Updated: Black Mountain RB 10AM

[Solo]

For some reason I thought I saw this ride at 8 A.M.. Not to jack your ride, but anyone up for riding a little earlier? I was thinking of getting up Miners before all of the hikers show up.

[ChipsandSalsa]

Anyone know the current trail conditions here? Muddy? Or pretty much dried-out?

[el_d00der1n0]

thanks for joining me everyone! i don't know if i'll do that loop again.

Originally Posted by ChipsandSalsa

Anyone know the current trail conditions here? Muddy? Or pretty much dried-out?

pretty much dried out, but there were some muddy spots.

[ChipsandSalsa]

Well, this was to be my first Black Mountain trip, but somehow I got lost on the drive over. A 30 minute drive wound-up being a 90 minute adventure. I finally found the trailhead and rode around for over an hour. I stuck mainly to the fireroad. It would have been much more enjoyable as a group ride, as I was overwhelmed by the choice of singletrack offshoots. From the top they all looked quite similar: Loose, very rocky, rutted and steep. I was surprised by the apparent difficulty of the trails and the sheer number of rocks. I felt a little intimated as I looked-out over the terrain.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by ChipsandSalsa

Well, this was to be my first Black Mountain trip, but somehow I got lost on the drive over. A 30 minute drive wound-up being a 90 minute adventure. I finally found the trailhead and rode around for over an hour. I stuck mainly to the fireroad. It would have been much more enjoyable as a group ride, as I was overwhelmed by the choice of singletrack offshoots. From the top they all looked quite similar: Loose, very rocky, rutted and steep. I was surprised by the apparent difficulty of the trails and the sheer number of rocks. I felt a little intimated as I looked-out over the terrain.

Where did you start from? Did you find the gradual climb? I misguided everyone up the steep way up. We didn't go all of the way before realizing we were on the wrong trail.

I'm intimidated too, but it's cuz I'm a real chicken.

[ChipsandSalsa]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

Where did you start from? Did you find the gradual climb? I misguided everyone up the steep way up. We didn't go all of the way before realizing we were on the wrong trail.

I'm intimidated too, but it's cuz I'm a real chicken.

I started from Maler and went to the top twice. The first time up I rode/walked via some steep, loose, rocky, technical trail. My first clue I was on "The Road Less Travelled," was when a couple hikers laughingly said to me, "Dude, you're crazy! Nobody rides up this way...they use the fireroad." The second time I took the fireroad all the way up and down.

Oh, and if being a "Chicken" greatly increases your odds of going home in one piece, it sounds more like wisdom to me.

[Evil Chocula]

LO, I know exactly what you guys did. We used just hike a bike straignt up that up that thing sometimes; its faster than riding around on the fire road, but grueling.

How'd the rest of the ride go? Did you rock the stair steps, Dude?

[OldDogDan]

Yeah, sorry I missed it. Sounds like you went up # 2, which I hike-a-biked too when I went there the first time. But how about the Up & Over, to Ebony, Derailleur, & Miner's Loop? I really liked those. A coupla hike-a-bikes for me on cut-over #3 & Banzai # 11, but then real fun all the way to Ebony peak & down Derailleur # 13. Laughed out loud all the way down Derailleur thru the bushes...! Miner's loop was great too, but I couldn't make all the switchbacks in the ccw direction. And route-finding can be confusing there...it takes a coupla visits I think. I haven't taken the access road route to the peak yet. Just # 2 & 4. Or checked out the southeast flank...

[ChipsandSalsa]

All I did was go up and down twice, hoping I would be able to see the STR group from the peak, but I never did. I was already running late from driving around for an extra hour, so I did not do any additional exploring.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by Evil Chocula

LO, I know exactly what you guys did. We used just hike a bike straignt up that up that thing sometimes; its faster than riding around on the fire road, but grueling.

How'd the rest of the ride go? Did you rock the stair steps, Dude?

We went up that and back down cuz I missed the breezy fireroad you showed me. Actually I missed that singletrack you and I walked last time too.

We found the right way up and then we did some exploring over east. There was some cool stuff over there.

We rolled around to the parking lot, and a few peeps did Miner's from there. The rest of the gang (including me) were too tired.

Originally Posted by OldDogDan

Yeah, sorry I missed it. Sounds like you went up # 2, which I hike-a-biked too when I went there the first time. But how about the Up & Over, to Ebony, Derailleur, & Miner's Loop? I really liked those. A coupla hike-a-bikes for me on cut-over #3 & Banzai # 11, but then real fun all the way to Ebony peak & down Derailleur # 13. Laughed out loud all the way down Derailleur thru the bushes...! Miner's loop was great too, but I couldn't make all the switchbacks in the ccw direction. And route-finding can be confusing there...it takes a coupla visits I think. I haven't taken the access road route to the peak yet. Just # 2 & 4. Or checked out the southeast flank...

Those bushes killed me. I realized why it's called derailleur. I had a stick jammed in my rd at the end.

[mhughes]

Thanks for the ride, I had a great time - really good ride. I loved
the downhill along the east ridgeline and Miner's Loop - and all
the climbing is a lot more fun with a crowd like that ...

--Matt
Oh, and the tasted awfully good afterwards ...