Escondido Trail a Hidden Gem in the McDowells

Completion of Escondido Trail in December 2013 opened up access to the eastern section of McDowell Mountain Park east of Lousley Hills. It also now provides a trail link between camping areas, Pemberton trailhead, and the competitive tracks, this makes for different loop options between pemberton and competitive tracks. This trail is a little more technical than the surrounding pemberton trails.

Escondido means “hidden”, which is a word of Spanish origin. This is an appropriate name. The access to the trail is not that obvious. There are 2 points of entry, 1 on Pemberton clockwise and a entrance off of Cinch Trail or easily accessed from 4 peaks staging area across from the competitive track parking. The trail has different rankings depending on the source. Some ranking is a Green or Beginner and I see it ranged Blue or Intermediate. To be safe I would rank this trail an "Easy Intermediate". Technical features are not found but there is some exposure , loose rock and twisty wash crossings. There is a good deal of extended moderate climbing that can work your hear beat. I have ridden this trail in both directions. 

The counter clock wise (access from pemberton) has less overall climbing but has a few steeper sections that will require higher effort to complete the climbs. The clock wise direction has more overall climbing but it is more moderate except for a few steep climbs out of washes at the end. It is a drag to ride back to Pemberton (false flat) on the way back. 

I love this trail because it feels like real mountain bike riding as compared to the pemberton trail is is 80% groomed double track for the most part. You have some good flow and climbs and do feel like you are out in the middle of nowhere.

The trail is 6.2 miles long one way and AEG roughly 650 feet depending on information source. 
Here are the stats from MTB Project. If you are looking to spice up your ride loop then Escondido trail will do this. You get a little more tech on this trail then the general Pemberton trails.




Until Next Time

Lee

San Tan Regional Park is Wonderful XC riding

San Tan Regional Park is the jewel of the South East Valley. 

The park sits in Queen Creek, AZ. There are several entrances to the park; The main entrance is 6533 W. Phillips Road Queen Creek, AZ 85242, The second main entrance is the Gold Mine Trail , north of the main park off Wagon Wheel road, is more rustic with no facilities except a port a potty,  but has become busy since the addition of the Dynamite Trail. In large San Tan is over 10,000 acres of pristine desert land with some good mountain bike trail riding. 

The San Tan Regional Park trails would be classified as easy intermediate. My definition of easy intermediate is that there is low tech mostly groomed trails but does require good cardio fitness to do the trails. The Dynamite climb is 1.5 miles from the start which descends into the main area of the park. 

There are several ways to ride these loops. 

1. Dynamite -> San Tan (CCW) ->Hedgehog-San Tan -> Stargazer-Moonlight-Little Leaf-Gold Mine-San Tan - Dynamite. This loop is approximately 12-13 miles. Good work out with roughly 1200 AEG (based on old Strava app). Some good climbing and short burst climbing here.

2. Dynamite ->San Tan (Clock Wise) -> Gold Mine- Little Leaf -> - > Moon Light-> Star Gazer - > San Tan -> Hedge Hog -> San Tan (CC) -> Dynamite. same mileage but different experience. Based on some of the trails little more technical harder but more fun.

3. Other options would be to include the newly completed San Tan Mistake Segment. This is off of Hedge Hog Counter Clock wise on San tan. In the past it was a 3 mile out and back because you would hit the deep sand washes but new connectors were added. This is a more fun again little more technical loop (not really just more whoopee woos) . There is one really steep hill in this section that makes for a fun slippery puckery down hill or a shoot do have to get off and walk the bike up the rest of the hill.

4. Another loop that I just did is to take Dynamite Trail -> CCW on San Tan to Hedgehog -> San Tan go right or now it will be (CC) to the new completed mistake segment. You will be back at Hedge Hog and will have to do the climb again -> San Tan turn left -> and left again -> Stargazer -> Moonlight -> San Tan take right 
-> left on Dynamite back to park lot. This was 14.8 miles and roughly 1400 feet aeg.

The only short coming of this trail system is that there are not more trails. You can go up the Gold Mine pass but would not recommend it hike and bike mostly. You do have to be careful of the many other trail users equestrians and hikers. 


More Trail Information from MTB Project.

Browns Ranch Gets More Awesome as They Add More Trails.

The area known as Browns Ranch, located near the Troon development housing area in North Scottsdale, used to be a big patch of state trust land owned by Arizona. The trails were created by the old moto dudes that had much kitty litter sand. The available single track was pretty technical unmarked spaghetti trails which all the way up to Tonto Forest. The West Express trail would take you there and I think it still does!

I remember participating in a fund raiser so that the city Scottsdale could purchase this State Trust Land and convert it into a recreation area for hiking, biking and equestrian trails. When the new system opened up I had mixed feelings. The new trails were nice but a little too groomed and I kept trying to find some of the  more dramatic roller coaster sections with the ruts and loose kitty litter. Those trails were very exhilarating and the new trails were initially boring with great views. As time went on new trails opened up and this preserve really started to rock so to speak. It grew on me, since I started to like going out for a nice ride with some flow and twisty single track without worrying if I was going to skid out into a rut and crash. Maybe just being a little closer to the age of 50 helps too.

The new system grew on me as more trails were added like Whiskey Bottle (had a little rugged foothill climb) and Coyote Canyon that was technical at the very bottom and reminded me of the older trails.  with a little more technical features.

The recent addition of the Stage Coach (older trail now groomed) , Hawks Nest and Broken Spoke ensured the promise of this trail system for time to come, loved the new additions. The High Desert trail is now one of my favorites to ride especially the new section that connects the Divide to Hawks Nest.

I recently did a ride and here is a route that I took. It is busy with directions but has good flow.
1 Browns Ranch Road to Vaquero
2. Vaquero to Water Shed
3.Water Shed to Cholla and proceed west on Cholla toward Cathedral Rock.
4. Take Cholla to Stage Coach and have some fun and hang sharp right onto High Desert.
5. High Desert all the way to the Divide Trail. There was a sign stating entering the non mapped zone. Turns       out they just cut new section of High Desert and I could see the bulldozer tracks in the dirt. This section         had much flow and even little exposure (not bad) just felt like you were in a canyon for short while.
6. Take Hawks Nest east and then down 136th Express this is so much more fun going down the trail.
7. To keep the cardio honest need to do 1.5 miles climbing on Cow Poke to Granite Mountain Loop.
8. Granite Mountain Loop Counter Clockwise or East to Branding Iron.
9. Steep Down Hill on Cholla to the Maverick Connector.
10. Maverick Trail fun every time.
11. Browns Ranch Road back. Could also do the Wrangler to Upper Browns Ranch.

This route was roughly 17.4 miles.

The route in Topo Graph.

Browns Ranch is continuing to build more and more trails so the rides will keep getting longer and better. They are even adding a technical playground area for those that want to play on rocks should be great.

For More Trails visit Mountain Biking Lady's info site.

Until Next Time.

Review of the Lake Pleasant Beardsley, Wild Burro and Pipeline Trails (Prickly Cactus Race Loop)

      For my last day off before returning to work after the holidays my friends Greg and Kerry suggested doing the portion of the Prickly Cactus race loop first 13 miles. We attempted to find the 87 ave entrance into the Maricopa trail but could not find it and decided to go to the Aqua Fria Trail head instead 10 miles off of I17 on the Carefree Highway(74). This cuts off over 3 miles of the the Maricopa trail portion of ride (that is mostly flat) and we start right at the Beardsley trail instead.

     Right from the beginning we crossed 2 water crossings in a marshy wet area and then crossed a gate and started our journey.

    This trail starts off somewhat rugged but soon becomes well groomed with lung busting and leg burning climbs. The views took my breath away (or was it the heavy breathing?). The first 4 miles is the Beardsley trail that opened to hikers in March 2015. After several rode crossings we find a bathroom area (4.1 miles from start). The trail turns into the "Wild Burro". At first this trail is a bit rugged with somel texture but is easier on the legs and it gives way to  scenicviews along coast of lake for a about a mile. We run into the water area and sewers right by views of Lake Pleasant.

    This trail  is for the intermediate level Mountain Biker who has good cardio. It gives you spectacular views similar to BCT  (Black Canyon Trail) without the wicked exposure! These trails were just recently opened to Mountain Bikers so please execute good trail manners!

    I rode the trail just past the pipeline trail head down to the floating bridge. My friend Greg climbed the steep trail in the canyon after the bridge (many baby heads and very steep!). Coming back was really fun since it was more downhill. I did 13.8 miles and climbed  1568 feet  (good cardio!).

The "floating bridge" is cool  and there there is a picture of Greg's Bike below.

Here is a picture of Greg

Another  view!!!

.

For More Trails visit Mountain Biking Lady's info site.

Click below to see strava ride.

Lake Pleasant | Ride | Strava

For more info

Beardsley-Pipeline-Cottonwood trail Mountain Bike Trail, Anthem, Arizona

My First Mountain Bike Rides at Desert Classic.

     When getting a mountain bike it is tempting to want to just hop on bike and ride like a banshee. I remember I could not wait to go down to the South Mountain Desert Classic Trail and start riding my new pony  Desert Classic is one of the best known trails in the Phoenix area. It is very crowded and on most days it is nearly impossible not see a "tool" going way to fast and running other trail users off the trail. It has every type of terrain, steep washes, rocky sections, whoopee woos and some fun offshoots that while fun can be very intimidating to a new mountain biker.

    I remember looking at these washes and trembling in fear and seeing other mountain bikers riding by with complete abandon. I remember sitting by the water tank double hump hills and waiting for a half hour before I let myself roll down.  I had to convince my self I would be OK and I can jump off bike whenever I needed to. Wow I thought that was fun  but had trouble climbing up the next steep hill. I then proceeded to ride along desert classic in the warpaint area and descended on a few steep hills. I knew I found my thrill on blue berry hill when I went down a steep wash and and an involuntary "wee" come out of my mouth. It brought back all the joy I had in riding la bike, I felt like I was 10 years old.

    I had a long way to go to becoming an established rider. It was amazing to be on a bike since I used to be a 2 1/2 packs a day smoker and overweight .  My legs would turn red and I would be breathing heavier than an elephant on a treadmill as I rode the slight incline on the warpaint loop and having folks ask if I was OK? as they passed me.

   This sport is demanding on the pocket book since we have to where the appropriate gear and riding apparel. I did manage to get a couple of cool jerseys and some Lycra shorts.  I looked pretty cool in by "Fox" black and white jersey. Only to hear someone snicker "well some people dress way better then they can ride" as the warpaint trail head. I was on my way though and no-one could discourage me since I found my new drug. I could not wait until the weekend when I could attempt another fun ride or sort of ride.

I captured this map from a good trail listing resource mtbikeaz.

The map below is interactive and provides many of the features found on Desert Classic.

For More Trails visit Mountain Biking Lady's info site.

Until Next Time

Lee

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