Wasatch Dirt Thread

[SJG]

LOL @ the Iron Mtn comments.

4 years ago (I'm a lot fitter now) I was planning a Crest to Canyons ride. On the way up I met a couple who didn't know where to go, so told them I'd guide them. Instead of dropping down Canyons, they wanted to ride back Southbound on MM. I felt great at Canyons. The slog back to PCMR, especially the uphill Iron Mtn segment, in 90F weather almost killed me.

The Big Guy was watching out for me, because by the time we got to Armstrong they had CLOSED MM South of there for Gondola work, and send everyone DOWN Armstrong. Legally down Armstrong LOL. But I was never more relieved in my life, the thought of climbing up Amstrong to MM to Spiro would have broke me. Never bonked so hard in my life.

[muted reborn]

id argue there is very little good about 9K. If parking at its lot, try riding up Guardsman to Jupiter Peak and dropping Shadow Ridge to Keystone, Dead Tree to Apex, or Empire to Black Forrest.

Dead Tree to apex being the least technical and fastest overall speeds. Shadow Ridge is slow speed steep tech and Empire/BF is medium/fast-speed, medium-pitch, semi-tech

I don't mind riding DeadTree/Apex down, but going up Guardsman to drop into that DH sounds like one of the worst loops possible in all of PC, IMO. I have zero idea what Shadow Ridge is. Shadow lake loop to Keystone you mean? Or that old steep straightline going through Blazing Saddles?

And going from Pinecone to 9k???? That's a new one too. I kinda get that one if you are just in for putting in miles and not the pleasure part of mountain biking though.

[Dantheman]

I hope there's a crop of new trails in the making that drop off 9k down to MM

[Boissal]

^^^^
Hey, one can hope right?

And going from Pinecone to 9k???? That's a new one too. I kinda get that one if you are just in for putting in miles and not the pleasure part of mountain biking though.

Sigh... Not much I love more than being told I'm having fun wrong.
I'm liking the way this thread is moving, instead of posting stoke we should just shit on each other's trail selection and loudly proclaim that our preferred loops are the only way to go unless you're a fucktard. Jeebus forbid one would go against the dogma...
I rode up Ore Cart and Speedbag a couple times and think Pinecone is a good way up. Should I banish myself from PC in shame?

[snowaddict91]

^^^^

Sigh... Not much I love more than being told I'm having fun wrong.
I'm liking the way this thread is moving, instead of posting stoke we should just shit on each other's trail selection and loudly proclaim that our preferred loops are the only way to go unless you're a fucktard. Jeebus forbid one would go against the dogma...
I rode up Ore Cart and Speedbag a couple times and think Pinecone is a good way up. Should I banish myself from PC in shame?

You new around here?

[Marshal Olson]

I don't mind riding DeadTree/Apex down, but going up Guardsman to drop into that DH sounds like one of the worst loops possible in all of PC, IMO. I have zero idea what Shadow Ridge is. Shadow lake loop to Keystone you mean? Or that old steep straightline going through Blazing Saddles?

Haha, to each their own i guess.

Looking at Strava, it is a mile and 450vert of a climb from the lot to the pass and another .3mi and 200 feet to Jupiter lift. I believe it takes me around 13-14min to the pass and another 5min up to Jupiter lift.

Shadow Ridge is a steep technical ridge that crosses 9K and pops out on Shadow Lake trail, not the old crest beginning (before the bypass trail was made). Not for everyone.

Dead Tree / Apex would be more classic "singletrack" descending, and then the world is your oyster from there to ride as much or little as you wish.

[Benneke10]

Should I banish myself from PC in shame?

Stick to Sheep Trail, Lookout Peak and Beartrap. You're not cool enough for PC

[Phall]

Logan canyon rec's? Heading up Saturday for the day, leaving SLC early, GF is doing MS bike ride so planning on trying to be in Logan for the finish/apres beverages. Something less than 4kish climbing, I like to pedal, not picky, just not shit switchbacks.
Debating bunchgrass-steam mill,
Bunchgrass-whitepine of some sort,
Ricks-steel,

[Dantheman]

Shadow Ridge is a steep technical ridge that crosses 9K and pops out on Shadow Lake trail, not the old crest beginning before the bypass trail. Not for everyone.

I'm pretty sure it's named "Shatter Ridge" on Strava and that's how I've always heard it identified. But "Shadow Ridge" does make logical sense, too.

[jtran10]

Good to hear 9k is better the other direction. When they were building it I figured it would be a MM trail at a higher elevation, but that's not what it rides like to me. Again, could just be that I'm a beater.

[Marshal Olson]

I'm pretty sure it's named "Shatter Ridge" on Strava and that's how I've always heard it identified. But "Shadow Ridge" does make logical sense, too.

Haha. The trail is literally down the ski run called "Shadow Ridge". Sign at top. The "Shatter" name is a joke strava name because of the two steep moves on it.

If anyone cares, I am going to prune the tree on the second move friday or this weekend so it will be (more) rideable again since the preferred right line is overgrown. The right hand turn after is sporty though, for sure.

[Boissal]

You new around here?

The tone in here was different for a while. That's cool though, I have a major superiority complex so I feel right at home

Stick to Sheep Trail, Lookout Peak and Beartrap. You're not cool enough for PC

As long as I'm also allowed in the upper regions of LCC and BCC I think it's a fair trade!

If anyone cares, I am going to prune the tree on the second move friday or this weekend so it will be (more) rideable again since the preferred right line is overgrown.

I care. That tree cleanly took me off my bike the first time I rode it. Thanks for doing that!

[muted reborn]

^^^^
Hey, one can hope right?


Sigh... Not much I love more than being told I'm having fun wrong.
I'm liking the way this thread is moving, instead of posting stoke we should just shit on each other's trail selection and loudly proclaim that our preferred loops are the only way to go unless you're a fucktard. Jeebus forbid one would go against the dogma...
I rode up Ore Cart and Speedbag a couple times and think Pinecone is a good way up. Should I banish myself from PC in shame?

I wasn't expecting a warm welcome to my post but it's all in good fun, we can rip on each other here I thought? Wasatch thread is a safe space in this forum to do that. We are not the enemy!

Thanks Marshall, I'll check that out. Im not on Strava but I'll figure it out.

[Dantheman]

Haha. The trail is literally down the ski run called "Shadow Ridge". Sign at top. The "Shatter" name is a joke strava name because of the two steep moves on it.

Makes sense. I don't pay a lick of attention to ski trail signs in the summer, obviously. "Shatter" always seemed logical since I assumed a decent number of bones and bike parts had been broken on it.

Thanks Marshall, I'll check that out. Im not on Strava but I'll figure it out.

On TF, if you look due east from the Scott's Bypass/Scotty's junction there a big turn in the Jupiter Peak road that sticks out like a sore thumb. It starts right at the apex of that turn. Easily visible on the aerial.

[Boissal]

I wasn't expecting a warm welcome to my post but it's all in good fun, we can rip on each other here I thought? Wasatch thread is a safe space in this forum to do that. We are not the enemy!

Thanks Marshall, I'll check that out. Im not on Strava but I'll figure it out.

Admittedly going down Puke Hill after 90 minutes of climbing didn't feel like the best use of my time but I was struggling to find inspiration that day. Bah, I'm the first to admit that half the rides I do are bad ideas but it's not stopping me from having a good time. Flame away!

Should have gone up Scott's for a rematch with Shadow/Shatter, it was a bit over my head last year and I had to walk the very bottom after my fight with the tree. It's worth riding for sure, one of the steepest sustained descents I've been on and the 2 moves are pretty damn real considering the looseness. I think it drops over 700' in less than 0.5 miles.

[muted reborn]

Admittedly going down Puke Hill after 90 minutes of climbing didn't feel like the best use of my time but I was struggling to find inspiration that day. Bah, I'm the first to admit that half the rides I do are bad ideas but it's not stopping me from having a good time. Flame away!

Should have gone up Scott's for a rematch with Shadow/Shatter, it was a bit over my head last year and I had to walk the very bottom after my fight with the tree. It's worth riding for sure, one of the steepest sustained descents I've been on and the 2 moves are pretty damn real considering the looseness. I think it drops over 700' in less than 0.5 miles.

If you read your post/route to me in person, this is how it would go in real life:

me (with a smile): "what?! Why would you do that. You have to go down Puke Hill
you: yeah that part sucked but I was doing this _____ loop and there is no way around it
me: ah, that makes sense. I'm not in shape to do that loop anyways.


Online the comment its like a deep cut to your living soul without the normal in-person banter. The 'not liking the pleasure of mountain biking' comment I thought was a pretty funny dig, oh well.

[Boissal]

The 'not liking the pleasure of mountain biking' comment I thought was a pretty funny dig, oh well.

I don't bike for pleasure brah, I'm TEAM SERIOUS. I do it for the suffering.
The comment was pretty funny which is why I got semi-bent about it. I'm a delicate flower.

In other news, when I rode Silver Frk last week I went down a new-to-me variation lookers left of the standard trail. Not sure how long it's been there but it's rowdy as fuck with a series of jumps and a couple of slides down mine tailings that made me reconsider some life choices. I used to think Honeycomb had the rowdiest section of trail in the area but that Silver Frk headwall puts it to shame.

Edit: here's vid of a buddy on said line. He scouted the first jump but came out of it with a bit too much speed, overshot the next hip, landed in chunder, and got all kinds of sideways in the next steep bit. Sound on to hear his high pitched squealing, it's worth it.

[g_man80]

Big Mountain Trail is in good shape. It’s not seeing much action since, I believe, bikes are still not allowed on the tram.

[Marshal Olson]

@DTM - I always hoped there was an epic "Pants were shat" moment in the naming!

@Boissal - Silver (either route, but especially rider's right / bad larry) is absolutely the cat's pajamas! Honeycomb is classic because it is long and consistently action packed. Silver is flat our gnarly. On the right line you mention, below the drop/jumps and first rock chute, there is a right hand turn above a cliff and right into the final rock garden before the basin. That one turn is the most consistently gripping moment on a bike I have experienced, even after riding through there many times now! Hectic!

[Dantheman]

Knowing that Marshal is sketched out by this line is giving me a minor panic attack thinking about riding it.

[g_man80]

A little rain off and on, and got absolutely soaked at the very end of the ride, but the dirt was was pretty ideal this morning. Very few people riding the crest and with the gate still closed, the lower trails were quiet.

[Boissal]

^^^ Well done sir!
Makes me regret pulling the plug this morning. Had a nice cool breakfast on the patio instead but that's no substitute for smelling wet grass in the alpine.

[whyturn]

So when I bought my cannondale trigger last year TGR crowd said to immediately chuck the stock DPS fox float evol Gemini dual mode. Well sure enough catastrophic failure 6 months in. Filling with 200 lbs and ride and would be at 100 lbs half way through the ride.

Sent shock in for warranty and bought a rock shox super deluxe ultimate on the recommendation of LBS tech. Took it out last night after getting shock in 4 weeks. Damn what a difference and so stoked on the performance. It works really well and provides great energy and also is plush enough to handle bumps.

So In this case the collective was right.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Canada1]

Some tourist just yelled at my kid that bikes aren’t allowed on Armstrong.? Insanity. I asked if other-bikes were out and he said he passed a few, but they were all adults.

[Boissal]

Some tourist just yelled at my kid that bikes aren’t allowed on Armstrong.? Insanity. I asked if other-bikes were out and he said he passed a few, but they were all adults.

Seriously? That's nuts, I guarantee dude had seen a 5:1 ratio of bikers to hikers already, lying sack of shit!

LCC was pretty glorious this morning. The humidity was a really strange thing to experience, by the time I got to Tanners I was soaked, could have wrung water out of my gloves. Dirt was grippier than I've ever seen it and I may even have encountered the magical substance know as loam at some point.
The rock garden above the ruins didn't like that I finally made sense of it so it attacked me and took a good chunk off the bike:





Thank jeebus for the bashguard, I don't have a spare chainring on hand... Clean impact, instant destruction but it did the job and got me over a big shark.
The derailleur hanger was showing signs of fatigue after a couple cycles of bending/unbending and came apart randomly about 300' from the car. I had a mild panic attack when I realized the one I got directly from Orbea wasn't the right one. You'd think the manufacturer would send you the right part when you request it straight from the part list for your bike but... I found a replacement at a LBS which is a good things cause it's backordered til late July pretty much anywhere else.