Grave Creek Growler
Distance: 43 miles
Time: 8 hours
Elevation Gain: 5,575 feet
Difficulty: Very Difficult Climbing
Disclaimer: The mileage below is not accurate!
This last weekend my friends Alden, Larry, and I embarked on a pretty ambitious adventure. I am naming it the Grave Creek Growler because it goes along the Grave Creek Range. Although most of the party got all bloodied up and the weather turned extreme, the trip was a great success. Here is the map.
The trip can be looked at in four different distinct sections. The rider starts out on the Blue Mountain Climb for section one. After getting to the Blue Mountain Saddle the ride turns to the second section along the Grave Creek Range. After some of the most brutal climbing this section ends and the Growler downhill begins. This section includes some of the most interesting terrain and a wicked fast downhill. It also includes some rolling hills at the beginning. The last stage is the road ride back to the cars.
Blue Mountain Climb: The Blue Mountain Climb is the typical route that a rider rides to access the Dead-mans Downhill. We took a "sort of" direct route to the Blue Mountain Access Road. We headed directly up the trail and took some single-track switchbacks and rode to the upper parking lot. Here is the rundown.
- Mile 0 - .5 Head up the main trail of the Blue Mountain Recreation Area. At around a half mile veer right onto a trail and head west.
- Mile .5 - .75 Take a left onto one of the first lefts heading up towards the tree line.
- Mile .75 - 1.5 This trail will go into the woods and start to switch back and forth, eventually leading the rider back to the main trail.
- Mile 1.5 - 2.5 Take the main trail that runs to a upper parking lot on the blue mountain access road.
- Mile 2.5 - 10 Ride up the Blue Mountain Access Road (dirt) to the Blue Mountain Saddle. Don't forget to ignore the left turn that leads to the fire tower on top of the mountain.
- Mile 10 - 12 Ride the Same Access Road (basically continuing on the road )to Woodsman Saddle.
Grave Creek Range Climbs: First off, I must brag. I have made all the climbs two years running. The first climb starts right away and is basically just a warm up. The second one is the worst and is eroding fast. Here is the rundown: - Mile 12 - 13 Take the Recreation trail that heads West up the hill to the top of the first of three major hill climbs.
- Mile 13 - 16 Ride the ridge, eventually going downhill to start the second climb.
- Mile 16 - 16.5 Second and hardest hill climb.
- Mile 16.5 - 18 Ride the downhill and over to the last major climb.
- Mile 18 - 18.5 Third and last major climb.
- Mile 18.5 - 20 Head down the ridge which begins to open up, ignoring the roads to the right and left. When you come into a single-track right in front of you take it and go down the short downhill.
Growler Downhill: This section starts out on a rolling well maintained logging road but ends up a screaming downhill. My friend Alden got up-ended by a rut and went down and bloodied up his knee and my other friend Larry got hit by a wind gust and did the same thing. Here is the rundown: - Mile 20 Take a hard right at this junction. You will ride up and over two berms to continue down this road.
- Mile 20 - 26 Enjoy a rolling hill ride along the road (logging road) most traveled. You will see yellow mileage markers counting down the miles.
- Mile 26 - 30 Fast downhill with great views of rugged terrain and sweeping (dangerous) corners.
- Mile 30 - 32 Continue down Dry Gulch Road.
- Mile 32 - 34 Take a right at junction and ride along the river.
- Mile 34 - 35.5 Enjoy the first bit of pavement.
- Mile 35.5 - 43 Take a right onto Big Flat Road and ride the road back to parking lot. Don't forget to go straight through the intersection of MaClay Bridge Road.