Sunday, December 31, 2006

La Jolla


Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

In Mexico, good singletrack is hard to find. You're either on a cow track or a 4x4 road. And if you happen to stumble on a prime stretch of trail, chances are it'll dead end at someone's shanty in about 50 feet.

But overlooking Sonora's capital city is a glorious trail network that looks like something you might find in Aspen during the off-season. Indeed, La Jolla is set up like a small ski area with most of the trails crammed on the front face of the mountain. This is great for spectators during La Jolla's frequent races -- including the Tremos 24 hour race -- but it also makes the whole experience feel sort of frivolous. When you get on a mountain bike, you want to ride somewhere, you want to get AWAY. But at La Jolla, you can almost always look down to the parking lot and see your car waiting for you.

So if you don't require that illusion of wilderness, then you'll have a blast shredding these trails. They are fun and a great place to stop if you're heading south.

How to get there: Driving south into Hermosillo on the 15, the highway follows a complex route around the city on its way to Guaymas. As you first enter town, you'll come to a four-way intersection with a Pemex station, where the highway turns left. Turn right instead and head uphill for 2 km until you see a huge sign for La Jolla. Turn right into La Jolla and go through the security gate. The trails will be right in front of you.

Length: ~10 miles, 1-2 hours riding.

Trail Conditions: Great, well-maintained.

The Map:



The Ride: According to the map at the trailhead, there are four loops, Norbi, Diamond, Nathan, and Roller Coaster Maverick. With some new development on the west side of the mountain, Nathan appears to have been axed or at least re-routed. I couldn't find it. The other trails are fairly easy to follow although its not always clear which trail you're actually on.


Trails crisscross the hillside at La Jolla

Friday, December 15, 2006

John Krein


Tucson, Arizona

It was late in the afternoon, and I started climbing up around Katt Mountain on the south side of Starr Pass when a mountain lion slinked in front of me. I was only a few hundred feet from the developments on Kinney road, and at first I thought it was just a deer that walked funny. But it wasn't. It kept its hips low and level as cruised across the trail and down into a nearby wash. I was climbing and trying to get better and better views, but I could just see flashes of him in the vegetation.

That's the second time I've seen a mountain lion this year. The first time was on a remote part of the Umpqua River Trail in southern Oregon, when I came around a corner and nearly ran into him. He was golden brown with a dark tail and was scrutinizing something in the middle trail. He saw me and leapt onto a pile of boulders and vanished in the wet forest.

What amazes me is that I've spent 12 years mountain biking and hiking and these are the first two cats I've ever seen! There have been a few false alarms and maybes along the way but here are my first two cat sitings and they were just a few months apart. One was in a remote part of Oregon, and this one today was right in our backyard.

I suppose I should mention the trail. I'd been curious about John Krein for some time, perched as it is on gorgeous bluffs. I'd climbed up to a prominotory once before, but I heard there was a way to drop down the other side and back to the Starr Pass area. The answer is, yes, there's a way, but it's mostly a matter of carrying your bike down a steep, rock-strewn slope. Unless you're looking for adventure, I'd recommend just catching the first half of John Krein for a technical climb and turning around for the descent.

How to get there: Take Speedway toward Tucson Mountain Park. Turn left on Silverbell. Right on Ajo Way. Head up Ajo way until you get to Starr Pass Resort. Turn left and go up the hill to the stop sign. Turn left. Take the first right on a dirt road along the golf course. Go to the end of the road and park.

Length: 10 miles, 2 hours, 1800 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: There's some great new singletrack at the trailhead so you don't have to ride up and down that rocky road anymore.

The Map: Lots of trails out here, but it's hard to get lost. The best way to explore is to get The Map at your local bike shop. SDMB also offers a map. Below is the map for the John Krein loop.
Map of John Krein Loop

The Ride: Through Starr Pass, up and over John Krein, and back to your car.


View towards Starr Pass from John Krein


Like a big ugly amoeba, the Kinney road sprawl has taken over on the south side of the mountains.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Suffering Gulch

Tucson, Arizona
"There's doubletrack. There's singletrack. And this is quarter track," said SAMBA's John Pollock as we started our ride through Suffering Gulch just north of the 24 hours of Old Pueblo trail. It was a trail insofar as a couple of rock piles and flattened grass maketh a trail. It's nearly impossible to find on your own, and once you find it, it's very easy to lose.

All this will change, John hopes, when riders discover its rewards. And in truth, it's rewards are many. So are it's perils. At first, I cringed when I saw the SAMBA old-timers had gaiters on over their tattered biking shoes, looking like a bunch of hobos on two wheels. But after nicking my legs with umpteen thousand thorns, I realized I was the fool, and I should never underestimate the wisdom of my elders.

As far as the terrain goes, I've always lamented the fact that the 24 hour trail hardly penetrates these boulder-strewn mountains streaked with otherworldly veins of snow white quartz. One leg of the race course wraps around a tiny peak, but the rest of the land has been a big question mark for me. That's the same reason why John and his buddy Stan decided to start blazing some new trails, turning hoof prints into tire tread.

The first five miles are rather faint, but with a little luck the frequent rock piles will keep you on the right track. Once you climb over the back side, and enter the gulch the fun really starts. The downhill -- though no highway -- is easier to follow than the rest of the trail, and is at least as fun as the best parts of the race course.

How to get there: Take Oracle north past Catalina. Turn left at Willow Springs Road. Drive down Willow Springs Road about 10 miles (past the Willow Springs Ranch arch). Keep a lookout for a road coming in from the left side -- it's kind of hard to see and you have to turn almost 180 degrees to get on it. Follow this road for about 1/4 mile until you come to the 24 hour race start/finish line. You'll see a wide dirt parking lot and a trail blazing through it.

Length: 10.5 miles. 1-2 hours. ~1000 feet of elevation.

Trail Conditions: I would say its overgrown, but that would imply that there was once a real trail there in the first place. Get ready to deal with serious thorns and a few wrong turns.

The Map: Good luck!
Map of Suffering Gulch

The Ride: Head uphill on the race course (you'll be going UP the DOWNHILL). After you go through the pass, the trail begins to descend and loop around to the right, keep on the lookout for a small cattle track to your left. It should be marked with a couple of stones (see Photo). You'll wind your way around the back of the property where the trail is pretty faint, windy and hard to follow at first. It's also mostly uphill. Keep with it. You'll go under the first of four barbed wire fences. By the third fence, you'll begin your descent into Suffering Gulch, where the trail becomes much easier to follow and much more fun. It will eventually spit you out back at the race course, a couple of hundred feet from where the faint trail first took off from the main track.


On the left of this photo you can see the wide singletrack of the race course. The rider stands on the faint cow path that leads to Suffering Gulch. Notice the small pile of rocks in the foreground, topped with a white chunk of quartz.

Other Options: Start at the Willow Springs Arch parking lot to add 4-5 miles to your route.

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Cougar Trail

Tucson, Arizona
Did you bring the map? I obviously didn't, because I never made it to the trail I wanted to get to. I know I made a stupid mistake along the way, but it doesn't matter. Let's just pretend I really meant to ride the Cougar.

The truth is I had a nice sunset ride and explored some of the rolling trails and jeep roads around the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. This is a great beginner ride.

How to get there: Take Speedway until it turns into Gates Pass Road. Take Gates Pass Road over the pass to the intersection with Kinney Road. Drive through the intersection and park in Parking Area K16.

Length: 9 miles. 1 hour. ~1000 feet of elevation.

Trail Conditions: Good.

The Map:
Map of Cougar Trail

The Ride:Cross Kinney Road and head into the brush on the NE corner of the intersection. After 0.35 miles, turn left when you reach the graded road to Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute. Follow this road for 0.85 miles then turn left onto the marked Orcutt Trail. When you will hit the T intersection at the power line, turn left and head down the hill. Turn right at the fence at the bottom of the hill. This is the Cougar Trail. Keep going straight and cross a deep wash. You'll come to a T-intersection and follow the rock arrow to the left down to Kinney Road. Turn right on Kinney Road and go 1.2 miles. Turn left into the Juan Santa Cruz Picnic Area. Jump the curb before the road loops back. Head down into the wash and catch the trail going to the left around Brown Mountain. It will eventually parallel Kinney road. After 2.5 miles, you'll come to the end of the singletrack. Cross McCain Loop Road and head into the Gilbert Ray Campground. Take the A loop and catch the trail marked with a TRAIL sign on the left at campsite 52. Follow this trail for 0.35 miles, and you'll come out at parking area K16.

Other Options: Now that I know what I'm doing I think I'll climb the Cougar Trail, and then take the Brown Mountain trail back for a more exciting descent.

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Aspen Draw


Tucson, Arizona
I told Aviv not to worry: the top of Mt. Lemmon couldn't be colder than 50 degrees. After all, it had already started warming up down here in Tucson, and Mt. Lemmon was a mere 6000 feet above us.

As we drove 25 miles up the Catalina Highway, Kathy and I showed our out-of-town guests the awesome topography of our craggy mountain -- boulders piled upon boulders leaning precariously over deep ravines and cliff faces. We wound our way from the desert floor through oak forest, finally topping out in the pine and aspen forest that clings to the town Summerhaven like a verdant toupee.

"That's snow!" Aviv said, pointing to the side of the road. I complimented him on his powers of observation, but said not to worry, once we started riding we'd have no problem warming up. The temperature was 40.

After leaving Kathy and Hilary to eat pie and drink hot chocolate at the Summerhaven cafe, I warned Aviv about the faulty shifter and the incessant clicking noise that my hardtail still makes. "Now you tell me," he said.

He pulled up his knee-high socks and cinched up his fleece jacket. The first mile up the mountain is always painful, the air is so thin and dry your lungs hurt as you try to spring over each rocky hill. Our tires crackled over an inch of snow -- just enough to remind us that it was winter -- but not enough to steal our traction. We crossed a frozen stream and pressed our way up to the ski area, where children were laughing and giggling while we were panting and massaging the nubs of our ice-cube fingers.

The climb flattens out as you make it onto the concrete service road, and we crossed patches of icy snow. By the time we made it to the Aspen Draw trailhead the sun bathed the mountain in a tawny glow, and I offered Aviv the opportunity to make "one quick loop" around the Meadow Trail. He declined.

The descent was glorious, fast and smooth, and nearly the whole trail was covered in snow. The faint track of a ghost rider preceded us, but other than that there was no one around. For good reason: by the time we arrived at the cafe, the sun was blocked by the peak and the temperature had dropped to freezing. "You said it would only take an hour," Kathy said, "You've really lost a lot of credibility here." Maybe I have.

How to get there: Take the Catalina Highway to Summerhaven.

Length: 7 miles. 1-2 hours. ~1500 feet of elevation.

Trail Conditions: One inch of snow.

The Map: SDMB provides a nice map and trail description for Aspen Draw, but it differs slightly from my route. Unfortunately, my own GPS ran out of batteries.



The Ride: From the Summerhaven cafe, head up Turkey Run road, which follows the Upper Sabino Canyon. This turns to singletrack and you take it to the ski area. Then, you take the ski area service road up the mountain. At the summit, you'll see a gate and radio towers off to your left. Go through the gate and go down a little dip and just past the chairlift you'll see a small sign for the Aspen Draw Trail. You follow this singletrack for two miles, and it will spit you out back on the singletrack through the Upper Sabino Canyon. Bike down to your car.

Other Options: You can combine this with the Mt. Lemmon / Meadow Trail to make a slightly longer ride. I've also done Aspen Draw as an out-and-back, which was pretty darn tough.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Lower 50 Year Trail

Tucson, Arizona
I used to think this trail was just a way to warm up before you got to the Upper 50 year trail. But in the wisdom of my years I've come to appreciate trails of all sorts, even this humble affair.

The Lower 50 Year Trail is neither thrilling nor aerobically challenging. What it is is just a mellow grind that will give you a good workout when you're not in the mood for an epic. The descent has a few rocky water bars, a few nice turns, but all in all it doesn't get your adrenaline flowing. A ride is a ride, and it's nice to mix things up sometimes. You don't always have to order a boilermaker. Sometimes, a cold one is good enough.

How to get there: Head north on Oracle road about 5 miles past the intersection of Ina and Oracle. Turn right into Catalina State Park and follow the entrance road past the booth. The first road you pass is restricted. Turn right at the second road towards two campgrounds and the Equestrian Center. The ride begins at the Equestrian Center. To avoid paying state park fees, riders typically park their cars at the Honeywell or a nearby shopping center.

Length: 13 miles. 1-2 hours. 1000 feet of elevation.

Trail Conditions: Trail is in great shape, but gets a bit sandy as you approach Golder Ranch Road.

The Map: Click on the map below to head to Motionbased. There's also a good map at SDMB.
Map of Lower 50 year trail

The Ride: This is a quick out-and-back after work sort of ride. The trail is super easy to follow. It winds through undulating hills from Catalina State Park up to Golder Ranch Road where you can keep going to hit the Chutes and the more technical upper section. About four miles into the trail you'll pass through a gate to exit the state park and enter cattle country. I turned around just past Equestrian Trail -- a wide chalky road. (If you turn left there, you'll come to the Golder Ranch Road parking lot.) The return trip on this 6 mile stretch is the best part of the ride, fast and smooth with a few moderate climbs.

Other Options: As I mentioned above, you can turn this into a 4 hour loop if you do both the lower and upper sections of the trail. There are other tracks in the area (e.g. Baby Jesus) that I haven't had a chance to explore.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Kentucky Camp


Tucson, Arizona
Kentucky Camp is one of the best rides in Southern Arizona. It's higher in elevation than Tucson and parts of it look like my old stomping grounds in central California. The whole area is crisscrossed with canyons, some of which have running water almost all year round. There are tons of jeep roads, abandoned mines, and caves to explore. Today, I went out with SDMB and rode the southern chunk of the IMBA Epic Loop, which is a real blast. My favorite part is the Ascent O' Death, a hellish climb that separates the men from the boys. We were all boys today. But we tried really hard.

How to get there: From Tucson, take I-10 E. Exit at HWY-83 toward Sonoita. About 5 miles before Sonoita, you'll turn right at the Gardner Canyon sign. Take the first right and follow signs 5 miles to Kentucky Camp.

Length: 15 miles, 2 hours, 2000 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: Trail is in great shape, but, as usual, some sections are a tad overgrown with grass and calf-shredding catclaws.

The Map: Click on the map below to head to Motionbased. There's a good map and description of the Kentucky Camp singletrack at SDMB, and the IMBA epic is described here.
Map of Kentucky Camp (1/2 of IMBA Epic Loop)

The Ride: I won't replicate the great description of the IMBA epic that is available at SDMB. We did the southern section that begins just above Kentucky Camp and is about half jeep road and half singletrack.

To find the trailhead from the parking lot, continue on the dirt road you came in on for about 0.5 mile and you'll see the trail marker on the left. Take this trail down to Kentucky Camp and follow the directions above. On the way out, we skipped this last bit of singletrack and climbed the short 4WD track from the Camp to get back to our cars.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Upper 50 Year Trail


Tucson, Arizona
The 50 year trail is a classic Tucson ride through some serious cattle country. In addition to the overabundant prickly pears on this trail, you're going to have to test your riding skills dodging cow patties and sometimes the cows themselves. Although it hasn't happened to me yet, the tight squeezes on this narrow trail make it a great place to snap off a derailleur hanger.

The quick loop I like to do is the more technical upper section, although I usually end up spending a good amount of time hoisting my bike up the steepest parts. You'll follow a fast windy trail from the Golder Ranch Parking lot to the infamous "chutes" area. After climbing out of the chutes, you'll enter huge boulder fields and steep canyons. The terrain is so gnarly, it amazes me that you can ride your bike through here at all. There are also probably more cacti per square inch then any other trail in this state.

The final descent from the mesa is a total blast and makes all those nasty climbs worth it: windy banked turns through boulders and prickly bushes until you finally come to this creepy dry forest with head-high grass all around you. This loop is just one of many possiblities. Enjoy.

How to get there: Head north on Oracle road about 11 miles past the intersection of Ina and Oracle. Turn right on Golder Ranch Road. You go about 2 miles before crossing a bridge and entering the dirt parking lot.

Length: 9 miles, 1-2 hours, 1000 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: The lower sections are sandy. The upper sections are heavily rutted. Still a blast to ride.

The Map: Click on the map below to head to Motionbased. There's also a good map at SDMB.
Map of Upper 50 Year Trail

The Ride: From the Golder Ranch parking lot, cross the cattle guard and start to head left on Equestrian Road. You'll see the singletrack immediately on the right side of the road. After about 1000 feet, the singletrack will join a jeep road. Follow this jeep road for another 1000 feet and you'll see the first marked singletrack. Follow the 50 yr. trail signs north. There are lots of trails out here so its best too stay on the marked ones your first time around.

Eventually, you'll descend into the "chutes." I make a quick loop, cross two washes, and climb out of there --still following the signs for the 50 yr trail. This steep technical ascent will eventually lead you to a barbed wire fence that you'll need to cross. This section has a lot of hike-a-bike, but has some great views. After about 1-2 miles of toil, you'll cross a sandy wash and make one last ascent before descending on the killer singletrack I mentioned above. The singletrack will come out at another sandy wash. You cross that and follow trail until you come to a jeep track and a cattle guard. Cross the cattle guard, and you'll see the spot where you crossed this road earlier on the trail. Turn left and follow the trail back to your car.

Other Options: I've barely explored this place and there are a lot of great options out here. One common route is to park outside Catalina State Park and take the Lower 50 year trail all the way to the chutes. That's about a 12 mile round trip. There's some other singletrack out around Golder that I'd like to add in later postings.

The climb up takes zen-like concentration, planning, and endurance, but if you have to dab do yourself a favor and look around.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Perimeter Trail


Sierra Vista, Arizona
I did this right after doing Brown Canyon, and I actually like this one a little better. Most of the trail is on a banked slope overlooking Highway 92, but it dives into a few nooks and crannies and even has a couple switchbacks along the way. There's ample climbing and downhill in both directions, although I definitely had more fun on the return trip (Carr to Miller).

How to get there: From Sierra Vista, take Hwy 92 to Miller Canyon Road. Turn right on Miller Canyon Road and head about 2 miles up to the parking area. The trailhead is on the right side of the road just before you reach the parking area.

Length: 7 miles, 1-2 hours, 1000 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: Pretty good.

The Map: Click on the map below to head to Motionbased. There's also a good map at SDMB.
Map of Perimeter Trail

The Ride: Start at the Perimeter trailhead in Miller Canyon. Head 3.75 miles on skinny singletrack to Carr Canyon. Turn around and come back.

Other Options: You can turn this into a good 10 mile loop by incorporating the Clark Springs trail. Directions are here

Trailhead at Carr Canyon

View of the Huachucas from Miller Canyon Road.

Brown Canyon


Sierra Vista, Arizona
I heard this was a must-do -- the best singletrack in southern Arizona. Sure enough, it was a lot of fun, and the area is just gorgeous. The spooky cliffs of the Huachucas loom over you. There are a couple small streams around, and the place is so lush that the prickly pears and cholla seem like aliens peaking through the pine trees.

How to get there: From Sierra Vista, take Hwy 92 to Ramsey Canyon Road. Turn right on Ramsey Canyon Road and head 2 miles to the trailhead parking area.

Length: 6 miles, 1 hour, 1100 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: Pretty good. Streams are flowing but soil is a little dry.

The Map: Click on the map below to check out the trail on Motionbased. There's also a good map at SDMB.
Map of Brown Canyon

The Ride: I followed the directions from SDMB. You park at the trailhead, then ride 0.5 miles up the paved Ramsey Canyon Road. Turn right onto Brown Canyon Road and climb about 2 miles, veering left at all intersections. Eventually you'll get to a concrete water trough (see photo). You'll see a trail following a stream up into the wilderness area, but if you continue on the road you'll come to V. Head downhill for the normal loop. Or, you can head uphill about 100 feet and catch some singletrack on your right for a quick out-and-back to the boundary with Fort Huachuca. (Note: I didn't see a sign for the POMONA MINE as described on SDMB's website).

Heading back to the main loop, the downhill is smooth and fast, with a few pseudo-slickrock sections and couple rocky spots. At the bottom, you'll take a right at the V and climb a steep rocky hill. At the top of the hill, stay right and follow the dirt road back to your car at the trailhead.

It's such a quick ride it's almost worth doing it again. Instead, I drove over to Miller Canyon to ride the Perimeter Trail (see next post).

This quick stretch of singletrack takes you from the Brown Canyon loop over to a fence on the boundary of Fort Huachuca

Rocky downhill on the Brown Canyon Loop

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Starr Pass



Tucson, Arizona

How to get there: Take Speedway toward Tucson Mountain Park. Turn left on Silverbell. Right on Ajo Way. Head up Ajo way until you get to Starr Pass Resort. Turn left and go up the hill to the stop sign. Turn left. Take the first right on a dirt road along the golf course. Go to the end of the road and park.

Length: 15 miles, 2 hours, 1500 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: Pretty good. Sandy and rocky as usual.

The Map: Lots of trails out here. The best way to explore is to get The Map at your local bike shop. SDMB also offers a map. Or click on my Motionbased map below.
Map of Tucson Mountain Park

The Ride: My favorite loop takes you through Starr Pass, Golden Gate Pass, loops around Gate mountain down Kinney Road, left on Saratoga and back into the trail system up and over Starr Pass. I sometimes take the Golden Gate trail, but I opted out this time. There's a lot of rocky/sandy unpleasantness on the Tucson Mountains but I think this loop gives you some fast singletrack and some decent distance.

Other Options: Whatever you do don't take the David Yetman wash on the backside of John Krein. That said, it can be fun to take the steep singletrack up John Krein mountain, but watch out for saguaros on the downhill. You can also loop around Starr mountain for a real quick ride. The Prospector trail on the other side of Kinney road seemed kind of weak when I rode it, but I've got to try it out again. Also, don't be stupid like me and try "Unrideable" from Golden Gate Pass. It really is unrideable. I ended up carrying my bike to the road and got some serious cholla stuck in my fingers.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Milagrosa Canyon


Tucson, Arizona
This was the second time I rode this trail. The first time was in May just before it got too darn hot around here. At the time, I thought it was the best trail in Tucson. Well, this time, my feelings have changed.

Part of it could have been physiological: I didn't get enough sleep, eat enough food, and I rode Fantasy Island late the day before. The other part of it could have been that my Kona is much heavier than my old hard tail and there's a lot of climbing on this trail -- nearly 3000 feet -- if you do it my way. Finally, the trail wasn't as smooth as I remembered it. I was walking a lot more than I did in the spring, on the ups and the downs.

That said, it is still a killer trail and a great adventure. It's the kind of trail that you feel really good about finishing.

The day I went it was cool and overcast. Once you get over that ridge you suddenly feel so remote. Don't hurt yourself. You've got ten hard miles ahead of you.

How to get there: Take Tanque Verde Road. Turn right on the Catalina highway. Turn right on Snyder, the last street before you hit the mountain. Cross Soldier Road and park at the end of Snyder.

Length: 20 miles, 3-4 hours, 4000 foot climb.

Trail Conditions: Dry. Pretty rough. Lots of loose rocks right now.

The Map: Check out my Motionbased map below. There's also a good map at SDMB.
Map of Milagrosa Canyon

The Ride: From your car, head up Soldier Road until it meets the Mt. Lemmon Short Road. Take that up to the Catalina Highway and ride 7 miles to Prison Camp. From Prison Camp, you follow signs to the Bellota Trail which takes you over a hill and into the Molino basin. This is some fun singletrack. When you get to the campground, cross the Catalina highway and follow the Bellota Trail (part of the AZ trail) up and over the ridge. This is super steep and technical and there are these annoying rubber erosion mitigation strips. Although I pooped out this time, I remember staying on my pedals for most of the climb in the Spring. Once you get up the ridge you go through a green gate and begin a technical descent. Lots of dropoffs, switchbacks, and some serious exposure. The trail will flatten out, and you'll cross a little valley. Then, you climb briefly and descend again. You head past a water tank, cross a wash, and go through a second gate. Finally, you'll be on some doubletrack and you will come to a sandy wash. You have to look carefully to see the Milagrosa trail on the right. It is not marked. You know you're on it because you'll be carrying your bike up and over some sand and rocks before you can really ride. Take this all the way along a gorgeous ridge. Watch out for prickly pear and derailleur snapping rocks. As you come to the end, you'll notice a steep red canyon to your left, the trail will veer to the right and descend a fun slickrock section. You cross a wash and climb again, head through one last green gate, and the trail hits some doubletrack just below a few houses. You can find your way back to your car from here.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Fantasy Island


Tucson, Arizona
It is what it is. Tucson's humble dirt playground. Some gulleys. Some banked turns. It's prettier than it looks. Sometimes when you're weaving between the fingers of a giant cholla, you forget that you're smack in the middle of Tucson's suburban wasteland.

How to get there: The main entrance is at the corner of Irvington Road and Harrison Road. Beware: windows are frequently smashed.

Trail Conditions: The monsoon season did this place no good. Lots of ruts and loose rock. Not nearly as smooth as it used to be, but it seems to be getting better.

Length: 11 miles, 1 hour

The Map: Check out the map posted at the trailhead. Another good map is located here. Or you can check out my my map from Motionbased below.

Map of Fantasy Island

The Ride: The trail is one-way and pretty self-explanatory. You ride the Cactus loop for about 3 miles. There, you'll see signs for the Bunny Loop, a long flat bunny-ear of a trail that I usually skip. Keep going another mile and take the turnoff for the Chirstmas tree. It's a fun 2 mile jaunt and has a great patch of red soil that feels like you're on Mars. It'll spit you back at the Cactus loop. There, you can take the Burro loop (3 miles) to Bo's loop (2 miles), eventually bringing you back to Cactus and the trailhead.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Chiva Falls Italian Loop

Tucson, Arizona
I rode the Chiva Falls "Italian Loop" yesterday. I'd been holding out for a while because I knew it was an OHV playground with miles and miles of doubletrack and scant singletrack. Finally, I cracked after rereading glowing reviews on MTBR. Alas, it was a boondoggle.

How to get there: From Tucson, head to the end of Tanque Verde Road where it turns into Redington Road, a rough dirt road. Go 4.7 miles until you see a corral on the left and FR4417 on the right. Park Here. (Google Earth)

Length: About 12 miles or 1.5 - 2 hours.

The Map: First off, I downloaded a bogus map from Scott Cherba's website when I should have gotten the newer OHV map from the Forest Service site. Luckily, the OHV map is posted throughout the road system, and getting lost isn't really an issue here -- as long as you have plenty of time.

The Ride: At about 3:30, I started at the parking lot where 4417 hits Redington Road and headed up Reddington Road 5 miles until I got to the turnoff for FR37. FR37 is a rocky, rolling descent until the flatter floodplain on the upper reaches of Tanque Verde wash. I turned right at FR4424 and in about a mile I took a left at FR4417. FR4417 is more of the same: some steep ups and downs until FR4426 comes in from the left. Here, you can take FR4426 to 4405 and check out Chiva Falls, but I was short of time and took FR4417 back to my car. I had to navigate around a convoy of middle-aged jeep enthusiasts and only ran out of steam on one steep uphill. There are some pretty sweet jumps along the way, but all in all it was a pretty dull ride. I was back at my car by 5:15.

Next Time: The ride was shorter than I thought it would be and now that I know the geography better, I'll probably take the Italian Springs Trail #95 to FR37. Then, that "foot trail" between FR37 and 4426 looks appealing. I'll take that to Chiva Falls and then head back via FR4417.