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After eight years in the valley, I finally rode the infamous Goat Camp Loop in the White Tanks. All those years I lived on the west side and was riding the competitive loops… all the while Willow, Mesquite, and Goat Camp were up there just laying around waiting for me… Sure I’d heard about them but when I asked the park rangers years ago, they said they were too rocky for bikes. Rangers.

Sure, Goat Camp is a rocky beast but it’s not too much for the adventure-hungry semi-insane or skilled rider. You’ve only got to be one or the other, but both doesn’t hurt at all (unless you fall). I made it out today with just a couple of scrapes, no hard crashes. Pretty happy about that. My first day of Christmas vacation and I have one epic ride under me.

Photo by Kathleen

Today’s ride consisted of a group of seven MTBR riders, including one Mike Curiak, the famous big wheel builder and Lenz rider. Left to right, DurtGurl, Mikesee, AKA Monkeybutt, Salty Dog, tonloc08, TheBarqsMan, and Cactus Joe. Scott and Chad were going to ride today but bailed.

There wasn’t as much HAB as I thought there would be, a lot of the tough stuff in the beginning was rideable. Once up above the initial buff stuff, the climb was incredible. For the most part, it wasn’t techy but, but it was at a pitch that motivated me into a sweet climbing groove. Around every bend seeing the next climb was inspiring. I could do this.

While Mike C. was taking pictures like crazy, I was enjoying the groove of the climb too much to stop and play photographer. Even with all his stops, he was back on the bike and climbing like a madman ahead of me. So not many pics from me on this ride, but I’ll link to some shots from the group later.

The descent is almost indescribable. With one adverb and an adjective I’d say it is dangerously incredible. If I want to keep riding this trail, I’ll have to consider a couple of things: body armor, a couple more inches of travel in front and back, and about 3 more inches of wheel. Watching the 29ers roll through the chunk was a treat. The combo of skills and bike (Mike C. + Lenz, DurtGurl +Lenz) made riding this stuff look easy. Christmas is coming up in a couple of days, I wonder if it’s too late to order a Lenz from Santa?

I was also amazed at the skills of Jeff and Cactus Joe. They nailed all the big stuff on their 26ers, a Turner and a Nomad. Spiral Staircase, Jackhammer, they rode through it like butter. I need to ride with guys like this more often. Thanks all for a great time.

Goat Camp MTBR ride 12-23-08 from DurtGurl on Vimeo.

Mike C. photos in Picasa

Mike C. mtbr report post

McDowell Park post T-day ride

UPDATE: There is no singletrack left in the system. They widened the corridors and added more lanes… The map below is now obsolete.

I have finally put together a map of the San Tan Mountain Regional Park trails. This is an MTB friendly map as it will tell you where to go for the singletrack, where doubletrack and old Jeep roads are, and most importantly…where the SAND is. While there is quite a bit of Jeep road and doubletrack, there is a smattering of young singletrack in the area, primitive in spots but skinny just like we like it.

I’ll be updating the San Tan Park trail page soon with more detailed descriptions of the trails. Until then, download the map for a visual layout of the system.

Download the PDF San Tan TOPO Map (PDF 1.3 MB)

I’ve been on a San Tan kick lately. I’ve been out to the park five times since I first explored the area in December. The unknown trails keep calling to me. Last weekend I rode all the newly designated trails on the new map. There are a couple of sweet singletrack segments that just may make the southern San Tans a destination.

Cross country and singlespeed riders will find rolling singletrack that winds through amazing Sonoran desert with views to the south of Rock Peak and the Malpais mountains.

There are still a few sand traps that could use an MTB friendly re-route and there are spots of doubletrack connectors in the mix. But overall the southern San Tan trail is ready to ride.

I hit the San Tans again this week, the day after the big rains. I was back to explore the new singletrack I found last week.

At the Park entrance I spoke with a ranger and she gave me a new map of the park. The south side of the park has three newly designated trails: the Malpais trail, Hedgehog trail, and Rock Peak trail. She said they haven’t officially opened yet, meaning there is no trailhead signage, but they do have trail markers and are open to hike, bike, and horse. The Hedgehog trail we’ve been riding for a while now. It just the new name given to the second half of the singletrack that wraps around the mountain. The San Tan loop trail got an extra 2.7 miles added as well.

I headed back to finish off what I started on the Malpais trail. Just knowing the name of the trail made it less adventurous. Being less adventurous, there seemed to be more sandy spots as well. Good thing for all the rain it made the singletrack (sandy or not) nice to ride.

I still had to explore the section of trail from the boulders down to the big wash. It turned out to be good stuff. More technical than the other segments of the trail. It is a modest descent on various gradients of desert earth – Loose stuff, sandy stuff, some granite, some hardpack. It didn’t last long enough though before the fun ran right into an endless beach.

I walked the coastline for more than a half mile looking for signs of an escape route but to no avail. The scenic nature of the wash was amazing though. It follows near the base of the Malpais mountains which shoot right up in to the sky. The solitude, the scenery, the sand… I made it as far as a fallen cactus strewn across the wash, then turned around to salvage the ride with the singletrack back to the San Tan trail.

I still have a couple more segments to ride along the new San Tan Trail, as well as the Rock Peak Trail. Although Rock Peak looks like it’s going to be a beach. There are still a few other unmarked spurs that beg exploration out there. It looks like exploring the San Tans is going to be a longer adventure than I thought. Good thing I live close.

From San Tan Malpais Trail

After a couple of weeks out of the saddle fighting colds, flues, and viruses, I made it out to San Tan Park this week for a short “see how I feel” ride. I opted to drive out to the park entrance on Phillips and pay the extra 5 bucks so I didn’t have to gruel through the rite of passage over Goldmine Mountain. The best 5 bucks I ever spent.

I warmed up over Moonlight trail and connected with the San Tan singletrack. Conditions were dry, soft and sandy in more places than the last time I rode out here. Still rideable, it just takes a bit more energy to push. The horses sure chew up the trail as they klopp, klopp, klopp. I saw more horse tracks than tire tracks on this ride. Riding after the rains is San Tan’s finest riding.

I was planning to just ride the singletrack CCW around the mountain till it meets the sandy doublewide back to the entrance. Here I’d turn around and ride CW back the way I came. It’s a good thing I had a game plan, because there is nothing better than ditching your game plan when you see fresh new singletrack, especially in the San Tans.

A couple of small yellow flags and a herd of hoof prints caught my eye one mile into the singletrack on San Tan trail. I didn’t see it last time I rode out here. It looked so inviting – all the hoof prints and all – I just couldn’t wait to leave my tracks over the top.

I rode the “new” trail for about 2 miles out. The connection to the San Tan trail looked new but there were stretches that looked and felt like old trails. It had a Wild Horse kind of feel – winding through the desert in and out of washes. Occasionally more in washes than out. There were at least two long stretches I could have broken out the beach towel. No worries for me though, exploring new trails trumps sand.

I ran out of time before I could drop down into what looks like a big wash in Google Earth. No signs of any trail looping back, other than the big wash. The original trail plan for the area shows a trail named 1-9 that looks like the route I followed. I know the original plan has been changed a lot, but maybe 1-9 made the cut. All I know is the 2 mile stretch I rode was fun. It needs a lot more bike traffic to pack the trail. I know I’ll be back finish the loop and do even more exploring.

Usery Mountain Regional Park is a fun place to ride. It’s not technical or steep or so narrow that you rub cactus with your elbows…sure doesn’t sound very fun yet does it? It’s not at all my favorite place to ride, but it does have it’s shining moments….
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The McDowell Mountain Regional Park is one of my favorite places to ride. The competitive track has a Sport Loop and a Technical Loop that are about 3 miles each and full of fast singletrack. The Technical Loop is only called technical because of a couple of steep drops you can launch off of, plus it has a short tech climb…
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Pemberton is close to 16 miles of trail. About 2/3 singletrack and 1/3 jeep road. The only reason I don’t ride Pemberton more often…the race loops…
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While I have not personally ridden Goat Camp Loop in the White Tanks, from what I have heard, read, and seen - it looks like an epic ride to say the least. Since I’ll be off the bike for a few months I’ll be posting links to the trails I plan to ride once the leg is up and “riding” again…
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