Mountain Bike Fun!

Gunnison mountain biking has many excellent, but underrated mountain bike trails snaking through the surrounding terrain, mainly in the Elk and West Elk Mountains to the north.

This little-known hide-away area of Colorado lives quietly in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, Crested Butte.

Though only 30 minutes from Crested Butte, the Gunnison mountain biking season lasts much longer due to its lower elevation. Often biking will continue deep into October.

The best variety of Gunnison mountain biking rides are to be found at Hartman’s Rocks, located just south of Gunnison airport. Bikers will find themselves amused and challenged for hours on end, tackling the more than 25 trails in the area.

This area with its variety of short to mid-length trails, is a great place to adjust your body to the altitude before heading into the mountain trails!

Another trail in the Gunnison mountain biking area, is the Deadman Gulch Trail. This advanced 20 mile loop is a challenging trail with many steep segments. It makes for excellent high altitude riding, with a lot of variety in terrain flashing by!

For more advanced Gunnison mountain biking, you can try the Deer Creek Trail. This 29 mile loop, taking 3 to 5 hours to complete, offers some fantastic views of the Elk and West Elk Mountains. You will encounter some really difficult ascents, but to balance things out you, will enjoy miles of easy riding through impressive aspen groves.

An intermediate Gunnison mountain biking ride is the Wager Gulch Mountain Biking Trail, a round trip of just under 10 miles. This trail consists of a rough four-wheel drive route leading to Carson, a well preserved ghost town in the San Juans.

After Carson, the trail continues up to the Continental Divide, where you can do further mountain biking in just about any direction!

The Strand Hill Trail is a short 8 mile loop ride. It consists of a few steep sections through some stunning Gunnison mountain biking terrain and groves of aspen.

An intermediate trail, the Lost Canyon Mountain Biking Trail of 24 miles, takes 3 to 4 hours to complete. Climbing from Gunnison town along a spur of the Colorado Trail, it offers a variety of riding options. Steep rocky climbs will test your technique, followed by mesa-top riding through aspen groves.

The McIntosh Loop Mountain Biking Trail includes advanced Gunnison mountain biking along its 35 miles. This is a beautiful trail, through a variety of terrain types. It follows old jeep roads, and offers great views of the Gunnison Valley and the West Elk Wilderness.

Once you get to Gunnison, be sure to get a good map at a local bike shop, to help you make the most of Gunnison mountain biking!

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

By: Rika Susan

About the Author:

Utah mountain biking offers some of the best rides anywhere. In fact, there are those who say that Utah is quickly becoming the mountain biking ‘capital of the world’, with a number of world famous trails. Perhaps it’s time to get out there and see for yourself…

Some of the more famous rides are of course Slick Rock Bike Trail, and White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park in the Moab area, but there are many other rides to explore.

The Moab area alone offers a staggering number and variety of Utah mountain biking trails, such as Poison Spider, Gemini Bridges, and Hurrah Pass. A host of other trails make this region an excellent destination for bikers of various abilities. The rides range from easier half day outings, to more demanding and technical rides, which may take a number of days.

Another Utah mountain biking region to explore is the Zion area.

Zion National Park features some of the world’s most stunning rock formations, and other natural wonders. Mountain biking here offers views of landmarks such as the Subway, the Narrows, and the Great White Throne.

Gooseberry Mesa above Zion National Park has been called the best new trail in America. This Utah mountain biking trail includes an easy out-and-back ride, or a more challenging technical single-track loop.

Just when you think you have exhausted the Utah mountain biking possibilities, you discover the Brian Head area. There’s the town of Brian Head – with a permanent population of just over 100 – sitting at nearly 1000 feet. You can’t miss Brian Head Peak which rises to a dizzying 11,307 feet.

The spectacular and rugged Utah mountain biking area surrounding Brian Head, includes the Cedar Breaks National Monument, Sidney Valley, Lowder Ponds, and Red Desert/Tippets Valley. Here the lush forests and alpine meadows is in sharp contrast to the Moab area’s red rock desert areas.

Brian Head offers beginner trails such as Twisted Forest, and the exhilarating downhill ride along Bunker Creek, always combined with extraordinary scenery.

Many other Utah mountain biking trails can be explored in areas like the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, San Rafael Swell, and Canyonlands, to name just a few.

For useful information, presented in an entertaining way, read “Mountain Biking Utah” by Gregg Bromka. In this revised edition of his book, you can devour 518 pages of action-packed information, detailing 100 Utah mountain biking rides, covering the entire state.

To quote from the back cover, ‘…through the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City, you can enjoy endless vistas atop Brian Head Resort, and discover Moab’s redrock splendor in and around Arches and Canyonlands national parks’. Gregg Bromka describe Utah mountain biking as only he can, further whetting your appetite with a number of photos and maps.

Another great product to introduce you to the area, or to show back home to non-riding friends, is a 45-minute video, ‘Utah Mountain Biking’. Short clips of 30 of the regions most-loved trails have been filmed. Details are given about the location of the trail, and you will almost feel as if you are on the trail, as footage of riders are shown.

The region offers something for everyone. There is a vast amount of riding to be done. Be sure to set aside enough time for Utah mountain biking!

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

By: Rika Susan

About the Author:

Gunnison mountain biking has many excellent, but underrated mountain bike trails snaking through the surrounding terrain, mainly in the Elk and West Elk Mountains to the north.

This little-known hide-away area of Colorado lives quietly in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, Crested Butte.

Though only 30 minutes from Crested Butte, the Gunnison mountain biking season lasts much longer due to its lower elevation. Often biking will continue deep into October.

The best variety of Gunnison mountain biking rides are to be found at Hartman’s Rocks, located just south of Gunnison airport. Bikers will find themselves amused and challenged for hours on end, tackling the more than 25 trails in the area.

This area with its variety of short to mid-length trails, is a great place to adjust your body to the altitude before heading into the mountain trails!

Another trail in the Gunnison mountain biking area, is the Deadman Gulch Trail. This advanced 20 mile loop is a challenging trail with many steep segments. It makes for excellent high altitude riding, with a lot of variety in terrain flashing by!

For more advanced Gunnison mountain biking, you can try the Deer Creek Trail. This 29 mile loop, taking 3 to 5 hours to complete, offers some fantastic views of the Elk and West Elk Mountains. You will encounter some really difficult ascents, but to balance things out you, will enjoy miles of easy riding through impressive aspen groves.

An intermediate Gunnison mountain biking ride is the Wager Gulch Mountain Biking Trail, a round trip of just under 10 miles. This trail consists of a rough four-wheel drive route leading to Carson, a well preserved ghost town in the San Juans.

After Carson, the trail continues up to the Continental Divide, where you can do further mountain biking in just about any direction!

The Strand Hill Trail is a short 8 mile loop ride. It consists of a few steep sections through some stunning Gunnison mountain biking terrain and groves of aspen.

An intermediate trail, the Lost Canyon Mountain Biking Trail of 24 miles, takes 3 to 4 hours to complete. Climbing from Gunnison town along a spur of the Colorado Trail, it offers a variety of riding options. Steep rocky climbs will test your technique, followed by mesa-top riding through aspen groves.

The McIntosh Loop Mountain Biking Trail includes advanced Gunnison mountain biking along its 35 miles. This is a beautiful trail, through a variety of terrain types. It follows old jeep roads, and offers great views of the Gunnison Valley and the West Elk Wilderness.

Once you get to Gunnison, be sure to get a good map at a local bike shop, to help you make the most of Gunnison mountain biking!

For more information visit Best-Mountain-Biking.com

By: Rika Susan

About the Author:

LLBikes asked:

We found an amazing mountain bike trail with Altitude Adventure in the Pyresees. There was quite a few of us from Leisure Lakes Bikes and it was overall a great week of mountain biking. This is only the first part, so check out ‘Mountain Biking Trail in Les Angles Part 2′ and all the other vids from the holiday.

bradnesp asked:

Freeride mountain biking trail at Bogus Basin in Idaho

bradnesp asked:

Freeride mountain biking trail at Bogus Basin in Idaho

ticketstub asked:

Take a ride on the knife-edge trail known as Joe’s Ridge. Fast, smooth, and oh-so-exposed.

expertvillage asked:

Learn about how to judge trail speed when mountain biking through rough terrain in this free extreme sports video. Expert: Mickey Denoncourt Contact: www.spookybikes.com Bio: Mickey Denoncourt owns Spooky Bikes, at www.spookybikes.com. Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso

bradnesp asked:

Freeride mountain biking trail at Bogus Basin in Idaho … mountain biking freeride idaho bogus basin boise bike jump

John Smith asked:


The mountain biking survival tips are as follows:

Water and food

Whether it is summer or in the middle of the winter season, you as a biker need to drink plenty of fluid and eat substantial amount of food. Bring high energy food and enough water or energy drink to stay keep you hydrated during the course of the trip. Powerbars are recommended since they are compact and easy to carry. If powerbars are not available, you can bring fruits such as bananas and apples. Always pack extra food in case you have to stay longer on the trail.

Clothing

Wear clothes that are suited for the type of weather. If you are riding in summer, bring light clothes made from breathable fabric. Winter riding requires layers of clothing that may include a t-shirt, a long sleeve shirt and a brightly-colored jacket so that you can be properly seen in the middle of the snow. Always bring pack extra clothing regardless of the amount of hours you will spend on the trail.

Gears

First things first: never ride without wearing a helmet. Then wear gloves for better grip and comfort. Gloves can also protect your hands in case you suffer a crash and use your palms to absorb the fall. Sunglasses are another important accessory you should wear. It serves as a protection against foreign objects that might enter your eyes. Depending on the color of the shade, sunglasses enhance the color of the road.

Tools

Bring a flashlight whether you are riding during the day or at night. Tire blow out can happen anytime while on the trail; always carry bike and tire repair kits that include multi-tool wrenches, pump, tire gauge, patches and glue. Do not forget a spare inner tube. It will come in handy in case the damage of your tire is not repairable.

Navigation

Bring a map, a compass or a GPS in case you are unfamiliar with the biking trail.

Trip Planning

Like a good Boy Scout, be prepared. Pack everything you need before the trip.

To summarize all these, your backpack should contain the following: enough food and water, sunscreen, cellphone, pump, tire gauge, patches, glue, spare inner tube, multi-tool kit, first aid kit, wallet with identification and extra money, flashlight, a navigation tool like compass or GPS, a map, and a lighter.

Let someone know where you are. Give your itinerary including your expected time of return to a friend or a relative.

While mountain biking is a physical activity itself, make sure that you are physically prepared especially if you are going out for a more challenging and longer trip. (Do not ride alone.)

On the trail

The best way to get rescued is to stay put and remain visible. Protect yourself from heat.

Mountain forest and desert have its own weather system. And weather condition can change in a matter of minutes. In case it rains, stay high and dry. Create a make-shift shelter on the highest area of the terrain. Do not ride the storm especially if it comes with lightning.

If you are going to stay overnight, make a fire before it gets dark. Keep it alive throughout the night. Fire keeps predators away.

Temperature can plummet when dark sets in. Make sure that you are properly insulated.

If you believe in prayer, pray. It can help relaxes your nerves.