Moab experts! Help me plan spring break!
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Moab experts! Help me plan spring break!
I have been commissioned by my school's outdoor recreation program to plan a five-day trip to Moab. We are going to have groups of climbers, backpackers and mountain bikers, with some "exchange" days where we can take a break from mountain biking to try something else. We are staying at Gold Bar campground, which I understand has a trail, but I can't find solid info on its difficulty/quality.
I have to plan for four days of riding, and so far have come up with this for an intinerary:
Day 1-Poison Spider
Day 2-Slickrock
Day 3-"Flex" day (we can either bike, climb, or hike, so I need a trail suggestion for a trail that novices can participate in but will still be fun/challenging enough for those who have been biking the previous two days)
Day 4-Rest day (probably a road ride/hike)
Day 5-Porcupine Rim (I am a bit unclear on this trail. I shuttled some people up to it this Fall and recall it starting at about 10,000ft and descending 12-15mi. However, trail guides say there is a way to start at the bottom, climb 3-4mi and then descend the 12-15mi. Anyone know how this works? We are trying to avoid running shuttles.)
I appreciate any input/suggestions. Bear in mind the group will be widely varied, with a nationally ranked collegiate racer, down to people with cheap bikes who have been on trails 1-2x before. I'm trying to find trails that allow the rider to select the challenge they want. The idea right now is to give everyone maps, with set "check points" so the faster riders can ride ahead, the slower ones can hang back. As leader/mechanic I will hang back with the slower group and make sure everyone gets through it ok, and that way I will ride up on anyone with a mechanical.
Sorry for the long winded post but this is in three weeks and just got dropped on me recently, after having only been to Moab once and at the time being unable to ride trails due to a broken hand.
I have to plan for four days of riding, and so far have come up with this for an intinerary:
Day 1-Poison Spider
Day 2-Slickrock
Day 3-"Flex" day (we can either bike, climb, or hike, so I need a trail suggestion for a trail that novices can participate in but will still be fun/challenging enough for those who have been biking the previous two days)
Day 4-Rest day (probably a road ride/hike)
Day 5-Porcupine Rim (I am a bit unclear on this trail. I shuttled some people up to it this Fall and recall it starting at about 10,000ft and descending 12-15mi. However, trail guides say there is a way to start at the bottom, climb 3-4mi and then descend the 12-15mi. Anyone know how this works? We are trying to avoid running shuttles.)
I appreciate any input/suggestions. Bear in mind the group will be widely varied, with a nationally ranked collegiate racer, down to people with cheap bikes who have been on trails 1-2x before. I'm trying to find trails that allow the rider to select the challenge they want. The idea right now is to give everyone maps, with set "check points" so the faster riders can ride ahead, the slower ones can hang back. As leader/mechanic I will hang back with the slower group and make sure everyone gets through it ok, and that way I will ride up on anyone with a mechanical.
Sorry for the long winded post but this is in three weeks and just got dropped on me recently, after having only been to Moab once and at the time being unable to ride trails due to a broken hand.
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Im planning a trip in late august early sept with a few of my buddys. I have gotten a lot of my info from Moab Area travel Council there number is 800-635-6622 and they will mail you a travel guide with a ton of info in it for the area. Sounds like you already know more than me about the area. But from everyone i talk to Poison Spider is the best source of mtb info in the area. there number and website are www.poisonspiderbicycles.com and 800-635-1792 or 435-259-7882.
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So this is like a school trip? I would make a hydration pack a requirement!
In my opinion, you can't ride Moab without riding Porcupine Rim so I'm glad you're going there! I highly recommend shuttling Porcupine Rim. I don't know how many of your kids will be able to ride that as a loop and not shuttle. Plus, by day 5 many of you will probably be too tired to loop it. If you shuttle it you'll be able to spend more time enjoying the trail, not just trying to ride up to it. The trail lets out on Hwy 182 and then it's a 4 mile ride (mainly downhill) back to Moab. This trail is epic: mind-blowing views, rough terrain, long and fast descents, some exposed singletrack. Slickrock is so overrated...Porcupine Rim is simply awesome.
Good luck have fun! Sorry I don't have a map to show you!
P.S. If you ride Poison Spider ride it out and back. I don't think parents would want you taking their kids on the Portal Trail if they knew what it was all about (you know, being VERY dangerous and all).
In my opinion, you can't ride Moab without riding Porcupine Rim so I'm glad you're going there! I highly recommend shuttling Porcupine Rim. I don't know how many of your kids will be able to ride that as a loop and not shuttle. Plus, by day 5 many of you will probably be too tired to loop it. If you shuttle it you'll be able to spend more time enjoying the trail, not just trying to ride up to it. The trail lets out on Hwy 182 and then it's a 4 mile ride (mainly downhill) back to Moab. This trail is epic: mind-blowing views, rough terrain, long and fast descents, some exposed singletrack. Slickrock is so overrated...Porcupine Rim is simply awesome.
Good luck have fun! Sorry I don't have a map to show you!
P.S. If you ride Poison Spider ride it out and back. I don't think parents would want you taking their kids on the Portal Trail if they knew what it was all about (you know, being VERY dangerous and all).
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Its a college trip--so parents aren't TOO much of a concern. I was planning on doing the out and back on Poison Spider. It looks like it can be accessed off of Gold Bar, where we are staying, so that might work out nicely. Hydration pack is definately mandatory. The guys who rode Porcupine Rim loved it last time so I put it down as a must do.
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Random thoughts in no particular order:
- If you have fit/experienced riders, you should have an option for two rides per day, especially on the Slickrock and Poison Spider days.
- If you have a group of mixed abilities I would skip Poison Spider and substitute Amasa instead. I can't see bring a mixed group down Portal and the descent back down Poison Spider pales in comparison to the Amasa descent. Amasa is a great climb, great views, etc. and also offers more than one way back down. Newblets could just return via the main jeep road while folks looking for a longer ride/more of a challenge could return via Pothole Arch-Rockstacker-Jackson's.
- Gold Bar is 14 miles out of town...
- You want to do the typical Porc ride which can be looped from town by climbing Sand Flats road (boring) or by doing a shuttle (shuttle services available or self-shuttle). The Porc shuttle that you described was the UPS/Hazard County shuttle which is a much longer drive.
- Newblet friendly singletrack would be Sovereign.
- If you have a large mixed group out on the trail it would be helpful if the lead and the tail had FRS radios to wrangle riders, deal with mechanicals, etc.
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I'm in agreement with RD up above. You can easily hit two of the shorter rides per day, if you have a decently fit crew. I usually do either two shorter rides, or one long one a day.
Slickrock early in the morning, followed by Amassa Back in the afternoon.
Skip P. Spider, do Amassa instead; a much better ride. PS can be a sandy hell. Sovereign is another fun one, that nearly anyone can have a great time on.
Porc Rim. Shuttle it from as far up as you can. Pay for the shuttle in town if you don't want to do it yourself; it is highly worth it. No hassling with having to go get your cars up top afterwards..... As a large college group, you may be able to strike a deal for a little bit cheaper price. $10-15 depending on how high up you have them drop you.
Have the rest day be another flex day. It will surely turn into that anyhow. If I were flyng out there from Michigan, I'd be intent on maximizing my ride time as much as possible. Hell, I do that now, and I'm only six hours away. Camping that far out is a PITA, at least IMO. Sand Flats Rd. or down along the river are my preferred spots.
Slickrock early in the morning, followed by Amassa Back in the afternoon.
Skip P. Spider, do Amassa instead; a much better ride. PS can be a sandy hell. Sovereign is another fun one, that nearly anyone can have a great time on.
Porc Rim. Shuttle it from as far up as you can. Pay for the shuttle in town if you don't want to do it yourself; it is highly worth it. No hassling with having to go get your cars up top afterwards..... As a large college group, you may be able to strike a deal for a little bit cheaper price. $10-15 depending on how high up you have them drop you.
Have the rest day be another flex day. It will surely turn into that anyhow. If I were flyng out there from Michigan, I'd be intent on maximizing my ride time as much as possible. Hell, I do that now, and I'm only six hours away. Camping that far out is a PITA, at least IMO. Sand Flats Rd. or down along the river are my preferred spots.