Lake City, Colorado
So, back to riding motorcycles!
Saturday started out with bright clear skies and warming nicely soon as the sun peeked over the eastern ridge. A day made for exploring.
Night before, I put together a GPS file with three nearby trails - easy, tougher and single track. My hope was to cruise into LC early and scare up a crew of off-roaders who were ready for adventure. Well, seems all the riders were still snuggled in their motel beds dreaming of Linda Lovelace and premix.
So, what's a fellow to do? Ride the bloomin motorcycle, that's what. The easy track was passed onto me several years ago by a fellow TWT rider. He called it the Jarosa Mesa trail so that's what it is. As you leave LC toward Creede on 149, the first really big tight curve – maybe three miles up the mountain – has a small dirt jeep trail to the right that mysteriously disappears quickly into the trees. I've looked at this thing numerous times over the years and heard it calling me near. That's where our trail begins.
If you're familiar with running up Corkscrew pass out of Ironton near Ouray, this thing starts out pretty similar.
It has way fewer rocks, only a dozen or so switchbacks and really nice dirt until you approach the summit where things get pretty loose and chunky. Ninety percent of this trail is big bike friendly (with a fully capable rider) but that other 10% would be a struggle and quite likely to end with scattered plastic.
It is scenic. Old growth Aspen forest, winding dirt climbing up the mountain, each curve with berms to plant the front into, water bars to help catch a little air off of... it's a nice ride. High altitude – well past 12K and you feel the effects on your engine losing a tad of kick as air grows thin. Picking lines and soothing the smooth groove gets a little physical. Running this trail before acclimating to elevation would be humbling. It gets high and stays high.Took about two weeks for my lungs to get fully rejetted here.
It's clear why this is called a mesa. Levels off on top for quite a ways. The view from the peak of mountain 71 is 360 and reminds me of Flag Mountain at Taylor Park. Good clear air day with Uncompahgre and Matterhorn peaks in plain view.
Looking down on LC and up the entire valley toward Cinnamon pass.
The opposite direction, Bristlecone is front and center with the village of Creede just on the other side.
Amazing how close all these places really are when you can go over the mountains instead of all the way around them.
Beetle damage is nearly 100% up here.
Some trees survive and new ones are growing among the graying stands of devastation. Trail hikers pitch their tents well away from these dead trees. They are often awakened during the night by the sounds and ground shudder of trees falling nearby. They take it seriously.
The entire valley has really good cell service now. Here's why. Right on top of mountain 71.
Riding toward the end of this trail involves very little descent but there are still some rugged areas to pass through.
The trail kicked me out at another location I've seen many times in passing... a little parking area at the top of Spring Creek pass on 149.
Just down the hill is South Clear Creek Falls. I started out for the falls but rain was getting pretty cold so I turned around and headed back to the pass. I huddled under the roof of a small park sign with three trail hikers and their two dogs who were making their way along the Colorado Trail.
Two guys and a gal waiting for a shuttle into LC. Think I did a good job of ambassadorship for our ilk. We parted friends and I later saw them again in town.
The choice here was once again – either turn around and ride the trail back the way I came or slab it all the way back to LC on a wet 149. You all already know which way I chose. This trail with all it's rocky stretches and lovely dirt takes on an entirely different personality when freshly wet... which it was. Not really bad, though. A little slip here and there but overall a fun trip at a spirited pace while hoping to make LC before the skies opened up for real.
It was seriously pouring in every direction except a small narrow path ahead of me leading straight into LC. Thunder and lightning were happening a lot and I really didn't want to get zapped up on top of this mountain. This high mesa goes on for miles and I felt like I was in Nature's own shooting gallery.
I made it into town and slid under a shed behind the Packer Saloon just as the sky opened up.
This wasn't going to be one of those afternoon mountain showers that lasts just long enough to get stuff wet. I finished lunch and waited for it to lighten up. Made the nine mile dash to camp. It rained the rest of the day and well into the night. A gentle rain on the RV roof ain't such a bad thing about bed time.
Next up: Sargents and the Tomichi Creek playground