Josh and I met at Mortimer right at 7:30 - actually it was probably 7:34 when I drove up but Josh was ready to go. We were pedaling along Wilson Creek by 7:38 a.m. - really. I'm glad I had gotten dressed and mostly ready at home. It is very cool to ride on the forest service road early enough to hit it when it is still frozen and not the slurpy, slush it became by the afternoon.
This was his first trip to birthday knob:
The forest service road was frozen hard solid all the way up Wilson Creek Rd and C.C. Rd. When we hit the saddle and took a right, the ground started getting thawed out and the temps warmed up significantly. When we got to the top of the forest service road and started on Raider Camp, there was immediately some serious fallen trees and heavy branches. We worked for a long time on multiple trail jams - there was some significant devastation through there. We managed to clear a passable route through most of the downfall after downfall but there were a few places we could only clear enough to carry our bikes through the mess - these will require help of the chansaw nature. Luckily the further in elevation and distance we worked our way down Raidercamp, the clearer it became and was good to go after a distance. Still, that was the slowest I've ever traveled that section of Raidercamp but all the work will be worth it the next time we ride it. I'm more sore from the trail work than the bike ride!
In the photo above Josh was pushing one of the areas we just cleaned and heading towards the next down fall just past where I was standing, no point in riding that short distance. Notice the ice chips on the trail. They were all pretty big and had fallen off of tree limbs/branches.
Finally made it to the Upper Falls.
Another first time visitor to the falls.
In the photo above Josh was pushing one of the areas we just cleaned and heading towards the next down fall just past where I was standing, no point in riding that short distance. Notice the ice chips on the trail. They were all pretty big and had fallen off of tree limbs/branches.
Finally made it to the Upper Falls.
Another first time visitor to the falls.
Distance: 20.3 miles
Elevation gain: 5,141 feet
Total time: 4:13 Moving time: 2:43 stopped time: 1:30 (a lot this time was spent clearing trail by breaking/moving all of the breakable/movable limbs that broke and or blew over while frozen). 
Amos' Epics
Amos' Epics
