Blue Mountain at 6,430 ft.
Terrain Distance (approx): 18.2 miles (rt)
Climbing Distance: 4,358 feet
Highest Altitude: 6,430 feet
Trip Time: 2.5 hours
Maps: [this ride][2007 cross ride]
I did this ride this morning and although I have done it before this is the first time I did it right. The most important thing is to make that extreme left just before the Blue Mountain Saddle.
This climb begins in the main parking lot of the Blue Mountain Recreation Area. I headed straight up the main well traveled trail and stayed on it until it came out on the Blue Mountain Access Road. Stick to the road and keep in mind that it can get dusty at times. After an hour and about 20 minutes take a left onto the final road that takes you to the top. Remember it is before the Saddle.
Once on top I circled the fire tower and started the decent. The decent goes along the ridge to the East. Stick to this trail crossing the road only once at the beginning. The trail is steep and very demanding. Cramping fingers are the norm on this one. Some drops are steep so be careful.
Ride all the way to the junction which if you go right takes you to the Deadmans Lookout. Don't take that but instead descend down to the creek and go right.
Follow the creek until it comes out at a meadow then stops at a gate. Go through the gate and take a left on the road.
Follow the road down and keep an eye out for the access to Blue Mountain Recreation Area on the left. Take the trail back down to the beginning.
I give this ride five stars!
July 3rd, 2007 Cross Bike Ride
I rode from home which is 5.7 miles away (36 miles round trip including climb). I did the usual shortcuts; one through the field at the beginning and the 50 dollar hill (see map ). The road up was very rocky for a cross bike. For a mountain bike it would be normal but I could not help think that I was riding the GDR and if a cross bike would make me faster or use a mountain bike like most the racers do. The conclusion is to take a mountain bike.
I reached the tower in 2 hours and figured the decent would take me 1 hour. Soon I flatted on a big rock, then flatted again 3 miles down the road, and finally just before reaching the road at the parking lot. The decent took me an hour and a half.
I did not do this ride as the loop above but instead on a cross bike so I stayed off Deadmans Ridge (probably would of been better). On the way down 50 dollar hill I crashed. I was using the front brake pretty hard when my front wheel started to wash out. Suddenly it locked up (my front brake always locks up and is quite dangerous. something to do with a canti brake on a cross frame thing). Normally you would go over the bars except I got all tangled up in them. If that did not delay hitting the ground on my head enough; a tree got in the way. So I got ripped up and scrapped up by my bike and a couple trees.
From now on I think I'll be nicer to my bike and that way I will not get treated that way on the decent of my next cross bike ride.