Wasatch Crest Trail

Got up bright and early on Sunday morning and packed up the bike gear to ride one of the best bike trails in Utah, the Wasatch Crest Trail.  Starts on Guardsman Pass at 9700 feet above sea level.  The views are pretty amazing, and the temps are at least 15 degrees cooler than in the valley.  The trail ridges the above Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City.  The ride takes you past Deer Valley, Park City Mtn Resort, Brighton, and Solitude.

Brendan and Zane getting ready.

There are some pretty tough sections of trail, including the 1/3 mile "Puke Hill."  Ridiculously steep, and and sustained, the last 200 meters are the worst as you round the corner that makes you think you're done, but there is another 200 meters of hill that is steeper and rockier than what you just suffered through.
Zane at the top of Puke.

3 miles after that is "triple red fakie."  Three back to back dream crushing hills on very fine red dirt.  Each progressively longer and steeper than the last.

After that it's all downhill.  Miles of fast turns and great views.  The trail gets its name from a 300 meter section of trail called the Crest or the Spine.  Its a 10 foot wide spine of rock that separates BCC from the top of the Canyons ski resort run called 99-90.  Mess up and its a 600 ft tumble down the slope one way, or into the lake on the other side.  The spine has claimed several bikes, and riders.  I've personally seen several people eat it hard on this one.  Most "smart" people walk this section of trail. 

The ride measured 23 miles car to car (we had to do a shuttle ride).  We rode 13.5 miles of trail, and then had to book it out of the canyon so that Zane could get to work.  10 miles of road sounds rough, but not when there is 2000ft of elevation to be lost.  Set a new speed record for the Stumpy, hit 38.6 mph on the way down.

All in all, a great ride.