I’m a dork, and think about all the rides I’ve done each year — and eventually settle on a “most memorable ride” each season. This year, it was tough to find time for any extended rides, as I was blessed with a newborn son in the spring, and thus had pretty limited time. Usually, the rides that I remember forever are the super long, epic XC rides — but I had no time for such this year.
This year’s candidate was a little different. We had cold weather in October, and a fair amount of snow. I thought the season was over, and it usually is by then. But then a miracle happened. It was warm all through November, and the snow below 7000’ eventually melted by December.
I took a day off in the first week of Dec to capitalize on it.
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The first stop was a zone built by my buddy — easy fire road climbs followed by steep loamers and/or DH jump/flow trails. I did 3500’ of vert there (the joy was real):
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Next, I went home for some lunch, and afterward journeyed into the high country on the chance that I might just get one more lap on my favorite trail.
The climb was all ice on the old logging road, and thinking that I would be snowed out before the top, I ventured off directly to the trail to hike straight up. Going up this trail requires pushing, if not carrying the bike.
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Just have a look at that dirt. Usually it’s under no less than three feet of snow by December. I ain’t complaining…
I climbed all the way to the top of the trail, and since most of it is under a canopy of fir and spruce, the snowpack hadn’t built up as much as the open areas, and it was full-on.
This trail drops 1700’ in a little over a mile. The first 1/3 is what most people would call “ridiculously steep” — but that’s before seeing the middle section. The point of no return can be seen at the end of the trail in this shot:
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Once you go over the edge, you’re committed for the next 500 vertical feet.
It was a little greasy at the top, so as I neared the point of no return, I was pretty cautious. I dropped in tentatively, but soon learned that the insane bit was miraculously a little drier than the rest, and I was able to rail it. Such an unbelievable feeling— and it is still carrying me even though we are now in full winter mode. All told, that day I got almost 6000’ of vert — which is a pretty big day for me.
Thanks for reading if you’ve made it this far. What was your ride of the year?
This year’s candidate was a little different. We had cold weather in October, and a fair amount of snow. I thought the season was over, and it usually is by then. But then a miracle happened. It was warm all through November, and the snow below 7000’ eventually melted by December.
I took a day off in the first week of Dec to capitalize on it.
The first stop was a zone built by my buddy — easy fire road climbs followed by steep loamers and/or DH jump/flow trails. I did 3500’ of vert there (the joy was real):
Next, I went home for some lunch, and afterward journeyed into the high country on the chance that I might just get one more lap on my favorite trail.
The climb was all ice on the old logging road, and thinking that I would be snowed out before the top, I ventured off directly to the trail to hike straight up. Going up this trail requires pushing, if not carrying the bike.
Just have a look at that dirt. Usually it’s under no less than three feet of snow by December. I ain’t complaining…
I climbed all the way to the top of the trail, and since most of it is under a canopy of fir and spruce, the snowpack hadn’t built up as much as the open areas, and it was full-on.
This trail drops 1700’ in a little over a mile. The first 1/3 is what most people would call “ridiculously steep” — but that’s before seeing the middle section. The point of no return can be seen at the end of the trail in this shot:
Once you go over the edge, you’re committed for the next 500 vertical feet.
It was a little greasy at the top, so as I neared the point of no return, I was pretty cautious. I dropped in tentatively, but soon learned that the insane bit was miraculously a little drier than the rest, and I was able to rail it. Such an unbelievable feeling— and it is still carrying me even though we are now in full winter mode. All told, that day I got almost 6000’ of vert — which is a pretty big day for me.
Thanks for reading if you’ve made it this far. What was your ride of the year?
