Winter Bike Routes

[nyounie]

There's a chance that I will have 2 weeks off from work right around the first of the year. I live in Northern California and was thinking of doing some bike packing. Any ideas of good routes that time of year? I don't mind if its a few day drive to get there. Any thoughts are welcomed.

[JayP]

The Teton area. Both the Wyoming side and the Idaho side. There are over a thousand groomed miles on either side. We have the snowmobilers to thank for all of this as there registration stickers pay the states for all this.

I personally think it is one of the best, most consistant, real deal snow riding areas. Please chime in if someone thinks differently.

[jimfab]

That is a GREAT time of year to explore southern Arizona. No shortage of things to explore around that time. AZT, Black Canyon, Sedona, and all points in between. Even though it is cool here then, bring a big camelback. There is still no water in wintertime. Are you looking for one long trip, or many shorter trips? it is all here. 

Rock rock

[DelNorte]

I was thinking of doing some bikepacking at about the same time.  This is my first go at bikepacking, so I'm sure there is going to be a steep learning curve, but I have some time for an adventure this winter and think this might be it. Arizona here I come?

[mmeiser]

Funny, I'm planning on taking two months early december to early february to go bikepacking / touring. I ruled out the West Coast and Southern tier because I thought LA to Texas would be to boring. Instead I'm opting for the blue ridge parkway and natchez trace.

I've spent some time in phoenix, sedona, tuscon and flagstaff. Loved Sedona and flagstaff, but they're not the norm donn there. One must travel vast stretches of essentially open desert.

That and I'm just a northerner at heart. I love my overgrown and enclosed spaces and tight hills and mountains.

[Eric]

Nice Mike, but with 2 months you should think south of the border or a plane ticket to another country !

[ScottM]

Another vote for AZ here.  The Gila River Ramble, or a variation of it, is a great one for the dead of winter (probably one of the warmest routes we have):

http://www.bikepacking.net/routes/gila-river-ramble/

One must travel vast stretches of essentially open desert.

That and I'm just a northerner at heart. I love my overgrown and enclosed spaces and tight hills and mountains.

AZ has more overgrown trails than almost everywhere I've ridden.  So much more vegetative diversity, too.