[brettf]

I rode the Peaks trail as a loop from Frisco this weekend and pedalled up the bike path out of Frisco to mix it up. I climbed up Ski Hill Road, went past the Breck base at Peak 8 and on to the Peaks trailhead. However, when passing the Peak 8 base area, I noticed some singletrack dropping off the right side of the road to the east pretty much right across from the parking area at the base area. Looked really buff and schwoopy for lack of a better term.

What is that trail? Where does it go? I was pressed for time, otherwise I'd have checked it out... I guessed it pretty much descended through that wetland area back down east to the bottom of ski hill road somewhere... if even that far... looked nice though.

Any info?
Brett

 

[teleken]

Sounds like the trail that drops into the Breck Nordic Center. You passed the entrance on the way up Ski Hill Road. Funny, I Asked the same question when I did Peaks two weeks ago.

 

[rmalling]

The Pence Miller Trail

You have found ther Pence Miller trail! It goes down to town and makes a nice single track to avoid riding up or down ski hill road. It empties out along park ave behind the mountain thunder lodge. Easy trail, not very tech but a nice ride. Now you know. Late.

rOB

 

[MikeMac]

Nope - on both counts.

Pence Miller's only visible access is from Ski Hill Road is from about 400' below the hairpin at the skier bridge or from just below the skier bridge itself.

The trail immediately across from the skier parking at the Peak 8 base area drops you into a neighborhood above the Breck Nordic Center, not the center itself. You CAN get there, but 'schwoopy and fun' is not a way that I'd describe it. Rooty, off-camber and 'hey, this isn't where I thought I'd end up' are terms that probably better describe it. That first drop-in turn is fun though.

Now immediately across from the Peaks Trail trailhead is a small singletrack portal. The obvious route (when taken downhill) dumps you out in the employee parking lot across Ski Hill Road from the Peak 8 Base Area (great name, huh?). This trail is a semi-refurbished ditch trail left over from mining opertaions about 150 years ago. Trails like these are commonly mistakenly referred to as 'flume trails', even by the locals. Once you jump on this one from Peaks proper you do have a few options and some of them will eventually take you into the Nordic Center. Most of them are pretty brushy and harsh though and not good MTB trails.

There are some cool things to see on the Nordic Center network. The pristine wetlands of Cucumber Gulch looking back up to the Tenmile Range can be stunning in the right light and there are even some ancient mining ruins that can still be seen.

MM