[BlackSpot]

Excellent weekend for riding with a taste of unusual fall weather for early August.
With temperatures in the low 60's in the morning, we decided to hit the Blue Ridge mountains from Atlanta. About a 1.5 hour drive to Blue Ridge.

Sunday we did a local ride near Stone Mountain/Yellow River.
Good area to ride slickrock with some creative orienteering...

Saturday ride:
Aska Trails- Ellijay/Blue Ridge, GA
23 miles, 11.5 miles climbing, 11.5 downhill
out and back from Green Mountain TH at the lake to Stanley Gap TH
all singletrack, rooty/rocky, rock gardens, killer climbing, BOMBING downhillSSS!

<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/521/247312DSC00480w.jpg">
view of Rich Mountain on the drive up through Ellijay
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/521/247312DSC00501w.jpg">
trailhead for Green Mountain down at the lake. Elevation=1900'
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312DSC00510w.jpg">
Green Mountain singletrack
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1575-.jpg">
Lake Blue Ridge. Once you lose sight of the lake it's time to climb...
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1583-.jpg">
Aska trail sign.
Green Mountain is on this side of road while Stalnley Gap is across the road...
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1592-.jpg">
more climbing to the top of Stanley Gap
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1595-.jpg">
ahh...almost to the top
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1617-.jpg">
elevation=3500'. Time to descend the backside of this mountain to Stanley Gap TH...
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1608-.jpg">
good view of Rich Mountain on our BOMBING way down....

Once we reached the TH we turned around and headed back up. Once we reached the top the BEST part of the ride begins. Now the BOMBING downhill starts. 3 miles down to the road(Deep Gap), cross road then small climb and more downhill to the lake! Woo-Hoo!
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1618-.jpg">
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100_1576-.jpg">

Add Flat Creek Loop(6 miles) and Long Branch Loop(3 miles) for extra mileage....

Sunday ride:
Yellow River/Stone Mtn Area-Atlanta, GA
15 miles, singletrack, slickrock
singletrack/doubletrack, very technical, log rolls, drop offs

<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100B1651.jpg">

<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100B1652.jpg">
Mike cleaning a log roll
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100B1690_.jpg">

<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312100B1780_.jpg">

<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312DSC00563w2.jpg">
Will riding on slickrock
<img src = "https://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/512/247312DSC00571w.jpg">
great view of Stone Mountain

 

[Al.]

Yellow River/Stone Mtn Area-Atlanta, GA?

Great pictures, thanks. I know the Aska trails well. But where is this Stone Mountain slickrock?

Where? That's not Yellow River on Juhan Road.

 

[DoctorJD]

Love those trails at Aska...

Flat Creek, Stanley Gap and, of course, Green Mountain. Might be going up there myself next weekend, weather permitting.

 

[tumblindice]

Seriously!!

Where the hell is the "Yellow River/Stone Mountain area" Trail in the pics?
If it's a big secret you can pm me. I don't have any friends, so I won't blow your secret!

 

[JackFromNC]

Cool. Looks like my monkey ass has got to get over to GA!

 

[RedRocker]

Nice pics!
Did Tanasi last weekend. You are right on - what a great weekend to put some miles on!
This is August in GA?!?!? Doooooooooood!

 

[jonjon]

Great pics!
Where are those trails near yellow river??? Any hints anyone....

I've never seen anything like it in GA, other than maybe near the Conyers Horse Park.

I won't tell anyone either.

 

[JDZ]

Rode Flat Creek and Stanley Gap over Christmas when I was visiting GA. Very fun trails. Climbing the Stanley Gap trail is insane. I'll have to check out Yellow River when I go back for Thanksgiving and will have to get back to Blue Ridge too.

 

[Duckman]

Ahhh..that wasn't with us(Alloy nips and the crew)was it? We rode both trails with a high of like *28 one day around last Christmas. You on a HT Cannondale with a lefty maybe? Just guess mind you. Stanley Gap is my favorite Ga trail of all time. Best to do it as an 'in and out', so you do it all both ways...then Flat Creek on your way out. Green Mtn is just across the street if you have anything left. Just did it and Flat Creek solo last week. Love that area.

 

[JDZ]

Nope, I rode it alone literally. Didn't see another soul the whole afternoon. After riding the Flat Creek loop, I headed up Stanley Gap and thought it best to turn around after reaching the top of the ridge. That's alot of climbing for me since I mostly ride in N. Texas. I had intended to do the whole thing out and back but I had the worst side stitch of my life when I got to the top. I rode the Ag Center trail the next day which I understand is gone now. Why didn't I ride singletrack when I lived in Atlanta?

 

[BlackSpot]

Curiousity killed the cat....

Thanks to all your posts! I'll keep the camera clicking...

I have some friends who use to do a Death March from Yellow River down to Conyers and back. You'd be surprised what you'll find for trail... It's a shame we've lost so much to the sprawl.

Last year we did some route of the Death March to be confronted by a huge parcel of land that was completely cleared out. We could'nt find where the trail started on the other side of the property line...oh well. : (

Most of the trail I rode Sunday takes quite a good eye to follow in places...but it's there, rock cairns and all! Plus, i've been able to piece it together over the years...
I'll probably go back sometime in November for some leaf bashing...

In the meantime it's time for eleven days out in Moab and Colorado starting this Wednesday. Heading out with nine other buddies and we'll be renting 3 4x4's for the trip.
We'll use em' to climb to 13,000'! Woo-Hoo!

Check for pics in September...

 

[kermit]

Can't believe

Great trails, miss riding them. Can't believe you guys still ride them with out me. I move away and look. Great pictures, I remember all the great down hills and even the ones I don't want to remember. Portions of the trails are fast and tight. Got to watch out for those leaves on the tight turns during the fall. The down hill coming from deep gap to the Stanely trail head is the best. three miles of fast technical down hill. Hopefully will get back there soon. Have fun in Colorado.

Thanks to all your posts! I'll keep the camera clicking...

I have some friends who use to do a Death March from Yellow River down to Conyers and back. You'd be surprised what you'll find for trail... It's a shame we've lost so much to the sprawl.

Last year we did some route of the Death March to be confronted by a huge parcel of land that was completely cleared out. We could'nt find where the trail started on the other side of the property line...oh well. : (

Most of the trail I rode Sunday takes quite a good eye to follow in places...but it's there, rock cairns and all! Plus, i've been able to piece it together over the years...
I'll probably go back sometime in November for some leaf bashing...

In the meantime it's time for eleven days out in Moab and Colorado starting this Wednesday. Heading out with nine other buddies and we'll be renting 3 4x4's for the trip.
We'll use em' to climb to 13,000'! Woo-Hoo!

Check for pics in September...

 

[mountaingoatepics]

Hey Kermit

Shoot over to www.smallbrowndog.com to check out the local mtb action in Charlotte. Look in on the forums, they have rides going on all the time. Hope you find your nitch down there. Did Indian Camp, Kissee Creek, Sumney Cove, Farlow Gap and then previewed the 24 hours of Pisgah course last Wednesday. almost 5 miles but 1,000 ft of climbing. Whew hoo! Classic Pisgah. Yeah!

J

 

[BlackSpot]

Thanks Kermit!

Great trails, miss riding them. Can't believe you guys still ride them with out me. I move away and look. Great pictures, I remember all the great down hills and even the ones I don't want to remember. Portions of the trails are fast and tight. Got to watch out for those leaves on the tight turns during the fall. The down hill coming from deep gap to the Stanely trail head is the best. three miles of fast technical down hill. Hopefully will get back there soon. Have fun in Colorado.

Someone has to ride the trail Kermit. I agree on the DH from Deep Gap to Stanley TH-it is the bomb! But so is the DH from Stanley to Deep Gap then down to the lake.
We need to get together for a ride this fall for old time sake.
Hope Charlotte is treating you and K.D. well. Have you found trail for us to ride?

 

[kermit]

Someone has to ride the trail Kermit. I agree on the DH from Deep Gap to Stanley TH-it is the bomb! But so is the DH from Stanley to Deep Gap then down to the lake.
We need to get together for a ride this fall for old time sake.
Hope Charlotte is treating you and K.D. well. Have you found trail for us to ride?

Hopefully we can come down sometime in the fall. we can meet up for a ride then. I have only been on one trail so far. Cane Creek.. Not bad for beginner riders. The mountain bike trail book that I got is misleading. It ranks portions of the trails a tech 3 but turns around and ranks trails in Pisgah as a tech 4??? No comparision. Jeremy must be rubbing off on me. I found out that my chain stay is cracked. The Ventana has held up well, but I guess it just had to do it sometime. Thanks Jeremy for the link. I'll look at it and let you know. If I am in your neck of the woods I'll let you know. maybe we can ride.