AZT Utah border to Flagstaff

[YuriB]

That plan is complete this last segment for me this spring.
Accordingly I have a few questions - late May seem like a viable time to start at the Utah border.

For anyone that has done Utah to the North Rim,  would you say that two days from Utah to the north rim is a reasonable pace for some office jockeys? Is Jacob lake the logical half way point (read, a meal and supply point).

I have some recollection of an outfit that might shuttle bikes around the
GC. Do any of you have any beta on that outfit?

Cheers,
Yuri

[YuriB]

Also, any thoughts on Phantom Ranch reservations versus getting the back country permit?

[ScottM]

For anyone that has done Utah to the North Rim,  would you say that two days from Utah to the north rim is a reasonable pace for some office jockeys? Is Jacob lake the logical half way point (read, a meal and supply point).

I think two days is pretty reasonable for you guys.  But Jacob Lake isn't really halfway.  It's ~25 miles from Utah to 89A (road to Jacob Lake).  Then about 50 from there to the North Rim. 

With that said, going south, those first 25 miles will be climbing, and the latter 50 more rolling.  So it might not be a bad way to break it up. 

I have some recollection of an outfit that might shuttle bikes around the
GC. Do any of you have any beta on that outfit?

There are a couple companies that do it.  There's a group of guys from BC doing Utah->Phoenix right now, and they had something set up for shuttle.  I can ask them for the details, or encourage them to jump on here, too.

[ScottM]

Also, any thoughts on Phantom Ranch reservations versus getting the back country permit?

If you're willing to throw a few more dollars at it, it's hard to beat the experience of staying at the cabins at Phantom and joining in on the "family style" dinner.  Since you are this far out I would think you'd be able to get a reservation, but it would lock you into a certain date.

Otherwise, you're probably looking at camping at Cottonwood or Bright Angel, and availability is a lot easier.  Worst case you can show up and beg for a permit.  They always hold a few for special cases, like people arriving on bike...

[AZTtripper]

Yuri

Some thoughts on your last leg of the AZT not sure but you may be the first bikepacker to break it up this way. I know lots of hikers have done the whole thing in segments but it seams like all of the bike trips have been more of a one push kinda thing.

Breaking it up is going to be a big plus on this leg. It should be reasonable to make reservations well ahead of time and then just back plan for your start date.

Starting at the border are you doing the Buckskin Passage. There is a lot of slow ST should be all ride-able but Winter road will get you there easier and faster. You should make Jacob Lake easy if you skip Buckskin. Then from there to the Park the next day seams doable.

Then there is 10 more miles in of trail riding in the park do you plan to pay and spend a night in the park or camp out side the park and ride in to meet shuttle. Can the shuttle bring backpacking gear. You should be able to do the ride meet the shuttle and hike to Cottonwood all in one day. To make it to Phantom you might want to be staying in the park.

Phantom is great and worth the cash the dorms are reasonable thou someone may snore all night long. But if the shuttle can bring backpacking gear you could have a stove and make your own food by not carry the bike you should be able to carry a good amount.

I would think it would also work out good to start in Flag do the most direct/best dirt route the south rim. Some blend of the AZT and the Moqui Stage route. You could camp out side of Tusayan and then ride in to the park in the morning meet a shuttle and then still make Phantom before they stop selling beer I forget if it was 3 or 4 in the afternoon but they close the store to get ready for dinner. Beer was free with the steak dinner. If you end the ride at the state line finishing with the Buckskin Passage is great the last switchbacks are fun, fast and flowing down to the finish line and the State Line camp ground is a great place to spend the night.

Either way you go, be sure to look for the new carsonite signs on the south rim the AZT is now officially in and there is some great riding on the rim trail just south of Yaki point. This is the only part of the rim trail where MTB’s are allowed. Most of the signed route is on the old entrance road and goes pretty fast.

[DaveC]

In my experience Phantom fills up very close to when reservations can be made, ie a year in advance.  Cottonwood, the camp ~6 miles north of PR is a nice place. 

2 days from UT to the rim would be very nice.  Jacob's Lake wouldn't be bad at all to break it up.  Bear in mind that the AZT through the burn area is closed indefinitely at this time.  It'd be worth detouring on dirt roads west of the highway, that section of trail isn't so great anyway.