[wuntrikpony]

Hey guys, I am a So-Cal rider heading to West Virginia for some fun next week and was interested in checking out the epic in Slatyfork. I saw it listed as around 35 miles with lots of singletrack, which sounds sweet.

I haven't been able to find real specific directions to the trailhead. Anyone have any info? Also, do you know where I could score a map? Thanks a ton!

-Dave

 

[crashedandburned]

pm davis. He's the local trail guru out there. That is if he's not too hung over to reply

 

[Fat Bob]

here you go

Hey guys, I am a So-Cal rider heading to West Virginia for some fun next week and was interested in checking out the epic in Slatyfork. I saw it listed as around 35 miles with lots of singletrack, which sounds sweet.

I haven't been able to find real specific directions to the trailhead. Anyone have any info? Also, do you know where I could score a map? Thanks a ton!

-Dave

try here or here . fun place, just watch for weirdos like c&b

 

[williams river]

Go to www.ertc.com and select the Mountain Bike link. ERTC has a map of all of the trails in the race area. This race is 100K with orienteering. Details are on the website. You can email ERTC and they will respond with any info needed (the staff and locals are great with responses). As far as the race, we have ridden most of the trails rode in last races and the trail conditions are not what most consider to be "weekend" stroles. Good luck.

 

[davis]

I'll be at work tomorrow (Tues.) and I'll post the details for the IMBA Epic ride. Seems like williams-river may have it confused with the Wild 100, which is coming up Aug. 18th. It's a whole 'nother deal, entirely. When you get here, stop by and get one of our maps ($9.00 with tax). I wouldn't advise trying to ride the IMBA Epic without a map or a guide (now is when my friends chortle...<I can't believe *he* is a guide>.

Anybody notice that Elk River is now the official sponsor of this forum? :thumbsup:

Some of the info on the IMBA sight is woefully out of date. The WVFTF is no longer. The inn has moved on to serving much better beer, namely the IPA and Stout from Mountain State Brewing. Wonder why they picked the IPA??

 

[davis]

Slatyfork IMBA Epic

Slatyfork IMBA Epic Ride
Notes- All the trails have blue plastic diamond blazes, H2O is available at the Tea Creek Campground. Easy Out options are in itailics.
Start- Tea Creek trailhead/parking area on US 24.
Follow Tea Creek trail up, past the shelter and down to the Tea Creek Connector.
Left on Tea Creek Connector. Enjoy this 80 year old section of logging railway complete with the original ties.
Right on Gauley Mtn. Trail. Pass by the entrances for Bear Pen, Red Run, and Right Fork Connector.
Right on US 150 "The Scenic Highway"
Right onto gravel driveway and then Left onto the Tea Creek Mountain trail. Enjoy the boulder field and the incredible descent. Pass by the North Face trail, but note the bear damage to the sign.
Right on the Williams river trail. Cross the bridge and enter Tea Creek Campground. Fill up at the pump and take a Right onto the Campground road.
Go around the gate and start climbing Bannock Shoals trail. The ford 1/3 of the way up is a great place to cool off.
Continue to the top of Bannock Shoals where the rocks are.
1st easy out option-continue straight on the gravel road, turn right onto 135 and continue to US 24. Turn Right on 24 and continue to the start.
Right onto Saddle Loop Trail and get out of your saddle.
At the intersection of Saddle Loop and Turkey Point bear Left.
Climb up to Boundary trail. The sign is on the ground and you want to continue Straight along the ridge. Check out the view on the right of the intersection.
Boundary will "T" into a old Road Grade.
2nd easy out option-Turn left, climb up and through the meadow, turn right onto 135 and continue to US 24. Turn Right on 24 and continue to the start.
Turn Right and fly down into the Tea Creek Canyon. Cross Tea Creek and climb out of the valley on Bear Pen trail. Do not turn onto the Tea Creek Trail.
Turn Left onto Gauley Mtn trail and follow it out to US 24.
Turn Left on US 24 and the trailhead is on the left.

 

[Futurepath]

FYI: I was riding down Tea Creek Trail leaving the shelter, and near the bottom is a massive pile of debri from a fallen tree. This was a couple weeks ago so not sure if it has been cleaned up.

 

[outdoornut]

FYI: I was riding down Tea Creek Trail leaving the shelter, and near the bottom is a massive pile of debri from a fallen tree. This was a couple weeks ago so not sure if it has been cleaned up.

Hey davis, did you hear this?

Possible modification to the "EPIC";
I think I would at least add Red Run, Right Fork, and then Tea Creek Mountain and near
the end do Boundary and up Tea Creek back to the vehicle. I've been up Bear Pen that
direction and it's a killer, so I'd likely skip that one... :thumbsup: .

Sounds like fun, I'll have to do this.

ODN

 

[wuntrikpony]

There is a ton of stuff down on Boundary Trail! It's just nuts how many trees are down.

 

[outdoornut]

There is a ton of stuff down on Boundary Trail! It's just nuts how many trees are down.

Sorry to hear about all the trees down on Boundary. Did you do the EPIC? How did you
like it, not counting the tree follies on Boundary? I've done a bunch of those trails there
but never tried the loop as described.

What'd you think of Tea Creek Mountain trail? Was that tree still there that Futurepath
mentioned?

Hope all the trees being down didn't spoil your ride here in WV too much. I love that area
down there and will see about helping someone clear Boundary... Heard that didn't you
davis? Might let that guy, who clears those trails, know I'm willing to come down and
spend a day helping him clear some debre....:thumbsup:

ODN

(Edited spelling)

 

[wuntrikpony]

Yeah, I did the Epic and absolutely loved it. I'm used to mostly dry and dusty fire roads out in Los Angeles, so this was a great departure. I went out multiple times and changed up the route for a nice shorter ride. Go from 150 up Gauley to the 24, go down Tea Creek, over the connector back to gauley and then down Bear Pen. Take Bear Pen to Boundary and boundary out to Bannock Sholls. Take Bannock back to Tea Creek(well at least that's where my ride was waiting...)

Tea Creek mountain trail was really nice...but watch out for those slippery bridges. After all that rain they were like ice!

I think the highlight of the entire thing was flying down Bear Pen in what basically was a small stream. Too much fun. I wish I could have stayed longer!

 

[outdoornut]

down Bear Pen. Take Bear Pen to Boundary and boundary out to Bannock Sholls. Take Bannock back to Tea Creek(well at least that's where my ride was waiting...)

Well you did two of my favorites in the right direction. Down Bear Pen is the best and
down Bannock Shoals is a blast. Did you blow through the creek about half way down
Bannock Shoals? What a hoot ! You should have tried Red Run and back out to Tea
Creek Mountain on Right Fork. I've never made if through there without breaking
breaking something on my bike and having to go back out Gauley. One of these days...
Let us know if you ever make it back out and maybe davis and I could hit the trails with
you. He lives within 15 minutes of those trails. If you got you map of the area from Elk
River Touring Center you may have met him. Think I'll get back over there in a couple
weeks and hit them again myself. Glad you enjoyed yourself in my favorite part of the
state.

Ride On !

ODN

 

[wuntrikpony]

I actually didnt go through the creek on bannock shoals. It looked a little deep...and with all that rain out there, I thought I would save my swimming for a more appropriate time. haha

I definitely plan to head out there again...I was wondering what it would be like in Spring, although the end of July was perfect. It was nice and cool, around 70. Plus you get the water dripping from the Magnolias growing on the sides of Gauley Mountain trail.

can't wait to get back!

-dave

 

[outdoornut]

I definitely plan to head out there again...I was wondering what it would be like in Spring, although the end of July was perfect. -dave

Spring is usually not a good time in those mountains. Consider the mud, muck and
swampy places you saw in July, it much worse than that. The earliest I've ever ridden
some of those trails is early May and it was much worse then than in June or July.
If they have a mild winter like this year you probably could have made it through there
in April but when they get the amount of snow they usually do you may be attempting
to push it through deep snow in spots and the mud is well, davis can advise better than
I since he lives down there.

Bad part is, the Forest Service usually doesn't get around to cutting trees off the trails
till after Memorial Day. We were down there on Memorial Day weekend this year and
there were an unbelievable number of trees down on most the trails. We had a good
time anyway just trying to see how many of them we could ride over. .

Let us know when you plan to come back down. There are a bunch of other trails in
the area just a short distance from there. You could spend a week there and likely
never ride the same trails twice.

Good riding

ODN

 

[davis]

Bad part is, the Forest Service usually doesn't get around to cutting trees off the trails
till after Memorial Day.

Memorial Day? Really? What year?

Actually my understanding is that FS crew actually performed trail work this summer. One week per ranger district (there are 6 in the Mon., ours has hundreds of miles of trails). Thanks for that. Almost all trailwork around here is performed by that modest guy that should remain nameless or by Elk River. You can't believe everything you hear at the campgrounds or the ranger stations. Those folks get lonely and like to talk. Tax dollars are for important stuff, like bullets and bombs.

 

[backwoods]

We will be in the Tea Creek area this weekend Sat/Sun and are looking for a 2-3 hour ride for Saturday. Then for Sunday, looking at 4-5 hours (definitely want to hit Tea Creek Mtn). Any suggestions? We have maps from ERTC--think I met davis a couple of weeks ago prior to heading out. Talked to Gil and Mary on different days. We appreciate any information.

Thanks to the nameless that clear the trails! Let us know if any weekends are planned for maintenance and we will try to drive up and take part.

 

[davis]

2-3 hours:

Tea Creek/Tea Creek Connector/Gauley/Bear Pen/Boundary/FS 135/FS 24 (Starting and ending at parking area for Tea Creek Trail on FR 24 (Mine Rd).

Prop's Run w/shuttle from somewhere on top (4 hr loop from ERTC)

Frosty Gap/Kennison

4-5 w/Tea Creek Mt. Trail:

Gauley/Red Run/Right Fork/Tea Creek Mt./Bannock Shoals/FR 135/FR 24 (Red Run/Right Fork can be omitted due to rain, distance, or aversion to hyper-technical singletrack).

Yeah, that was probably me. Hope you had a good time and hope to see you again soon.

 

[backwoods]

Thanks davis. If we have time on Sat or Sun, after the rides, we may swing by ERTC.

 

[backwoods]

Thanks again for the trail info Davis.

Saturday-We rode Tea Creek-Boundary-135-24 and back to the parking lot. Did get sidetracked on a trail that went straight from the first switchback on Tea Creek Trail--maybe 30 minutes of out and back. Not sure where the trail was headed, but things got thick and rough somewhat quick after dropping off to the left. Did see some boot tracks, but lost all tire marks. After getting back on Tea Creek we had a great ride down to Boundary, then climbed out and back prior to total darkness.

Sunday-Started by going up Bannock. Then took 135 to 134 by the ERTC map. Obviously, very little use on 134. We went in from the private camp side (quick switchback to the left which went up and provided us a nice view of a red newt). From there, we hit 24 and then continued onto Gauley. After passing Red Run on Gauley, the almighty rain gates opened and things got wet/cold quick. We chose to ride out Gauley and not take the connector over to Tea Creek Mountain--conditions???. Finished by going down the Scenic Highway to Williams and back to camp. One highlight of going down the Scenic Highway was a hawk flew beside us down part of the ride.

Don't recall many (no large) trees down on the trails. Most everything was ridable other than a few spots--but normal.

Are there slots still available for the Wild 100? May see you there.

 

[davis]

Yep, still slots available for the Wild 100. We usually do get a flurry of late entries in the last week prior to the race though. I think most of the inside lodging is already booked, although there may be 1 cabin left near the board shop in the valley. Glad you got some good riding in.