Fifth Water Loop

[Udink]

I worked all day in Orem yesterday, and on my way back to Price I took a detour to ride the Fifth Water loop. I started the ride around 6:00 PM, and apparently bit off more than I could chew. I rode the loop clockwise, and the uphill was relentless! I ended up riding well after the sun went down, and reached the car at 9:30 PM. Still, it was a beautiful area, and the singletrack was killer.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fcastlecountry.org%2Fgeo%2FFifthWaterL oop.kmz&sll=39.59941,-110.810715&sspn=0.064679,0.169086&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=13


The trail started out fairly level, gently winding through brush and small trees. There were a lot of deer flies down low, but as I ascended there were more mosquitoes. The first two miles were mild as the trail followed the creek. After two miles the trail forked, and I took the left fork and began the steep climb up to Fifth Water Ridge.


The beginning of the trail near Ray's Valley Road
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoGndhOeWI/AAAAAAAANbc/-1DvrGKJTjk/s800/IMG_5713.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HL9-wYYd0L-E6M2zJpJ5sQ)

Typical trail down low
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoGqDAIBTI/AAAAAAAANbk/ciADpg0v99o/s800/IMG_5717.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1g75xzbnv76yDy1jE3cijA)

A pond near the fork in the trail
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoGrX8HHsI/AAAAAAAANbo/MMPwmKbiFEk/s800/IMG_5727.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/46Rgi9zR-TOTSV-M6XmxTg)

At the fork
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoGtAqd_DI/AAAAAAAANbs/g8LujqCaI0E/s800/IMG_5730.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nCSofSNXb0sTIN7jC123Kg)

The creek and trail share the same space here
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoGvmK9NoI/AAAAAAAANb0/o-zAl-Pdy60/s800/IMG_5734.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/33_FX73Er2ZzTcq3QXC3tw)

After riding through the creek
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoGxE1r1NI/AAAAAAAANb4/eu0SrnHzwmA/s800/IMG_5735.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cGPIZkiEvTmY_kdSVGBRZw)

A brief level section
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoG21Rv82I/AAAAAAAANcQ/RJNLtlJVMkA/s800/IMG_5751.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Mtc9CvVQxV5HQ55RNbS0mg)

Nearing Fifth Water Ridge
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoG42fEOyI/AAAAAAAANcY/pMVk-hBtgDM/s800/IMG_5756.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-vBdR-m7T5KhhqkIm8hwNw)

Another fork in the trail (I went right)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoG8KwG1HI/AAAAAAAANck/jvhAJ4_vHEM/s800/IMG_5770.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nAHXgPcODxo6f_JIYTafvw)

The hills to the west of Fifth Water Ridge
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoG8YDQ1RI/AAAAAAAANco/2W1G2-deyvU/s800/IMG_5775.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/r-g4PqtLMVI85GZtu3OQbQ)

The top of Fifth Water Ridge
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHBJxIDjI/AAAAAAAANc4/N2ZrhFyEBzM/s800/IMG_5782.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/UU2PYjGqKz4uAaIbBBS1PQ)


After reaching the top of the singletrack at the top of Fifth Water Ridge, I followed a graded dirt road to Strawberry Ridge. This was roughly the halfway point of the ride, and the sun was beginning to sink behind the horizon. The view toward Strawberry Reservoir was nice, but I didn't take nearly enough time to enjoy it. I knew that I didn't have much time to reach the car before full dark, so I didn't take many photos after reaching Strawberry Ridge.


Dirt road to Strawberry Ridge
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHEISDIYI/AAAAAAAANdA/R7LNKhglwm4/s800/IMG_5784.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kI1I2sS4opKNzXpAdrnmQQ)

The sun setting behind the aspen
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHFt4l5kI/AAAAAAAANdE/ExFNm0FNfMA/s800/IMG_5785.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/W_9OZxGjW4ACJvgoYRe9iQ)

View down along the canyon between Fifth Water Ridge and Fifth Water Creek
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHGQJTnmI/AAAAAAAANdI/uc67LtvJXKU/s800/IMG_5793.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HUGFJmM-Nl74muEaX8-Kiw)

Teat Mountain (uh-huh-huh-huh)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHHDZeeAI/AAAAAAAANdM/mxTUEzLWhzA/s800/IMG_5795.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/20uMNI3ziBKDtWFEsXMs9g)

A bird
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHHnZJB4I/AAAAAAAANdQ/e4c8oB9VO94/s800/IMG_5797.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WgNIV1Z_g8yryn8gKw106Q)

Strawberry Reservoir
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHI44poVI/AAAAAAAANdY/Kw6L4DRKdi4/s800/IMG_5800.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fqs-44KJVt1az0TDJNuEhw)

Close-up of the reservoir
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHJQyzMlI/AAAAAAAANdc/ro0iBY77csM/s800/IMG_5801.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4WJfVzDEqPd7XkRG6hy_rw)

Moun-uns
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHKlK-AKI/AAAAAAAANdo/04u7bxah3I4/s800/IMG_5814.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oXH_ayDlBY9jScEMO2jdNw)

Finally, some downhill
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHL9rxmSI/AAAAAAAANds/tTebkoj8DMQ/s800/IMG_5815.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p1Oe_co283lFxftagHsa-g)

Almost to Fifth Water Creek
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHN1aFo3I/AAAAAAAANd0/anbjjfpGfgU/s800/IMG_5818.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KuxGTId35VRhWyTZO1EwIg)

More riding in the creek
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHOz1Y6VI/AAAAAAAANd4/98QS-od0Eug/s800/IMG_5819.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/H6s8r96sBHXfGWtjUzM9JQ)

I walked my bike across this pool
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHQ99zp7I/AAAAAAAANeA/GSLFdfijSW0/s800/IMG_5825.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JcjMQzh5ie9hDKipD8p8Tw)

Back at the car well after sunset
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TEoHRX6vzEI/AAAAAAAANeE/3LVLB_WnVP0/s800/IMG_5831.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ervBAmfq6GxidRbuobim8w)


There are more photos here:
FifthWaterLoop
http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/FifthWaterLoop#

And you can download the GPS tracklog and photo waypoints here:
http://castlecountry.org/geo/FifthWaterLoop.kmz

[Ryan]

Nice!

[Sombeech]

Sweet. I'll have to try that someday. Excellent report.

[MtnBkr]

Well done trip report. Thanks.

Some folks may not know, but the newest Google Earth can show an elevation profile along with grade and distance. That plus these geotagged photos and descriptions round out the report nicely.

[tmartenst]

The bird pic is awesome!

[accadacca]

The bird pic is awesome!
Ditto. Cool trail and scenery. :popcorn:

[greyhair biker]

very nice! I've never been up that end of fifth water...although I know the Three Forks side well...at least up to the hotsprings:naughty:

[Dr. Nebz]

I have been up in that area a lot. Lots of rattlesnakes in sections up there. Kind of a junkshow at the hotsprings these days. Nice one, looks like fun!

[Udink]

Lots of rattlesnakes in sections up there.
I heard that somewhere else too, I'm just glad I didn't find out until after I rode there. :haha: I was worried enough about bears, which I'd seen several years ago about six miles to the south near Baldy Mountain.