AZT 750/300 2015 Planning

[ScottM]

The race is only six months away!  Friday April 3rd is the start date.  I've lined up another blood moon (red eclipse) for y'all, commencing the second night on the trail.  Perfect time to be pushing bikes up and over Mt. Lemmon.

One bad piece of news: I've heard the Rincon Valley Market is completely closed.  That's going to necessitate some different refueling strategies.

So, who's in next year?

In the meantime, here's some serious AZT stoke:

2014 Arizona Trail Race

from Aaron Johnson on Vimeo

(Make sure HD is turned on, or go directly to Vimeo to watch it larger by clicking the link below the video.)

Also, many photos from the route, taken on my tour with Eszter last March:

http://www.topofusion.com/diary/2014/04/20/arizona-trail-ez-tour-part-1/
http://www.topofusion.com/diary/2014/04/23/arizona-trail-ez-tour-part-2/
http://www.topofusion.com/diary/2014/04/29/arizona-trail-ez-tour-part-3/
http://www.topofusion.com/diary/2014/05/03/arizona-trail-ez-tour-part-4/

[Sean Allan]

Correct, the store is boarded up and for sale. Made for a detour down into town a bit, but other than coming back up the hill not too bad.  I just finished up the first 550 miles of the AZT and the Coconino loop together and that was the only surprise, well that and the handlebar height grass..... Trail is certainly worse for the recent storms, I think it's safe to say the records are all safe, even from Kurt.

[SlowRide]

I'll be trying my darndest to make it down for the 750 this year, it's going to come down to finances for me, hopefully I can pull it off.

[BigPoppa]

I just rearranged my rotations so I can make the 750.

[ScottM]

Correct, the store is boarded up and for sale. Made for a detour down into town a bit, but other than coming back up the hill not too bad.  I just finished up the first 550 miles of the AZT and the Coconino loop together and that was the only surprise, well that and the handlebar height grass..... Trail is certainly worse for the recent storms, I think it's safe to say the records are all safe, even from Kurt.

I think the trail will get a lot of work this winter, easing some of the erosion issues.  Amazingly a lot of the grass/overgrowth will be gone for April.  Sept/Oct is post-monsoon and it can make for very challenging conditions out there.

It'll be interesting to check the condition of the trail throughout the winter, but I wouldn't promise that any records are safe just yet.  Cool that you rode AZT+Coco -- that's a killer combo.

[B_Bock]

I'm planing on the 300. Who knows......If I can manage enough time away from work I may take another shot of 750!?!?!
Sean, great idea to combine the AZTR route and the Coco. Must of been an epic trip.

[schillingsworth]

It really doesn't feel like 6 months away, temps in the desert are cooling off, the start seems closer!! 750 for this guy, steady pace, long days, get to Utah.

In the past month and a half I've put tires on the AZT from the North Rim to Utah and can say the trail up north is in great shape for the most part. Of course that's before winter takes hold, but the biggest concern up there IMO is the deadfall come spring.

[Wyatt72]

I'm in for the AZT 750. Just completed Coconino. What an awesome experience. Learned so much. Can't wait till AZT. I've ridden portions if the AZT. Are there any sections that I should make sure to pre ride?  Thanks. Jason

[ayayron]

I'll probably be back for a fast go at the 300. One 750 was enough for me!

[AZTtripper]

I'm in for the AZT 750. Just completed Coconino. What an awesome experience. Learned so much. Can't wait till AZT. I've ridden portions if the AZT. Are there any sections that I should make sure to pre ride?  Thanks. Jason

I would say it would be good to have pre ridden the Canelo's, not the border start but do check out the first point where you hit the AZT off of the main dirt road. Then all the way into Patagonia, there's a lot of HAB in there and a lot of stuff that you can ride if your half prepared, but might walk if you hadn't seen it. Plus that first section has finished a rider or 2, sidewalls cuts are supper common, missed turns, and for some no idea how much walking they were in for. Maybe the supper hilly section north of Rosemont in the Rita's. Maybe not the whole Reddington Pass segment but seeing the Molino HAB, easy access up the highway, you could do an O&B or do the Milligrosa Trail http://www.sdmb.org/trails/la-milagrosa/ if you want some extra tech credit.

Don't bother with Oracle Ridge you could just take your bike out and not ride it pretty much anywhere. Just pick any super tech work out trail and don't ride your bike on it. You have to have it with you, you just don't get to ride it.

The finish of the 300 Picket Post S bound for 15 miles minimum IMO. That gets you out to where every one takes all of the best pics. Having a clue on how much to expect from that segment seems wise.

Then your on roads to Payson shitty roads and some maybe even shittier trail gets you back to the AZT but then its the High Line and again you have to bring it just don't expect to get to ride it. Segments like High Line and Oracle Ridge certainly give the AZT a kick in the ASS. If your the kind of rider who enjoys trying to ride shit it can be great, if after all of the walking your not interested in the barely rideable then not so much.

Can't think of any of the northern stuff, maybe some else will chime in from up that way.

Depending on your water strategy: seeing how to get to the Molino Creek water holes, 1/2 mile up stream from the creek crossing on the trail. You can ride the first 1/2 then you have to walk. Most years there's water in small pools, on a wet year there's water at the trail crossing.

Maybe Marks water hole up on the Peaks North of Flag, Alfa Fia Tank is actually right on the same 2 track that the Coco uses to access the AZT.

Hope that helps.

Tim

[Ron Thomson]

In the past month and a half I've put tires on the AZT from the North Rim to Utah and can say the trail up north is in great shape for the most part. Of course that's before winter takes hold, but the biggest concern up there IMO is the deadfall come spring.

I would agree with that John, last year from North Rim to Jacob lake the small patches of snow and some slop were easy to ride or get around but the amount of deadfall was staggering. Sounds like most of that has been cleared. Hope to see you at the border.

[Adam Alphabet]

For all the out of state people who don't live on or near the trail and have the privilege of pre riding, where are people getting most of their route planning information? Is the standard course of action to join the ATA at the Ocotillo level and work from there?

I toured the CT a couple years ago and it seemed much easier to find beta of all sorts; multiple guide books, maps, even watering hole locations and resupply strategies. The AZT has this elusive, southwest desert vibe that appeals to this wet weather Canadian coaster.

Thanks in advance all!

[AZTtripper]

For all the out of state people who don't live on or near the trail and have the privilege of pre riding, where are people getting most of their route planning information? Is the standard course of action to join the ATA at the Ocotillo level and work from there?

Of course you should support the ATA and become a member, I haven't looked at what all they have in their MTB data book helped them with data but never took the time to look at their final product.

Or you could read hundreds of pages of every years questions thread. For several years there was a water table, based on the official ATA hiker table, but modified to be based on the bike route. I never made it easy. You had to be willing to work with the track and a mapping program to figure some of it. For a couple of the harder or more key ones someone did post actual GPS coordinates. 

[rick miller]

I had so much fun in the 300, I'm hoping to line up this year at the border.

"No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch."

[Buttermilk]

in for the 750.
just joined the ATA. Looking forward to short days and long nights for some serious map study.

The fun begins now.

[krefs]

It's almost AZT time again?!? Yay!

Trail conditions in the Canelos were remarkably horrendous as of a couple weeks ago. It's going to take a *lot* of work to repair all the damage from that second tropical storm remnant that dropped 5-6" of rain down there.

[ScottM]

It's almost AZT time again?!? Yay!

Trail conditions in the Canelos were remarkably horrendous as of a couple weeks ago. It's going to take a *lot* of work to repair all the damage from that second tropical storm remnant that dropped 5-6" of rain down there.

Hey Kurt, what were you doing out on the Canelos AZT, anyway?  Just out for a pleasant (!) ride?

I know that the ATA has sent out a call to all segment stewards to get out and at least evaluate their segments after the tropical storms.  It'll be hit or miss, of course, as to which ones rally troops to make repairs and which ones don't.  Some are already out there fixing things.

I'm sure both sides of the Canelos need a bunch of work.  I will see if Zay wants some help on Canelo East. Other parts of the trail were built a bit more sustainably...

[ScottM]

Great to see a good group of folks dedicated and planning already.  April 3 will be here sooner than you think!

I suspect that with Aaron's most excellent video being shared around inspiring folks, we'll have a record year for starters.  But will it be a record year for finishers as well?  Maybe, maybe not!  We shall see!

[aarond]

I'm planning on the 750.  The hot AZ sun and exotic Sonoran Desert are great antidotes for a long winter!

[joeydurango]

I'd love to make it this year - especially with the blood moon - but I guess we'll see how winter goes here.

Addy, when I was all set for the 750 in 2013 (didn't happen at the last minute due to shop shenanigans, but I had all the research down), I had spent months perusing the previous years' race threads, blog reports, several different hiking water charts, and the ATA maps.  Of course I joined ATA, it made too much sense and the support is necessary for the trail's existence - but even beyond that the membership fee was worth it, as I got a whole bunch of info I wouldn't have had otherwise.

ATA, this here website, and Google Earth are your forever friends when it comes to the AZTR.