Rubber Side Down

And Lory State Park (above) were on my plate yesterday. I wanted to piece together the two ends of Devil’s Backbone and Lory, but I ran out of time. However, the take-home message is that Blue Sky is RAD! It’s a rocking, mostly-big-ring ripping trip from the north end. I don’t know if it stays like that all the way to the Indian Summer Loop, but I sure hope so. Rrrrowr.

Okay, getting ahead of myself here. I started at the mountain bike park at Lory, and cruised the easy trails there. Although the day was drab and gray, I found a cool spot with a break in the clouds behind.

Then I ripped around the little marina area at Horsetooth Reservoir and found the Blue Sky Trail. Within minutes, I was wishing I had parked at the Soderberg Open Space trailhead and skipped Lory. While Blue Sky is non-technical (and I usually prefer some sort of technical challenge) it makes up for it by being eminently rippable.

Check it:

This is not my video. Cytoe 1 on YouTube, whoever you are, I hope you don’t mind that I embedded your piece. I am lacking in helmet cams at this point in my life.

At some point, I swear I will piece together all these trails in one ride. Really.

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Tough Girls rider Judy Freeman rides the Canyon Loop Trail at Betasso Preserve on Tuesday.

Yes, you read that right — there is discussion of a new trail at Betasso. For those of us who remember the fight against closing Betasso to bikes, it sounds crazy that there could be MORE trail there to ride. Perhaps this is a sign that things are changing around Boulder County for mountain bikers.

However, this stuff doesn’t happen by itself. We need to help and here’s how: The Boulder County Parks and Open Space department is taking public comment about all this. We need to show up and be the sane voices in support.

Here are the details: And note that for your comments to be considered part of the planning process, they must be received in writing. So if you’ve got the time, draft a quick letter. I know you’re all smart enough to come up with your own reasons for the trail, but as Judy pointed out, it will spread out all the users, making the area more enjoyable for hikers, horses and bikes alike.

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Boulder County Parks & Open Space Seeks Public Input on Draft Betasso Preserve Management Plan

Boulder County Parks & Open Space has completed a draft management plan for Betasso Preserve and will be hosting a public open house on March 24, 2009, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., to present the plan. The meeting will be held in the Houston Room at the Boulder County Clerk & Recorder’s office (1750 33rd Street, Boulder). The public is free to stop by anytime between 4:30 and 8:00 p.m. to view management plan information and talk to Parks & Open Space staff regarding the plan. A presentation of the management plan will be made at 5:00 p.m. and again at 7:00 p.m. A brief question and answer session will follow each presentation.

The purpose of the open house is to present Parks & Open Space staff’s management recommendations, including a new 4.6-mile multiple use trail and a Habitat Conservation Area, and to solicit public comment on the draft plan. Information regarding the site’s existing natural, cultural, and recreational resources will be presented, as well as information on the proposed future management direction. Staff will be available throughout the night to discuss the management plan and answer questions.

To review the complete draft management plan or provide comments, visit the Parks & Open Space website at <http://www.co.boulder.co.us/openspace/index.htm> (under “Planning and Public Involvement”) or contact the project planner, Ernst Strenge, at 303-678-6269 or betassopreserve@bouldercounty.org.

Please note that in order to be considered in the management planning process, comments from the public must be received in writing. The public comment period will end on April 8, 2009.

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Ride on.

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There sure are a lot of pieces of the Devil’s anatomy lying around the Front Range, aren’t there? While his thumb is closer is Boulder, his backbone is apparently located near Ft. Collins. I presume he fell down while hitchhiking.

At any rate, there are some rad trails near the aforementioned backbone. And they connect up to the trails around Horsetooth Reservoir and to the bike park at Lory State Park. It’s a great way to do a long ride, no matter which end marks the start.

This weekend, I started at the Devil’s Backbone trailhead on the south end. Right away, there were tons of hikers to contend with. But then again, it was peak time on a Saturday. I’d advise getting this part of the trail out of the way early so you can beat the crowds.

After a smooth start, the trail threw in some steep and rocky bits. Weirdly, I saw several raw beginners trying to get up this steep, loose hill — on junky bikes with no helmets. This always amazes me. Especially when I got past the hill and the trail turned seriously rocky and rough.

There’s a lot of shaly rock sticking up out of the ground at an angle, making for some fun negotiation if you’re into technical trails (like me) but can make your life hell if you’re not (like those beginners). While it can certainly be handled on a hardtail, that option doesn’t look super pleasant. My apologies that I didn’t shoot any photos of the area. I was too busy riding. If you really like the rocks and drops, be sure to stay on the eastern side of the Laughing Horse loop. It’s the most challenging option in the area.

At any rate, farther along you encounter the Indian Summer Trail, which forms a loop. You can either return the way you came, or connect onto the Blue Sky Trail. That trail is much smoother and more forgiving, as are the trails around Lory State Park. I can envision having a good time by starting up north and warming up on the mellow stuff before you hit the rockier parts. But either way is cool.

From the Indian Summer Trail, you can also ride the Rimrock Trail out to the Coyote Ridge Natural Area. I didn’t do this option, so I can’t comment, but at least it’s some more mileage. Here’s a map of the area.

All in all, it’s definitely worth the drive. Just be sure you have some energy to take on the rocks. It’s not difficult if you’re an experienced rider, but at the same time, it’s not a trail for a chill day out.

So, where are the Devil’s feet? Colorado Springs?

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Yesterday I checked out this trail for the first time, in spite of a negative review I got that very morning.

What can I say; I’m not that easily dissuaded from trying something new.

And I’m glad to report that it was easily worth the drive. Sure, it’s not the most technical trail on Planet Hardcore. But nor is it boring. It’s got really good flow, great views, and some nice, middle ring-style climbing. It’s the kind of trail where you can do a lap or two, get in some great riding/training, and not feel beat up or blown out.

However, it’s still not what I would consider a beginner-friendly trail. Good-sized chunks of singletrack have exposure (where the land next to the trail drops down a steep hillside), which really bothers balance-challenged beginners; and the distance (even though the whole thing’s only about 15 miles, give or take) will probably exhaust them. If you take a beginner there, be ready to go slow and probably not complete the whole loop.

The joint is located near White Ranch, with a trailhead at the bottom of the property off Highway 6 and a trailhead at the top off Golden Gate Canyon Road. I parked at the top, and totally enjoyed the novelty of descending from the car. And the climb back up was not difficult at all; I’ll probably ride it that way all the time.

Once you’re out there, it feels wonderfully remote. I only saw a couple of other riders (singlespeeders, primarily…it’s good trail to get your grind on), although one of them warned me that once mountain bike season gets in full swing, the place is pretty crowded. So ride it now before the hordes pull their bikes out of the garage in May.

A few north-facing slopes have snow, but it’s primarily dry.

While it’s multi-use during the week, the park operates on an alternating-use schedule on the weekends, which keeps bikes and hikers separated. Gee, what a great idea! Jefferson County really has recreation figured out. Props to them. But, be sure you know what’s up, because it can be a substantial buzzkill to drive down there and find out it’s a hiker-only day. Luckily it’s easy to remember: EVEN-numbered days are for bikes (odd is hikers). You can get all kinds of other cool info, including a trail map, by visiting the JeffCo site. And if you still find yourself down there on the wrong day, White Ranch and a bunch of other stuff is right nearby. Here’s a map of all the riding in the area.

There’s another critical piece of information to know: A three-mile section of the trail is closed right now for winter elk ranging and calving. So unless you want to see elk humping, giving birth, or charging you (and possibly get a ticket for the pleasure), you can’t ride this trail as a loop. That sounds like a bummer (and by that I mean not being able to ride the loop, NOT being deprived of elk porn), but the trail still makes a great out-and-back. Plus, the section that’s closed is reportedly an access road, so it’s probably more fun to just ride the singletrack, no matter how you slice it. Either way, the closure is scheduled to end on June 15.

Yet another fabulous overlook. From here you can start to see all the poor saps sitting in their cars on I-70.

I’m so happy to see that the forecast for snow this past weekend didn’t pan out. Hopefully we can all get in even more dry rides.

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Yes, folks, I took it upon myself to check this out for you. It was mostly sunny, 70+ degrees and there was only one other rider in sight. See what I go through in my efforts to keep you informed?

No joke, the area is rideable. Some of the more tree-lined and north-facing slopes are icy, so beware of those little gullies in the trees. If you ride into those with a good head of steam, you may find yourself hitting the deck.

These photos are from the Colorado Trail off Little Scraggy Trailhead. Speaking of which, the parking fee has gone up to $5. This may be old news to you if you’ve been there recently, but if it’s been a while, be sure to bring enough cash.

 Geez, Colorado sure is ugly.

I didn’t get a chance to check out all the trails, but I bet the ones in the burn area are completely dry. Unfortunately, though, bad news is looming on the horizon: cooler weather and showers by the weekend. So unless that forecast starts to change, see if you can’t take a weekday off and get your bad self down there. 

Hell yeah, that just happened.

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