungst the aspens.
Lots of nice flowy sections.
In amoungst the aspens.
And then, all to soon, the descent is over and you find yourself back at Cement Creek.
The single track section along cement creek also has some very nice riding as well.
But since we hadn't been able to find the full waterfall creek cutoff trail we were feeling like more riding was in order. We had noticed last week walking along the cement creek single track that another trail came in sharply from the left. It was mentioned in passing in the guidebook as being the Fenceline trail. We had walked up about 200 yards last weekend and it looked very enticing.
I had originally hoped to be able to drop into the fenceline trail using a marked but dubious looking trail from the the waterfall creek cutoff trail but had not been not optimistic that would find the turn off from above. So it seemed the best thing to do was just to go ahead and ride Fenceline from Cement Creek and be prepared to turn around if needed.
It was actually some *really* nice riding and is obviously a popular trail with the locals as there was lots of evidence of other bikes having been on the trail.
The riding was narrow single track that was sometimes fast and flowy and at other times steep and technical. The variety was spectacularly excellent.
Just out of sight in this shot is a 3 foot rocky drop to single track that you would have to hit at speed to clear to a landing - we walked it, but it will remain of those obstacles that will make you toss and turn at night wondering when you might be brave enough to try.
Scenic, steep, switchbacks in the aspens - such nice riding.
The problem is that you come to a sign (looks like it was put up by the forest servce) saying "Private property ahead - no through access". We were not sure whether to turn around or to keep going. The riding was so nice and the trail was so obviously travelled we decided to keep going and turn around as soon as we hit a fence or a trespass sign. You do end up coming close to a house but we didn't see any signs so I assume the trail must cross a private parcel of land. It seems from information I got from mtbr.com that the signs are because of issues with noise and motorbikes. Personally, I take this as a ride at your own discretion thing - be quiet and be cool if you meet the land owners and be ready to turn around and return the way you came if needed.
Just after passing the house you are very quickly and obviously back on Forest Service land as there is a fence on one side and Forest Service signs on the other side. The great riding continues all the way until the end of the trail.
All in all the fenceline trail is a great piece of riding that deposits you back on Cement Creek road down little from the Deadmans trailhead and you loop by riding back up the road to where ever you parked your vehicle.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Crested Butte - June 2nd 2007
So after having such a good time at Crested Butte the previous weekend over the memorial day long weekend it was inevitable that we ended up there again this weekend. The hardest choice was what to ride.
We waivered between two possibilities. The first choice was to go and ride out and back on the other part of Deadmans/Reno. The second choice was to tackle Waterfall creek heading up the fenceline trail near cement creek.
We wimped out and went with the out and back option from Deadman's. The climbing would be hard, but the downhill reward once we turned around would be awesome!
Yep, here we are at the same starting spot as last weekend. We started up heading towards the Deadmans junction again from the Spring Creek side. This time instead of turning left up Deadmans trail we would turn right and head up Bear creek towards Reno Ridge.
This version had a lot more climbing and the climbing was steeper and much more physical. I felt strong at the start but faded. Amber felt weak at the start but just got stronger the longer we rode.
The trail was in very good shape with just the occasional snow path and two fallen trees across the trail. This is the last tree and the were both within 30yards of each other.
Amber started to get her grind on. This was a steep than it looks section of the trail.
Another longish and steep than it looks section that I lazily pushed my bike up while Amber grunted her way up.
She had a pretty good game face of determination on by the time she finished the section.
We turned around about a mile later once the weather became more ominous and we hit the first really muddy section of the trail - they added up enough to put on our lazy boots and turn around to enjoy the downhill tromp.
It was hard to stop and take photos.
But kinda fun to stop and watch how much faster and smoother Amber descended the steeper, rougher sections that a couple of years ago she had walked.
It was not as green up here as the rides we did last weekend, but this photo was taken just around 11K altitude so the grass was probably still under snow until recently.
There was a lot more riding in the pine trees so it was encouraging how little snow was to be seen. I like descents in the trees as well as the roots and rocks make it much more interesting.
You can just make out where Amber's seat is to get a feel of the gradient. This was another section that was walked in past rides. This time it was a nice smooth descent through the steeper rocky entrance to the section.
As we got back to the lower sections of the trail the speeds started to pick up.
The only reason I was able to get this photo is because I actually lost my track on the trail and spilled of it into the side coming to a stop.
This crossing has a nasty steeper than it looks entrance into it with a bit of a deeper water section waiting as you start it.
End of another fun ride in Crested Butte.
We waivered between two possibilities. The first choice was to go and ride out and back on the other part of Deadmans/Reno. The second choice was to tackle Waterfall creek heading up the fenceline trail near cement creek.
We wimped out and went with the out and back option from Deadman's. The climbing would be hard, but the downhill reward once we turned around would be awesome!
Yep, here we are at the same starting spot as last weekend. We started up heading towards the Deadmans junction again from the Spring Creek side. This time instead of turning left up Deadmans trail we would turn right and head up Bear creek towards Reno Ridge.
This version had a lot more climbing and the climbing was steeper and much more physical. I felt strong at the start but faded. Amber felt weak at the start but just got stronger the longer we rode.
The trail was in very good shape with just the occasional snow path and two fallen trees across the trail. This is the last tree and the were both within 30yards of each other.
Amber started to get her grind on. This was a steep than it looks section of the trail.
Another longish and steep than it looks section that I lazily pushed my bike up while Amber grunted her way up.
She had a pretty good game face of determination on by the time she finished the section.
We turned around about a mile later once the weather became more ominous and we hit the first really muddy section of the trail - they added up enough to put on our lazy boots and turn around to enjoy the downhill tromp.
It was hard to stop and take photos.
But kinda fun to stop and watch how much faster and smoother Amber descended the steeper, rougher sections that a couple of years ago she had walked.
It was not as green up here as the rides we did last weekend, but this photo was taken just around 11K altitude so the grass was probably still under snow until recently.
There was a lot more riding in the pine trees so it was encouraging how little snow was to be seen. I like descents in the trees as well as the roots and rocks make it much more interesting.
You can just make out where Amber's seat is to get a feel of the gradient. This was another section that was walked in past rides. This time it was a nice smooth descent through the steeper rocky entrance to the section.
As we got back to the lower sections of the trail the speeds started to pick up.
The only reason I was able to get this photo is because I actually lost my track on the trail and spilled of it into the side coming to a stop.
This crossing has a nasty steeper than it looks entrance into it with a bit of a deeper water section waiting as you start it.
End of another fun ride in Crested Butte.
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