Tag: mountain biking

The Wasatch Crest Trail

Posted on by Austin

Shredding the Wasatch Crest mountain biking trail with Adam Riser and Re Wikstrom. The Crest Trail runs along the ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City, Utah.

In the summer months this is one of the most popular rides in the area and recently free shuttles started running from the Mill D trail to the top of Guardsman’s pass. For visiting riders this is a classic and a must-do. The trail is a mix of flowing, well-ridden singletrack, moderate-length but punchy climbs, forest riding in and out of aspens, and fast-and-dusty descending back into Big Cottonwood.

Alternate exit options take you to either Park City or Millcreek.

More About the Rest

Read more about the trail here.
And see Adam’s photography and Re’s photography.

Adam and Re stand beside their bikes on a high-altitude stop along the Crest trail and overlooking Big Cottonwood Canyon

Re, Adam, and Jen discuss the Yeti 575 and the new Santa Cruz Bronson mountain bike before dropping back into the Crest trail A colorful, high altitude meadow on either side of the Crest trail. The mountains of Big Cottonwood can be seen in the background.

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Crusher in the Tushar 2013

Posted on by Austin

In case you’re unfamiliar with the Crusher in the Tushar, it’s a long road/gravel bike race with a “fair” amount of climbing (read: TONS).
It’s definitely one of those things to add to your roadie bucket list if you enjoy pain, high temperatures, and a party in the mountains. The race is held every year outside of Beaver, Utah.

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Fruita, Colorado

Posted on by Austin

The mountain biking in Fruita, Colorado is a little slice of heaven baked by the sun and carved from the desert. Singletrack trails crisscross the desert around the now-famous 18 road and even more trails skip along the spiny backs of nearby ridges that protrude from the mountains. Unless there’s a storm clouding the sky, sunsets light up the horizon nightly and stars blaze from one side of your vision to the other.

Brian checking his hardtail at camp on 18 road in Fruita

My shadow looming over our campsite in Fruita at 18 Road

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One Starry Night

Posted on by Austin

The silhouette of a bike against the star-filled sky of Stanley, Idaho

Stanley, Idaho

Years ago the camping around Stanley, Idaho included a small, secluded site atop one of the ridges just above town. It took a heavy foot on the gas pedal, four-wheel drive, and a little bit of faith to climb the rutted and dusty road up to this site and it was worth the trouble. This is just a portion of the 360-degree view of the star-filled sky over this small Idaho town flanked by the Sawtooths.

Visit Stanley for the rafting, mountain biking (send me a message for some beta), and hot springs. You’ll never want to leave.

Moving Target

Posted on by Austin

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|| The heat has returned to Utah. The dirt is dry and mountain biking season is back in full foce. In honor of the heat, I decided it was time to post these POV mountain biking photos. This is a continuation of the series I started a couple years ago during the winter. All of the bike photos were shot on the trail in Corner Canyon in Draper, Utah. I rode the same bike for every shot, a Civilian Bicycles Young Turk, and used the same camera rig described in my winter post.

With the explosion of HD resolution helmet cameras, this point of view is nothing new. No matter, as cliche as it sounds, this project was about trying a new technique and having fun. I accomplished both missions and came away with a series of photos that I find interesting. Years from now, when I’m old and gray, these photos will remind me how fun it was to ride my bike. My hope is that they’ll do the same for someone else too. ||

Something’s Brewing

Posted on by Austin

The sun peeks through a brewing storm cloud over Brian Head Utah. Two mountain bikers look on from a rocky cliff over the forest.

Re Wikstrom and Shaun Raskin take in the view over Brian Head, Utah. Mountain bikes got us there and mountain bikes got us back… but not before the storm hit. Muddy rides are worth enjoying.

The Location in Brian Head

This overlook is a classic stop on this particular ride. Some days it’s overcast, some days it’s sunny, and some days you get a powerful mix of weather. Re and Shaun provide the perfect amount of scale for this photo.

Dawn Light

Posted on by Austin

Warm, early morning light turns the dramatic sawtooth mountains yellow near Stanley, Idaho.

|| Twenty-percent rain was what the forecast read. Really, this translated into about twenty, full minutes of rain–at two AM. I’ll take that.

We took Friday off from work with the hope of bagging a ride or two on the trails around Stanley before it rained. Luckily, we beat the rain. And after the clouds rolled in and rolled out at night, we were left with this incredible sunrise.

An incredible view awaited us at this campsite off the Nip Tuck road. Hunters rolled up and down the dirt road all morning, checking for deer and signs of a chance to earn an early tag. We left during the day, rode Fischer Creek, hit the hot springs near town, and then made dinner as a blast of frigid air rolled through camp. Clear nights bring cold temperatures, but that might be the only problem with being able to see the stars so clearly.

Without a blanket of clouds to warm the land, your toes turn cold in a hurry. ||