Fruita Colorado

[Natureboi]

Well

I went over to Fruita this weekend with some friends. First day we rode the river - Rutlers loop-Mary's loop-Horsethief Bench-back to Mary's loop-Steve's loop to Handcuffs- Lions loop-Troy built loop(this one is great)-back to the car on the fireorad/Mary's loop. All in all it was a 35 mile day. Lots of fun and lots of pictures. The weather was great, it never got higher then 75.

After a night of mexican food, beer brats and margaritas at the local cantina, we woke up the next day to do the Edge. Got shuttled to the parking lot off of road 18.5 and then rode in from there. Take Western Zippity and you won't miss the fireroad to the Edge trail. The ride up goes from 4000 + something feet to right under 8000 feet. So all in all it takes about three hours to get up to the Edge Trail inlet, and its not a climb for the weak. The best I can relate it to out here is the climb up Lefthand to Ward. But on a mtn bike. For you Virginians, its about the same steepness as the last mile of Elizabeth's Furnace ride to Woodstock Firetower, but 13 miles long not one mile.

Well once we got to the Edge Trail inlet, I didnt' recognize it. ATV's and their riders have taken it upon themselves to tear up the sweet singletrack that was laid out so many years ago in secret. Now its double track with side cuts where the ATVs couldn't make it through the tight switchbacks. Basically the trail has been destroyed and is ruined for the masses. I don't think i'll ever be going back up there for that ride until I hear they have managed the problem and redone the trail. Its just not worth it anymore. The unique thing about Fruita is that all the trails that are on the Bookcliffs and down by the river , and one other area I can't remember, are trails that are designated for MOUNTAIN BIKE USE ONLY. Yup that's right no equestirians, no hikers, no motocross or ATV. The river trails are not as strict abouthte no hiking/running or equestrian/pack animals, but they do not allow ATvs up there at all.

Who can we bitch to about this you ask? Fruita is going to be just like Moab in less then five year if this keeps up.

If you are as concerned about the Edge loop as i am then you should call in this order:

Pat Kennedy - Imba Western Colorado Region Rep
970-241-9737

Britta Laub - BLM Land Rep of Fruita Colorado (including the Edge)
970-244-3031

Cop MOBA - Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association (in charge of rallying the troops)
970-244-8877

I have already called all three and have expressed my concerns. The tracks were recently made and ATV's have no right to be there as this is one of the only areas in the united states that has Mtn Bike Only Designation for use on all the trails in Fruita.

Please help. The Edge is the only real epic ride in Fruita and the last thing i want to see is it destroyed by illegal trail users. It only makes the experiences worse for future mountain bikers if we do not take action now.

Aaron

[Dirt]

I'd also let Troy Rarick at Over the Edge Sports know since he was one of the key people that built the trails.

All is not lost for The Edge. It is very early season there still and the trails tend to come back pretty quickly... even from that kind of abuse. I rode three years ago right after the cattlemen had moved their cows from a lower bench out to be trucked off to a new grazing area. Parts of Handcuffs and Lyons was in HORRIBLE shape. Three weeks later I was told by a trusted local that things were back to normal and the trails were fine. Last year Grumpy J and encountered an area that had been cowed particularly badly. A month later a friend rode the same trail and though the area around the trails was still trashed, the trail itself was back to its usual buffness.

There has been a TON of access issues between the BLM and trail users of all kinds. Some of the Book Cliffs area was threatened to be opened up to motorized vehicles. I think they avoided most of that. Up high on the Edge, however, they don't get as much enforcement since not that many of us go up there. I haven't been up there in two years.

I'll be there next week. I'll talk to Troy about it and report back.

Pete

[Natureboi]

I called the shop first and got no help or numbers to call. I had to contact the guys at IMBA to get the scoop on who can help. My main concern is that htye have put tons of workinto the place to make it last. Such as permanent Bathrooms in the camping areas, designated camping sites and tons of new trail post showing trail users what is allowed and what way to go.

Nothing has been done a tthe top of the climb at the edge to warn people that the trail is for MTN Bikes only. 90% of the time, people will be discouraged if there is a park sign. The ATV's could only go down so far so they had to be unfamiliar with the area. If they had a little guidance I don't think it would be an issue.

But to me i don't see that area getting back to normal for some time unless the problem is managed somehow. You should go up there when you go there to see how bad it is. I have done tons of trail maintenance out here and know what that type abuse will lead to. wider trails with washed out steep turns, and that's not worth a 3 hour climb.

[Dirt]

I know what you mean. I didn't mean to downplay the damage. I only meant to say that the actual trail surfaces out there tend to come back faster than I ever expected they would.

I'll do what I can when I'm there. I've managed to talk to Troy for a while every time we go out there. I know he gets lots of out of town yahoos like me talking to him about trail stuff, but he at least preteneds to listen to me. He seems to like my photos and I usually drop off a CD with him before I leave town every year. After 10 years of riding the trails there, I am remembered more often than not. We'll see what that accounts for.

We hadn't planned on riding The Edge this year.... I'm not sure the group we're with is up for that. We might take part of the group and do it just for the sake of documentation. Hopefully we can fit that into the schedule. If the weather holds, I think we can do that.

Thanks for the update. I'll do whatever I can to bring it to people's attention.

Pete

[Dirt]

Okay: It looks like The Edge Loop just got added to our plan for this trip.

Natureboi: What's the status of the rope down the cliff? The last two times I was there it was in great shape. I've read a few accounts that had it not there and people just worked their way down.

Just curious.

Thanks!

Pete

[Natureboi]

the rope is ano go. its frayed and sun weathered. i wouldn't trust my life to it if you paid me. The way to deal with this is to throw your bike on your back and then take the walk over on the right . You'll see the footpath, it'll take youover the waterfall repel and down into the wash.

Also,at the end of the climb to the top of the mtn (before the fireroad downhill that leads tothe edge trail) you will come to an intersection that is questionable as to which way to go. Its after the Hunter rd turn off and right as soon as you start to get some speed going downhill on the fireroad. Take a right and head down. It will bring you back up to the ridge. If you go up you will see tracks that lead into a deer trail. This also brings you right up on the ridge and has some great views. But the trail leads into a dead end and requires you to walk down to the last stretches of the fireroad that will bring you to the Edge loop. The tracks you'll see up there if you decide to go left are mine and a friends. we just followed a footpath/deetrail till we got back to a point we could intersect the lower fire road. Stay on the right side of the ridge and you will be fine.

hope those directions aren't confusing.

Please take as meany pictures of the trail inlet as possible and the damage they have done. you will see its not like cattle marks or horse marks, its really bad because you can't decipher the trail in certain areas.

Its a five hour ride so be careful and bring lotsa water/cytomax. If you want to no about a trail that will get you more singletrack once you get out of the wash at the End of the Edge trail, pm me, i'll git you directions. its sort of alocal secret.

[Dirt]

Thanks! That clarification helps.

Pete

[Dirt]

I'm not sure the group we're with is up for that. We might take part of the group and do it just for the sake of documentation.

It was pointed out to me by a friend that the way I worded this could be taken many ways. My intent was to state that some members of our group might not ENJOY a 13 mile fire road climb. There are many trails in Fruita that are a ton of fun to ride. Doing a ride like The Edge means that we will miss riding other trails that I thoroughly enjoy. In the past many years, I've forgone The Edge Loop because there are other trails that I like better. Some in our group may agree with me.

My comment was certainly not intended to imply that they are not capable of completing a 13 mile fire road climb.

Please forgive me for my lack of clarity on that point.

Pete

PS: I love the internet and everyone on it. :D

[RetroG]

Just got back from Fruita. Our 2 days at Book Cliffs was incredible. We stayed off the Edge/waterfall loop due to snow/wet conditions.

Highlight? Doing midnight full moon runs on Joe's Ridge with Skip Hamilton of RAAM fame. Awesome stuff.

3 days in Rabbit Valley did not suck either. I'm depressed just being back.

[Natureboi]

well if you thought ATV's and motorized vehicles were a concern, I think the GW administration poses more of a threat though.

http://trailcentral.com/dirt/index.php?key=20

They are planning on drilling for oil and gas right off of road 18 1/2, potentially destroying half to 75% of th exsisting trail system out there.

When is the governement going to figure out that we don't need new resources of oil and gas wells in our country, we need alternative fuels that are safer for the earth. not only that but GW was quoted in one of his many stupid speeches, that its not the lack of supply, oil, its the inferior facilities we have to refine the stuff. They haven't been upgraded since the 70's. So why don't they concentrate on becoming more efficeient with the supply they can get rather then overstock their crude supplies.

i hate the govt!!!

[Dirt]

i hate the govt!!!

It sounds like the feeling is mutual. ;)