While in the area we had our eye on the Phillips Canyon & Ridge Loop and we tackled it the other day. This loop started up on the pass at Phillips Trailhead. 19 miles and 3066′ of climbing. I think we’ll take next week off from riding.
Arrow Trail comes off the gravel road after a short hill climb to remind you the ride is starting at 7745′! This trail was built by boy scouts and they did a great job. The singletrack crosses meadows and winds up through the forest gently. There was a high haze again today since the world is burning up so any view pictures didn’t really turn out. Bummer because I wish y’all could see the grandeur of the landscape.
At the intersection we turned right and descended Phillips Canyon. What a phenomenal downhill! It’s black diamond rated with root drops and rocks everywhere. The flowers and bushes were pretty tall in several areas and the fast and swoopy sections almost felt like I was in a tunnel of green. All this descending had me thinking about what the meant to get back to the start….climbing.
We turned right at the bottom and headed up Phillips Ridge. Honestly, this climb seemed to go on for too long. Don’t get me wrong, it’s the easiest hard climb I’ve done in a long time since the trail is so well planned out. It’s 9 miles with 2200′ of climbing with switchbacks through the forest to start. The trail opens up into a rocky climb by the powerlines and then up on the ridge there are quite a few technical rock gardens as you traverse. The trail offers big wide open views of the valley towards Jackson and the giant mountain range to the west also.
The final descent after all this climbing is a blast! I know so many of my mountain bike friends would love this and I hope they get to ride it. Roots, rocks, twisty sections through the forest, smooth fast traverses, this has it all!!!!!!! What a great ride.
Leave a Reply