Navajo Lake & Brianhead

[nelsonccc]

Jason and I went up to ride Navajo on Friday and Butler on Saturday and Thunder Mtn on Sunday. We camped at Navajo Lake, just barely snagging the last walk in spot Friday evening. We wanted to ride Navajo before it got dark so we quickly set-up camp and took off. Let me tell you that coming from Vegas to Navajo and immediately riding was kicking my ass. Damn elevation. We took off east from our Spruces campsite and made good time around the lake. We stopped a lot to take pictures. It’s an amazing trail with killer views and a nice flow. Once we got all the way around I messed up at one turn and took us up the virgin Rim trail. We were quickly losing light but the view at the rim was awesome in the failing light. We soon figured out our mistake when the uphill kept coming and coming, so we turned around and made the rest of the descent in quazi darkness. About a mile west of our camp we cut down on a connecter to the road. We got a few weird looks from some of the campers as we rolled into the site in the dark on our mtn bikes.

Saturday morning we went to Georges to check on the shuttle and Butler conditions. He tell us not to waste our time, that Butler is barely passable. Two other guys that were there had ridden it Friday and they told us that it was super muddy, long treks thru snow, and a million trees to go over. So we decided to get a brian head lift pass. FUN! I’;ve never done that before but even though we were both on hardtails there are some great trails there. The ColorCountry route is a nice XC route that is lots of excitement. The wind forced the shutdown of the chairlift (of course) but one of the Brianhead guys gave us and a couple of other guys a lift up to the summit. There is a connector trail from the summit around the lip to the color country trail. It was fun, a little rocky, but a total blast. A few snow banks to get over but nothing serious. We rode up there all day, hitting Color Country 3 times as well as the summit trail the one time.

Sunday we were supposed to ride Thunder mtn but we decided it was too far to drive and that we would rather get back to town. A good time was had by all and I can tell you that I for one will be back up there a few more times this summer.:cool2:
Ride stats can be found here: http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/7a01/4949/4d2a/6ec8/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110716-1428.kml
and here;http://share.abvio.com/7a01/4949/4d2a/6ec8/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110715-1826.kml


http://share.abvio.com/7a01/4949/4d2a/6ec8/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110715-1826.kml


http://share.abvio.com/7a01/4949/4d2a/6ec8/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110716-1428.kml


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWDgkLC72r4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMxHYgZXSTg

[RedSpecialized]

Looks like a fun trip, I rode in a DH race at Brian Head about 5 yrs ago.it was a blast. I didn't get to ride many of the trails at that time. I always wanted to get back down there. Maybe this year is the year!

sent from Samsung Epic 4g

[trackrunner]

some great memories from college thanks for the TR :2thumbs:

looks like the dike is covered

[arnellfam]

Nice TR and great pics! I've hiked the Navaho Lake loop and have wanted to do it on bike ever since. Great info all around, thanks! :clap:

[REDFOX]

Nice pics and video. The guy on the yellow bike looked sketchy in the videos. I know that a video never shows how steep or technical the trail really is.

[accadacca]

Excellent report. I want to get down there and ride that area. :2thumbs:

[nelsonccc]

Nice pics and video. The guy on the yellow bike looked sketchy in the videos. I know that a video never shows how steep or technical the trail really is.

No, he's a good rider. I think it was just late in the day on our 4th or 5th run, so we were both tired and just taking it easy. The section where he had to hop off was nasty. It doesn't look it but it has these big loose rocks and a little step down coming out of the turn. I walked it the first couple of times.

[tanya]

Very cool! I love that place! Nice photos.

You sort of look like my new ~sigh~ idol! It has been William Shatner's as Jim Kirk all these years, but some guy finally took his place. He's hot and you look just like him. Elias Koteas from the new show Combat Hospital has ALL my votes for sexiest man alive!

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