TRIP REPORTS: STAR TRAIL RIDE FROM TAYLOR PARK

HOPES & PLANS

For the second July 4th weekend in a row, I traveled with family to Taylor Park, Colorado to ride some of the state’s finest singletrack trails. Last year, I left Taylor Park a day early to celebrate my 2nd anniversary in Crested Butte. When I returned to Denver, my brother (Ryan) and brother-in-law (Rich) told tales of a very difficult Highline Trail that they had tackled while I was gone. I was a bit jealous. This year, Rich convinced Ryan and I to go with him on a 45-50 mile backcountry loop that included a very difficult 8.5 mile section called Star Trail. Many miles, crashes, stalls, rocks, muddy roots, river crossings and snow banks later, I can say that the ride definitely lived up to its reputation.

DAY 1

Since this was going to be my first bike trip of the summer season, I spent the first day in Taylor Park riding some moderate trails to scenic places including one particularly beautiful mountain lake (see photos #271 and #272).

DAY 2

After a solid breakfast of blueberry pancakes, we geared up and rode a few miles down County Rd. 742 to the start of the loop, which began on the Colorado Trail. Two miles into the trail, my brother noticed something loose near my rear tire. Somehow, I had managed to crack the plastic housing that kept my rear brake fluid reservoir attached to my bike. Since nothing was leaking, it wasn’t an issue. A few zip ties later we were back on our bikes. About eight miles into the ride, it was clear that things were about to get interesting. As we gained altitude, snow banks increased in frequency and size (see photos #274 and #278), and the jetting on my bike started to give me trouble. After wearing myself out with lots of failed kick-starts, Rich (a top notch rider and seasoned bike mechanic) offered to take my bike for a while. He adjusted the idle and got it running a little better (see photo #275). After what seemed like a long time fighting our way through difficult rocky sections and snow banks, we reached the crux of the route – the Star Trail. The next eight miles consisted of white knuckle riding down steep muddy switchbacks that were littered with large rocks and tree roots. At about this time, it started to drizzle. As the trail grew more slippery, quick maneuvers were quickly replaced with a growing reliance on inertia and an even tighter grip. Often times, our most successful method of getting past the hairy sections was to rip the throttle and refuse to let any rock or root change the direction of the front wheel. While this stubborn approach led to more frequent air time and a few spills, it enabled us to stay in the power band (high RPMs, more torque) and avoid stalling at inopportune times such as river crossings where we had to fight both the current and underlying rocks (see photo #273). Near the end of the Star Trail, Ryan rested his bike on a tree to help Rich push his bike through a snow bank. Ryan’s bike fell over and (as Rich put it) “customized” the shape of his radiator. No leaks, no problem. By the time that we finished Star Trail we were beat, but only half done. Fortunately, with the exception of a few obstacles (see photo #276) and two creative falls performed by Ryan, the ride back to camp was not nearly as eventful as the first half. As we made our way back to the county road, we were greeted with “hail” (Rich later confirmed that it was not hail, but rather rain hitting us in the face at 50 mph). We arrived back at camp soaked, exhausted, and grinning from ear to ear. Another successful adventure in the high county was complete!

AFTERTHOUGHTS

What made this trip so exhausting and fun was the sustained intensity and continual need to commit to difficult lines that offer no guarantees and punish any remnant of hesitation. At all times, focus and balance were key. Additionally, choosing the right speed was crucial. If you go too slow, you lack the necessary momentum and balance and run the risk of stalling in a place that will be very difficult to get out of from a standstill. If you attack a difficult section with too much speed, you will get tossed around like a rag doll and crashing will cause more damage to you and your bike. Perhaps the most interesting sections were the river crossings as they presented a lot of unknowns: depth, force of the current, size and positioning of underlying rocks, etc. On the deep river crossings, current is a bigger factor in determining the best line. Generally, it’s best to start high on the riverbank so that you can afford to be pushed downstream some and still reach the edge of the trail.

DISCLAIMER / SUGGESTIONS:

If you have any interest in riding this route or others like it, do yourself a favor and bring (at minimum) all of the backcountry essentials, spare spark plugs, a spare clutch lever, tools, a tire repair kit, a detailed topo map (and preferably GPS since you’ll be in the forest most of the time), proper body protection, rain gear, mechanical knowledge, a kidney belt and padded bike shorts. Be sure to leave your plans with someone and do your best to stay on the trail at all times as it is especially vulnerable to damage when wet. Ride hard, tread lightly, be safe.