2008 Woodie Awards
Mountain bike trails are best in the fall
Roger Phillips
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Sports
If you haven't done this ride before, you might want to have a guide book or a trail map. It's a pretty easy route to follow, but getting sidetracked on the wrong trail can be a drag.
Elk Mountain (aka Elk Meadows) Loop is located near Stanley Lake, and both ends of the trail are well marked along the paved road to Stanley Lake.
The trail is about 12.5 miles and with a modest elevation gain less than 500 feet.
But it's no cream puff. There's some rocky, rooty, technically challenging descents that will test the shocks of a dual-suspension bike and punish the spine of a hardtail rider.
There are two critical junctions you have to make to complete the loop. The first is at Elk Meadows. You break out of the timber into meadows, and you need to take the right fork to continue on the trail. Remember you're riding clockwise around mountain.
The second is at the end of the singletrack when you intersect the doubletrack. You need to go right again. If you miss this, you will come to Elk Creek and a snowmobile bridge, which means you're going the wrong way.
Follow the doubletrack back to the paved road.
The trail has the kind of spectacular scenery you would expect from a trail in the shadow of the Sawtooths.
Keep your eyes open for wildlife. We didn't see any elk on Elk Mountain or Elk Meadows, but we did spot a cow and calf moose feeding in a shallow pond.
"I was so psyched about that," Jensen said.
If you camp at Stanley Lake, you can start and end your ride right there, and It's hard to find a prettier campground.
CLOTHING FOR FALL RIDING
Dressing can be tricky because temperature swings of 20 to 30 degrees a day are common in the fall, and there's the ever-present possibility of rain.
The best strategy for staying comfortable is layers of lightweight, easy-to-stow clothes.
Start with a long-sleeved, zip-front jersey, or a zip-neck long-underwear top made from polypropylene, Capilene or similar synthetic fabrics.
Elk Mountain (aka Elk Meadows) Loop is located near Stanley Lake, and both ends of the trail are well marked along the paved road to Stanley Lake.
The trail is about 12.5 miles and with a modest elevation gain less than 500 feet.
But it's no cream puff. There's some rocky, rooty, technically challenging descents that will test the shocks of a dual-suspension bike and punish the spine of a hardtail rider.
There are two critical junctions you have to make to complete the loop. The first is at Elk Meadows. You break out of the timber into meadows, and you need to take the right fork to continue on the trail. Remember you're riding clockwise around mountain.
The second is at the end of the singletrack when you intersect the doubletrack. You need to go right again. If you miss this, you will come to Elk Creek and a snowmobile bridge, which means you're going the wrong way.
Follow the doubletrack back to the paved road.
The trail has the kind of spectacular scenery you would expect from a trail in the shadow of the Sawtooths.
Keep your eyes open for wildlife. We didn't see any elk on Elk Mountain or Elk Meadows, but we did spot a cow and calf moose feeding in a shallow pond.
"I was so psyched about that," Jensen said.
If you camp at Stanley Lake, you can start and end your ride right there, and It's hard to find a prettier campground.
CLOTHING FOR FALL RIDING
Dressing can be tricky because temperature swings of 20 to 30 degrees a day are common in the fall, and there's the ever-present possibility of rain.
The best strategy for staying comfortable is layers of lightweight, easy-to-stow clothes.
Start with a long-sleeved, zip-front jersey, or a zip-neck long-underwear top made from polypropylene, Capilene or similar synthetic fabrics.
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