Some Jackson Topo Maps... Cache-Game Loop

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-06-2009, 05:20 PM

16 May 2009

*** I rode the Cache Creek Sidewalk to Putt Putt to Putt Putt Nelson Finish this morning. it definitely has a couple of weeks to go before it is completely dried out. ***

Sidewalk: Dry and fast
Cache Creek Road from Old Parking Lot to Hagen/Putt Intersection: muddy & snow Covered
Hagen/Putt Intersection to North Tree Sections: muddy and snow covered
Higher sections of Putt Putt: Fast and Packed
Nelson Finish: Fast and Packed

I was working on these last year and finally got around to taking another look at them. I carry my GPS almost all the time when I ride, and use Motionbased.com to aggregate my information. It is a pretty cool site.

The weather has been pretty crappy and I am wanting to ride- at least I can think about riding...

The Cache Game Loop. It is over ridden, but I still like it. The climb up over the divide holds snow for a long time though.

I did this will all freeware. I can't remember the name of the program, but it would take the raw data from an excel sheet and load it on to Google Earth, them splice the two together on a USGS map. It would crash my computer (a dinosaur at the time) almost on every attempt.

Here is another:

Hagen to Putt Putt, another popular, maybe overplayed loop, but hey here it is:

Enjoy!

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-06-2009, 05:29 PM

Here is another:

Sink or Swim. I like this one, it is short, so if you are pressed for time it is great. It is considerably more difficult going West to East than from East to West. Runners and dog shit can be an issue.

the topo:

**sar13** · 05-06-2009, 05:41 PM

Nice work Stephen. Any idea the Hagan-Putt Putt mileage if you park at the parking lot? I run this a bunch and always wondered how long it really is.

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-06-2009, 05:45 PM

Negative on the parking lot. I made a point of taking all of the mileage from the SW corner of the Rodeo Grounds.

**Alpenglo** · 05-06-2009, 05:55 PM

Nice looking maps. To get accurate trail data you really have to ride/hike the trail with a GPS. When you do you often find that a distance given in the guidebook, or from a trail guide is wrong. Any dead spots, (deep forest, etc.) with no reception? Do you keep the GPS in a pack or mount on the bike?

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-06-2009, 07:10 PM

I put my GPS in the top of my pack and just ride. It is a Garmin eTrex Legend and seems to have very good reception. I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not the fastest rider out there- but I ride alot- and frequently. Dead spots are few and far in between as long as I don't get too rowdy on the down hill sections. I've got dozens of these maps.

If any of you guys are going to visit JH and want to ride give me a shout. If I can't ride that day, I'll be able to point you in the direction where the trails are nice.

OK one more...

The climb up Ferrin's to West Game Creek. This one is really my favorite. I didn't get to ride it but a few times last year. It was overgrown and had a lot of handlebar grabbers. At times the singletrack is very close to the drainage stream- the vegetation gets plenty of moisture to get lush and thick. Again, this is a great ride.

This is what it looks like when the USGS topo gets smashed on top of the Google Earth picture.

You are then able to scale the picture's color so that it looks like this:

And the verticle profile:

**jstorrs** · 05-06-2009, 07:37 PM

nice ones.
keep 'em comin'

**panchosdad** · 05-07-2009, 08:13 AM

You can connect most of the best parts of those rides in one 2 1/2 to 3 hour ride. Sink or Swim to Ferrins to West Game, then north to Cache Creek, down Putt Putt to the Cache parking, then back up the connector to Sink or Swim and back to the car. Saves all that pesky bike path and road riding.

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-07-2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by panchosdad

You can connect most of the best parts of those rides in one 2 1/2 to 3 hour ride. Sink or Swim to Ferrins to West Game, then north to Cache Creek, down Putt Putt to the Cache parking, then back up the connector to Sink or Swim and back to the car. Saves all that pesky bike path and road riding.

Hagen-Putt Putt to Ferrin's-West Game w/ bike path finish is a classic as well.

I've done the same thing as above, but avioding the bike path by climbing Game and doing Putt Putt again, -I don't like climbing Game from the south side.

**Bart T** · 05-07-2009, 11:23 AM

lots of snow king love in this thread.

in lieu of climbing game backwards you can go ferrins - wilson canyon and up the backside of the king, down josie's and back east on sink or swim.

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-14-2009, 10:53 AM

One more:

Ferrin's to Snow King Summit descend face to Sink or Swim to KC Trail.

Talking of GPS errors...you can clearly see that there are some straight lines on the decent of the face of the King. I was moving pretty fast and the GPS could keep up. My computer crashed like 1/2 way and erased all of my book marks- I can't remember the name of the program that did all of the crunching.

Enjoy

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-14-2009, 11:22 AM

Ferrin's to Wilson Canyon:

I tell people it is a "6 & 6 trail". Last year the upper portion of Wilson Canyon (just after the junction that splits off into Leek's Canyon) was pretty overgrown. It is steep and blocky in the heart of Wilson Canyon- I definitely have to get off and walk a few times- this is really the only section that is a 6 & 6 trail. The exit of the canyon is fast and scenic. You can avoid some of the bike path adjacent to the highway by taking a small and seldom used section of single track behind Lower Valley Power and Light. It continues under the powerlines for some distance before spitting you out on the highway (then bike pathway) up by Storage Stables.

**panchosdad** · 05-14-2009, 11:28 AM

Anything drying out yet? I'd think Putt Putt would be getting close.

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-14-2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by skiing-in-jackson

My computer crashed like 1/2 way and erased all of my book marks- I can't remember the name of the program that did all of the crunching.

This is it...

GPS Visualizer

**KoKopeLLi** · 05-14-2009, 04:20 PM

^ Thats freakin awesome. I was able to overlay the USGS map in google earth. Now how do I get that elevation view (from the side)

Also curious how to display the route without all the waypoint blocks. I'm using a garmin rino with Topo USA Mapsource.

Also BTW I can get any of you mags a copy MapSource TOPO U.S. 2008 and US TOPO 24K National Parks (west)

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-16-2009, 12:09 PM

bump for updates on trail conditions

**skiing-in-jackson** · 05-08-2010, 12:20 PM

Bump! Cause I wanna ride my bike.

**SkiJunky05** · 05-09-2010, 09:19 AM

Looking beautiful outside today, might go check out Pine Creek Bench. If we get over there, I'll post conditions.

Those maps are sweet, Stephan.

**babybear** · 05-10-2010, 06:52 AM

skijunky and I rode SouthFork/Pine Crk bench trail yesterday. It was a little muddy on the first DH part in the trees but after that the rest of the trail was dry with some perfectly tacky dirt sections. it was great to get out riding!

**CitizenInsane** · 05-17-2010, 09:35 PM

These are really sweet. I'm really liking the overlays with google earth. I hardly ever come out of my seclusion to post, but seeing as I live 100 feet from the putt putt TH on nelson I probably should now.

Today I got on Hagen over the bridge just before the 1 mile mark going up the wagon trail. It was pretty decent but there were about 5 super sloppy sections that I walked around. I split off at gauging station and the first field off of Hagen was the same, but then it was packed and decent enough. Putt putt defiantly still has a few damp spots in the shade, but it's getting better every day. Although there are some pretty big ruts on the switchbacks just after you start the second big valley climb, on the way "down" putt putt towards town. If you were blasting down this section that might be a problem.

Here's a random picture from today: