Headin to moab with the wife

[fids11]

Okay moab experts, I'm making a wknd trip next weekend and I need some trail suggestions. I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the options with only 2 days to ride. The wifey is joining me so I need to narrow things down a bit. I'm an advanced intermediate biker. I can clean most advanced sections of trail but still have to step out from time to time. I like all types of terrain from smooth and fast, to tech, to stiff climbs, I like it all. My wife is an intermediate rider. She prefers smooth and fast to technical but enjoys ledgy stuff (like horsethief). Long climbs are not her favorite nor is any kind super technical climbing. Basically, if she has to walk a lot, she's not too happy... Anyways, what trails are a 'must hit' for an intermediate in moab? I'd imagine we'll hit slickrock just to see it and say we did it but looking for input from others past experiences. Any suggestions would be very helpful - thanks!

Ryan

[crashidy]

The mag 7 trails just north of town are quite flowy and "new school moab". Definitely worth it for an intermediate rider. Basically some nice loops from 30min up til several hrs.

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[Hott Butt Mud]

Sovereign Trail System is pretty mellow. It's off of Willow Springs Road.

https://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=3...sz=16&t=m&z=16

[Hott Butt Mud]

Oh, and FYI I was just there and things are kinda fucked because of the Gov't shutdown. All BLM campgrounds are closed, as well as all of the National Parks. Sand Flats Rec area is the only exception.

BLM Rangers are actively patrolling and kicking anyone out of a campground that is closed.

[joetron]

Instead of the full Slickrock loop, just go up and do the practice loop once or twice. The second time through can be really fun because you should have figured out the wonders of slickrock traction and know what to do in the steep bits. If you go do the full 13mi loop, your marriage might be in jeopardy out around Shrimp Rock, about the furthest point on the trail.

The Moab Brand trails would be a good zone to check out. I find the Rockin R and Circle O kind of maddening. Low quality slickrock with hamster trail layout. The North 40 is good stuff though.

Klondike singletrack zone is awesome. DinoFlow is great. Baby Steps and Mega Steps have some climbing involved.

An out and back on Amasa Back would be a good too. It's just really fucking cool back there. Don't let the first 100 yds off the road deter you. There is some really nice climbing and rock moves.

[fool]

Pipe Dream is great! After my bike broke down in the beginning I turned it into a trail run, but either way it's awesome.

[spankthepow]

I've been in that boat before. The miss liked mag 7, She's an intermediate rider. Just take the time and always wait up for her. Makes for a good time

[fids11]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, most of these were on my watch list but it's nice to hear feedback from people that have been on em. Cheers

[robnow]

I don't think the whole Slickrock trail is a big deal to complete but if you wanted to shorten it another suggestion would be to take the trail all the way to the town lookout a little further than the big cave, you'll see a bunch of short zip lines, and ride it as an out and back...to get more of the experience and views. I've only ridden Slickrock once and got caught in a severe thunderstorm so took shelter in the cave for an hour, it was actually an amazing experience watching the flash flooding occur, and even in the flowing wet-traction for days!

If you do Amasa Back then definitely add in Pothole Arch as well(no real climbing), amazing views and tons of options through the fast slick rock. And if shes up for more of a challenge after that and has energy then you can hit Captain Ahab on the way back instead of Amasa Back descent. CA is rated as Advanced but I would say upper intermediate at most, and PA intermediate.

Mag 7 is great, you can exit the trail at the end of Little Canyon Singletrack??? that will take you back to the highway. At this point I suggest you continue on the trail onto Goldbar Singletrack to the top of this climb where it ends at a sign for a canyon lookout. Check it out, then turn around and go back to the exit point. This last section IMO is super fun both up and then back down. Sorry, a little fuzzy on names but I think I'm correct.

And NEGATORY on Pipedream. You don't go to Moab (especially for two days) to ride Pipe. MAYBE if you're wife is taking a nap and you feel like putting in a couple extra hours of fitness, then go ride it.

[Catch22]

We camped on BLM land at one of the first free camping sections off Kane Creek Rd without issue all weekend. Didn't see a single ranger there or in the vicinity of Mag 7 or Amasa all weekend. Sucked to not be able to do a sunset Delicate Arch hike but made riding some trail the BLM would frown upon much more enjoyable with not having to worry about getting ticketed.

Going off your description of your wife's ability I would plan on Mag 7 with the early bail out to the highway(as mentioned a quick trip up to the overlook first is worth it, as is the quick stop by Gemini Bridges on the way down). Blue Dot and Portal are unbelievable but Blue Dot is a deceivingly long segment that will beat you up and Portal is as technical and exposed as just about any trail on the planet. Awesome stuff but not somewhere I would want to drag someone along at the end of a ride. Amasa to Pothole to Rockstacker to Ahab is a fantastic 15 or so miles of riding but again, be aware that the toughest pieces of trail are backloaded. Rockstacker is super fun with a couple really tough tech spots and Ahab is an awesome addition to this network but it isn't someplace you can get lazy at the end of a ride. Pretty brutal climb at the start of the upper section and the lower portion gets fast with some pretty tough technical rollers and some exposure that could mess you up.

For shorter fill in rides I like Pipe Dream, newer Klondike stuff, Slickrock, or even just Porcupine down if you can get a quick shuttle in.

[toast2266]

It's pretty well been covered, but:

Mag 7 is an excellent Moab warm up ride. Techy enough to be interesting, easy enough that it's fine for most riders.

If you've never done slickrock, it's worth doing once for the novelty of it. It's not a particularly fun trail though, IMO.

Going up Amasa back and down Captain Ahab is a good, relatively short ride. Ahab is more techy than Mag 7, but not as technical as some of the gnarly trails around town.

Porcupine is awesome, especially if you add in UPS and LPS. It's a rough trail though - I know plenty of people who created marital strife by dragging their wife down that trail, especially if the wife is on a hardtail.

[Poop~Ghost]

Maybe I'm a giant puss, but Mag 7 is a pretty long day for an intermediate IMO especially if you end w/ the Blue Dot -> Portal. Fantastic ride, but long.

[toast2266]

Maybe I'm a giant puss, but Mag 7 is a pretty long day for an intermediate IMO especially if you end w/ the Blue Dot -> Portal. Fantastic ride, but long.

Mag 7 -> Blue Dot -> Portal is long.

Mag 7 just as a shuttle, from the top of Gemini bridges to the highway (or even back into town on the bike path) isn't that bad. Never done Mag 7 -> back up Gemini, but it doesn't seem like it'd be too bad.

[Catch22]

Maybe I'm a giant puss, but Mag 7 is a pretty long day for an intermediate IMO especially if you end w/ the Blue Dot -> Portal. Fantastic ride, but long.

Yeah, I think Mag 7 has gained a lot of interpretations since its inception. It's really similar to all the confusion people have had with what riding the Whole Enchilada means. You basically have the Mag 7 area and the Mag 7 ride itself, people refer to both as riding Mag 7 and there's really no right or wrong, all that matters is that you know what you are getting into if you're planning to do the complete Mag 7 route because it's no joke.

Mag 7 using all 7 of the trails it's named after is Bull Run, Arth's Corner, Little Canyon, Gold Bar, Golden Spike, Poison Spider, and Portal. The much better option and hopefully soon to be legal one will take out the crappy jeep road sections, Golden Spike and Poison Spider, and replace with Blue Dot. Either route is well over 25 miles which in technical trail terms is a long ass ride and the most difficult segments are at the end.

I think most people riding out there are hitting Bull Run, Arth's and Little Canyon or Great Escape and maybe the Gold Bar singletrack and possibly doing a second lap by climbing back up Gemini and Metal Masher jeep roads. This is some super fun riding but not nearly as difficult as the whole route.

I'd take an intermediate out there to play around on the trails in that area with no problem but would be really hesitant about taking one on the longer route.

[wkd-rdr]

If you dont have a shuttle or dont want to, there is a somewhat new way to get to the top of Bull Run, called Getaway. It starts nears Arth's Corner and it T-Bones 7-UP (full version of 7UP es no bueno IMHO) and puts you atop Bull Run, which is a very fun/flowy trail.
Also, my wife prefers going down Great Escape trail over Arths/Little Canyon for the second half

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/getaway.htm

[Poop~Ghost]

I'd take an intermediate out there to play around on the trails in that area with no problem but would be really hesitant about taking one on the longer route.

Okay, so OP should know... not a shuttle of the Mag 7 -> Portal... drive out and hit the trails and then drive back.

[fids11]

Thanks again everyone. Probably hit the MOAB brand trails right as we arrive to get warmed up. Definitely gonna check out slickrock just to do it once and then decide on mag 7 or amasa back for a 3rd ride. I'll try to post a short TR when we get back. Cheers

[fids11]

Had a great trip. Beautiful weather - a little wind but wasn't a big deal. Thanks again for all the suggestions everyone. We arrived Saturday and immediately stopped at the Bar M loops. Rode North 40. One of our favorites. Just a fun trail with enough technical challenges to keep it interesting. A great warm up before lunch. Saturday evening we went over to Klondike Bluff trails. Looped EKG and Dino Flow. I absolutely loved EKG. My wife did well, had to a walk a few bits but she loved it too until she got pretty tired in last 1.5 miles. I thought Dino Flow was only ok. Maybe because we were all tired and running out of daylight. Not a bad trail, just didn't enjoy it as much as EKG or North 40. On Sunday decided to save slickrock for another time. Got our fill of slickrock on EKG. Made the decision to go check out the new Klonzo trails just to try something new. They were a good time. A perfect area to ride when you're tired or just want a short loop. We did Borderline > Cross Canyon > Wahoo > Secret Passage > Dunestone > Boondocks > Dunestone > Cross Canyon > Borderline. Dunestone was my favorite but Wahoo and Secret Passage were cool too. Nothing difficult out there, just fun times on a bike. Looking forward to my next trip! Cheers