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Unwind in Moab!
by brule
Posted: Oct 20, 2009
Last month after Interbike I was fortunate enough to join 4 friends on my first ever trip to Moab, Utah. I was scared because I had heard about how much this crew likes to pedal and rip trails as opposed to sit pool side and take in the sun! Ok so Darcy was the one talking pool time, I just really wanted to put my feet up after Interbike. Thankfully Pete would have none of that and got us on the trails ASAP!
Days 1 and 2 of my adventure inside,
Days 1 and 2 of my adventure inside,
Leaving Vegas for Moab
Pete has ridden Moab over a hundred days so far in his life time, so what better person to have showing us Moab Virgins around than him? Actually is was rad to have such a first hand experience as we just had to wake up, make our lunch and head out for a day of riding. All on 6 inch travel bikes, it was going to be a "do it all bike" trip and I was stoked (but I put on a scared face in hopes that Dust Pan would take it easy on us on the climbs).
Yep Pete was prepared.
Pete was so stoked about showing us one of his favorite places to ride that he sent out the following memo for all of us on the trip:
"I hear you guys are pulling the pin on Tues right? So that really only leaves Saturday, Sunday and Monday for riding. Hmm, what to do in 3 short days in Moab? There are SO MANY cool rides and trails down there, but I’ll have to get you to my favorite 3 then.
For all of you guys and girls that are Moab bound...Start dreaming about these 3 rides... or see what you can find out about them.
#1 Amasa Back - (almost my all time favorite down there, even after 25 years!), then
#2 maybe Poison Spider Mesa with the Portal Trail exit, and then on our last day,
#3 (the biggie)...we will use the truck and shuttle up to 9000+’...Warner Lake area...then hop on our bikes and climb an additional 500’ right out of the gate (yeah, that is a butt kicker for sure as there is no oxygen up there), then ride a combination of creative trails that I know we can link together that will take us from 9500’ to 4000’ much of it on singletrack.
We will ride a trail called Hazard County, then hop onto Kokapelli, then join up with UPS (or Upper Porcupine Singletrack), then LPS (lower Porc Singletrack), then drop onto “the Porcupine Rim” ride that most people do from the sand flats road...In English this means we will have had about 20 kms of RAD mostly downhill singletrack before getting to where others have just climbed an hour to get to...and THEN we will ride down Porcupine Rim trail and dump out at the Colorado River...total ride is like 40 kms or so, but as I said it drops 5500’ over the course of this ride. It really only has a couple of uphills throughout this 40 km fun fest! IT IS A RAD ONE for sure... Sound good?
Then Dave (my buddy from Victoria who will be with us down there) and I will hop on our motor bikes and scoot back up to fetch the truck still left up there in the alpine and bring it back down again. Ahhh, love it when a plan comes together."
Hmm not gonna lie I was excited and a little scared too based on that note. Oh well we're here now, let's see what Moab at the end of September has to offer?!
We (Pete, Dustan, Darcy, Jonathan and I) left the house and headed to the trail head around Nine. In Moab you want to hit the trails a little earlier due to how hot it gets and the lack of any shade (desert, who'd a thought?!), but Darcy and I didn't get in until after 2AM on account of our 8 hours drive from Vegas the night before. Plans changed for day 1 too, we were heading to Poison Spider Mesa today. Enroute to the trail head Pete points out some Petroglyphs - like I said a first hand tour guide is the only way to go.
Two miles of road in the morning meant that we could park at the end of our final trail and not have to backtrack when tired.
Climbing up from Pot Ash road and on to the Poison Spider Mesa was a little humbling at first but I think we all found our groove and the rewarding views that came with the initial summit were well worth it. A snack break and a short detour over to Little Window Arch really set the tone for a nice relaxing ride.
John playing about
The trail just seemed to meander around up on plateau with 360 degree views. This was nothing like I was used to and the surrounding landscapes blew my mind. Check out the rock below that looks like a GIANT PIG laying down:
At the tip of the Pig rock's nose there is a break in the rocks where you can peer through and see the town of Moab. Below that spot is where the Portal Trail goes by too - blew my mind that I'd be riding there on the side of a cliff in a few hours.
Can you say soft sand in spots?
Heading to lunch above Portal
Sick colors
After lunch we continued on our adventure on the Poison Spider Mesa and eventually ended up at the Portal Trail. The Portal Trail is not to be taken lightly and I'm honestly ok if I never ride/hike it again due to the consequences of death should you do something wrong at key points in the trail. Yes I am happy to have ridden/walked it, but I will stick to the less exposed trail options next time Pete! The end of the Portal Trail put us out right at the truck, so happy that we rode the road in the morning and not at the end of our ride - like I said, first hand knowledge is amazing! That night we ate at the Branding Iron and I had my first Chicken Fried steak - mmm so good after a day of riding!
Day 1 quick info note notes:
-Pot ash road, Up Poison Spider Mesa, down the Portal Trail (sphincter arch detour/little window arch)
-beautiful views and hiked up to the portal that over looks Moab at lunch
-approx 20 km loop, 1500 ft up/down, 5 hours with the lunch break
-petroglyphs, 4x4s
-trail rated hard in guide book (rating system looks like this: easy, medium, hard, dude)
Sweat Stains
Crew on Day 1
Chicken Fried Steak
Day 1 4x4 Bonus-
After a more than successful day one in Moab, I wanted to get up earlier for day 2 and hit the trails. Plus the thought of being done riding early, hitting up the pool, relaxing and checking out town was also really inviting to me. Pete's buddy Dave arrived after our day 1 adventure and would be with the crew for the rest of the time in Moab. Dave and Pete were equally excited about riding their motos as they were about riding bikes, but today was about hitting up the Amasa Back Trail. Maybe I'd see more 4x4s today?!
The parking lot that feeds the Amasa Back Trail is about a kilometer from the trail head and offers a nice spin to wake up your legs before you begin the ascent. The Amasa Back is primarily an in and out trail, so everything you grind up, you get to descend back down on later that day! I was liking Pete's description!
The long climb in.
Up we go
Running into riders on the trail
We climbed Cliff Hanger Trail and got to see more great Moab views, including 4x4s! Pete and Dave lead the way today, with stops at a nice natural wall ride (I wussed out) and lunch at Hole in the Rock Arch.
Cliff Hanger Sign.
Coffee break with a view.
Dave wall ride
Darcy wall ride
After our little lunch break and siesta, it was back on the trail out as lunch was the turn around point. Pete wanted to show us another trail on the way out, so off to Rock Stacker we went. I was feeling a little punched at this point in our ride and want to say sorry for the 20-35 minutes of crabby Tyler y'all got to deal with, but eventually I got my third wind and Rock Stacker flowed. Quick hike a bike (2 mins) and we were back on Cliff Hanger for our way out to the truck. This is where we ran into some bad ass 4x4 rigs from the Eastern USA and I got my 4th wind! Love those things!
End of the ride repack
Local shop in Moab that we visited
Pete and Dave out post MTB ride
After our ride, we headed into town and checked out Chile Pepper bike shop where I picked up the sweetest stickers and some more energy bars for our big day 3 ride. It was back to the house, unwind and then off to eat Mexican food and fuel up for day 3. Looking forward to it!
-Dave joins the crew (From Victoria)
-In on Amasa Back, Climbed Cliff Hanger Trail, Hole in the Rock Arch for lunch, Rock Stacker to Cliff Hanger return to Amasa Back.
-Approx 21km, 5 hours with breaks
-4x4s were in the house!
-trail rated dude in guide book (rating system looks like this: easy, medium, hard, dude)
Day 2 4x4 Bonus -
Corvette motor under the hood
Dodge Hemi motor under the hood
Check back tomorrow for the conclusion to my first trip to Moab, it'll be full of photos, a real HD video (not just quick clips) and details on the Whole Enchilada!
Happy Trails,
Tyler "Brule" Maine
41 Comments
- + 4
etqmtber
(Oct 22, 2009 at 0:27)
I wanna go there
man I like live here and i haven't ever got to go. We also have the red bull rampage site is in my backyard and i haven't been to ether of them.
I was down there the weekend of Interbike and it kicked ass as always. I love Amassa back bur instead of poison spider i would have done Soverign Single Track. Also you should have went higher than Hazzard County and started at Burro Pass and did the quick detour to OohWah Lake until you got through the rock garden the went back. Trust nothing is funner than burrow pass.
We have SO much of this all over Australia, you just need a chopper to get there . . . or a camel with a bike rack
ohhh, I'm soo tired from interbike i dont want to ride MOAB.....WTF! glad to quit early and hit up the pool? WEAK! lol
Moab is a helluva place! I was there just last weekend. The whole enchilada is a fricken blast! It's something every serious MTB rider should do in their lifetime. Unforgettable.
You can't ride the Whole Enchilada in the Winter. You can ride the slickrock, but not the big shuttle run. The difference in elevation near Moab is HUGE (poster below says 9000' - I can't remember).
I just rode the Whole Enchilada last sunday, one of all time best rides ever. 9000 ft decent going from alpine trees and dirt down to red moab sand. ton a fun
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Rode Amasa Back (and the 'Whole Enchilada') for the first time last year, awesome isn't a good enough description. This story and video brings it all back, good stuff. Really looking forward to the day 3 run-down and to going back to both rides next spring!
The jeep can go through a mud pit better, but I'd love to see a jeep take even a six foot drop, then ride a 6 inch ladder bridge, climb a steep, twisty hill through a densely treed forest, then go down a world cup downhill course without getting stuck.
I just got back form Angel Fire New mexico and I did make the stop in moab utah this year to ride. WOW. stayed at the campground right across from the slickrock trail. I plan on making that a normal trip. CLUB26 for life.
wow that looks like a crazy fun trip you guys had! the topography is unbelievable! great shots and riding too.
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looks like such a great place for a roadtrip
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Did you stay in a condo or is that someone's own place? I went in September and our condo was sort of near the Branding Iron steakhouse. Down the road a ways.
i did moab about a month ago, cant wait till i can afford to go back again. Miltz is a must for food. sick burgers and damn good biscuits and gravy ( i went for dinner and breakfast haha)
I have to say lads and lasses.... if you have not done MOAB, you must go. Stay at the LAZY LIZARD hostel, you get your own log cabin. I went 6 years in a row... If you ski, go in April, then head to A Basin or Copper mtn... maybe Snowbird for some great mtns.
Good times.
Good times.
Hazard County is a sick trail. Theres a few more up in the la sal mtns that are awesome too. Hard to find because no body in Moab wants to tell you about them.
Many years ago Moab was touted as the one place you must ride before you die - every Aussie MTB mag had stories on it and we'd drool all over it. These days Whistler has the limelight.
I am very glad to have ridden at Moab though I was just blowing through Moab for a day (on a big tour of the deserts) and only got to do the Whole Enchilada and The Slickrock Trail. The W.E. was one of the best rides ever - just rolling and rolling and trying not to hit square edges on a rental bike. Thankfully I was alone so I didn't have to keep stopping to look at the views like everyone else. I'm looking forward to the W.E. recap and video.
It really is a place worth visiting, at least once. I would recommend hooking up with locals (always good wherever you go) and having at least four or five days to do it.
I would also recommend being VERY fit before you go. You will have a MUCH better time!
I am very glad to have ridden at Moab though I was just blowing through Moab for a day (on a big tour of the deserts) and only got to do the Whole Enchilada and The Slickrock Trail. The W.E. was one of the best rides ever - just rolling and rolling and trying not to hit square edges on a rental bike. Thankfully I was alone so I didn't have to keep stopping to look at the views like everyone else. I'm looking forward to the W.E. recap and video.
It really is a place worth visiting, at least once. I would recommend hooking up with locals (always good wherever you go) and having at least four or five days to do it.
I would also recommend being VERY fit before you go. You will have a MUCH better time!
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