I few friends and I are heading up to Flagstaff Saturday. I've been hearing about floods, mud slides and trail damage. We are planning on parking off of Elden or Schultz and ridding as much single track as possible. Any thing we should plan on staying away from?What time have the rains been starting up?
Heading to Flag Saturday. Condition Update?
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There is no accurate way to tell when the rains will start, it depends on the moisture content, and the cloud cover. Morning cloud cover means later storms. Night-time cloud cover can trap heat and mean very early storms. If there is no cloud cover then they could start anywhere from 10:00 to 1pm or so, but again, it's impossible to tell. Last weekend I was off the mountain by about 1230, and that's when it started storming. You can see the pictures from the "flood" on TV, these are NOT storms that you want to be caught in, so I'd plan to start as early as you can, and be done between 10am and 12. If you can ride longer due to the wx, great, but I wouldn't plan for it.
The trail conditions were perfect last weekend. You can't ride Little Bear, Little Elden, I'm not sure about Weatherford, but I never see many riders on that trail anyways (but it makes a nice loop to do Lookout and Supermoto).
The trail conditions were perfect last weekend. You can't ride Little Bear, Little Elden, I'm not sure about Weatherford, but I never see many riders on that trail anyways (but it makes a nice loop to do Lookout and Supermoto).
My family and and another are also heading up this weekend (Fri night thru sometime on Sunday). Two of us are riders, and used to love getting a quick fun ride in on just the Sunset/Little Bear/Little Elden/Shultz/rd loop. Starting from Shulz tank, it was a cool loop that didn't get us in trouble by "spending too much time away from the family".
With the fire having taken out Little Bear...any recommendations for a similar type loop?
Our plan is to camp out by Wing Mountain / Lava Tubes. I've got a class C motorhome and the other family will be pulling a hardside camp trailer with a 2wd truck. Are the roads in that area staying in pretty good condition despite the rains?
Plannig to ride "early" on Sat to avoid the rains (and get back before kids drive wives too crazy!)
Tom
With the fire having taken out Little Bear...any recommendations for a similar type loop?
Our plan is to camp out by Wing Mountain / Lava Tubes. I've got a class C motorhome and the other family will be pulling a hardside camp trailer with a 2wd truck. Are the roads in that area staying in pretty good condition despite the rains?
Plannig to ride "early" on Sat to avoid the rains (and get back before kids drive wives too crazy!)
Tom
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I'm not sure how you are incorperating the road, but instead of doing Little Bear, start from Schultz Tank, ride down to the intersection of Little Gnarly, up Little Gnarly, up Upper Brookbank. Just beyond the Little Bear inersection (on Sunset) you can turn right and head to Mt Elden Rd via the Onion trail, or continue up Sunset. Then when you get to the top, or as far as you want to go, turn around, ride down Organ Doner, the Hobbit Forest, and instead of Little Bear, head up and continue on Sunset, and take the downhill back to Schultz Tank.BullitTom said:
Otherwise, I'd suggest doing something similer, but starting at the Y or Schultz trailhead. There are also good trails/routes on the other side of Schultz Pass Rd.
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Thinking about taking the bike up with me this weekend... sounds like the stuff on the south side (Rocky Ridge, Up/Low Brookbank) are okay. Curious if the meadow up on top (Dry Lakes?) get nailed and did the trail down Shultz Pass Road get reamed in the fire? Hard to sort out what's still viable if you're not sure what any of the names are. Thanks in advance!
(I'd like to do the loop from Rocky Ridge->Brookbank-> DryLakes->Sunset->Shultz Creek if that's still okay)
(I'd like to do the loop from Rocky Ridge->Brookbank-> DryLakes->Sunset->Shultz Creek if that's still okay)
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I was also wondering about Shultz Pass Road. Is it still open? Can you still camp along the road? I know camp fires are out, that's not a problem. I was planing on camping out at Sunrise this weekend. The wife and I took off Friday so we could make a weekend out of it, thank you Sunrise. So I'm looking for somewhere to camp and ride. I have a small travel trailer so I need to find a place that will accommodate it. But I can do primitive, no hookups needed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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dave.....pm me for recommendations if you still have questions....
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expect to be wet, esp. with hurricane Bonnie adding to the mix. heavy rains {currently raining - 7am} yesterday it rained on the mtn {where I was - schultz area} by 12:25. it then rained up to 1" per hour in spots most of the day. little bear not just closed, but gone - looked down from above. little elden closed. weatherford trail not a trail anymore, but a dozer line. "crime scene do not cross" ribbons on it in spots. - Steve Garro, Coconino Cycles.
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REALLY WET! The steeps are going to be sick! See ya out there, bring rain gear.
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A friend and I will be riding the Absolute Bikes race course for the Aug. 21st event off of HWY 180 and FR164B. Does anybody know the trail condition or be out there riding and want to join.
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