Our ride would start at the Park-n-ride on the SW corner of 3900 S and Wasatch Blvd where the Wasatch Crest Shuttle happily took our $15 each and dropped us off near the top of Guardsman’s Pass. That shuttle is well worth the cost since it would have taken at least an additional hour to do the shuttle ourselves–and parking at the gate is typically limited.

Through the gate, the trail is doubletrack as it winds up Puke Hill towards the actual Crest. From there, it’s another couple miles of doubletrack until it switches to singletrack in earnest. Cleaning Puke Hill is always the goal and with the Ibis Mono underfoot, I was feeling pretty darn good by the time I got to the top. From there, the majority of the Wasatch is opened up with stunning autumn colors all around–I heart the Wasatch!

Snaking through the mixed aspen-shaded singletrack towards The Spine (great video of my friend Jim McIntosh cleaning it–finally) is always a treat–one that must be taken with care as one slip to the left and you could take a serious tumble. Once at The Spine, the smart ones just walk it. A tumble here will result in serious carnage. Back in the day on my old Turner RFX, I would clean The Spine, but I’m a little smarter than that now–just let the kiddies ride it with their DH garb.

Once past The Spine, the trail continues on the ridgeline towards Mill Creek Canyon (which is only open to mountain biking on even days–keep that in mind). Once at the North Mill Creek Canyon Trail, this is where the trail opens up into a wide and buffed-out singletrack delight for miles and miles. This is why this trail is so epic and it’s also why I don’t have any pictures of that section–because there was no way I was going to stop and ruin the flow.

Keep in mind that you should always carry enough water and EXTRA TUBES when riding the Crest Trail. I get a pinch-flat every time–without fail (see below).

There are a few YouTube videos out there that can show you just how awesome this trail is, like this one or this one or this one.

With the recent cold snap and snow above 7000 ft, we chose the perfect time to enjoy this gem of the Wasatch.

More Info: Visit UtahMountainBiking.com for a Map & Info

It was just December that I was spinning laps on the Niner Jet 9… for my first ride of the season, I got out on a new 2009 Kona Dawg Supreme that’s in for long-term review (excellent bike so far). Same lively green color, but different bikes indeed. With temperatures hovering in the low 70′s on the 21st of March (really?), I was stoked to be out riding on dry trails in a short-sleeve jersey.

I typically start at the South end of the park and ride my way into the miles of twisty, turny and rocky trails–choosing a different loop nearly every time. With so many trails all squished together, it’s easy to mix it up and in all my years of riding, I’ve really yet to ride the exact same loop every time.  It’s a little of what makes this local trail system so much fun.  New this year, trail crews have installed a handful of gap and table jumps here and there (primarily on Wildcat and the new Ziggy). Some of these newly-cut trails are still in need of some love, but add spice to your ride.

More Info: Visit UtahMountainBiking.com for Lambert Park Trailmaps

Over the years, this trail has been very good to me personally, but has also been the cause of some casualties amongst friends.  A pogo landing sent one of my partners to the hospital with a nasty concussion. A tire caught in a rut and snagged on the side of the trail broke a collarbone and tore up another friend’s shoulder. A missed turn sent another over the bars and down a steep slope. And, today… I’m just grateful all I got was a pinch-flat!

The Climb Up Puke Hill

Getting started on the Crest Trail leaves no time for warmup. The initial climb is relentless and aptly-named “Puke Hill” by many.  This is a very steep climb up nearly 1000 vertical feet on a dirt road. The road is well-packed and provides good tread grip throughout, but it is relentless.

I felt pretty strong today on the Niner RIP 9 and mashed out the climb to the top without stopping. I was pretty stoked about that and glad to have cleaned it after a 3-year personal hiatus from the Crest.

Trail traffic today was fairly light. A few hikers, some trail runners training for the Wasatch 100 and a handful of mountain bikers, but overall pretty light for a late-summer lazy Saturday morning.

The Winding Ribbon of Singletrack

Once on the Crest, the trail intersperses fun singletrack with several small climbs just to keep you honest. Upon arrival at The Spine, we saw a couple of bikers scoping it out from the top. We zipped by and dismounted just as things get sketchy–opting to keep our flesh intact and our wives happy. A look back and the two gawkers were making the attempt… unsuccessfully.

My days of cleaning The Spine are over, but I can proudly say I have cleaned the whole thing once, back in the day on my 2002 Turner RFX before I was married and before I had kids. Times have changed and I’m not taking any chances with this little number anytime soon.

The Descent Down Mill D

Just before the initial switchback-laden drop to Desolation Lake and into Mill D Canyon, I let some air out of my tires for extra traction.  Apparently, I was a little heavy-handed in releasing air out of the rear tire because just as I dropped into the Desolation Lake basin, the last rocky section took its toll.  Sccchhhhhhhhhhhhh… I looked down and my rear tire was flopping around–the dreaded pinchflat!

Just a few weeks prior, I had stopped at a local shop (Canyon Bicycles in Draper) to pick up a 29er tube, but all they had were Schraeder valves and a whole lot of them just sitting there.  Apparently, the tube buyer didn’t bother to notice that not many 29er rims run Shraeder valves. And, you could always run Presta valves on any rim, but you can’t always run a Schraeder. On top of that, they were ridiculously-priced at $9 for a standard tube. </rant>  So, I opted for a patch kit instead, which came in handy as I quickly patched both holes and we were back on track.

Winding down to the trailhead, the trail meanders through meadows, thick aspen glades and across a few creekbeds.  The highlight of the descent comes in the form of the myriad of nicely-spaced log drops and rocks that act as launching pads.

We had a blast and the trail was in great shape–just dusty after the long, not summer.  This is definitely one of the most fun shuttle rides in the area when you don’t have a lot of time or are riding on an odd day (Mill Creek Canyon is only open to mountain bikes on even days). 1200 vertical feet of climbing with nearly 3000 vertical feet of descending makes for a good workout and a blast of a descent.

A Note About Save Our Canyons

Apparently, Save Our Canyons is getting a little overzealous and wants to designate Mill D as a wilderness area–thus making it off limits to mountain bikers. Should this happen, mountain bikers will no longer have any loop ride options off the Crest unless they drop into the Park City side, or ride on even days only. I’m all for protecting the beautiful Wasatch, but there is no reason why this trail should be permanently closed to mountain bike traffic. Get involved with IMBA, URMB or other advocacy groups and speak your mind. Hopefully we don’t lose Mill D.

My first experience with the trails around Brian Head was nearly 3 years ago. A friend recommended we try the Navajo Lake and Virgin Rim Trails and said they were the best manicured singletrack he’s ever ridden. After one unforgettable day during Labor Day Weekend, where we only saw 2 other bikes during the entire loop, I had been dying to get back to the trail and ride it again.

After a comfortable night’s stay in the “Super 7 Motel” (hey, they had ESPN to watch the US World Cup Soccer game) in Cedar City UT, we made our way up Cedar Canyon, directly east of Cedar City. The views driving up Cedar Canyon are breathtaking, with the red rock cliffs of Cedar Breaks National Monument looming above and winding roads lined with Aspens–you can’t help but marvel at the beauties of Southern Utah.

Arriving in the small base area that services Brian Head Resort, we popped into a few shops to get an idea of which trails we should consider for the day. Unfortunately, we didn’t have another vehicle to shuttle with and most of the shuttle services were running on a limited basis, so the most appealing downhill rides were out of our reach. Bunker Creek, Dark Hollow and Blowhard (all serious downhill shuttle rides) would have to wait for another day.

Our first shop was Brian Head Sports, where we were deeply disappointed at the lack of trail knowledge or maybe their overall lack of customer service. The employees never seemed to have any time to give any good information on any of the area trails. I wanted to find out if anyone had any info on the trails around Elk Meadows Ski Resort (about 1-hour north). I had ridden there and found some great trails, but I wanted other first-hand accounts of the area for a possible trek north. They were too concerned with the small group (6-8 riders) that was going out the door and nobody had even thought of riding around Elk Meadows. They looked at me like I was crazy. I could not believe that nobody had ventured only 1-hour north to explore that area. I guess I’ll just have to keep exploring that area without their help. Someone’s missing out here and it won’t be me!

We left the shop, very unimpressed. So, we headed to the Brian Head Resort Bike Shop where we presented our first trail of choice–the Lowder Ponds Loop Trail.

The employee quickly whipped out a map and began telling us where to go and how the trail was. We were stoked to finally get some real beta on the trail. He recommended the Lowder Ponds trail and gave us some pointers. We quickly made our way to the trailhead at nearly 11, 000-feet, just shy of at Brian Head Peak’s 11,307-foot summit.

Day 1: Lowder Ponds Trail

The trail begins at the parking lot just below Brian Head Peak and begins on the Sydney Peaks Trail, servicing Dark Hollow and Lowder Ponds. After about a mile, veer right on the Lowder Ponds trail. This section is a great downhill ride, with descents through wide-open meadows and some loose shale.

After arriving at the first pond, we noticed the next section of trail is called the “Marathon Trail”. This relatively flat, cross-country section was a real hoot–weaving in and out of trees, roots and rocks with some short climbs and descents thrown into it for fun. Eventually, you’ll end up on Sidney Valley Road, where the climbing begins. From here, it’s another 1,200-feet of vertical to get you back to your car. The first section is on a dirt road, which turns into great singletrack heading back to the Sidney Peaks area.

Most strong riders should clear this entire climb, no problem, though it’s not for the weak-lunged or out-of-shape. I’ve logged some serious miles and I had to hike-a-bike up a short, rooty section. I was bummed, but quickly got back on it and cleaned the rest of the climbs.

This trail is an 11.5-mile loop with spectacular views all around–if you’re up for the long-steady climb back.

We ended just before a summer rain/hail/snow storm hit with 60-mph winds. We were glad to be inside the car and not out riding.

Spruce Bark Beetle Devastation

Looking around the area, it’s hard not to notice all the dead Spruce trees. It’s actually pretty depressing. Since 1993, this area has been ravaged by the Spruce Bark Beetle, which has killed over 20,000 acres of Spruce trees. Some areas have been particularly hard hit. Early efforts to stop the beetle’s effects were unsuccessful, so current efforts are focused on cleaning out the dead trees and re-planting other areas. Experts estimate that upwards of 28,000 acres will ultimately be affected.

The beetle has continued to move southward and will next ravage the area around Navajo Lake.

The sight of all these dead trees is depressing and obviously, poses a huge wildfire threat. Hopefully Mother Nature will kick into overdrive and we’ll see quick re-growth and a return of the green to this area.

Day 2: Navajo Lake and Virgin Rim Trails

After camping overnight at the Te-Ah Campground on the northwest edge of Navajo Lake, we hit the Navajo Lake Loop Trail, stoked on memories from years past. The trail would not disappoint.

The Navajo Lake Loop is a well-maintained, smooth trail that lends itself to easy climbing and even easier descending. The Virgin Rim Trail option adds more climbing and spectacular views of Zion Canyon. A steady 1,200-foot climb with one short 200-foot descent awaits, accessing some of the most beautiful views in the area.

Once atop the crest of the Virgin Rim Trail, the view of Zion Canyon and Southern Utah is amazing.

From here, it’s all downhill to the Lake. Continue on the Rim Trail until the Dike Trail, taking you to the Dike on Navajo Lake. This will drop you right at the eastern edge of the lake and onto the last half of the Loop Trail. The rest of the trail around the lake and back to Te-Ah Campground is rolling cross-country terrain, but is a whole lot of fun.

There are plenty of high-alpine trails in the Brian Head area and we only hit two of them.

More Info: Visit BrianHead.com

Just a few more pictures from the area around Brian Head.