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Hidden Valley and Moab Rim Trail

Hidden Valley and Moab Rim Trail

Hidden Valley and Moab Rim Trail

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The Hidden Valley onto Moab Rim is one of my Moab favorites. This trail offers fantastic scenery, a very remote feeling without being remote ( if anything goes wrong, it’s no more than a 1.5 hour walk to civilization).
The Hidden Valley onto Moab Rim trail offers everything the big trails offer, such as Porcupine. The trail can be looped, or as an out and back.
This trail offers the longest and steepest slickrock downhill section, almost a mile of solid mental 22 percent downhill.

Hidden Valley onto Moab Rim

Trail Stats & Information

Nearby Town: Moab
Length: about 13 miles (14.3 miles if you visit the view point)
Trail Type: Loop or Out & Back
Skill Level: [what the books say] Technically extremely difficult to downright abusive. Physically difficult
Skill Level: [My Opinion] Technically moderate. Physically moderate
Duration: 2-4 hours
Trailhead Elev: 4000 feet
Top Elev: 5400 feet

Book Description

If you are not a skilled mountain biker do not attempt this ride. Be sure to take lots of water. This trail can be ridden from Moab, as a loop or as a shuttled trip, in either direction. It has a brutal climb at the head and an equally brutal downhill at the tail anyway you slice it. The ride up from the northern end on the massive rock slab to the rim is one of the most difficult climbs I know of. The southern end is so technical that you are going to be walking the bike. The northern end can be ridden in its entirety, if you are very fit and very skilled. Trail Surface: Extremely rugged 4WD trail and a very technical singletrack that is only suitable for hiking–portage or risk bone damage. Huge ledges, sand, loose rock, and hardpack. Kayenta slab rock, Navajo sandstone.

[Show as slideshow]

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My Experience

Since I came to the USA 4 years ago, I have always spent the whole month of October and the first week of November in Moab. I always stay at the Moab Rim Camp Ground, and the Hidden Valley Trailhead is just 5 min. away. Hidden Valley and Moab Rim Trail was the first ever Moab trail I did, I enjoyed it the first time, and I enjoy it every single time. This trail is stunningly scenic, and apart from the 40 min. portage at the bottom of  Hidden Valley, it’s a pretty easy ride. This trail can be looped in 3 hours.

Conclussion

EXCELLENT fun and scenic ride with a remote feeling even though you are just miles from Moab, once on the Rim you feel like you are the only person on earth. Excellent Moab scenery. The climb and portage to Hidden Valley is brutal, but once that is behind you, it’s cool running’s.

Personally I DO NOT agree with the difficulty rating mentioned in the guide Books. Although the Downhill is absolutely mental, with a 22+ grade, it is actually manageable, I have managed it myself with just 2 “get offs”. However, if anything goes wrong on the downhill it will probably cost you and your bike dearly.

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : about 5 hikers
Wild Life : who needs wildlife on a ride like this!?
Scenery : Absolutely Fantastic 360 degree 3D Scenery
Other :  Be WELL prepared for punctures, carry spare tubes and a repair kit. This advice is for ALL Moab rides, not just this one.

My Trail Rating : 9.5 / 10

 


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HDR Mountain Bike Photo Compilation

Part 1 of my HDR Mountain Bike Compilation
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Cold Creek to Star Lake to Armstrong Pass down Corral Trail Lake Tahoe

Giant HDR

Giant at Star Lake getting ready for Freel Pass

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A few days a did the Heavenly Valley from Stagecoach to Armstrong Pass, it was a slaughter, but the downhill section from Freel Pass all the way down Armstrong was probably the best ride / section I have ever done.
I did not want to leave Lake Tahoe without enjoying this section one more time. However, there was no way I wanted to get slaughtered again on the Stagecoach to Freel Pass section, so I decided on a different route that was hopefully gonna be slightly, or even better a hell of a lot easier, but with the same fun factor…
Cold Creek to Star Lake to Armstrong Pass down Corral Trail.

Did I succeed?

cold creek, star lake, armstrong and corral Trail

Cold creek, Star Lake, Armstrong Pass and Corral Trail

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Trail Stats & Information

Nearby City: South Lake Tahoe

Length: 21.01 total miles

Trail Type: Point to Point ( for loop add about 3 miles )

Skill Level: [ What the books say ] Aerobically: strenuous. Technical : difficult

Skill Level: [ My opinion ] Aerobically: strenuous. Technical : moderate

Duration: 4 – 6 hours [ my time ] 7.05 hours

Trailhead Elev: 6,500 feet

Top Elev: 9,500 feet

Book Description

This is a self put together ride connecting various trails, below a short description of each individual trail :

  • Cold Creek : The lower Cold Creek Trail is a popular and easily accessible ride out of South Lake Tahoe. It begins with a ride up the graded High Meadow Road. After less than 2 miles, the loop segment crosses Cold Creek and heads downstream on smooth,wellpacked singletrack. Real hammerheads can continue up the painfully steep climb to Star Lake. This ride makes a nice side trip off the Power Line Trail.
  • Star Lake : Very steep and strenuous climb from High Meadow Road or Cold Creek Trail to Star Lake. Be prepared to walk a lot on this trail. Star lake is a beautiful place to rest and eat before heading up to Freel Pass
  • Star Lake to Freel Pass : The climb continues, however it’s not as bad as the previous grunt and it’s more scenic, it should take between 40 – 60 min. to reach Freel Pass
  • Freel Pass to Armstrong Pass and down the Armstrong Connector Trail : Spend 15 min. at Freel Pass, enjoy the superb scenery, test your brakes, and make sure you don’t have any loose parts on your steed. The coming 1.5 hours is gonna be one of the best rides imaginable. Do not admire the scenery, just keep your eyes on the trail. The “Connector” is 100% fun with very little margin for error, short section but unique… very unique.
  • Corral Trail : This trail is a FFF Trail “Fun” Fast” and “Furious”… this is a trail gives you the feeling that you are the main character in an out of control video game… Not to be missed


[Show as slideshow]

My Experience

Well to honest, from Cold Creek to Freel Pass was just as brutal as the Heavenly Valley Stagecoach to Freel Pass section was. The ride to Star Lake is very steep and physically extremely demanding, and I kept telling myself that it would be worth it. I spent 45 min. at Star Lake relaxing and stuffing myself with fluids and energy nibbles. From the Lake to Freel Pass it’s about another hour slog, the first section is pretty easy going, but the second section is strenuous.

Once at Freel Pass, you can rest assure that the real fun is about to start. 100% fun filled adrenalin rush that will last between 1.5 – 2 hours… that’s if you manage to stay on your steed. From Freel Pass all the way to the finishing point could well be the best ride in the USA.

For the real “Gear Grinders” among us, at the Armstrong Pass, you can continue on the TRT and head down Saxon Creek and Mr Toads Wild Ride.. Let’s put it this way, once you are at Freel Pass, no matter which way you choose, it’s gonna be a 10/10 ride.

Conclusion

Mountain Biking just doesn’t get better than this, the nice thing about this is that no matter how you approach it, you will have to work HARD for the reward, but the reward will make you forget everything… If there is any such thing as a “Natural High” then this is the place to be.

Other Info:

Traffic on Trail : 2 mountain bikers 1 hiker

Wild Life : Coyote and a (dead?) snake

Scenery : excellent scenery

Other : Take extra water, and energy nibbles. Be sensible, a trail is only fun if you make it to the end in one piece. This is definitely not a trail for novices

My Trail Rating : 10 / 10 with a Gold Star




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