As a paddler I am always looking for water. Anytime! Anywhere!
In November 2017 I made several visits to Red Mountain Open Space north of Fort Collins with my new Salsa Mukluk fat bike. I covered all possible trails. Technically, they are easy except some soft gravel and sand (many trails are going simply on dry stream beds or washes). I also did two loops in Soapstone Prairie Natural Area next door. You can check Red Mountain trails on MTB Project.
And, I’ve found some water – not enough for paddling, but plenty for my photography. Here is a little picture story which includes also some images from earlier hiking.
Sand Creek flows across the entire Red Mountain Open Space. You cannot ride a bike through this spectacular canyon. The Bent Rock Trail is for hiking only.Crossing the Sand Creek at high water may be a challenge, especially, along the Ruby Wash Trail where there are no stepping stones.Above the canyon, there is a little retention reservoir which turns into marsh in a dry season. Birds love it.If you ride the K-Lynn Cameron Trail you have chance to cross the Sand Creek twice and a few more times a smaller creek.Why not to ride along the creek? Well, let’s stay on the trail.It is difficult to catch water in Red Mountain in the form of snow since the area is closing for winter (December-February). I also believe that this area is getting less precipitation than Fort Collins. Anybody has some data?
In the middle of November I had patches of snow in the Ruby Wash and some drift snow along the Cheyenne Rim.My favorite drinking hole at the top of Salt Lick Trail. I just cannot pass it without shooting some pictures. A sunset photo session means a crazy ride down on soft gravel of the Ruby Wash with a falling darkness. A fat bike is doing a pretty good job in these conditions. There are more water tanks for cattle in the area which is an active open range.A little bit of liquid gold – a stream disappearing at the bottom of Ruby WashOf course, water shaped all canyons, arroyos and washes here, but that’s another story.
Here is my Salsa Mukluk bike on slickrock at the upper Ruby Wash
I enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. Of course, paddling in different flavors (SUP, kayak, canoe, packraft) comes first. It includes long distance racing. But, there is also biking, hiking, inline skating, drone flying and 4WD driving. The common theme here is a camera. I always have camera (or cameras) with me. It may be a small waterproof Olympus Stylus TG-5 or GoPro Hero5. Whenever possible I am hauling one of my mirrorless Sony cameras, A7R2 or A6000 with a light tripod.
After ChattaJack, my last paddling race, I shifted more towards hiking and biking. I’ve got a new toy: a fat bike, 2017 Salsa Mukluk GX1, ordered online from REI. It is my first bike with a carbon frame. As expected, it’s a lot of fun to ride that monster.
More pictures and, probably, video clips will come, but here are 10 images from my first 2 weeks of fat biking in northern Colorado. All pictures were shot with Sony A7R2 camera on a tripod.For selfies I use that camera with time lapse application.
First ride in Lory State Park – Hogback Overview trailA little weight lifting for cross trainingMahogany Loop in Soapstone Prairie Natural AreaSunset over prairie foothills from Mahogany Loop in Soapstone Prairie Natural Area.Crossing a cattle fence on Cheyenne Rim trail in Soapstone Prairie Natural Area.Patches of snow on the Cheyenne Rim in Red Mountain Open SpaceCheyenee Rim Trail requires some climbing, but offers magnificent views of the Big Hole. It is difficult to be there around sunrise or sunset for the best photography light.Ruby Wash in Red Mountain Open SpaceContemplating a tough and long ride through deep gravel on the Big Hole Wash Trail in Red Mountain Open SpaceThese fat tires really attract cactus needles …
Should I treat my tubes with Slime Sealant or just go straight for tubeless?
I have not been riding the Soapstone for a couple of years. Recently, I revisited Mahogany and Pronghorn Loops, and Cheyenne Rim Trail. There are some new features. (1) The lower, 3 mile portion of the Cheyenne Rim trail was rerouted to make room for bisons. Now, it is all a single track, a little bumpy due to rocks and cattle footprints. (2) Most of numerous gates are now equipped with cattle guards, so you don’t need to stop.
Red Mountain and Soapstone will be closed December-February, so I hope to get a few more rides there in November.
Soapstone is my favorite location for mountain biking nowadays. Red Mountain offers betters photography opportunities. I love trails in the Horsetooth area, but somehow, they became steeper and more rocky than they used to be 25 years ago …
I’ve found REI MTB Project a very useful resource for planning biking trips. I added a few pictures from my recent riding to their gallery.
Are you riding a fat bike in Fort Collins area? What are your favorite trail in northern Colorado?
