Western CO to get new "Enchilada" style trail!

[beaterdit]

If any of you have ridden the Kokopelli/Grand Junction/Palisade area, you know the trails are awesome. The local foundation COPMOBA builds great, interesting, technical trails. Lunch Loops in GJ and the Palisade Rim are great examples of the local hard riding. Now they have preliminary approval pending the final EIS of the route off of the Palisade Mesa at 10.7K feet down to the river at 4.6K feet. The trail will be a little over 30 miles and drop over 6K vertical feet. If it's at all like other trails in the area, it will be awesome. Prolly be a few years till it's built but I can't wait.

BLM Palisade Plunge Trail info page

[downvalleytrash]

Rad!

[Telemarketeer]

Thought this got shut down a few years ago.

[funkendrenchman]

Sounds amazing! Curious what the elevation profile looks like.

[MakersTeleMark]

[beaterdit]

Sounds amazing! Curious what the elevation profile looks like.

Me too. It's 1000 feet less drop than the Enchilada and a bit more mileage. But the Enchilada loses a large portion of that drop right off the top of Burro, than another big chunk on Hazzard, then flattens out quite a bit. The Plunge *could* be more consistent, starting out on a mesa. Who knows but I'm sur it'll be rad regardless.

[funkendrenchman]

Me too. It's 1000 feet less drop than the Enchilada and a bit more mileage. But the Enchilada loses a large portion of that drop right off the top of Burro, than another big chunk on Hazzard, then flattens out quite a bit. The Plunge *could* be more consistent, starting out on a mesa. Who knows but I'm sur it'll be rad regardless.

Shuttle length is about the same - 52 min.

[smmokan]

The area up on the Grand Mesa is absolutely beautiful.... way nicer than I ever expected a couple years ago when my wife and I went hiking up there in the fall. That could turn into a pretty big deal if they get this approved and built in the next 4-5 years.

[MakersTeleMark]

There are more than 200 lakes on the Grand Mesa. Most people don't know that.

Ridiculous amounts of snow too.

[evasive_MT]

Awesome!

[jm2e]

Is it going to be a link up of existing trails? Or entirely new for most of it? From the picture, it looks like maybe you could shuttle to right where it drops off the mesa at about the halfway mark. I'd go for 5K vertical in half the distance!!

[smmokan]

I think it ties into Palisade Rim, but it looks like almost all of it is going to be new trail.

[One (+) Sentence]

Sounds great.

It’s true, Grand Mesa is one of the snowiest areas in Colorado.

[jm2e]

You think IMBAs gonna help put this one together?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[beaterdit]

Is it going to be a link up of existing trails? Or entirely new for most of it? From the picture, it looks like maybe you could shuttle to right where it drops off the mesa at about the halfway mark. I'd go for 5K vertical in half the distance!!

I think it ties into Palisade Rim, but it looks like almost all of it is going to be new trail.

As planned it looks like there will be a couple connectors to the Palisade Rim, lower down. Bit there will also be new trail to the valley floor in the drainage to the east. Also looks like the will be a few different access points higher up.

Hope this happens. I already love riding there. Palisade Rim is fun to session in both directions and the stuff across the highway is pretty sweet too.

[smmokan]

Stuff across the highway?

Looking on MTB Project, the Palisade Plunge might start on some existing Trail like the West Bench or Mesa Top. Can’t quite tell from the map.

[downvalleytrash]

There are more than 200 lakes on the Grand Mesa. Most people don't know that.

Ridiculous amounts of snow too.

Unfortunately, all that water makes for clouds of skeeters up there!

[Shredhead]

Unfortunately, all that water makes for clouds of skeeters up there!

Ride fast and pray you don’t breakdown.
If you do, the OFF individual wet wipes in your pack can save your ass.


How do people feel about the tentative trail from Carbondale to Crested Butte?
Seems to have some opposition in the Crystal River Valley.

[smmokan]

What’s the opposition? How long is the trail? I’ve heard about it, but haven’t seen much...

[Shredhead]

Mostly Wilderness groups.
83 miles, depending on the alinement.

[evdog]

Mostly Wilderness groups.
83 miles, depending on the alinement.

Let me get this straight. Part of their argument against bikes in Wilderness is that only 3% of federal land is Wilderness and bikes have access to 98% of trails outside of it, so bikes don't need access to Wilderness. Then they bitch about a new trail for bikes outside of Wilderness? This is the first I've heard of this route. Sounds cool. Any links to maps or other info?


Palisade plunge sounds cool too. I love long rides like this. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a shit show like TWE. But that might be asking a lot....

[funkendrenchman]

Palisade plunge sounds cool too. I love long rides like this. Hopefully it doesn't turn into a shit show like TWE. But that might be asking a lot....

Based on 18rd crowds, it will. Just ride early.

[evdog]

Yup. Or ride late. Or stay up high.

Last time on TWE there were close to 15 vans either just unloaded, arrived with us or just after us. Probably 100 riders at Burro including the guy just ahead dry-heaving continuously the whole climb up but refusing to let anyone pass. Descent wasn't as bad as it could have been. Then we took Jimmy Keen. Everyone must have gotten past us taking Kokopelli because we only saw a couple riders the rest of the day. Worked out well in the end... I think I'll stay up high from now on or do afternoon self shuttle.

[smmokan]

It’s all about timing. Between the last two TWE shuttles and rides, I bet we didn’t see more than 30 people total. One from Geysir, one from the top of Koko.

I would also assume the FS or BLM will not allow that kind of traffic and numbers for this trail. Plus, I think there’s currently only one shuttle service in the GJ area... it’s just a different setup than Moab overall.

[Dantheman]

Mostly Wilderness groups.
83 miles, depending on the alinement.

I'd also be interested in hearing more details about the opposition from Wilderness groups.

I bet we didn’t see more than 30 people total

Heh, "only" 30 people.

I would also assume the FS or BLM will not allow that kind of traffic and numbers for this trail.

Do you think they would implement a permit system?

Plus, I think there’s currently only one shuttle service in the GJ area...

That could easily change. There used to a lot fewer shuttle companies in Moab, too. I've gown to hate commercial shuttle companies. They are certainly convenient and provide some decent paying low-skill jobs in recreation economies, but they ruin trails. Local examples would be TWE, Mag7, and Wasatch Crest. I'm sure there are other examples around the country.