Betasso Preserve 3.0 | Crash n Burn

Photo: mountain bike action rider photo

Funny thing about safety equipment; often it's only the really good riders or the really bad riders that ever get to test the equipment in action.  For the rest of us we could go months, if ever, without even a scratch but if you ride regularly it will happen to all of us at one time or another and my time was this past weekend, the trail was the triple threat out at Betasso Preserve.  

Just a side note.  I'm not a big fan of spandex shorts, probably because I feel funny in them but this past weekend I decided to give them a try again.  I was surprised how efficient they were plus my legs have never felt cooler (temperature), almost seemed like that made the difference on this ride because I could have gone non-stop the whole way, if not for my Superman spill on Canyon Loop.

For those unfamiliar, the trails in Boulder and most of Colorado are high in altitude so the trails tend to dry up leaving quite a bit of the loose stuff to roll on.  Feathering the brakes on the quick descents seems to work most of the time but if you're not careful that front wheel will sneak out from under you and cause all kinds of havoc.  Canyon Loop was running counterclockwise while Benjamin Loop was running clockwise this weekend.  Betasso is a blast in either direction and you're sure to catch one heck of a thrill ride on any day, other than Wednesday's and Saturday's - closed to bikes.

The scenery is great out here and the singletrack is just what we fat tire enthusiasts dream about; 8 miles of some of Boulder County's finest twists and turns.  The Four Mile link trail is certainly a highlight, heavily wooded and a great creek crossing towards the end.  The shade is abundant and the rolling creek adds so much to the ambiance of this trail.

The Four Mile link in this direction is downhill at first until you come to the bridge crossing at about 4.80 miles. A short distance from here you'll come across a staircase of rock.  You will have to dismount and carry your bike up the well placed natural stairs before catching the trail again.  The trail climbs for another quarter mile or so before you reach the last staircase that takes you to Four Mile Canyon Road.  There is no parking up here so if you start from this end you'll need to ride up or down to this point.  The climb back isn't difficult in the right gear plus the TwinLoc system on my Scott Genius worked like a charm.

This time out was a breeze, it must have been the 14er a couple of weeks ago and the mid-week ride up Four Mile Canyon Road that helped with my conditioning.  So I'm rolling pretty smoothly back toward the trailhead, threading through the dense pine, careful not to hit most obstacles head on.  I can feel my wheels slip from time to time so I watch how I'm shifting my weight and paying close attention to my braking when in an instant my front tire loses traction sending me into my best Superman impression onto the singletrack, right around the 6.86 mile mark.  Narrowly missing a tree to my left and a boulder to my right, I was lucky to come away with just some cuts and bruises but it could have been much worse.

Don't take your safety equipment for granted, make sure it's in good condition and don't skimp on gloves.  I flew head first onto the trail with only my hands to stop me and my hands came out without a scratch.

You can follow along on my Garmin page at connect.garmin.com/player/346213964 and don't forget to check out my website, www.dirt-life.com, for trail updates. Thanks for checking in and hope to see you on the trails.

Alan

Winter Park Outfitters: Icebox Mountain Sports

On my recent visit to Winter Park I had a chance to drop in on a local bike shop in Fraser Colorado.  There are a few in the area but one in particular caught my eye; Icebox Mountain Sports.  Icebox offers rentals, sales and service to outfit any of your high country sports activities.  At first glance you’ll see that Icebox offers the necessary equipment to get you on your way to your next mountain bike ride but don’t rule them out for camping, rafting, skiing and climbing gear because they have it all.

I had the pleasure of meeting Daisy and she seems happy to help you find the right gear for your next outdoor activity.  If you need to save space in your car to get your friends to join you for a day of mountain biking in Winter Park, you can feel confident leaving your gear at home because Icebox has everything you need.

Visit Icebox the next time you’re in Winter Park and tell them Dirt Life and Alan sent you.  You can reach Icebox at (970) 722-7780 and they are located just off Hwy 40 in Fraser Colorado.  You can visit their website at www.iceboxmountainsports.com for more information.

Don’t forget, I have a website too at www.dirt-life.com where you can contact me about trails in our area or to schedule a mountain bike tour.  Thanks again for checking in and I hope to see you on the trails.

Alan

Four Mile Canyon / Poorman Road: Training Day

I had it all planned out; get home, wash the Dirt off the Rover from the last expedition then head out for a quick route out at Betasso Preserve.  Well, it's Wednesday and the locals know what that means....no access!

I knew this but it just slipped my mind.  I wasn't going to waste a cool Boulder evening so I decided to hit the road, that is Four Mile and Poorman Road for a quick climb.  This would make a great loop if you park down around Eben G. Fine Park on the Boulder Creek.  I turned around where Poorman and Sunshine Canyon Drive connect but if you take Sunshine south you'll eventually make your way back to the Boulder Creek.  Unfortunately I parked at Boulder Canyon Drive and Four Mile Canyon Drive and I didn't want to ride up Boulder Canyon Drive in the dark.

This was a pretty easy climb and it is very scenic.  It's all paved except for Poorman Road which is hard packed, mild enough for road bikes but still unpaved.  Four Mile doesn't have a lot of traffic and it runs through a canyon and this time of day it was very cool.  The only thing you need to know is that on your way down you'll want to breathe through your nose or risk an unusual snack, the flying variety.  

You can't miss the Boulder Mountain Lodge just as you head up Four Mile Canyon Drive. This lodge is set up against the canyon wall and sits along a flowing creek.  I haven't had the pleasure of visiting but it looks like a great mountain retreat.

Click on my Garmin page to follow my route: connect.garmin.com/activity/344261562

I have a website now at www.dirt-life.com where you can contact me about scheduling a mountain bike tour.  The best way to see our beautiful state is on two wheels so don't hesitate to ask me about the trails on this blog.

Thanks for checking in and I hope to see you on the trails.

Alan

Mount Bierstadt: High Noon

Trailhead: N 39°35.806’  W105°42.607’

"I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats.  I don't intend to waste any of mine..." – Neil Armstrong

Wasting time…..believe in the words of Neil Armstrong and you will surely find the life you've been missing.

 

We live in Colorado, a place like no other.  Here, you are only minutes from your next adventure whether it is a mountain bike thrill ride or river rafting down the Colorado River.  For a more unique adventure all you have to do is look up to the west at the rock tops lining our horizon.  This past weekend I completed my second 14,000 foot climb, my goal this time; Mt. Bierstadt.

I left my house in Erie at about 8:30AM and I was at the trailhead by 9:45AM.  This was a late start for an attempt at a 14er so I knew I would need to keep a steady pace.  Ideally a good start time would be 6:00AM because you want to be on your way down by noon.  Most hikes can take up to 5 hours, depending on your pace so you have to plan accordingly.  Weather is very unpredictable at this altitude and once the clap of thunder starts lightning is not far behind.  Well above tree line leaves you with absolutely no cover and you don't want to be exposed when storms blow in – lightning can be deadly, even if it doesn't strike you directly so don't hesitate to cut your climb short once weather sets in.

Weight is a detriment on these hikes so try and keep it light.  I brought along a camelback for water and a couple of snack bars, long pants that convert to shorts, and three layers on top (T-shirt, button down long sleeve, and light wind jacket).  I wore a cap for some protection from the intense sun.  It will feel cool at times but you can bet that the sun is doing its handy work.  Light winter gloves will make the last push more comfortable so see if you can stuff a pair in your back pocket.  Finally, don't forget a camera; there will be some unbelievable photo opportunities along the way.

The first part of the hike takes you down into a willow swamp, soaked by the recent winter snow melt.  The trail here is hard packed Dirt and there are well constructed boardwalks to keep you out of the mud sections.  There is a small stream crossing at about 0.75 miles with no bridge so you'll have to hop a few rocks to get across but nothing to worry about.

There are restrooms at the trailhead, if you missed them you'll have very little privacy on the way up; it's not unusual to stop if you have to, even the ladies will from time to time, everyone understands up here.

 

The climbing starts gradually and at this altitude you will experience labored breathing.  I'm mildly asthmatic and I made it just fine but don't push to fast because you'll need your energy (if you have asthma, don't attempt any climb at these altitudes without an inhaler).  Rocks start to appear as you come out of the willow swamp and the climb starts to take on a bit steeper grade (1.89 miles), nothing like what you'll see up at the top.  Pace yourself and stop to rest if you have to.  Take many sips of water along the way, dehydration will rob you of all kinds of energy.

It's a constant climb but at times it will level off a bit.  For a short while as you're climbing out of the willow swamp you will actually lose sight of Mt. Bierstadt but as you emerge the scene almost looks surreal.  There is a large rock formation (Sawtooth) just to the left of Mt. Bierstadt that reminds me of the Sand Crawler in Star Wars, you can see it from the parking area but up close it's unbelievable (photo op).

At 12,621 feet/2.46 miles Mt. Bierstadt is well within view.  Still tough to see people making the final crawl up to the top but stick with it because you're getting closer.  The mountain really starts to make it difficult for you from here on up.  Rocks are more abundant and seem to get bigger the further you go.  There's still a lot of loose stuff so use the rocks to your advantage, try to find the 'steps' as you climb.

Your eyes are probably glued to the peak but take a moment and look behind you.  This is a view few get to experience so make the best of your time on the mountain because who knows when or if you'll ever be back.

At 13,513/3.18 miles the trail is almost non-existent.  Still no need for hands but it will demand leg strength and at this altitude the lack of oxygen coupled with fatigue will have you gasping for air as your lungs try and feed your starving legs.

The summit looks so close now and you'll start to see that the most difficult part of the climb is yet to come.  Along this section you'll notice small rock piles placed in the form of pyramids; use these as 'trail' markers to help you find your route through this boulder field.  There were a lot of people on this day so finding a route wasn't all that difficult.  At this point though, just head up in the direction of the peak because quite frankly the trail is gone.

At 3.32 miles you are now in a position for the final push to the summit, it may look steep and jagged but definitely doable (check out how small the people look-should give you some perspective).  You will most certainly need your hands along the way; those gloves will come in handy here.  Be careful because there is nothing but large rock up here and any slip will likely result in injury.  There is literally no trail up here so just follow someone and if they don't know what they're doing then head in the general direction of the summit, just pick your route wisely. 

I finally made the summit at 12:02PM and man was it worth it.  It was partly cloudy in the distance but nice and clear at the summit.  You can almost see every mountain range from here and the views were spectacular.  At 14,028 feet we are almost half the cruising altitude of a jet airliner.  The air is thin but at rest you'll hardly notice.  Luckily the wind was calm but blowing at about 10 miles per hour.  It would be a little chilly without a light jacket so make sure you come prepared.  There are always people up here and they're all in good spirits, no one would mind if you bothered them to snap a photo of you 'at the top.' 

Savor this moment; you've just climbed one of the tallest peaks in Colorado (38 out of 54).  At this point it may hit you; "I still have to climb down."  It's much easier descending however it does abuse your knees a lot more.  Rest if your knees start to feel pain, just make sure to monitor the weather so you're not rushed.

Altitude sickness is common and I must have had a mild case because I actually lost my balance crossing over the stream and fell in the water on my way back.  I managed to break my fall and all that got wet were my feet.  The climb took me almost 5 hours non stop and that includes the 15 or 20 minutes I took at the summit.  Grays Peak was more difficult I thought but both demanded stamina and perseverance.  You can follow my route on my Garmin page at connect.garmin.com/activity/338767444 . Once again I took two GPS devices and my Garmin Etrex was more accurate, in terms of elevation, than my Garmin Edge but the Edge allows me to download my routes.

What an afternoon!  Neil Armstrong had a storied life, one measured by heartbeats it seems.  Your heart beats faithfully everyday too, will yours have a story to tell?

Alan

Winter Park: No snow? No problem!

Elk Creek Parking E: N 39°55.14’  W 105°49.945’

When most people think of Winter Park the first thing that comes to mind is skiing or snowboarding.  For those of us who live in Colorado, Winter Park also means mountain biking and ever since the Trestle Bike Park was built it has become one of the premier locations for extreme mountain biking.

My bike took me on a ride along Sunken Bridges, then Creekside, up a section of Chainsaw and finally up Broken Spade.  It was a very scenic ride that ended in a hail storm but no complaints here.

From the Elk Creek parking lot (E) you continue up the Forest Service Road (FSR) to a doubletrack trail junction, marker 886.2.  The climb is pretty steady and rather mild for the Rocky Mountains.

Once on 886.2, you continue on to Sunken Bridges trail through the forest on wide doubletrack.  It's also a pretty steady climb but once again nothing too difficult unless you're not used to high altitude.  There's a great opening just a few minutes from the Sunken Bridges trail that offers an outstanding view of Parry and James Peaks so take a couple of minutes and soak up the view.  At 1.53 miles you come upon your first Beaver pond and a wooden bridge.  Here you'll see the Sunken Bridges trail marker.  Go left across the bridge.  At this point I couldn't decide if I would have been more comfortable with sunscreen or insect repellent.  There wasn't much of either, but I suppose if I had to choose I would have preferred bug spray.

This next section is beautiful; it runs right through the forest and all you smell are fresh pine trees.  Aspen's were everywhere too and both types of trees just made this section so worthwhile.  It climbs at a little steeper grade so if you had difficulty up to this point, this section might take a bit more out of you.  The tread is a little on the rocky side and has a lot of the loose stuff so traction might be an issue, just aim for the hard pack and you'll be fine.

So you finally emerge from the forest back onto FSR 159.  Another trail continues up across the road but you'll want to ride the road to the right to catch Creekside then Chainsaw.  Storm clouds were forming so I knew I didn't have the time to make a navigational mistake or I could find myself caught up in a rain storm.  The climb is gradual and if in the right gear you should have no problem.  I'm a recreational rider and most of the climbs today weren't too demanding except for one.  Explore, take your time and enjoy the ride.

At 2.89 miles you reach the top of the hill and a drop onto the Zoom trail – sounds fun, surely on my next trip.  To reach Creekside you'll continue on FSR 159 for a rather long descent on Dirt road, there's nothing like being force fed mountain fresh air.  Let the good times roll but be careful because even though the turns aren't all that sharp, you could easily lose traction on the fine gravel.  You'll pass a couple of other FSRs and a couple of unmarked trails, just keep going down for another 2 miles.  You'll come upon a Creekside trail marker on the right.  If you reached FSR 160 you've gone too far, I know because that's what I did.

Head up the trail on singletrack to your first intersection; this is a really short re-route so stay to your right, left takes you to FSR 160.  This is a really cool section with aspen groves, beaver ponds and shortly you'll be riding parallel to St. Louis creek.  The trail is a combination of slightly loose Dirt and embedded rock.  It's not a smooth ride but at least it's relatively flat.  The rocks range in size and most won't move so if you can't roll over them you'll need to find your way around them.  There isn't anything bigger than maybe basketball size rocks on the trail but at times they can be spread apart just enough to force some braking.

This section of the ride is open at times because of all the tree clearing that was done but not enough to take away from the rest of the scenery.  This section can be as gentle or as rough as you make it but certainly enjoyable.  You'll reach another Y in the trail at about 6.11 mile mark and I stayed right.  In no time you'll reach St. Louis campground on the left when you come to another junction.  There are no trail markers here but right will eventually take you to Chainsaw.

 

Continuing along the creek you come to another junction; go right again and very shortly after you'll see a bridge on the right.  Cross the bridge then prepare for one of the steepest climbs of the day.  It's short but strenuous if you're not in shape.  At the top of this climb is another T, left is Chainsaw so let's hit it.

Chainsaw takes you back up into the forest.  It is dense with a lot of pine and aspen trees.  The trail is packed pretty good with a lot less rock.  It's a climb and may take some effort so be ready.  It isn't all that steep but it will work you out.  At this point the sprinkles start so I know I don't have a lot of time to waste.  At about 8.86 miles you'll reach another junction with Broken Spade trail.  This trail is not well known but the locals are very familiar – you'll find the trail marker about 10 yards in.  This trail is not sanctioned by the USFS but the locals have managed to build quite a fine trail.

Broken Spade was not on the agenda but some locals talked me into it.  This trail cuts through very dense forest, I was actually surprised my Garmin didn't lose signal.  This was also a steady climb and with the sprinkles turning to rain drops I knew this was going to turn out soggy.  Not a lot of rock to speak of, mostly Dirt and the best kind, damp with pulverized wood.  The trail finally spills out back onto FSR 159.  The rain clouds are building, the drops are accelerating and the temperature is dropping, no time for rest – go left for the climb back up FSR 159 to the Zoom trail drop.

From here you'll just be retracing your route.  Sunken Bridges was exhilarating on the way down.  Be careful because there are a lot of rocks.  So now the rain is turning to light hail and I knew I didn't have much time.  I was just past the Sunken Bridges trail marker when the hail came with a vengeance.  By the time I reached the car I was soaking wet, muddy and freezing, man what ride!

Check out my Garmin page at connect.garmin.com/activity/335737046 and follow along as I tour a little of the Winter Park high country.  I also have a website at www.dirt-life.com where you can find twitter updates and even schedule a guided tour.  Thanks again for checking in and I hope to see you on the trails.

Alan