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 Post subject: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 11:06 pm 
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Our last day was to be spent getting in some shuttle runs on Mt Eldon. Not the double blacks since we didn't bring the bikes for that, but there are some awesome trails on this mountain for all levels of rider. Rather than camp out and have to spend time thawing out in the morning, we decided to get a motel6 room so that we could get an early start riding in the morning. Temps were near freezing in town, but interestingly temperature inversion meant that temps were closer to 70 at the top of the mountain, perfect for riding with a nice breeze.

LAP 1:

Lap 1 took us up to Mt Eldon lookout, a drive I had not done before. The road up is short at 4mi but rough. 406 would sit out lap 1 while Kreechan and I would try to figure out a good route back down

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A gate stopped us from driving all the way to the top, bastards!

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But the extra credit was worth it, rewarding us with excellent views nearing 360 degrees. Looking north and east:

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Looking west and south:

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The trail from Eldon lookout down to Sunset trail was chunky and steep, not exactly ideal for biking with tight maneuvers around rocks.

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But the views and the aspens we rode through were incredible

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Most of it was ridable. The only hiker we saw all day we met up here near the top.

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He thought this trail was not rideable on bikes, so we had to prove him wrong

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More traversing through aspens

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There was some really tough climbing at elevation, from the aspen grove up to this ridge. Most shuttlers don’t do this part due to the climbing and chunk factor & time required, but it was a cool experience once.

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Things open up once we’re on the open ridge
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The views especially, were excellent
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Lots of chunky trail awaited us on the descent down Sunset
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Aspens were lighted up by the sun in places
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Flow was good too
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We soon started dropping below the tree line and found a boulder field that offered some fun rolls
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There were a few lines to choose from
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And once through, was a fast rolling descent that made up for all the climbing we had done earlier
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We then climbed up to another saddle
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It wouldn’t have been so bad but for the elevation
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On the north side however it was pretty much all downhill, all flowy, and all fun
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Kreechan enjoying Shultz Cr trail
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An alternate line offers a drop into a g-out
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LAP 2:

A view from the back side of the peak we saw the day before. Lap 2 took us back to the top. It was my turn to sit out this lap while 406 and Kreechan would do the same run as before, less the extra credit to the lookout.

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The view was no less stunning the second time up
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The boys were off!
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On the drive down I check out a drop on Wasabi trail we’d seen from the road. Paging QS!
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At the bottom I decided to check out Rocky Ridge trail while I waited
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It started off with a smooth and flowy descent but soon turned into a rocky technical climb
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While fun, it took nearly an hour and I was 30 min late getting back to the truck for the next lap
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For this one we headed up FR522. Kreechan would sit out and retrieve stuff from the hotel while 406 and I would ride Riccochet to Secret Tr to Supermoto to Schultz Cr.
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Ricochet was a little hard to find but we soon picked it up and found it to be little ridden, but a fun rocky technical trail
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It would weave up and down around rock, logs, and drops
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It was not very flowy but fun nonetheless
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Lots of short tricky sections to keep things interesting
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Once we found ourselves on Secret Tr there was a bunch of climbing before the trail leveled off and we could get our flow on
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Most of secret was a fun up and down trail too, but the challenge was enjoyable and we soon found ourselves on a part of the trail we rode last year
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This “dragons back” section was memorable, but easier this year in the dry
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This climbing section was also tricky. You must dodge rocks here, and then get to a couple very hard moves up some rock step ups. After a few tries I was able to conquer all of them, which I could not do the last time here.
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406 makes it past the hard part
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406 liking the singletrack
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Passing a cool waterfall section
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And this tricky corner
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We have nowhere near the trouble this corner gave us last year
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My turn on another banked turn
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No pics on the last bit of trail as we were running late. We hit some singletracks at the bottom that per 406 “did not suck at all”. In fact, none of the trail here sucks and it is definitely worthy or more time here. We were off back to SD before 4pm, and were back at home shortly after midnight.

While the N Rim probably isn’t worth a trip all on its own, its definitely a worthy addition and in reach of a trip to Gooseberry or Flagstaff. I’d like to go back at some point and check out the AZ trail on the N Rim, not to mention all the other stuff in Flag that we didn’t get to. Too many trails, too little time!!!


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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:33 pm 
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Flagstaff is the shiznit! Chunk, flow, & scenery.

The K man high on Sunset:
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Just another alpine meadow:
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evdog channels robo and weaves the carbon climbing machine up between many boulders:
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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:49 pm 
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Thanks guys for the virtual trip, again. :cheers:

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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:48 pm 
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Great stuff Evan, Brian, Christian....thanks.

Hey, you kept whining about the thin air.....what was the altitude and how are we supposed to be impressed if you never took a pic of your GPS or altlmeter/watch? :cry:

And.....the Lemon bike is sooo ugly.....wanted to pull my retinas out. Hopefully someone back East will buy that bike. I will say however that it is a fitting color for a Turner :lol:


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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 8:57 pm 
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Thanks for the sweet post. I love that trail, including the catwalk, the aspens, and the flowy Schultz Creek section. Gotta get back to Flag!

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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 11:20 pm 
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sierragoldens wrote:
Hey, you kept whining about the thin air.....what was the altitude and how are we supposed to be impressed if you never took a pic of your GPS or altlmeter/watch? :cry:

I forgot to check, but pretty sure it was like 20,000'....at least. You'll just have to trust us :wink:


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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:59 am 
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Nice! Was just up there in august. Rode up the fireroad from llower Oldham to sunset to Shultz.
Phenomenal riding... only gripe was that Sunset needs to be 3 times longer! Thanks for great motivating TR
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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:40 pm 
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Such good stuff in Flagstaff. Seriously drooling over the Aspens. I may just have to live there someday.

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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:51 pm 
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Evan, About two years ago I did a solo loop that was a little much for me (what with the 20,000' altitude). Up Rocky Ridge, up & over on Brookbank, some other connecting stuff, down Schultz Creek. The whole time I was laboring up Rocky Ridge, I kept thinking it would be fantastic going the other direction. You went up and back down and said it was fun. Fun enough to recommend next visit I try it the other direction, or better to go check out the AZ trail section you reported on by SF Peaks?

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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:20 pm 
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I didn't ride Rocky Ridge both directions unfortunately, I rode up the gravel road and started from the east end. The direction I took seemed like it would have the better payoff and flow though.

I wouldn't call Rocky Ridge worth it on its own, I only rode it as I was waiting for the others to finish their lap. Incorporating it into a loop going east to west would be the way to go. Seems like riding up Schulz Cr or the other lower trails on that side would be an easy climb to the higher stuff and then you could come down Brookbank or other. We climbed up Dog Food last year, it wasn't bad. Neither it nor Schultz were very technical at all.

All that stuff on Eldon was fun, but unless you're getting up to higher elevations the AZ trail by SF peaks would have much better views. Once on the AZ trail the grade is fairly mellow but the trail has incredible flow. You can either ride as an out and back, ride back on forest roads, or loop back on some of the moto trails. Those can be very steep in places climbing-wise but generally were in good shape and flowy. Depending where you start from you may have to climb back out, but starting at Aspen Corner or the snow bowl parking lot and going down Aspen loop is worth while.

While the clockwise Eldon loop would be fun, I'd recommend doing the AZ trail for something different, better views, and the trail is incredibly flowy.


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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 2:50 pm 
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I know this is an old thread, but the time of year for destination rides like Flagstaff area stuff is approaching.

Tiding around the three peaks trails was a blast to me, the only impediment was the altitude. I made it up top a point at 10,55 ft. or so, and it was not easy. Still beautiful and fun trail.

One thing I'd like to add is the Arizona Trail. From Mormon Lake north to Flag, that stretch is great.....riding through heavy tree coverage (shade), and most days I saw no more than one other human being on the trail. Fantastic trail that was really underutilized.

Great campground right along the trail itself. Lake Mary, I think it was, showers, electricity if you need it, just really nice. Anybody going there from sea level better take the altitude into consideration, though.That whole section of the AZ trail is between 7-8000 ft.

And one other thing: no-see-ums. In the forested regions no-see-ums can be really bad, so don't mess around with those little buggers....DEET is the repellent for that job.

If I get half a chance, I'd like to head up that way this summer. There's a weeks' worth of riding easy, up that way.

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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 7:56 pm 
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Couldn't agree more Ray! Take a look at my Fisher Point TR -- it's got a map showing the section past Lake Mary. You could also camp right on the trail at Marshall Lake if, like me, you don't mind or maybe even prefer, a more primitive open camping spot.

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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Fri Feb 12, 2016 10:19 pm 
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Flag might be a couple months away but Phoenix and Tucson are prime right now. I am itching to go back but don't have the time right now.

The AZ Trail from Superior to Kelvin is one of my top 5 favorite rides. Highly worth checking out if you can make it work. There are lots of TR's for it on MTBR.

Hoping to get to Sedona next month and Prescott in April. My other plan is bikepacking AZT north of the Grand Canyon at some point late spring or early fall. So much great riding out there. I like living near the ocean but AZ would be a top choice if I moved away. Year round there is always something good that is rideable within a couple hours drive.


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 Post subject: Re: Flagstaff - Mt Eldon
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2016 9:21 am 
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As I've said before on MTBR, you have the absolute best posts on the world wide web when it comes to mountain bike trips. I could never do something like this because I take mostly crappy photos and I just can't stop that often anyway. I need to keep moving.

Speaking of PHX, we just returned from a 4 day weekend out there. Unseasonably warm but still a blast. We rode FINS, South Mountain, Hawes, McDowell's Comp Loops and the Cave Creek Cactus Cup loop. South Mountain was definitely the most challenging, fun & thrilling when you're on the gas but the Cave Creek ride was my favorite "all day" type ride...and absolutely beautiful back in those canyons as well.

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