View south at ski slopes at Solitude as we head west on the Wasatch Crest Trail. September 22, 2011.
The loop tying the Wasatch Crest and Midmountain Trail is a big ride with substantial climbing
at high altitude. It's a tough trip, for very conditioned riders only. There are several ways
to do it, some much harder than others. Your top altitude will be 10,000 feet. Starting altitude
depends on your choice of trailheads.
The shortest possible ride will be 22.3 miles with around 3000 vertical feet of climbing during
the trip. Most "epic riders" don't even consider this option, which involves intersecting the
loop by taking the gondola from The Canyons to meet the Midmountain Trail at Red Pine Lodge,
or driving uphill on King Road from Park City to intersect the Midmountain.Start from Park City. Climb via CMG or Armstrong. Take either Pine Cone Ridge or CMG to Apex
to Keystone to Shadow Lake for your climb. Drop down Spiro to finish.
A rider completes the last gut-busting climb of Puke Hill. Sept 22, 2011.
Rides starting from Big Cottonwood Canyon
There are two popular starting points: The classic start at the hairpin
turn in the Guardsman Pass road, with 0.6 miles of doubletrack to
intersect the loop at Scott's Pass, and the viewpoint parking right at the
top of Guardsman Pass, from which you reach Scott's pass by descending the
Scott's Bypass trail. To start the loop from Guardsman Pass yeilds about
100 vertical feet less climbing total, but it adds 200 feet of climbing to
the final big climb at the end of the ride.
A third option, a brutal climb, is to ride up Mill D North Fork to meet
the trail near Desolation Lake.
You can ride the loop either way, but almost everybody does it clockwise,
taking the Wasatch Crest north, then descending to the Midmountain trail,
with a climb back up to Scott's Pass at the end of the ride. My
descriptions and track files assume that you'll go the traditional
clockwise direction. Options for climbing back to Scott's Pass include
Pine Cone Ridge, Powerline/Shadow Lake, CMG/Apex/Keystone/Shadow Lake,
Thaynes Road, or CMG/Apex/Dead Tree.
There's a bathroom at the Guardsman Road trailhead. Water, food, and
bathrooms are found at the Red Pine Lodge on the Midmountain Trail, about
10 miles into the ride.
As we hit the top of Puke Hill, we see over the Crest into the Park City area.
Guardsman Road start, return via Powerline: 23.7 miles, 3300 feet climbingClimb doubletrack from the hairpin turn in the Guardsman Road. Finishes with a steep grunt
up from the Spiro intersection up the Powerline Trail to Shadow Lake.
TH info: Wasatch Crest page Track: Download GPX
Guardsman Road start, return via CMG to Thaynes Road to Apex to Keystone to Shadow Lake: 26.2
miles, 3400 vertical feet climbingThe climb up CMG-Apex-Keystone is 2.5 miles longer, but it's at a much more gentle grade, with
frequent views and varied terrain. This is my preferred climbing route and is our " ". See
below for the mile-by-mile.
TH info: see sample ride bottom of page Track: Download GPX Alternate, from Guardsman Pass: GPX
Heading northwest on the Wasatch Crest, with the ridge between Big Cottonwood and Mill Creek on the left.
Cruising west on the open areas of the Crest, we look south to the peaks that separate Big Cottonwood from Little Cottonwood Canyon. September 22, 2011.
Guardsman Pass start, return via CMG to Apex to Dead Tree to Scotts Bypass (pure loop): 26.5
miles, 3400 feet climbingIf starting from DT below pass: 27.8 miles, 3900 feet climbingBigger loop, more climbing. Coming at the end of the ride, the Dead Tree climb will be torture.
For hero climbers only.
TH info: Wasatch Crest page Apex climb: Scott's Loop page Track: Download GPX
Guardsman Road start, return via Thaynes Road to Keystone to Shadow Lake: 29.7 miles, 3300
feet of climbingThis is a fairly straight-forward route, not one of my favorites because of the gravel-road
climb. A bit longer, because you stay on Midmountain for three additional miles.
Track: Download GPX
As the trail turns toward Mill Creek, we're looking down Big Cottonwood Canyon toward the Salt Lake Valley. The tailings of the copper mine can be seen on the Oquirrh Mountains.
With Guardsman Road start: 27 milesPine Cone Ridge can replace the many longer, more confusing, or steeper routes from Midmountain
back to Scott's Pass.
TH info (and ride description): Pine Cone Ridge page Mill Creek to Pine Cone Ridge
Reynolds Flat Mill D to loop w return climb via Powerline: 30.3 miles, 4300 vertical feet of
climbing.This route will give you a 4-mile climb via Mill D to reach the loop just above Desolation
Lake. The climb is 1350 vertical feet from a starting altitude of 7300. There are some pretty
steep sections, but not hike-a-bike for strong climbers.
TH info: Mill D page Track: Download GPX
From the trail above "The Spine," we're looking at Desolation Lake. Photo by Rodney Strader on October 2, 2010.
Ride from Mill Creek Canyon
This is a more-brutal option, involving significant climbing. Connect to
the loop by riding up the Mill Creek Trail to reach the Wasatch Crest at
the Connector Trail to the Midmountain. Mill Creek is a fee area. You can
only ride your bike on the upper Mill Creek trails on even-numbered
days.
At the top of Mill Creek Canyon, we've entered the Crest Connector to descend to Midmountain. Sept 22, 2011.
Dog Lake TH to Crest Connector, climb by Powerline: 30.9 miles, 4400 feet climbing. Via CMG-Apex-Keystone:
33.4 miles, Via Pine Cone Ridge: 30.5 milesThe Mill Creek trail is 4.3 miles with 1400 vertical feet of climbing, starting from the parking
area at 7600 feet elevation. This is a really big ride, with a minimum total 4300 feet climbing.
TH info: Epic Loop page Mill Creek page Track: Powerline Pine Cone Ridge
Rides starting from Park City
Although Wasatch Front riders may drive a few minutes longer before
starting their ride, the Park City start offers the advantage of a more
classic ride profile. That is, it front-loads the climbing, so you're not
struggling 2000 vertical feet uphill right at the end of your long day.
But the Park City starts require more climbing and are longer distances.
The exception is to
intersect the loop at Red Pine Lodge (you'll need to ride The Canyons gondola
lift).
There are multiple starting points. It just depends on where you want to
park, and how much climbing you want to do. Another minimal-climbing option
(but with longer miles) is to drive to the Silver Lake
Lodge at Deer Valley and take the relatively flat southern half of the
Midmountain Trail to the point where you'll enter the loop.
The Crest Connector crosses some steep side-slopes on a thin band of dirt. Photo September 29, 2010.
Via Powerline: 29.7 miles, 3800 feet climbingVia Apex: 32.2 milesRob's Trail is a nice climbing route from the northern end of the loop. There's limited parking
at the trailhead, which is popular with hikers. At the top of Rob's, you'll ride Midmountain
1.5 miles to reach the junction of the Crest Connector to Midmountain.
TH info: Rob's Trail page Track: Download GPX
Via Powerline: 29.7 miles, 3800 feet climbingVia Apex: 32.2 milesClimb from the base of The Canyons. This is the best option for riders who are staying at the
resort. Ambush is a fairly straight-forward climb up to an intersection with Rob's, then on
to Midmountain 1.5 miles from the Crest Connector.
Track: Download GPX
The Midmountain enters deep conifer and aspen forest. September 29, 2010.
The Midmountain between the Connector and Armstrong has a lot of up-and-down riding and some tough rocky spots. Sept. 29, 2010.
Via Powerline: 31.8 miles, 3800 feet climbingVia Apex: 34.3 milesVia Pine Cone Ridge 31 miles, see belowGood option from Park City Mountain Resort. Less steep than Spiro, but adds a few extra miles,
because you can't descend Armstrong (it's a one-way trail).
TH info: Armstrong Trail page Track: Download GPX
Via Powerline: 28.7 miles, 3800 feet climbingVia Apex 31.2 milesThe "Classic" access from Park City. Start at Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR).
TH info: Spiro Trail page Track: Download GPX
Looking over Park City from the Midmountain, a bit past Spiro as we head toward CMG. Photo August 30, 2011.
We're approaching Park City's (PCMR) ski slopes on Midmountain, with Deer Valley's slopes at upper right. Photo Aug. 30, 2011.
Via Apex: 30.6 miles, 3700 feet climbingA less-steep climbing route, but a little harder to find. Starts as doubletrack near the southern-most
lifts at PCMR. Crosses Midmountain and connects directly to Apex on the initial climb.
Track: Download GPX
Via CMG to Apex: 38.0 miles, 3100 feet climbingVia Powerline: 37.5 miles, 3200 feet climbingVia Thaynes Road: 36.9, 3100 feet climbingUp Team Big Bear to Guardsman Rd: 34.9, 2500 feetThis route is a longer distance, but removes over 1000 vertical feet of climbing. It starts
right at the southern end of the Midmountain Trail, but you'll need a few miles to reach a
climbing route to Scott's Pass. (This is the smoothest and easiest section of Midmountain.)
Via Team Big Bear Trail Page Track via Team Big Bear: Download GPX
We're heading up Apex, as it snakes back and forth across ski slopes and into aspen forest. Photo September 7, 2011.
On the Shadow Lake singletrack, we're winding up around the lake toward Scott's Pass. September 7, 2011.
Other climbing options:Boring. Intersects Midmountain, or you can continue up Thaynes for a boring DT climb.to Midmountain. Significantly harder to navigate. Adds additional climb after descending to
Daly Grind.: Blows up your legs early as you fight over the rocky tech areas in mid-Sweeney. But it's
a fairly direct and short route uphill.
Sample ride, from Guardsman Road, clockwise loop:
0.0 Onto DT north N40 36.822 W111 34.271
0.7 Scott's Pass, L uphill N40 36.992 W111 33.511
1.0 Top of Puke Hill
5.0 Desolation Lake, The Spine
5.1 Keep R uphill (L = Mill D No)
N40 39.560 W111 35.845
7.6 R to Crest Connector N40 41.204 W111 36.072
(L = Mill Creek)
7.9 Straight
8.8 Join Midmountain, keep straight (R)
N40 41.488 W111 35.134
11.4 Red Pine Lodge, keep straight through
N40 40.658 W111 34.675
14.6 Keep L on MidMtn (R = Ironman) N40 39.625 W111 33.364
16.4 Hard L (R connects to Ironman) N40 40.060 W111 32.490
17.9 Keep L (R = Ironman) N40 39.299 W111 32.306 18.4 R uphill (L = Armstrong) N40 39.099 W111
32.288 20.3 L downhill (R = Powerline) N40 37.963 W111 32.180 Then rapid R on Midmountain 21.1
R uphill on Crescent M.G. N40 38.182 W111 31.514 22.1 L uphill on Thaynes Rd N40 37.822 W111
32.017 22.5 R uphill on Apex ST N40 38.018 W111 31.760 23.1 R on Keystone N40 37.780 W111 31.869
24.1 R on DT N40 37.100 W111 32.641 Then cross to Shadow Lake trail 24.2 Keep straight across
to ST N40 37.075 W111 32.736 25.0 Hard L on Blazing Saddle N40 37.004 W111 33.278 Alternate:
continue to DT then L uphill 25.5 Across Scott's Pass and down 26.2 At car
From Guardsman Road to Crest, return via CMG, Apex, Keystone, and Shadow Lake (26.2 miles)Head up Big Cottonwood Canyon at the junction of Wasatch Blvd and 72nd south. Drive up past
Solitude Resort (about 15 miles). Just before you reach Brighton, the road to Guardsman Pass
turns off on your left. At 0.8 miles, you'll see a red metal gate. Exactly one mile later (1.8
miles from the fork in the road), you'll see a dirt road on the left as you go around a hairpin
to the right. GPS N 40° 36.817' W 111° 33.532'. Park along the hairpin turn and bike up the
road. (There's a second -- closed -- gate about 100 yards up the road. Just pack your bike
around the gate and continue.)
Riding Resources:
Higher-res topo map:
View
map
Single-page riding guide for
printing
GPS track for this ride:
GPX
Lodging, camping, shops:
Links to
Cottonwood canyon resources
