Those steps on Greenbelt Plateau Part 2

lidarman · Sep 3, 2008

Renegade said:
no savings; I live up there. It would have cost me to drive down to bowlda!

Given where you work, you could do my commute that I do some days (on your way home to the Ned bus) via my route, east boulder trail to S boulder creek to Marshall Mesa and Doudy.

I of course skip the bus part.

LyNx said:
Can anyone compare them to the stuff on the climb up Crosier? Cause there's a lot of water bars in a row going up there that seem taller and as close together to me - jus' curious is all.

I don't remember. Everytime I ride Crosier, i am in oxygen debt and don't recall the ride after. Just like Searle pass this past weekend. Seemed like 10% grade and lurch moves every 5 feet...ok I exaggerated, every 7 feet. But maybe it's the 12,000 altitude.

xcguy · Sep 3, 2008

flowtron said:
Never ever mention Sam Hill in reference to these steps EVER AGAIN!!!!zorz.

Sorry about that! I saw his 37.5 lb IH Sunday setup in the latest MBA. It has a 165 set of cranks, DT EX1750 wheelset and Minion DHF 2.5 3C tires. Doesn't he ride for another company now?

edit: Specialized in '09.

AdventureQuest · Sep 3, 2008

xcguy said:
Yes, this is a real thread and the joke is on you, Nickle. You can't clean these steps. Here's the deal...get out from behind your keyboard and get down there. You start about 200 yards down the trail from here at a bridge. You go up some semi-tech to get up on the trail. Clean that? Good. Now you ride up an incline with these steps looming in front of you. Give it he!l. Didn't make it? Like I said, the jokes on you. You did make it? Props and now you know how tough they are. But you have to actually attempt them to be allowed to mock the efforts of those who attempt and actually make these.

Give it hell ok but that seems like a really long way to drive just to ride over a couple of waterbars looming or not but ok I think you made a point but still I think Id rather just drive somewhere else better or even stay home on the comuter because that just looks boring but maybe ok if it was right outside yourhouse or something. I mean its a greenbelt right, so I guess thats cool but noone is going to drive down their for that.

xcguy · Sep 3, 2008

AdventureQuest said:
Give it hell ok but that seems like a really long way to drive just to ride over a couple of waterbars looming or not but ok I think you made a point but still I think I'd rather just drive somewhere else better or even stay home on the commuter because that just looks boring but maybe ok if it was right outside your house or something. I mean its a greenbelt right, so I guess that's cool but no one is going to drive down there for that.

Fair enough. But my main point in all of this is that this trail system is right out a lot of Front Range riders' doors, it's only a 12 minute drive for me to access a 15 mile loop on dirt with views, there's a ton of riders who aren't ever going to be driving up to do Kenosha or Buff Creek but they still ride this and enjoy it. And the bonus: there's actually some semi-challenging sections just to mix things up. There's a real range of bikes out there, from pink cruisers to every type of FS bike.

Last week I rode Waterton Canyon, Bergen Peak, Three Sisters...and Greenbelt Plateau.

AdventureQuest · Sep 3, 2008

xcguy said:
Fair enough. But my main point in all of this is that this trail system is right out a lot of Front Range riders' doors, it's only a 12 minute drive for me to access a 15 mile loop on dirt with views, there's a ton of riders who aren't ever going to be driving up to do Kenosha or Buff Creek but they still ride this and enjoy it. And the bonus: there's actually some semi-challenging sections just to mix things up. There's a real range of bikes out there, from pink cruisers to every type of FS bike.

Last week I rode Waterton Canyon, Bergen Peak, Three Sisters...and Greenbelt Plateau.

Thats alot of riding ina week I know you are serious. I know I would like to ride more and am getting better too and will try Three Sister next I think but I need a guide or a better map. The greenbelt by my house doesnt have waterbards and I wish it did I moved to Arvada last year and all we have over here are movie theatres and home depots. I dont think most of my neighbors even know what a Kenosha Pass is. But they are really nice about borrowing tools thought aht is cool. Saves cash money $$$$ too.

Ride on xcguy!

Nickle · Sep 3, 2008

xcguy said:
Yes, this is a real thread and the joke is on you, Nickle. You can't clean these steps. Here's the deal...get out from behind your keyboard and get down there. You start about 200 yards down the trail from here at a bridge. You go up some semi-tech to get up on the trail. Clean that? Good. Now you ride up an incline with these steps looming in front of you. Give it he!l. Didn't make it? Like I said, the jokes on you. You did make it? Props and now you know how tough they are. But you have to actually attempt them to be allowed to mock the efforts of those who attempt and actually make these.

Well, that's an awfully long way to drive just to ride a 200 yard section of trail in order to prove my toughness. I'll tell you what, if I ever find myself in the area with a bike handy, I'll take a swing at it. If there is one thing that is as certain as gravity, it's that pictures flatten obstacles. For all I know, that could be quite the aggressive feature, but I do doubt that's the case. However, the world is measured in perspective so a section like this one could be "gnar" to some and joke to others. Just depends what you're used to.

LyNx · Sep 3, 2008

Well glad the locals feel that way too

holy hell I was sucking for air big time on the first 1/2 of the climb, but it was fun and challenging

and the DH was oh so fun, even at my lack of talent, XC oriented speed.

lidarman said:
I don't remember. Everytime I ride Crosier, i am in oxygen debt and don't recall the ride after. Just like Searle pass this past weekend. Seemed like 10% grade and lurch moves every 5 feet...ok I exaggerated, every 7 feet. But maybe it's the 12,000 altitude.

AdventureQuest · Sep 3, 2008

Nickle said:
Well, that's an awfully long way to drive just to ride a 200 yard section of trail in order to prove my toughness. I'll tell you what, if I ever find myself in the area with a bike handy, I'll take a swing at it.

If you do post pix :rockon:

scrublover · Sep 3, 2008

Are these just the warm up pieces to the steps on Dakota?

A happy medium; harder than these, not as hard as the Dakota steps:

the set going up into Buchanan Pass trail maybe?

SkaredShtles · Sep 3, 2008

Ride UP the stairs on Mustang...

Renegade · Sep 3, 2008

Want to raise your game xcguy? Ride UP the staircase on the south st. vrain trail. It's not one of those wussy staircases that is in a straight line.

gotdirt · Sep 4, 2008

beautiful evening

had to see what all the fuss was about...

you know, i'm growing to like this ride (plateau, dowdy, coal seam, marshall, etc.), though i was disappointed tonight that upper ditch is closed to bikes during maintenance; unlike the majority of trails in JCOS which require an immediate lung-busting climb from the TH, you can put in a nice 10+ mile ride here post-work w/o dropping into granny right off the bat.

a few bizarre encounters tonight:

1) 2, count 'em, two riders on cell phones... one of whom, despite being on the opposing but parallel trail of the (lower) community ditch double track, cut me off as he decided to embark on a sloppy dismount, cutting directly in front of me. :nono:

2) full-face helmet guy. um, okay... we're at marshall mesa, right? :skep:

3) cowboys! yep, a couple of legit dudes-on-horses, herding the heifers right across the trail.

4) a trio of post-work urban-professionals, whose cologne nearly knocked me off the bike. :eekster:

nonetheless, a good ride on a glorious late-summer evening.

:thumbsup:

P.S.
nickle could indeed clear those stairs, that is, if he actually ever rode uphill. i was 3 for 3 tonight (just for good measure) and my bike is waaay weaker than that doberman of his...

bike21 · Sep 4, 2008

I dig me some Marshall Mesa too. I can easily ride from my house and make it all about a 20 mile loop or so with Dowdy and such combined. A most excellent little training loop indeed.

gotdirt - I have had some bizarre encounters out there too, probably due to the close proximity to town I guess. From high school kids drinking 40s to racer types going waaaay to fast around the occasional blind corner to a Muslim family in traditional dress taking up the entire trail to full face helmet types as you mentioned. Fun times!

Nickle · Sep 4, 2008

gotdirt said:
2) full-face helmet guy. um, okay... we're at marshall mesa, right? :skep:

4) ...urban-professionals... whose cologne nearly knocked me off the bike. :eekster:

I fail to see how these are a problem. That's just how I roll, guys. :skep:

gotdirt said:
nickle could indeed clear those stairs, that is, if he actually ever rode uphill. i was 3 for 3 tonight (just for good measure) and my bike is waaay weaker than that doberman of his...

I follow this rule: Only ride uphill if the descent is either longer than the climb or a heck of a lot more fun. You should try it sometime.

kosayno · Sep 4, 2008

I took a noob to LOTB last week and it killed him so I thought I'd lighten up on him a bit by taking him to Marshall Mesa, Ditch Creek, GBP. This was my first time here. This section is actually one of the only sections where it's actually easier in person than it looks in pictures. Cleared it 3 for 3 no problem. I'm starting to agree with Nickel that this is an April fools thread.

xcguy · Sep 4, 2008

kosayno said:
I took a noob to LOTB last week and it killed him so I thought I'd lighten up on him a bit by taking him to Marshall Mesa, Ditch Creek, GBP. This was my first time here. This section is actually one of the only sections where it's actually easier in person than it looks in pictures. Cleared it 3 for 3 no problem. I'm starting to agree with Nickel that this is an April fools thread.

I never said it was hard, I just said Nickel couldn't clean it

I made it a few times and didn't a few times but never really saw anyone making it easily, if at all. If a beginner went out there and sessioned it it would be good practice, just thought I'd post up some pics of someone making it happen, not to make it look like you were cleaning the moral equivalent of those steps on Dakota Ridge. Notice the group of people watching the rider make it. All of them had walked their bikes up it and wanted to see it done.

Walt Disney's Frozen Head · Sep 4, 2008

SkaredShtles said:
Ride UP the stairs on Mustang...

Ride up Walker ...with one hand... ...while eating a hot dog

...and then Paddle up a class V

xcguy · Sep 4, 2008

Walt Disney's Frozen Head said:
Ride up Walker ...with one hand... ...while eating a hot dog

...and then Paddle up a class V

f..kn AY!

Guyechka · Sep 4, 2008

To be honest, I think the steep section to step-up just past the bridge is more difficult than the stairs.

GRAVELBIKE · Sep 5, 2008

Everyone clowns these trails, but you would be amazed at the number of people who don't even attempt to go down/up those stairs (and I was one of them until I "turned off" my brain just did it).

What's weird--at least, to me--is that there's a lot of trail sanitizing going on @ MM/DD. I happened upon a ranger on Cowdry Draw (sp?) this evening, and he said that the removal of the rocks from the two creek crossings in DD was "to make it easier for cyclists."

Those steps on Greenbelt Plateau Part 2

lidarman

xcguy

AdventureQuest

xcguy

AdventureQuest

Nickle

LyNx

AdventureQuest

scrublover

SkaredShtles

Renegade

gotdirt

bike21

Nickle

kosayno

xcguy

Walt Disney's Frozen Head

xcguy

Guyechka

GRAVELBIKE

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