Boulder County had its first freeze of the season this past weekend and all week I had been waiting for this day. When it freezes early in the season, moisture
in the air freezes and can turn to light snow flurries and I knew the
trails would be perfect. Overnight this
moisture will freeze over the landscape, coating everything with a thin layer
of ice producing an absolutely beautiful shimmering sunburst of light.
I searched the trail database in my mind for a north
facing trail with smooth single track and few obstacles-rocks and roots would
be slippery in these conditions- and plenty of pine forest. No question, it had to be Betasso
Preserve.
Betasso Preserve consists of 2 primary loops; Canyon and
Benjamin loops. I chose to start from
the Betasso link trail off of Hwy 119 (Boulder Canyon Drive) about 10 or 15
minutes west into the canyon from the intersection of Pearl Street and Boulder
Canyon Drive. There is a small parking
area at the trail head so if you’re arriving late you’ll most likely need to
park down along the highway at the closest pull off area.
The first quarter mile of the link is the hardest-a steep
and rocky climb on loose tread. This
morning there is a lot of shade and a bit cold for a flatlander from south
Texas. It would only be 5 minutes before
I would dismount. The steep grade and
rocky tread made it very difficult for me to keep my front tire down and once
you come off the pedals it’s no easy task to remount on clipless pedals. I ended up walking up the really rocky but
short section before remounting.
As I make my way up the link trail I’m greeted with a
spectacle I can only describe as brilliant.
As the sun light seeps through the pine trees, the falling icicles
sparkle like diamonds falling from the sky.
The air is cold, I can see my breath as I mash on the pedals up this
steep climb. The trail is wet and as I
roll along you can hear the frozen icicles on the ground crackle under my
tires. The air is gleaming and so is the
trail, the moist air carries the scent of pine and wet dirt; it’s easy to
forget you’re cold.
At the 1.16 mile mark you reach the Canyon loop trail
junction. Bikes are only allowed to ride
in one direction so without stopping I continue left on a well groomed double
track trail. There is a parking area
here if you prefer to bypass the link trails. The climb is gradual and open for a quarter
mile before you enter a rolling section.
The next 1.2 miles will make you feel like a kid again-the trail rolls
on smooth double track and if you let off the brakes you’ll reach some fantastic
speeds, just make sure you watch for hikers. Take a few minutes to stop at
the park bench and soak up the views of the Boulder foothills. At the 2.63 mile mark you reach another trail
junction; the right will complete the Canyon loop trail or you can go left on
the link trail to Benjamin loop to add some mileage to your ride. I chose to add some extra mileage and try a
new trail too.
Benjamin loop begins at the 3.2 mile mark. The link trail to this point is a gradual
climb on smooth single track through pine forest with slight ledges but nothing
to be afraid of. Benjamin loop is also
one-way for bikes and after a quick picture for my nephew I set out to
experience a new trail. Immediately the
trail descends into dense pine forest.
Once again you’ll find yourself rolling smoothly on single track, with
so much shade the air is cold as you accelerate down the trail, and you’re
having too much fun to think about anything but the trail ahead of you. Shade surrounds you as you roll at moderate speed,
tires gripping the moist trail, cross a small footbridge, narrowly missing rock walls and trees. There
are some short climbing sections but they are gradual so they shouldn’t take
much out of you. The cascading icicles
dot your view with sparkles of light; you have to experience this first hand to
really get the full sensation of this unique spectacle.
Benjamin loop ends at the 5.5 mile mark and descends back
down to the Canyon loop trail junction at the 6.15 mark. The trail continues its descent for another
0.74 miles through dense pine on tacky single track. At the 6.89 mark the trail heads up again on
a gradual climb with a few switchbacks. I’m
moving pretty steady through the whole ride that I didn’t realize I hadn’t had
any hydration. At this point I thought
I’d just finish then have something to drink at the car-not a wise decision at this altitude. At the 7.96 mile mark I meet back with the
link trail again and head back down to the parking lot.
Riding downhill on this link can be very dangerous. It is the rockiest part of the ride and also
the steepest so make sure you stay in control because any mistake is going to
hurt. The trail is still wet so I have
to be extra cautious around the rocks and roots. The
switchbacks should be taken slow because they come quickly and on loose
tread. I am able to ride down to the
very end only stopping to allow climbers the right of way.
This trail has quickly become my favorite low impact trail. It is so smooth and the climbing
is mild, anyone can do it with just a little effort. The link
trail takes some skill and a lot of strength, if you’re not ready for it you’ll
end up walking most of the way. The
rolling sections will excite any rider and they seem to run forever; you'll begin to wonder whether any pedaling is necessary with the right momentum. I thought I’d suffer on the way back but the
climbing was a breeze. If you want a
fantastic experience without the X-Game freeride, skip the link and drive to the Canyon
loop trail head. This has to be one of the
finest trails in the area and will not demand a lot of skill.
Follow my ride at connect.garmin.com/activity/231081199
and don’t forget to click on the green arrow in the map to watch my
route play out.
Winter is upon us and the riding will only get more interesting-check back often. Ride on!
AR
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