Not on this trip but over four years ago when I first laid some tracks in this state. It's a vast place with opportunities for all sorts of adventures. It's ideal for people like me who are dreamers. It's not hard to find solitude in order to lose yourself in thought and riding.
My wife was somewhere in her 7th month of pregnancy and was unable to ride (comfortably, at least), but she had a great time lounging once we made our way to the B&B in Moab where we had reservations for the week. The plan was to head off from San Diego on Saturday at O' dark thirty and make our way to the small resort of Brianhead in southern Utah. I'd get my wife to suttle me for a ride that afternoon (from the top of the resort), stay in Parowan for the night, ride the lifts till 1pm or 2pm the next day, and pack up and drive to Moab. then Hollow Trail which is fun but you loose most of the elevation on a fireroad (I guess I was expecting more).
Saturday afternoon the shuttle ride I did was Hollow Trail. It was fun, but I guess I was expecting more. Most of the elevation is lost on a fireroad towards the last half of the ride. Sunday, I hit the lifts and got a total of five runs in. I loved the Timberline and Wildflower trails. Wildflower had some super nice rock gardens with some steep alternate rocky lines. Timberline had some neat woodwork which we certiantly don't see much of around here. I'm sure it's nothing compared to the stuff some of you were riding in Whistler but a treat for someone who's never been able to spend time getting familiar with these types of jumps. Overall BH is a great place, and nice folks run the place too. Lots of resorts seem to be embracing wood and it looks like they've got big plans at BH in the coming years.
In Moab I rode Porc Rim three times. I started from different places/elevations which gave me the varity and distances I craved. I also hit Amasa Back and checked out Jackson Trial.
On with some of the pics...
Views from Brianhead Peak:
BH Bikepark wood:
My lunchspot, with the extra HAB'age to the top of one of the smaller peaks above Burro Pass. All down from here folks.
More Burro down in the trees - this descent is a hoot!
Burro Trail scenery after the steep and scree filled descent:
Warner Lake below Burro:
Scooting down Kokopelli Trail, I had to stop once in awihile and take in the scenery.
Looking up at the La Sal Mtns from one of the many overlooks along Porc Rim.
Same spot on just looking down into Castle Valley - Damn if I could get my hands on one of those small cabins down there.
Some rock work along the way on lower Porcupine Rim. I found someone to hold the camera.
Sympathy weight touching down
The most funnerest/besterest part of Porc Rim - the lower portion overlooking the Colorado River IMO (The new Hazard re-route up top is sickeningly fast too).
Some more fun stuff along the way - seveal routes through this section. It just happens that the line I took is the easiest one - there are several other burlier lines that I didn't feel too comfortable doing.
Here's Amasa Back down to the Jackson Trail. This trail has bits of exposure that make any of the so called exposure on Porcupine Rim a cakewalk - a lot of water must've gone through Jackson because it looked real washed out and sandy in spots - nevertheless an awesome trail that I wanna spend more time on one day.
Funny thing happened to me. There's a steel pipe at the bottom of Jackson that you've gotta cross. I tried pulling a smooove balancing act while crossing this 8" pipe and wound up in the water. I prolly would've saved it but I didn't wanna submerge my bike after the recent pivot rebuild.
JOD! Don't do it!!!!!! (Dead Horse Point)
Danno, sorry if these take too long to load and Winston thanks much for the quick help getting these shots up.
Denny
Whatever, Buckley has lost all credibility with me!!! (Frame is probably strapped to the back of a burro...dead from exposure somewhere in the Cascade Mountain Range.)
- Winston