Number of successful vs. total switchbacks on our ride 5/20/04:
Lady Bug trail: 41/64 (64%)
Arcadia trail: 44/49 (89%) (Up: 24/29 Downhill: 20/20)
Webb Peak trail: 10/10 (100%)
Total: 95/123 (77%)
We spent the previous evening warming our switchback skills and enjoying the cool mountain air on Grant Hill and the Arcadia climb (from Shannon to the top, 20 switchbacks). The next day was the real challenge: Lady Bug trail.
We rolled early down the Swift Trail, through the construction, navigating our bikes over and around a 30 foot pile of rock and dirt at the trailhead. The first 9 or 10 switchbacks on Lady Bug are uphill and most are do-able though many require hopping. One is impossible, at least for us, which set me up for one dab going into the downhill. First we hopped over to bag Lady Bug peak, where we enjoyed a suprisingly clear 360 degree view. For the first time in memory, I could see the details of the rocks and spires on the east side of the Rincons. Usually they are obscured by haze. I could make out Cat and Golden Gate mountains, far to the west and on the other side of Tucson.
The downhill started out well, but with each failed switchback my average plummeted. Then the hike-a-bike sections reared their heads and I was not even attempting long series of switchbacks. Al rode steady, cleaning a few here and there that I did not, but I think he lost his confidence at some point and stopped counting. I repeated the counts out loud, so that I would not lose my place, but it required some concentration. I was more interested in the total number of switchbacks than my “performance” on them. But both were somewhat interesting.
I continued on my way, Hippity Hop Hop Hopping my way down ever tight switchbacks designed for shoes, not 2 wheels. The standard procedure: 1 – approach slow. 2 – go even slower 3 – choose your line 4 – get way behind and beside your seat 5 – hold on and trust your front tire to roll where it needs to. If the tire doesn’t roll, a quick couple of hops of the rear tire are in order, though it is much more satisfying to do it without the hops. Alan said we should only get half a point for a hopped switchback. He’s probably right.
Along the way I had occasion to pull out my large folding saw and give a little back to the trails we are fortunate to ride. There were a surprising number of trees down on Lady Bug. Some we shoved off the trail, some we sawed, and others we simply made passable by sawing branches. It slowed us down, but you have to stop anyway, so you may as well make it so it’s rideable next time. By who, I don’t know, maybe by us, maybe for some hikers.
Did I say the real challenge was on Lady Bug? I lied. Arcadia tested our skills, determination and endurance far more. The numbers are telling: 4 miles of singletrack, 2700 foot gain and 24 switchbacks. This is, by far and away, the best climb in Arizona.
It starts out easy and mellow enough, with some deep pine needled switchbacks to make you feel good about yourself. In the middle the real fun starts: rocks. Then rocky switchbacks. I did not have the strength to keep it rolling through many sections, including 3 switchbacks. A fourth switchback was covered by a huge tree.
It was difficult to maintain a rhythm. When I felt like I was riding well, we’d hit a downed tree and stop to evaluate our options on it. I took the saw to a couple of Aspens, we maneuvered a few off the trail, but others we gave up on completely. My arms were starting to burn from all the sawing. Bonk set in, but I quickly remedied it with two GUs.
As the long traverse below Heliograph begins, the trail mellows out briefly, then cranks it up for the final pitch to the pass. I put everything I had into it, riding many sections I thought I wouldn’t. I caught sight of the trail sign at the pass, and thought I might make it, but my eyes fell to the obstacle in front of me: branches of a fallen aspen. There was no way to ride through. I stopped and felt my heart pounding in my skull. Almost there…
I sawed it, then rode it out to the top. 20 for 24, with many non-switchback dabs as well. Now followed 1 mile of downhill and 20 switchbacks, all very easily rideable compared to Lady Bug. Still, they are not designed for bikes and are not exactly “easy.”
The next little adventure was to explore the trail from Webb Peak to Columbine Corrals. On our last trip we took the trail from Webb to Ash Creek and payed dearly for it: knee deep snow and many downed trees, then a hike-a-bike to get out of there. We should have taken the trail to the Corrals. It was free of snow and quite fun (only a few trees down). It served to improve my average — 10/10 switchbacks.
We sat around for a while, then decided that the day was not done. We traded bike shoes for walking, and took the plunge off the mountain towards Ash Creek falls. We found many times the water content of my last visit, which made it quite nice. Lizards scrambled over all the slickrock sections, including a dozen or so on the viewing rock for the ‘falls.
Overall, a very long but awesome day. It was a spectacular trip, as trips to Mount Graham always are. Hanging out and big talking with my brothers made this trip even better. While returning from the mountain my thoughts turned to riding Round the Mountain again. Oh crap. Oh crap.
Leave a Reply