Mountain Biking - Moab

Adventures in Moab, Utah

Over the last eight years I've gone to Moab, UT multiple times to either mountain bike, climb, hike or backpack.  Of all these activities I always have enjoyed mountain biking the most.

Riding Moab

Moab provides opportunities for riders of all skill levels, but does cater more toward people who have the ability to ride intermediate to advanced trails.

My most recent trip in September 2015 allowed me to continue to push my riding capabilities to new levels.  From starting out on trails I know well to stretch my legs after 20+ hours of driving from Wisconsin to dropping down loose gravel and tight switchbacks at 11,000+ feet.

Moab Brand Trails

Moab Brand Trails, Moab UT

Day 1 - Arriving early afternoon on Sunday in Moab I quickly found a place to set up my tent at one of the BLM campgrounds along the Colorado River.  I immediately decided I needed to stretch my legs and choose what I consider to be one of the "easier" trail systems in the area - the Moab Brand Trails.  Now don't get me wrong, trails here are rated from easy to difficult.

I started off with stretching my legs for a short distance on the Bar M Trail (rated easy) out to the Rockin' A (intermediate) back to the Bar M to catch the North 40, a fun single track trail.  Finishing this off I was ready to head back to camp and relax.  I knew the next five days would include a lot of riding.

Amasa Back / Hamasa

Hamasa via Amasa Back, Moab, UT

Day 2 - I rode one of my favorite areas in Moab.  The first time I rode the Amasa Back jeep trail was in 2007.  Hamasa and Captain Ahab didn't exist.  You had no option but to ride the jeep trail - rated black for mountain bikes.  After years of riding that, last March 2015 I finally decided to do Hamasa and take the single track.  About half way up my rear brake went out and I had to bail and hike my bike back down 2 1/2 miles to the car.

Amasa Back Jeep Trail Overlook, Moab

Redo - in September 2015 I went back and was determined to head back up Amasa / Hamasa to get to the overlook that I appreciate so much.  New bike with new brakes.  Nothing was stopping me.  The single track was a lot more fun than taking the jeep trail.  The view at the overlook was amazing as usual.  I have no idea how many times over eight years and multiple trips I've seen that view - it still is beautiful.  I'm sure I'll be back again in the spring.  

Klondike Bluffs Area

Klondike Bluffs, Alaska/Mega Steps.
 Overlooking Arches National Park.

Day 3 - Over the course of eight years the Klondike Bluffs area went from a couple of trails that headed up to overlook Arches National Park to a full on trail system.  Each time I go back I get to ride new portions of this trail system.  From old jeep roads to single track to rolling flowy trails to climbs and drops to the overlook, it's a great place to explore.

Today I rode 18 miles getting ready to do the Whole Enchilada the next day.  It was a good way to make sure the legs were stretched out and continue getting used to being at a higher altitude.

Whole Enchilada

Whole Enchilada

Day 4 - Early morning round up at Chile Pepper bike shop to catch the shuttle to the top of the Whole Enchilada.  Excitement was in the air.  Everyone was chatting on the ride up about where they are from and where they ride.  I think one of the things I love most about coming out to Moab to ride is I always get to meet interesting and fun people and make new friends.  Today was probably no exception.  These people had interesting tales to tell as we took the ride up.

Riding up we left the red rock that surrounds Moab and headed up into the La Sal Mountains to get dropped off at roughly 10,500 ft.   Getting dropped off the adventure began.  31 miles of trail and 7,000 ft of decline ahead.  But first we had to climb Burro Pass to 11,200 ft.

Burro Pass, Whole Enchilada

Once on top of Burro Pass I took a break to take in the surrounding area before dropping down the other side.  I had been warned the day before about the drop on the other side of the pass.  Loose dirt/gravel on a steep decline with tight switchbacks.  Tough - Yes.  I rode some and walked some of it.  Once I got down past this area I started to ride and felt pretty good with what was ahead.  Time to ride and enjoy.

And then it all changed...  I hit a rock with the side of my tire and put a big gash in the tire.  All I could hear was air coming out of my tire and felt my happiness with my ride disintegrate.  I put in a tube and found that it wasn't holding air, ugh.  After a while of messing around with that, my riding partner for the day and I had fallen pretty far behind the group of people we started with.  With the outlook not good for me with no tubes and a tire that had a cut too large for the Stan's Sealant to fix, I had to bail.  I hiked the bike to Warner Campground and started walking down the road.  Thankfully a great couple rode by with their truck and drove me and my bike the 30 miles back to Moab and Chile Pepper bike shop where I was able to get a new tire put on the bike.  A frustrating end to my day, but this is not the last time I will do this ride.  Next year I'll start at the Hazard County line and finish off the Whole Enchilada.  Never give up.

Dead Horse Point State Park

View from Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, UT

Day 5 - Eight years of coming to Moab and I had never visited Dead Horse Point State Park.  I learned in the last couple of years they put mountain bike trails in the park.  After the day I had previously and the 90+ degree weather, I decided to take a late day drive up and check out the trails and ride into the sunset.

Driving up the temperatures started to drop and were comfortable when I got there.  The sun was starting to sink as I took off to ride some of the trails.  As I was riding I realized that I was across from where I rode on day 2 - the Amasa Back trails. The view was just as good from here as it was on the Amasa Back overlook.  As the sun set I continued to ride and got back to my car just in time where I didn't need headlights on my bike.  What a great way to end the day.

Navajo Rocks

Navajo Rocks, Moab, UT

Day 6 - My last day of riding in Moab I decided to ride Navajo Rocks for the second time.  The first time I rode these trails was earlier this year and I really liked them.  It was a great place to ride and end my trip to Moab.  Riding on this last day I took my time to enjoy the desert surroundings.

I stopped and talked to a group of four riders, some of them on fat bikes, each of them with a unique story.  Two guys from the UK had just completed riding the Great Divide from Canada south.  The other two were a couple who were moving from New Zealand to Australia via fat bikes.  They were taking their fat bikes around the long way across continents to get to Australia. Their story was amazing.  I felt fortunate to meet these people and hear their stories.  It was a great way to end my adventure and my journey.

Amazing Moab

Moab always amazes me.  From the surroundings to the people I meet.  I think it's one of the reasons I continue to return to this place.  For eight years I've been visiting Moab and this is not my last trip.  Mountain biking, climbing and hiking - I will visit again.  It's a place to be appreciated.  A place to build great memories.  A place to just be...

To end this post I'll quote Edward Abbey from Desert Solitaire because it's fitting.  Desert Solitaire is written about this area of Utah and Arches National Park.  And this sums it up pretty well.

"A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles."  Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire

Never Giving Up - Adventure on the Trails

Being an avid outdoors person, I have encountered more than my share of things that would make most people pause, stop and possibly turn around on the trails.  But not me!  I find times like that as the perfect opportunity to stop, assess the situation, analyze the possibilities and then make the next move.  This goes for encounters with wildlife and crazy weather conditions.

Wildlife on the Trails

I think of all of them, wildlife is the scariest, but is also the most amazing.  Mountain Biking has usually provided me the most interesting encounters.

Running into a mother black bear with her two cubs in northern Wisconsin.  Thankfully I saw them early enough that I was able to stop, assess and turn my bike sideways to make myself look bigger and then just wait.  Finally after standing on her hind legs, she dropped down and took her cubs back into the woods.  After a little while, I jumped back on my bike and continued on - definitely making sure to watch and listen closely as I rode by where she wandered into the woods.

The second scariest was while mountain biking in Moab, UT.  Taking a break at the top of the Amasa Back trail, I took a walk to the edge to look at the Colorado River and was standing next to a tree.  Next I know I heard a rattle - let me say - I looked, saw how far away it was and backed away quickly.  I don't mind snakes, but standing close to a rattlesnake is not where I wanted to be.  The bike ride back down Amasa Back was much more uneventful.

Crazy Weather on the Trails

Backpack with me and be ready for anything.  Because that's probably what you're going to get.  Rain - not just rain, but torrential rains, snow, sleet, wind, mud, ice...  Shall I go on?  It will definitely be a trip you'll never forget.

Cabinet Mountains and Glacier National Park

My most memorable was a vacation out west.  First three days was a trip up into the Cabinet Mountain range of Montana.  On day two as we climbed up to St Paul Pass the storm moved in.  Not a bad storm, but snow started falling as soon as we got to the top of the pass.  What makes it memorable is when you are heading down and you realize that with all the wet snow and then rain, that your Goretex boots have finally given out.  

St Paul Pass, Cabinet Mountains

It was a long hike back down to camp in the rain and snow with cold, wet feet.  At camp I had to ring out my socks and put them back on.  Still had one more day before heading out and moving on to Glacier National Park for part two of the trip.  The next morning my socks were almost frozen when I put them on and made the long hike back down to the car.  

Thankfully we found one store in Libby, MT that had a pair of boots.  I bought them and decided I would break them in while backpacking through Glacier National Park over the next four days.  And I had plenty of opportunities to make sure they were waterproof.  Almost every day in Glacier National Park it rained.  Lots of rain, lots of mud and glaciers. 

Boulder Peak - Glacier National Park

Someday I really need to go back here and see the back country without the rain.  

El Chalten, Argentina

Yes, typical Patagonia weather, hard to predict.  Woke up one day and decided to hike the trail up to Fitz Roy - it was supposed to be a nice day.  I thought perfect day to view the infamous Fitz Roy.  I packed my lunch and threw my rain gear in my backpack for a day trip.  As I headed up - the weather changed.  Rain, sleet, snow - it was all there.  At the climber's camp many people were hanging out in the shelter and turning around to head back down.  From there up to the lake and the route to Fitz Roy was where the wind and wet snow really hit.  While most people turned around to head back to town - I continued and ventured up alone to the top.  Very slowly climbing the trail of wet, snow covered rocks, I finally made it to the top.  I connected up with the two other guys who ventured up before me - the three of us exchanged cameras and turned around knowing if time permitted, we'd have to come back.  The weather was so bad you could just see the lake but no view of Fitz Roy.

Lago de Los Tres and "Fitz Roy"

Thankfully - I did have the extra day and did get to go back up and catch a great view of Fitz Roy.  Gotta love Patagonia and the crazy weather.

Lago de Los Tres and Fitz Roy on a clear day.

Nope, I never gave up and continued on with my adventures and still do so today.  I love the adventure, I love the challenges it all brings and by never giving up - I always feel accomplished when the adventure is over.  And then of course, I'm ready to start planning for the next.