Continental Divide Trail (not GDMBR) thru-ride - looking for local help.

[ScottM]

Mark -- that might have been Mike Curiak and I that used the RV park on the Garita detour.  That was after we bailed from Coney Summit all the way down due to lightning.  That was a bear of a bushwhack.  Would have been 2007, I think before the race.

You have been thinking about this.  Very nice.  I'm still looking at options to get over to Durango, then ride CT to Silverton and all of 22/23.  I see a possibility of a singletrack descent just before Wolf Creek Pass off the west side of the divide to 160.

I'd love to pick your brain in early June, but I'm afraid you'll be on to bigger things!

Anyway, man New Mexico is going to be an adventure.  Have been getting a little info from Silver City area MTBers, but the rest is sparse.  Going to have to take it as it comes out there!

[ScottM]

There's also the Ride along the Divide book,

http://radtrek.com/

To gain some inspiration.

Yep, I've got a copy.  Wasn't really designed as a touring route, but goes to some cool places.  Thx Justin.

[ScottM]

http://francistapon.com/Travels/Continental-Divide-Trail/CDT-Maps-by-Jonathan-Ley
will this help at all

Thanks.  Cool that someone posted them online -- I hadn't seen that.  I've got a copy of the maps (and threw a paypal donation at Jonathan), but they are pretty overwhelming.  If we were thru-hiking we'd just print 'em out and go.  That doesn't really work for bikepacking, though.

[dream4est]

Its not really an RV park you may mean some other business closer to Lake City?The ranch is down at the bottom of the long climb to hwy 149. The John Wayne looking rancher guy rents trailers to hunters and such. I stayed there in 2012 when I was nursing a stress fracture. Saved my race I was done and the bed helped me limp it home to Durango.I was pretty sure that one of the 2007 racers got lunch before me (Matt Lee?) at the Mineral Mtn Ranch. I only say that because thats what John Martin, the rancher told me. I show up all hungry and wanting to quit in 07. I ask him, ready to eat his ranch hand buddy if it came to it, if I could buy lunch for 20 bucks (legit since he is a commercial ranch offering amenities). He goes "You in that race." I am confused. I dont know what he is talking about for a minute. I say Yes. He laughs and says that another guy looking just as hungry as you came here 2 days ago and asked the same thing. I dont have to end up killing and eating his employee the employee sells me a lunch.

Good people. Its basically the only commercial spot between Mt Princeton and Silverton. The secret spot!!

http://www.mineralmountainoutfitters.com/dnn/AboutUs.aspx

Pic is of John Martin circa 2012. About 85 years old. I hope he is still kicking I am going to say Hi this year again. Those fridges behind him are full of Coors Light. He gave me one. I usually wouldnt but I was hurting so bad I drank it and it was so nice.

Bikepack racing is so cool. You meet people you will remember forever.

[dream4est]

I sent the Martins an email. John is still going strong!!
Anyone who wants to get a lunch or rent a trailer should stop by and say Hi.
They are really nice folk. Its about 12 miles short of hwy149 on the la garita detour. Big sign next to the road you cant miss it.

[sherpaxc]

Is this before the last climb up Slumgullion?  I'm going to keep an eye out for it.  Sounds like a perfect place to grab a good bite to eat!

[dream4est]

Its 4-5 miles past Cathedral. On the Cebolla road, the 15 mile climb to Hwy 149. South side. Yellow house setback 75 yards.
I am going to ask them to put a small sign at the entrance saying $20 sack lunch or trailer rentals for CTR racers/ ITT ers etc.

[ScottM]

Getting close now!

Here's a post I put up with a bit of background on the trip:

http://www.topofusion.com/diary/2014/05/09/see-dee-tee-bike/

tracking link:

http://trackleaders.com/cdtbike14

[dream4est]

Scott and Eszter are underway on the biggest singletrack bikepack ride EVER!!!!!

Good luck and enjoy the adventure. I plan to Spot stalk and track you down and ride with you at some point this summer, even if it is for 10 minutes until you both crush me. I will bring tacos and ice cream!!!

[MattL]

For those of you who want to armchair adventure, it looks like S&E have a tracker up here.

They are on an interesting-looking path through the Big Burro Mountains headed toward the Gila River.  They departed the route before they ever got to Silver.  Looks like they may be trying to ride completely around the Gila NF area due to the signal fire.  Can't wait to see what they came up with.

[ScottM]

Whooo it's been an adventure so far.  Lots of burly trail and lots of good trail.  Definitely a very rewarding path of discovery.

We're holed up in Pie Town at the Toaster House right now.  As mentioned we have the tracker going, and also but Ez and I are posting updates on our blogs.  Trying to do it 'in situ' as much as we can.

http://topofusion.com/diary
http://zenondirt.wordpress.com

More later when I get on a real computer!

[dream4est]

I couldnt get your links to work.

http://www.topofusion.com/diary/

http://zenondirt.wordpress.com/


Looking like you two having an adventure out there!

[wahday]

Been following you guys with great interest!

Not sure if you will read this before heading out but:

It looks like you are headed next through the Chain of Craters. I have tried to ride this section of the CDT twice. Thought I would offer some info in the event you have not been through here before:

Coming from the south, the trail peters out sometime after you pass to the west of Cerro Brilliante (I think it was just beyond the Cerro that is north of Cerro Brillante). Cairns are big and stone though some markers are posts. Eventually I was unable to find the next marker and had to turn back.

The terrain is really rough going in spots and a good deal of HAB over fields of lava boulders. It's supposedly 17 miles to where the trail rejoins CR42 but it may take quite a while. When I was there in the fall there were many signs of bear activity and NO RELIABLE WATER!!! I tried to ride it from the north as well but lost the trail again.

There is a water stash at the entrance to Bonita Canyon which is directly north of the Zuni-Acoma trailhead parking lot (looked like you were going to ride that as well -also part of the CDT). To find the water cross SR53 and enter the gate across the road. Ride to the forest land entrance which is a few hundred yards. To the left, inside the gate is a juniper tree and a CDT marker that you might have to poke around to find. Under the tree is a stash of water for thru hikers.

Be careful out there and plan for a long haul if trying to follow the CDT route through the craters!

http://forums.mtbr.com/bikepacking-bike-expedition/another-lovely-weekend-thread-818627.html#post9792157


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[ScottM]

Thanks for the info Wahday, great to hear from you... it was a little too late and would have been great had we not run into a BLM ranger right as we turned off onto the Chain of Craters.

We had packed extra food and water, knowing that the trail was likely to die or be piles of volcanic rock (very slow, as you said).

Unfortunately the ranger eventually found a pamphlet in his car saying that bikes are not permitted on any trail in the NCA.  That means it's all a no go.  So we had to skip it all.

We were not stoked, to say the least.  Especially since it isn't signed on the ground, and doesn't make any sense -- it's just NCA, which is perfectly compatible with bikes.  He was very understanding and said he'd look into it, follow up.  That trail needs more traffic, not less.

Anyway, I wrote more about it on my latest diary report (link above).  Hopefully in the future that trail can be part of CDTbike.

We did connect to Bonita via a very cool piney 2-track, but got water at the NPS visitor center.

Have you ever ridden Mt. Taylor?

I think I did stumble onto your MTBR report when researching the area, which made me think most of the trail was good to go.

[ScottM]

Found the pamphlet he had:

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/nm/programs/recreation/rec_docs.Par.8090.File.dat/BrochureGeneralRulesRegs.pdf

"Mountain bikes are permitted on any of the designated
roads. They are prohibited on trails and in wilderness
areas."

The whole area is in the NCA, unfortunately.  And what isn't NCA is national monument, or wilderness, or res.  It's locked up pretty tight in this area.  Cibola NF needs to make some singletrack parallel to Zuni Canyon....

[wahday]

Well that's all too bad. I was not aware of that either. I did know about the wilderness area to the east surrounding the "hole in the wall" but did not realize the CDT was off limits.

Completely agree about Zuni canyon. So beautiful but that road is kind of a bummer. And I thought Bonita canyon was aptly named. I've ridden up there and explored the many side canyons a few times, including a great overnighter with my then 12 yo son .

Never ridden Mt. Taylor. Mainly I have bikepacked east of El Morro nat mon  around the divide as we have some land there. I actually ended up riding in the chain of craters because of fire restrictions in the forest land that did not apply to the NCA. And yet I was still doing something I wasn't supposed to. Go figure.

There is a group working on a comprehensive trail project in the Zuni mountains that includes bikes . Most of the efforts have been focused at the north western end though . Some really nice singletrack up there!

Safe and happy travels! Will check the blog.

[Eszter]

For anyone curious, the CDT route in New Mexico is 90% pure awesome. There's definitely an appreciable level of BS on some of the sections, and a lot of roads for a thru-trail, but it turns out to be a pretty good mix for bikes. Towns seem to be 2-3 days apart and we never really needed more than 150 oz of water each.

We're doing our best to spread bikepacking gospel among the hikers. Interestingly enough, most are amazed at how little we're carrying. On the flip side, we're amazed at how big their packs are.

A race on this thing would be brutal, but I'd definitely pull the popcorn out and watch.

[dream4est]

I for one am watching you two with sights on a race next year. Way to go out there!!!! Bravo!!!

I think you two should write a guidebook after this. I would buy it instantly.

[ScottM]

On layover in Winter Park.

Guidebook is being talked about.... may need some more day rides to investigate other options/alternates.  There is definitely room for another pioneering thru-trip or two.  Lots to still explore out there along the divide.

One thought for a CDT-race popped into my head in the most recent stretch -- give a set of alternates and allow people to take a small number of them.  Choose lower routes if storms are threatening the high stuff, or go for better resupply.  The CDT has the history and precedence for it -- it's very much a 'choose your own adventure' type of trail.  The hikers skip all sorts of 'official' CDT sections.

Could make for some interesting strategy and really doesn't complicate things much.

Anyway, just a random thought that popped in.  The trip has been amazing, as we have traversed a CT+ route through Colorado.  The new stretches (Monarch to Tincup, Hope Pass, Argentine, Jones) have been my favorites, but it's been great to ride the CT classics like Searle/Kokomo, too.

Mark, now that you're off the divide I definitely need to get you on the phone.  I missed a bit of beta that was in here that could have taken us off the divide route (e.g. by Platoro).  Some of your suggestions seemed too far out of the way to us (like going over Georgia, then back over Webster), but over the next few days we've got to plan out from here to.... Jackson/Yellowstone, at least.

Thanks for all the help, and huge congrats on wrapping up TD in style.

[ScottM]

Steamboat!  Wow? Fish creek falls trail was incredible to see but I doubt any CDTer is in the mood for the most technical trail in Steamboat.

Downhill hiking not really our style after all we did on the CDT. Super cool to see it though....