SIDEDOOR/SLALOM:

MILEAGE: 10-12 MILES

DIFFICULTY: INTERMEDIATE

 

THIS RIDE IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE EARLY SEASON OPTIONS AS IT DRIES OUT BY LATE MAY IN MOST YEARS. IT'S ALSO ONE YOU CAN PEDAL TO RIGHT FROM TOWN WITH LITTLE EXTRA EFFORT. FIRST GO NORTHEAST OUT OF TOWN UP INTO THE FRENCH CREEK AREA UNTIL YOU REACH "X10U8" TRAIL. CLIMB THIS TRAIL UNTIL YOU FIND THE "BACKDOOR" TRAIL. ZIP UP BACKDOOR TO THE TOP AND YOU'LL BE AT "SIDEDOOR". GET READY FOR A RIPPING FAST DESCENT ON SOME OF THE FINEST SCULPTED BERMS AND JUMPS IN THE AREA. ONCE TO THE BOTTOM OF SIDEDOOR, TAKE "PROSPECTOR GULCH RD" OVER TO THE "WESTERN SKY" TRAIL. ONCE AT THE END OF WESTERN SKY, SO BEGINS THE RAD FLOW TRAIL THAT IS "SLALOM". PEDAL HARD AND HIT ALL THE FUN JUMPS, THEN TAKE "UPPER FLUME" TRAIL ALL THE WAY BACK TO TOWN.

BAKER'S TANK/ASPEN ALLEY:

MILEAGE: 9-10 MILES

DIFFICULTY: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

 

THIS RIDE IS ONE OF OUR PERSONAL SHOP FAVORITES AS YOU GET A GREAT MIX OF EVERYTHING IN A RIDE THAT ISN'T OVERLY STRENUOUS AND CAN BE DONE MULTIPLE TIMES. START FROM TOWN AND HEAD UP BOREAS PASS RD TO THE BOTTOM OF "ASPEN ALLEY". ONCE THERE, CLIMB UP ASPEN ALLEY UP TO A HIGHER POINT ON BOREAS PASS RD. ONCE ON THE ROAD AGAIN, PEDAL ABOUT 2 MILES UP BOREAS PASS ROAD UNTIL YOU SEE A GIANT WATER TANK FROM OLD MINING DAYS CALLED "THE BAKER'S TANK". ONCE THERE, TURN ONTO "BAKER'S TANK" TRAIL AND TAKE THAT 3 MILES DOWNHILL BACK TO BOREAD PASS RD. ONCE THERE, YOU'LL BE AT THE TOP OF ASPEN ALLEY AND YOU CAN RIP THAT FLOWY SINGLETRACK BACK TO TOWN. DO AS MANY LAPS AS YOU PLEASE!!

WHEELER SOUTH/SPRUCE/BURRO

MILEAGE: 10-12 MILES

DIFFICULTY: ADVANCED

 

ARE YOU READY FOR A BIG RIDE HIGH ABOVE TOWN? THEN THIS IS YOUR RIDE. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE MILEAGE, THIS TAKES YOU UP AND OUT THERE AND TAKES AT LEAST 3+ HOURS DEPENDING ON FITNESS. START FROM TOWN AND GO UP THE PEAK 9 SERVICE ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MILES. AFTER BURSTING YOUR LUNGS OPEN FOR 5 MILES, TURN LEFT (SOUTH) ONTO "WHEELER TRAIL" AND TRAVERSE ACROSS STUNNING HIGH ALPINE VISTAS FOR A COUPLE MILES. ONCE AT THE CREST, TAKE IN THE VIEWS OF TOWN, CRYSTAL PEAK, RED MOUNTAIN, ETC. THEN GET READY FOR A FAST A FURIOUS TECHNICAL DESCENT. EVENTUALLY YOU'LL COME OUT ON THE "SPRUCE CREEK ROAD", THEN YOU CAN CONTINUE ON A SMALL STRETCH OF WHEELER TRAIL TO CONNECT TO "SPRUCE CREEK TRAIL". BEWARE, DURING PEAK TIMES THIS TRAIL HAS HEAVY HIKER TRAFFIC, AND IF THAT'S THE CASE WE RECOMMEND GOING DOWN SPRUCE CREEK ROAD STRAIGHT TO "BURRO TRAIL" IF YOU DO GO DOWN SPRUCE CREEK TRAIL, ENJOY THE WHITE KNUCKLE ROOT INFESTED TECHNICAL DESCENT. THEN CONNECT TO "BURRO" TRAIL AND ENJOY A 3 MILE FLOWY AND TECHNICAL DOWNHILL RIGHT BACK INTO TOWN!