Dirt Treaders
http://dirttreaders.com/phpBB3/

TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
http://dirttreaders.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=17158		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:17 pm ]
Post subject:  TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
A little late, but a trip report from Thanksgiving week. kreechan and I spent the first half of the week in SW UT. Saturday 11/19, day 1, gman and evdog joined us as a stop over on their way to Moab. First mechanical of the trip in the motel parking lot is not a good sign:
Image

Guacamole for the morning ride. Awesome views:
Image

And fun riding:
Image

Image

Image

Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/780153104

Afternoon ride was up Babylon:
Image

Based on the trail conditions of Babylon, I was skeptical that Little Purgatory was going to be fun, but it was awesome, steep with slabs of slick rock:
Image

Dropped about 1000 ft in the last 1.5 miles:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/780297135
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 2 we went for the classic Gooseberry loops, due to forecasted rain starting Monday. Practice loop:
Image

On to North rim:
Image

Image

I banged my derailleur into the spokes so had to bail back to the White Trail and truck, thanks for the tow kreechan!:
Image


I went to the bike shop and kreechan started up the Gould trail from town. Got the bike fixed in a couple hours and joined kreechan at top of Dead Ringer. Very fun trail:
Image

Contour:
Image

Then up Cryptobiotic:
Image

To JEM:
Image

Image

Sunset behind the tit:
Image

Could not pass up a trail named More Cowbell...with a cowbell on the sign! Plus we had lights in the packs:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/781368305
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 3. The rain arrived and was stronger than forecasted. Got a late start due to more mechanical issues. But did a couple loops on the Boyscout trails:
Image

Very steep up and down:
Image

Lots of trail packed into a small area:
https://www.strava.com/activities/782023583

Parked at the incorrect Prospector trailhead for wet conditions and found the trail too muddy, so called it a day.
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 4. Rained during the night, so most stuff needed time to dry. Zen trail was good to go:
Image

Cool rocks near the top:
Image

Good view:
Image

Very fun down, with lots of slick rock:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/782749760

Next we went to the correct Prospector trailhead and took it south to Church rock:
Image

A playground:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/782908256

Third ride of the day was on the rhythm and blues trail network. Cool geology and the trail had some nice flow, but also some steep ups:
Image

The fun was always short and ended with a steep up:
Image

Awesome sunset:
Image

More good views along Quail Ridge trail:
Image

Fast fun down to the truck:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/783007657
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 5. kreechan needed to be in Flagstaff by 3:30 to catch a shuttle to PHX airport, so we planned a very early start. Goal was Gooseberry, but first big mud puddle look significant(more so in the dark) and I really didn't want to get stuck or put my 2016 Taco balls deep in mud. So went with the back up plan of Little Cr. Mesa which has a better road to trailhead. Parked just before sunrise, check out the beaver moon:
Image

Image

Yes that is frost, but no wind, so wasn't bad:
Image

Plus it was an epic sunrise:
Image

Image

I think I like Little Cr better than Gooseberry, more variety and seems more remote:
Image

Swimming holes:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/783553819

Laughed at the fools stuck on the Gooseberry road that we could see from the highway and made good time to Flagstaff. Dropped kreechan at Flagstaff bike shop and picked up the wife and baby at Flagstaff airport and drove down to Sedona.
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 6. Hike with wife and baby. Went up and over Sterling Pass to Vulteer Arch. 2000 ft of up in 2.5 miles with a 30 lbs baby on my back was a workout:
Image

The arch seemed rather small for how much work it was to get to:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/784798908

Had a yummy Thanksgiving dinner at Judi's Restaurant.
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 7. We wanted to check out some of the Native American ruins:
Image

Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/785418230

Then a hike up Loy Canyon:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/785589631

And third hike for our traditional black (red) Friday sunset on Doe Mtn.:
Image

Baby enjoyed running around in the twilight up top:
Image

https://www.strava.com/activities/785589618
Author:  406 [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Day 8. Had my wife drop me off in West Sedona to do a loop. She mentioned that it was always a hassle picking me up and I suggest I could ride back to the hotel in Village of Oak Cr, but it would take me until after dark. Her reply was, you better pack a light. Works for me! Figured it would be a long day, but good to gets lots of trails in.

Started with ledge 'n' airy. Which doesn't seem to get much use, but is really fun and a heck of a work out:
Image

Up Girdner. It's fall:
Image

With the rain earlier in the week, Chuckwagon was very tacky and fast, best conditions I have had on it:
Image

Classic view of Mescal:
Image

Down Canyon of fools and Dawa to Cockscomb to Western Civilization:
Image

Red Rock loop was a nice connector from the west side to the high school area trails:
Image

Fun trails near the high school, Sky walker, Herknham, Ramshed, and then down to a park to cross the creek. No bridge, so had to ford. The tourist were impressed and also asked why I tossed my shoes to the other side, prior to crossing. I told them it was the best way to commit to crossing and keep them dry if I tipped over in the river. Water was a little chilly:
Image

On to Templeton and Hermit and got the light out:
Image

Slim shady was in perfect condition, but with only 1 light couldn't pin it as much as I would have liked:
Image

Ended up with 37.7 miles and 3000 ft of up in 6.5 hours of moving time. I should have done a bell rock loop to get a respectable 40 miles.
https://www.strava.com/activities/786538044

Day 9, Sunday. Played with the baby around the resort and did the drive back to San Diego. Awesome week and nice mix of family and me time, without the hassle of extended family :-) :cheers:
Author:  ajdonner [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Awesome!
Author:  OldDogDan [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Great trip, and great TR! I didn't know Strava had a category for baby backpacking. Thanks for taking the time to post so many good photos to inspire the rest of us.
Author:  Kimba [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 6:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Great TR, thanks for posting. Gotta head that way soon again...
Author:  ozzer [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 9:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Sweet TR and sweeter photos. Thanks.
Question about the creek crossing in your TR. Where exactly is that creek crossing from? What trail? The only crossing near that area I could recall is nearer to the Baldwin Loop. We will be there this Monday and one of the loops we'll check out is also starting from the High School. The southernmost we're thinking of riding is through Pyramid, Ridge and Secret Slickrock.

Can't wait.
Author:  Dirtrider [ Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Great TR 406! Thanks for taking all the pics and posting them up.
That last riding day was a biggin. 37 "Sedona miles" is quite a ride for sure. Too bad Evdog held you guys up :lol: :hello:
Author:  406 [ Tue Jan 03, 2017 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
Thanks guys!

ozzer wrote:
Question about the creek crossing in your TR. Where exactly is that creek crossing from? What trail? The only crossing near that area I could recall is nearer to the Baldwin Loop.

Delayed reply due to being out of town, but yeah I crossed at Red Rock Crossing joining Baldwin trail from Buddha Beach trail. I think Red Rock State park has a bridge.

:cheers:
Author:  ozzer [ Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: TR-Thanksgiving 2016, SW UT & Sedona
406 wrote:
Thanks guys!

ozzer wrote:
Question about the creek crossing in your TR. Where exactly is that creek crossing from? What trail? The only crossing near that area I could recall is nearer to the Baldwin Loop.

Delayed reply due to being out of town, but yeah I crossed at Red Rock Crossing joining Baldwin trail from Buddha Beach trail. I think Red Rock State park has a bridge.

:cheers:


No worries. We figured it would a little too wet and few drainage areas will be inundated so we stayed where it's high and dry. Our local buddies and MTBR folks really helped us in our route planning to stay as dry and not mucked in mud as possible. I'm pretty disappointed I didn't get to ride Hangover and Hi Line. Slim shady and Mund's looked so muddy and didn't want to piss locals off.
Page 1 of 2 All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/