This is a recommended route on MTB Project and I get why. I think it may be one of the top rides we’ve done in the past few months. It is hard. Our day was 21 miles with 3517′ of climbing. It is hard. I think I mentioned that.
We started with a climb up Quemazon Trail from town which is almost solidly rock slab and a black diamond climb for sure. It’s relentless but the views back into town and the surrounding terrain take your mind off it. At the “top” we climbed more on Pipeline. All together, at the end of the first 6 miles we had already climbed 2600′!!! At the top, around 9800′, we could see Pajarito Ski Area and just about everything else around. The mountains and canyons go forever and ever. Luckily, we were in for a treat on Guaje Ridge Trail.
Guaje RIdge Trail is amazing. What goes up comes down and we were happy for some downhill. It’s very narrow tread through trees and along sidehill that plunges down switchbacks into another canyon. When we turned onto Cabra Trail we didn’t know what to expect. Back into the canyon we went with giant boulders and trees. This part was very technical and I had to walk a section that looked pretty intimidating. Down at the bottom we rode Perimeter Trail back into town where we started.
This ride takes you from dry rocky terrain, to aspen forests, ponderosas, grasses, deep mixed forest, back into dry terrain and down into giant boulder canyons. It really had everything…except other cyclists. It’s a very difficult and long ride that definitely isn’t for everyone.
Oh, and unfortunately there is a wickedly evil plant here called Honey Locust. Honey makes it sound sweet, it’s not. The thorns on this bush shred anything that swiped against it, like our arms and legs. I look like I got in a fight with a cat! Evil plant.
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