Take The High Way

 Recently broke out the fat tires after about a year hiatus.

Hadn't been up along the ridge since last winter. Right off the bat we discovered that they forever ruined a once great long, steep technical hill climb. Don't know the why or reason behind this "improvement". The millennial highway. Take the money and run we guess: 

Approximately one-half mile, 400ft relief. Was always a great right-off-the-bat warm up to the miles of ridgeline and hollows beyond. Always varying conditions depending upon the measure of seasonal weathering combined with the off-road traffic spaced between sporadic bouts of light maintenance. Top climb rate back in the day, level bottom to level top, (unofficially) clocked at eight minutes. Personal best was eleven minutes.

The timber company did us a big favor, however. Put in a nice MTB spur off the main line coincidental to performing some upkeep on a heavy storm and strong wind damaged ridge line occurrence from a year back. We'd have been all over that steep hill climb thirty-five years ago - battling it out with the 'Good-man', Strongman Matt and Brother Howie to claim first climb of that thing.

Includes a very nice and very steep downhill drop ta' boot.

Needs a bit of trail maintenance as it proceeds out along the ridge.

High road.

Low Road.

Nice view out across the hollow along the way - especially this time of year. Maybe a bit over a mile total over the ridge top.

Eventually ties into the south end of the long ago abandoned but once favorite "Old Powerline Trail". This trail was closed off sometime in the mid '90's by the property owner because of constant abuse by four wheelers and a few incidents of trash dumping.

Late afternoon viewing the ridgeline from back along the main road.