. The Poison Spider Messa and down Portal was one of last years favorite trails. The Poison Spider Messa is definitely a trail that you either love or hate. This trail can make a grown man cry. Poison Spider Mesa is technically, physically and mentally a challenge. . . Trail Stats & Information Nearby City: […]
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 Pass and Corral Trail
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
This is a self put together ride connecting various trails, below a short description of each individual trail :
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.
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.
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
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Giant on the way to Mr Toads Wild Ride
Armstrong, Saxon Creek, and Mr Toads Wild Ride or whatever else this loop is called, all I can say is that this could well be the best trail the USA has to offer. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!. This trail offers everything any mountain biker dreams of.. and more!.. all bundled into a 18.84 mile loop
Nearby City: South Lake Tahoe
Length: 18.84 total miles
Trail Type: Loop
Skill Level: [ What the books say ] Aerobically: strenuous. Technical : difficult
Skill Level: [ My opinion ] Aerobically: strenuous. Technical : difficult / mental
Duration: 4 – 4.5 hours [ my time ] 5.58 hours
Trailhead Elev: 6,200 feet
Top Elev: 9,600 feet
My previous ride Heavenly 2 Armstrong, I completely under-estimated the trail and myself, and I paid the price, I got slaughtered!! Today on the Armstrong Saxon Creek and Mr Toads Wild Ride I yet again misjudged the trail, however, this time it was to my benefit. I had already come down the Armstrong pass trail, but I was so knackered I for some reason convinced myself that it was gonna be a grunt riding up the trail. I started at the bottom at the trailhead parking, and cycled the 4 miles to the start of the “real” trail, the 4 road miles were not too bad, and an excellent warm up. Although I preferred coming down the Armstrong, going up was not bad at all, and although a bit of a slog, it is 100% doable, and it’s actually a really nice climb. At the Armstrong Pass junction the TRT trail continues to climb, however this section is more strenuous than the previous miles, not so much technically, but because of some very loose sand / gravel on the trail. Both Armstrong and the TRT section is very scenic, and excellent trail conditions. After 3 hours of great climbing, the trail tops out… from this point on, it’s 98% downhill, and not just any old downhill, this section puts all and any theme park to shame.. It’s time for a 9 mile downhill roller coaster ride. The first part of the “gauntlet” is short lived, a grade 5 section forces every human with a will to live, get off their steed and walk this section. Once that’s behind you, there is miles of fantastic but technical and narrow singletrack to enjoy. Just when you are on the brink of thinking you are immortal, Mr Toad brings you back to your senses. Let me just be completely honest, NOTHING I say, or the photo’s and videos you see online will give you a real impression of Mr Toad… It is the craziest shit I have ever seen, let’s put it this way, if I had the best DH bike on the market, with the best body armor on the market, and you offered me a million buck to ride down Mr Toad, i know there is no way I could convince my brain and my body to take me down. For any mountain bikers that have ever done the “Holy Cross” trail in Grand Juction Colorado, it’s 5 times more mental than that… So, I can now say I walked my steed down Mr Toads Wild Ride… even that was scary!! And although that is by far the most impossible section of the loop, there are LOT’S of hairy sections on the rest of the trail. Just be sensible on this trail, and it is possibly the best trail you will ever do.
All I can say is, JUST DO IT!!… EVERYTHING a mountain biker dreams and more packed into a 19 mile loop. Armstrong Saxon Creek and Mr Toads Wild Ride should be on everyone’s wish list.
Traffic on Trail : a handful of friendly mountain bikers ( No hikers ) Wild Life : who needs it on a trail like this?… I didn’t see any 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
I would really like to thank everyone who works on these trails, you guys do an excellent job in maintaining the trails, and without you I myself and others would not be able to enjoy this activity.
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