2020 Recap

 

It was a slow year. Like most folks, 2020 was somewhat challenging. Still, we managed to get out on a few good trips and have lots of fun locally. I even met some new friends through BurritoPackingNV Facebook group based locally.

January: Ice Climbing - Ouray

Feb: Bikepacking - Black Canyon Trail, Mountain Biking - Diamond Valley

March: Biking - Centennial Trails, Pinyon

April: Mountain Biking - Bunejug, Pine Nuts, SPR connector, Pinyon +, road,

May: Bikepacking - More Pine Nuts, Into The Dry,
Exploring - Esmeralda Mining District. Mountain Biking Lower Loops, Ash to Kings

June: Mountain Biking - Waterhouse/Christmas Valley Loop, Armstrong to Freel, Stinger, Grass Lake route check, Clear Creek full up & down, Pass to Pints, The Granite Zone, Stagecoach to Star out n back, TRT Marlette, Tahoe mtn, Big Chief.  

Touring - Mammoth. 

Paddling - Scott's L., Caples Lk. June-ish

Hiking - Granite zone. June-ish

    

 

July: Mountain Biking - Big Chief, Thunder Mountain, Half Lower Loop, Road ride, Stinger, Another Stinger, Lower Loops w/J Ebike, another Lower Loops w/J Ebike, Road. 

August: Mtn Biking - Christmas Valley, Hidden Lake, Dirt E, Dirt E, Tahoe City, Stanford Rock, various training rides.

Hiking - Ridge top 

 

Sept: Mtn Biking - Toads Loop, Christmas Valley, 401 trail Crested Butte, Westwater, Goodwater Rim.

Road Trip - Colorado/Utah

 

Oct: Road trip/multisport Utah

Nov: Biking - Pinenuts with Wyatt, Burrito bikepack o'nighter. Clear Creek.

Dec: Biking - Paint Rock Canyon, Pine Nuts w/Wyatt, #goodnight2020campout

Good night 2020

 Dec 2020

Participating in Bikepacking.com year end local overnight (individual) event. Mine was 12/30.

Rules

Rule #1: Camp out with your bike between December 26th and 31st.
No restrictions apply. The highlight night is Saturday, December 26th, but the event is open all week, anywhere between the 26th and the 31st. We’re well aware that many of you might be under COVID-19 restrictions, or even lockdown. So, we welcome you to camp in your backyard, your back porch, or wherever possible. Just make sure to follow rule number three…

Rule #2: Keep it small and self-sufficient.
Remember, we’re in the middle of a pandemic. Follow COVID-19 regulations: go solo, or camp out only with members of your household or in groups of 2-3 people, depending on your local regulations; carry everything you need and keep it local. This isn’t a party in the woods, it’s about maintaining our connection to the outdoors and reflecting on what comes next. Another idea is to plan a rendezvous campout. Meet a friend at a campsite and keep to social distancing guidelines.

Rule #3: Have a good night.
Enjoy your night, preferably outdoors… but we understand if that’s not an option. Eat some good camp grub. Drink something tasty. Stare at a fire. Look at the stars. Reflect on the changes you made in 2020 and lessons learned. Toast something, or someone. Good Luck. Godspeed. And peace out, 2020!

 

Utah Multisport

 October 2020

We met up with our eldest son for some fun time in Utah. Basing ourselves on the west side on the Green river 30ish miles from the town of Green River, we somehow avoided all the mess that is/was Moab. And towing the Jeep behind the camper provided our get around vehicle as well as the shuttle for accomplishing our river float plan.

For the cliff notes refer to the video linked below. 

 

 

The video pretty well explains the various things we did but here's more photos.

Smoked Out!

With Joannie visiting family in Socal, Wyatt and I had to escape. The forest was completely closed including all trails and access. The air was hazardous. I put the camper on the truck and we headed east. We made it out to near Ely and camped for the night.

Old freight wagon, I think?

 

The following day found us camped in the San Rafael Swell. I was still set on making it out to Colorado to ride in Crested Butte, so the next morning we were still headed east. We made a stop so Wyatt could swim in Blue Mesa reservoir then headed up to Crested Butte. I drove out to the trailhead for the 401 trail loop to be sure I knew where to go in the morning. Then headed back and just barely managed to find a place to camp along the Slate river near 10,000 ft. 

401 Trail Loop

Sadly Wyatt had to sit this one out so I gave him a doggy cookie and headed out from the Judd Falls trailhead. I had about 6 miles and 1400 ft to climb on Gothic road before reaching the single track. At the top where the single track begins there were quite a few folks with the same goal in mind. The single track trail starts off climbing breathtakingly steep but mellows out a bit as you climb, however being at over 11k, it definitely did not feel easy! Soon enough I got to the top and then had about 5.5 miles of blissful downhill with incredible views before hitting the lower half of the trail with its roughly 500 ft climb. The trail ends at an upper parking area for Judd Falls trail and then I rode a bit of dirt road back to the camper at the lower parking area. For all the hype surrounding the 401 trail I was mildly disappointed. It's certainly a good trail but I guess I was just expecting more. The photos below are not in chronological order as this blogger platform flatly refuses to co-operate with me.

 

 

I actually wanted to ride more in the area, namely Teocalli Ridge, but the camping situation just pretty much turned me off. It is so crowded. I'm sure the locals could turn me on to all the sweet spots. Note to self: develop relationships in Crested Butte! So after the ride I decided to head back to Utah. We stopped again for another swim in Blue Mesa Reservoir, then continued west. Nightfall found us at the Westwater Rim west of Rabbit Valley in Utah. I felt that Wyatt had been patient enough and it was his turn to rampage. We did a ride along the rim and he got to burn off some madness.

The next morning we continued on, back into the Swell. The goal was the area around the Wedge where I had heard of a great trail around the canyon rims called Goodwater rim. We found found a campsite at "camp 4" which had some nostalgic value for me as Yosemite Valley camp 4 was the traditional home of the valley 'stonemasters'. Google it. 

Goodwater Rim

Due to the length of the ride I elected to have Wyatt sit this one out as well. Because we had lots of open territory he would get his turn upon my return. So From camp 4, I started my ride up the road to the start of the single track. This was different than the 401 trail start. Just a couple miles of basically flat dirt road. When I hit the single track it was immediately on the rim of the canyons and I couldn't help stopping for photo op's. I literally said out loud to myself "well that didn't take long, this could be a long day". 

This is a superb, relatively easy trail and I'm super glad I made the trip back into the Swell to nab it.

After this there is not much left to say. I spent the rest of the afternoon messing around camp and riding with Wyatt out along the dirt road. The following day Wyatt and I reluctantly turned toward home.