Thunder Mountain would of been too easy

Thunder Mountain would of been to easy I thought to myself as I carried my bike over a large thicket of downed trees. For how many times I lost track. Who would want to ride eight miles of fairly buff extremely scenic singletrack surrounded by hoodoo's? We don't! Lukas and KB came up and joined Karl and I for some riding. The original plan was to ride Thunder Mountain in the Am, but a last minute idea for some back country single track changed our plans. Karl and I had rode several sections of some hidden single track above Red Canyon last summer which was actually a blast and we've been wanting to return ever since. We thought of looping it all together to make it a epic ride to keep everybody grinnin. However things didn't go according to plan whatsoever. It was too early in the season, the trail wasn't cut and for the most part we were the first people to actually get up there this season. A rough winter didn't make any of our life's any easier.

 Get ready kids, its going to be an epic journey. Fill your camelbak full of fruit snacks and power bars.

We started out climbing up Judd pasture Troughs road toward the showalter trail to get us on top. Road isnt steep but becomes a constant grade that gets old. Only two miles till you hit the trail. You can drive right up to the ST but its not very Element friendly so we parked at the bottom.

 The gate marking the end of the road and beginning of the Showalter Trail.

 Close the gate. Theres cows up in there hills!

Our hopes became instantly smashed. If there wasn't a carpet of trees in the trail there was a river running down it. I was amazed on how many trees fell down. Every five feet. I'm not talking about one here and there. They were in clusters... I'm amazed there is still trees standing. Its still as thick as a jungle up there and half the trees fell in the trail.

 Made it to the top. I think everybody figured since they have walked this far they might as well just walk to the top.  Look at the determination on Lukas's face. If we only knew what lied ahead. You can see the Boulder mountains off in the background and Powell Point.

Major exposure to the left. A nice chute to take you down to the bottom if you need a quick bailout.

Once on top we left the Showalter Trail and headed down on the Hancock trail towards red canyon. I looked forward to this part. Its fast and fun with several creek crossings. the trail is faint towards the road crossing at the end but maybe a good thing to keep ATVs off it. The trail was a lot better shape then Showalter. We still had to deal with downed trees but you could actually ride your bike this time. This trail all by itself is worth doing as an out and back if you drive to the bottom and start. Once the trees are removed, Im thinking of trying that out later this summer. I would like to spend all day clearing and fixing the trail to make it more enjoyable for more traffic Besides Dave harris and a couple cowboys using it.

That needs to be removed. Well, might need to reroute the trail with this gigantic ponderosa pine. It was around 4 feet in diameter

 Once you drop off the sevier platuea on the Hancock trail youll end up on the Cassidy trail enroute to Red Canyon. We looked forward to this section since the chances of downed trees was slim to nothing. Which is true but the chances for horse damage was significtly higher. We were greted to giant potholes in the trail that were concrete and anywhere from 3-10 inches deep. which made for sections to be walked.

 This was a great trail at one time.

Looks like fun huh...?

 I was looking forward to this section of trail once our ride turned into a death march back to the car. We were finally getting close to the main loops which means more bike traffic and buff trails. By this time I was regretting not bringing my water filter.

 It was soft but ill take this any day over what we had to deal with.

 Energy Blasts kept me going.

We finally made it back to the car we had left in Red Canyon 18 miles and over 7 hours later. Ive never been so happy to see my car parked there. Will I do it again? Yes. Soon? No. Will Lukas and KB come along? I hope so but I'm not offended if they don't, that was brutal and when its in great mid season condition its fully ride-able and worthwhile. Either way I still had fun. I have to "hand" it to KB, as she went OTB and broke a finger on her right hand around 8 miles into the ride. Not to big of a deal if you were riding down Jem, but we were only have way and you needed some serious bike control today. She broke it at a perfect bailout point to return back to the car but at the moment we didn't think it was broke and didn't think the trail was going to be a jeep safari. We decided to keep riding. She was still able to get out with out having a brake/shifting hand in pothole country so props to her.

When the trails get buffed out from spring horse traffic and the trees get cut(July/August) All parts are rideable. Its a long ride with a few hike a bikes but any section of this is worth doing. Whether you just did an out and back on Showalter, Hancock or upper Cassidy.