Wanting to get another big loop done while the weather forecast was good, we rode Greenie Peak Loop from camp. Greenie Peak Loop was a big gravel/dirt loop of 27.7 miles with 4408’ of climbing. We topped out at 11,141’ with views of surrounding peaks.
We started by riding up to Sawmill Pass on a fairly good gravel road that winds up the mountain. Along the way are sweeping views of the Red River Ski Area and heavily forested mountains all around. After this 6 mile climb we descended the backside down to Cabresto Creek and hung a right. This next stretch followed the creek with big meadows and yet more forest. After about 7.5 miles of gentle climbs we turned right on Greenie Peak Road. This part was very very steep and rough. Relentless comes to mind. All this work paid off when we reached the peak. The climb up to the peak was a beast; it’s the highest pass in New Mexico! We spent some time taking pictures, eating a sandwich, and enjoying the views before the treacherous descent.
Descending was very steep, loose, and rocky. It’s the kind of descent where honestly, you aren’t in total control the whole time, you’re just as far back behind the saddle as you can get and holding on for dear life. There were a half dozen or so unmarked offshoots and we had to stop several times to check the map and even backtrack a mile at one point after taking the incorrect spur.
MTB Project app has this as double black diamond and for the most part it is not. The climb up to the Peak is probably black diamond and the descent down is definitely black diamond. There is a substantial amount of climbing at high elevations so that can make the loop pretty challenging for a lot of riders. We got done and relaxed at camp with beers and planned the next ride.
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