AF Canyon 2017

AF Canyon update: I know, we're still AT LEAST a month away before the trails are ready to ride but, wanted to give everyone an update on the Tibble Fork trail. Here it is: the bottom half of the Tibble Fork #041 trail will be closed for the majority of the summer. In August, work will begin on rerouting the bottom of Tibble over to the bottom of the Mill Canyon #040 trail. Yes, you read that right. The Tibble Fork trail will dump you out at the bottom of Mill Canyon. Should be awesome once completed.

I did my 1st official trail recon / trailwork hike yesterday afternoon. I hiked up to the top of the Pine Hollow #047 trail and then all of the Salamander Flat #150 trail. The snow is melting off nicely. There's still a lot on the north facing slopes and in the deep, dense forested areas. AF Canyon is typically rideable way before the Salt Lake canyons are. I'm hopeful for a Memorial Day weekend opening.

The meadow at the top of #047 is coming along nicely.
Attachment 87038

...but, then there's spots like this in the dense, wooded areas.
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It's looking like we won't have the trails open yet for the Memorial Day weekend. They aren't ready. Too many patches of snow, running water, mud and downed trees. I've cut out as many trees as I can. The ones that are left are the dangerous ones that are above my level of chainsaw certification, like the massively huge leaner tree pictured below. I've spent pretty much every late afternoon up there doing what I can (I haven't pedaled my bike for close to 2 weeks now!). If you want to go hike over the weekend, have at it. Most of them would be great for that and UDOT will open the Alpine Loop gates tomorrow or Friday. The trails still under the Spring Time Wet Trails closure are: Pine Hollow #047, Mill Canyon #040, Tibble Fork #041, Salamander Flat #150, Ridge Trail #157, Mud Springs #173, Willow Hollow #159, South Fork Little Deer Creek #252. Closed to everything EXCEPT foot traffic. Attachment 87134Attachment 87135

We finished clearing out everything up AF Canyon Saturday morning. All trails are now open although East Ridge is still snow covered and Mill Canyon #040, upper Tibble Fork #041 and the Mud Springs #173 trails still have running water and mud on them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myx3BajyQm8