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Left Hand Canyon Singletrack

CRoss

Turbo Monkey
Nov 20, 2006
1,329
0
The Ranch
Anyone ever hit up these trails? I was very surprised by them. I went up today to just play on the 4x4 trails with the DH bike, when I noticed the motorcycle track leading to some single track. I followed it and found a nice techy DH trail, the trail had everything from steep rock faces, loose rock fields, and nice banked sweeping corners. The best part, it was all narrow singletrack, some parts the worn in path was just wider than a motorcycle tire. There were a few other off shoots on the trail I did not explore and multiple lines to take in some sections.

It was nice to find some singletrack near Boulder you can bomb down and not worry about some hiker getting pissed. All these trails were marked for motorcycle use. I did three runs today it takes about 45 mins roundtrip to hike up then ride down. Not the easiest hike with the trail being narrow but I thought it was worth it. The only people I saw on the trail were two motorcycles and judging by the tracks they where the only ones on the trail besides me. It does suck the trail drops you out right at the Left Hand Canyon landfill(shooting area), kind of weird riding towards the sound of gunfire.
 

CRoss

Turbo Monkey
Nov 20, 2006
1,329
0
The Ranch
I was surprised I looked at the trailhead map and they are on it.They all had a variation of saddle in their names. Never thought to look at the black dotted line marked as singletrack when I am always there in a Jeep. It does not surprise me that the trails do not see much traffic they cannot even be used by atvs. The two guys on motorcycles I ran into said they walked one of the sections. They were having fun and used there skid plates a fair bit too.

Here is a map of the area the blue dotted line is the singletrack.


Trail 286A is Carnage Canyon. The trails I rode today where 840 and 842. 841 is the trail I found when hiking up Firemans Hill(286D) that lead me to where the three singletrack trails intersect. Where the trails intersected it looked like another trail went towards the north that is not on the map.

The 840 loop is 1/2-3/4 miles long and right about where the 840(running the loop counter clock wise) is on the map is the start of a downhill that takes you all the way to where 842 runs into Carnage at the main shooting area.
 

GiveitHell

Chimp
Mar 9, 2007
33
0
yeah i dunno can't really tell from the topo map, but if anyone wants to give it a look this week i'd be up to go.
 

CRoss

Turbo Monkey
Nov 20, 2006
1,329
0
The Ranch
I would be up for runs after work this week I work until 5:00. I did two full runs tonight and I got to the trail at 6:00pm. You could easily have a good time playing on the lower section of trail. A couple of trials motorcycle were all over the place tonight trying different things.

As for shuttle you could shuttle it with a vehicle well built for off road use. The biggest problem is the amount of time it would take to shuttle probably not much shorter than hiking time wise. You could shuttle most the way in a good stock off road package equipped truck or Jeep it is just a slow bumpy road to the top. Then you will see the point where you would not want to go much further.
 

rky mtn srfr

Monkey
Nov 26, 2006
127
0
Boulder
Been riding up there since '99, usually in the spring, usually 4-6 times a year before other s/t higher up melts. I've never seen a 4x4 get up 286D, and only modified 4x4's up 286 but it can be done. Try a 4 wheeler/atv if ya really want to shuttle, or just push or ride like I do.

The red lines are s/t they don't mention, and yellow line is an easier usfs 4x4 rd...
 
Been riding up there since '99, usually in the spring, usually 4-6 times a year before other s/t higher up melts. I've never seen a 4x4 get up 286D, and only modified 4x4's up 286 but it can be done. Try a 4 wheeler/atv if ya really want to shuttle, or just push or ride like I do.

The red lines are s/t they don't mention, and yellow line is an easier usfs 4x4 rd...
I've done 286D in my only slightly modified cherokee, no lockers or anything, it wasn't that hard.
286 can be done with almost any 4x4 up to atleast the 4 way there
 

rky mtn srfr

Monkey
Nov 26, 2006
127
0
Boulder
I've done 286D in my only slightly modified cherokee, no lockers or anything, it wasn't that hard.
286 can be done with almost any 4x4 up to atleast the 4 way there
Good job on getting up 286D. I spent 2 mo's rehabbing my knee after wrecking my moto going down that rd, don't think I'd take my Taco up there though.
 

GiveitHell

Chimp
Mar 9, 2007
33
0
my stock tudra did fine on it today, it is a good trail lots of steepness and rocks, thanks mr. ross for showing the way.
 

GiveitHell

Chimp
Mar 9, 2007
33
0
i'd be down to go on friday if i can get a new shock for my bike, need a 9.5X3 anything, preferably a decent fifth, but a dhx would be sick too, i'd just needto do some frame mods if anyone has anything let me know
 

rky mtn srfr

Monkey
Nov 26, 2006
127
0
Boulder
I usually park at Buckingham Park downstream of the big bend where all the 4x4's and moto's stage, it's low key with no shooters or 2-stroke exhaust. And, you can also ride s/t down to the highway directly across from the park.
 

sbabuser

Turbo Monkey
Dec 22, 2004
1,114
55
Golden, CO
i'd be down to go on friday if i can get a new shock for my bike, need a 9.5X3 anything, preferably a decent fifth, but a dhx would be sick too, i'd just needto do some frame mods if anyone has anything let me know
I have a dhx for sale - came off an '06 Sunday. PM me if you're interested.
 

fondigley

Chimp
Apr 4, 2004
41
0
Boulder, CO
Good job on getting up 286D. I spent 2 mo's rehabbing my knee after wrecking my moto going down that rd, don't think I'd take my Taco up there though.
I took my 4 door taco up 286D last time I was up there cause a Hummer was stuck on the easy trail. Wasn't too bad at all. Haven't had a bike up there. Need to check that out soon.
 

PDB

Chimp
Oct 4, 2006
11
0
Boulder, CO
I'm guessing no one made it up there today (friday)... kinda crappy out.
I'd be interested in breaking the big bike out of hibernation if you guys keep this thread updated. That OHV area looks to have some pretty good potential.... I'd like to check it out
 

GiveitHell

Chimp
Mar 9, 2007
33
0
yeah i opted out on going today, moving a little slow, but hopefully in the next couple of days things brighten up.
 

PDB

Chimp
Oct 4, 2006
11
0
Boulder, CO
Anyone gonna hit up these trails this week? Might get some rain on tues, but I'd be down with some gravity runs this week.
 

GiveitHell

Chimp
Mar 9, 2007
33
0
i'll be out there thursday the 19th, and am open really to any time after noon or so. If anyone wants to come along just let me know.