Dear Roaring Fork riders,

Welcome to the weekend!  The big news this week is the opening of most White River National Forest trails such as Hummingbird, Forest Hollow, Mansfield Ditch etc.

Also, there is a new section of trail to ride on Prince Creek!

Plus, be sure to save the date – June 4 – for the first Undie Trail dig party!

Follow

You better get your Red Hill rides in now because …

The Town of Carbondale will be closing the Red Hill Trail access and the commuter parking on May 18, 2020. This closure will last approximately four to six weeks (until the project is completed.)

The Town of Carbondale reminds us that these closures are necessary for safety reasons as the entire project area will be very active and hazards may exist until the project is complete.

Officials state that there will be no safe way for folks to park or access the trails either during working hours or after construction has been wrapped up for the day.

Follow

We’ve got good news.  The last week brought out plenty of snow melting and trail drying sun.  There are many more miles of open and dry trails to help us all keep socially distanced on the trails. 

Fresh openings and dry trails of note: Hawk Ridge, Rio Grande from Rock Bottom Ranch to Catherines Store, Skull Bucket and Vasten.

Here’s the latest trail scoop as of Friday, May 1st:

Snowmass
• Hawk Ridge is open and dry
◦ Hawk Ridge is a new trail connecting the Mountain View trail to the South Rim climb. The trail allows riders to bypass the Fanny Hill area and many of the condo parking lots en route to the Rim Trail.
◦ To ride Hawk Ridge from the North riders access the Mountain View trail behind the Snowmass Post Office.
◦ To ride Hawk Ridge from the South (Rim Trail), look for signs at the third switchback from the South Rim trailhead.
◦ A big shout out to Starr Jamison, hard working volunteers, the RFMBA Trail Crew and the Town of Snowmass Village for making this new trail possible. 
• Hawk Ridge allows us to ride more singletrack and through fewer parking lots – WIN!

Prince Creek
• Just about every trail is dry.
• Beware of a few puddles on Skull Bucket, upper Father of Ginormous and Dinkle Link
• The full Innie/Outie loop is dry.
• North Porcupine and the “Up and Over” loop are good to go
NOTE: The Rio Grande Trail between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store Road is now open making the loop back to Carbondale a lot shorter …Yes!

Crown Mountain (North facing aspects)
• Buckhorn and Buckhorn Traverse are dry.
• The Vasten loop is ridable, but beware of some short sections still holding snow and water.  Please respect the trail by portaging over any potentially trail damaging sections.
• Riding West from the top of Lower Buckhorn to Outie and beyond to Prince Creek is dry.

A little info on Vasten Trail: 
Vasten is a designated as a two way trail. However, to promote a smoother flow with fewer instances of encountering oncoming traffic through sections of dence foliage we recommend rding the loop in a clockwise direction.
NOTE:
• Glassier does not open until May 16th. So the Buckhorn-Glassier loop is not an option yet. 

Red Hill
• All trails open and dry.
Lorax
• Dry.  
Glenwood Springs/South Canyon
• Grandstaff – Dry
• Wulshohn Trails – Dry
• South Canyon Lighting Bug & Tramway –  Dry
• South Canyon Coal Camp – Seasonal closure still in effect until conditions permit
New Castle
• Town trails and Colorow/Stairway to Heaven network are dry and riding well. 

What is still closed to riding:
• Most local trails located in the White River National Forest
• Glassier Trail – opens May 16th
• Coal Camp loops in South Canyon – the City of Glenwood Springs will open these trails when the snow melts.
• Just about every trail upvalley from El Jebel  – Sky Mountain Park is scheduled to open May 16th.
• Anything wet and muddy or under snow.
COAL BASIN BIKE PRESERVE WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL MID-SUMMER AT THE EARLIEST.  PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RIDE COAL BASIN. 

Follow

Trails close to home are helping many of us get through this national crisis. What would we do without them?

As mountain bikers we know that good quality trails don’t magically appear. Trails happen because IMBA Local organizations, dedicated members and volunteers, make them happen.

During this time of many community needs, do look after yourself and neighbors first. But, know that being a member helps. Because when we get through this, IMBA Local Partners will still be here working on behalf of mountain bikers everywhere.

Join today and be entered to win 1 of 16 amazing prize packages! IMBA corporate partners donating these prizes care about you and the good work IMBA Local Partners accomplish for us all.

Prizes include:
Pivot Mach 5.5 Race X01 * DT Swiss Spline 1700 wheel set * SRAM Eagle X01 Eagle AXS Groupset
$2,000 JensonUSA shopping spree * Shimano XTR Groupset * Spot Ryve 115 4-star and dozens more prizes.

Follow

Dear Roaring Fork riders,

There is more mileage available now that the April 16th openings are past and the sun has been able to hit the hot spots.

The lower trails on Prince Creek are riding well, as is lower Grandstaff in Glenwood Springs and Lightning Bug and Tramway in South Canyon.

Some trails need a little more time to be prime. With warmer temperatures and more direct sunlight, we should expect even more trails to be rideable soon.
 
As always, if you run into mud or snow, please turn back.  If you come to snow or mud and witness tracks leading into the slop, please resist the temptation to continue riding through the mud.  The trails and your bike will thank you.
 
Keep in mind, it’s still only April and just because a trail is open, doesn’t mean you should ride it. Ride Dirt, Not Mud! 

Here’s the latest trail scoop as of Friday, April 24th:

Prince Creek
• Most trails above North and South Porcupine still hold snow.  Please avoid upper Innie, Skillsaw, upper Next Jen, upper FoG, Dinkle Link and Skull Bucket.
• The ‘Up and Over” route linking Prince Creek to the Rio Grande North Porcupine to Outie and Buckhorn is good to go.

NOTE: Anyone planning to ride the “Up and Over” loop from Prince Creek to Rio Grande and back to Carbondale should be aware that they will need to detour through El Jebel until the Catherine Store section reopens at the end of April. 

Crown Mountain (North facing aspects)
• Buckhorn and Buckhorn Traverse are dry.
• Vasten still holds snow on the higher portions. Ride Vasten from either the West or East as an “out and back.”  Please avoid riding the full Vasten Loop. 
• Riding West from the top of Lower Buckhorn to Outie and beyond to Prince Creek is dry.

NOTE:
• Glassier does not open until May 16th. So the Buckhorn-Glassier loop is not an option yet.  Until Glassier opens on May 16th, riders heading East on Buckhorn Traverse should expect an “out and back” ride.
• The only way to access Crown from the Rio Grande is via Lower Buckhorn.
• The only way to access Lower Buckhorn is from the East as the Catherine Store section of Rio Grande does not open until April 30th at 5 pm.

Red Hill
• All trails open and dry.

Lorax
• Expect mud in higher zones

Glenwood Springs/South Canyon
• Grandstaff – Lower Half Dry, Upper Half Snow/Mud
• Wulshohn Trails – Dry
• South Canyon Lighting Bug & Tramway –  Dry
• South Canyon Coal Camp – Seasonal closure still in effect until conditions permit

New Castle
• Town trails and Colorow/Stairway to Heaven network are dry and riding well. 

What is still closed to riding:

• Most local trails located in the White River National Forest
• Glassier Trail – opens May 16th
• Coal Camp loops in South Canyon – the City of Glenwood Springs will open these trails when the snow melts.
• Just about every trail upvalley from El Jebel – Sky Mountain Park is scheduled to open May 16th.
• Anything wet and muddy or under snow.

*** Keep in mind, it’s still only April and just because a trail is open, doesn’t mean you should ride it. If you encounter wet and/or snowy/muddy conditions, please turn back. Ride Dirt, Not Mud! 

 RIDE ON!!!

Follow