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Jolly Mountain Trail-Report w/pics

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
Well one ride got cancelled, another never materialized, and yet another ride filled up. So what's a Skook to do?

Ride all weekend in the mountains that's what.

i got a call from a gal pal on Saturday. i being dead tired from nonstop working and riding decided that Saturday would be a good day of rest, so much for that idea. She wanted to go ride and ahhh hell, who am i to refuse a lady.

So for months i've been spying some trails on maps, and one that caught my eye is Cooper River/Pete Lake trail. It's roughly an 8 mile trail, so to do it as an out and back of course double it up to 16 or so miles with around 1000 feet or so of guesstamated cumulative gain/descend.

The fall colors are here.


There are a few stops along the way to catch a view of the nieghboring peaks.


Me and my pal have do about a ride a year, and this is our best one yet. Definately since she's riding a horse we have to find a trail that's relatively flat since she can smoke me on the uphills and i drop the horse on the descents. It works out alright though and it's always fun, we got plenty of looks and even a pompous statement from a hiker of if there was a circus going on. i didn't hear her, otherwise i would have retorted that if it were a circus she would have been the escaped elephant.
Stupid hikers.... Not even smart enough to ride something on a trail....

Anyways here's my pal she took some good shots with my camera.


You know just about every frikkin time i forget or just not wear my knee/shin armor i crash and smack my knee or leg on a rock. This time on a tough climb. It never fails! Of course i ride a much more technical trail the next day, i wear my pads and i don't crash at all, go figure...

One more pic, this was a fun rock to play on, it looked like a huge petrified whale.


A super nice trail, i'll definately be back. It would be even longer as the trail continues on to Pete Lake, however the trail ends at a Wilderness boundary, and bikes are not allowed. i'll always be of the stance that this rule is utter crap.

Welp anyways, on a super difficult loop ride done in the same mountains last weekend i never got to the ascend Jolly Mountain. The group myself included thought better to save some gas for the remainder of the ride. Was a good idea, i wound up cramping at the very end of the ride.

So i called a pal up and i thought up a route, and we set up a shuttle plan. A ride with a guesstamation of 2500 feet climbing and a hearty 4100 feet of mostly gnarl techy dh in a bout 17 miles. i put out a last minute invite for other riders (victims) to join up. One rider (sucker) Boostindoubles answered the call. He was a great rider and was stoked, and i was glad to meet and ride with him.

So after parking the shuttle rig we're still faced with a steep climb up to the top. Here's a look down at what i rode the day before. The valley is where Cooper River runs on up to Cooper Lake which is roughly the halfway point. The trail would continue on up to the right.


i've ridden up this section before when it was a forest road. It's been recently converted into trail which is pretty cool, although it makes climbing it even tougher. It was grinder even being able to cheat by snaking up the wide road, now you're forced to just hammer and die, haha.


Alot of hike a bike along the top, but a decent enough amount to get on and grind up.


The final push to the top.


This kind of reminded me of those tags you have on your new mattress.


This is what it's all about. Tippy top.


Well best not to let all this elevation go to waste! Thundering down the gnarly dh, many a steep rocky loose section. My arms were screaming at times, and this time i rode with 2 guys who were faster. i'm fast enough though to keep up just fine, except for times like when i found this baloon i believe floated up and over the mountains travelling anywhere from 70 to 150 miles to land on this trail. My pal mentioned he thought a family went for a hike and the kid left the balloon, but i seriously doubt that, considering how high we were still and how gnarl the trail is.

So i tied the balloon to my seatpost, and it survived miles of gnarl. i was truly suprised. i was hoping the helium would help me out for the remaining climbs.


On our way over to Paris Creek Trail for one final descent. Boostindoubles enjoyin the day.


Paris was just as gnarl as the other trails we did that day, just not as relentlessly steep. Actually leveled off into a forest road to the end, but drops off the road into a last mile of just some of the nicest wickedest stretch of singletrack. For me the end was like the cherry on the top.


All in all yet another great weekend, doing that which is what i do.

Check this out boys and girls. :heart: PANORAMA
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
panorama turned out sweet. i'm glad as i was able to join up for the ride. The trails and scenery were killer. :thumb:

ah and it would have been funny to get a pic from airing up that flat tire with the bike pump. we were beat though. next time man!
 

hooples3

Fuggetaboutit!
Mar 14, 2005
5,245
0
Brooklyn
looks like you had an awesome time skook!!! What a way to spend a weekend. Great job with the story and pics. awesome job with the panorama :cool:
 
E

enkidu

Guest
Fantastic! Saw those trails so many times flying back and forth between Seattle and Moses Lake. I hope you seriously do make a compilation of your exploits.
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
boostindoubles said:
ah and it would have been funny to get a pic from airing up that flat tire with the bike pump. we were beat though. next time man!
Yah it was great meeting and riding with ya man. i'm sure we'll run into each other in the hills down the line.
And yah to those who don't know, you can pump up a car or truck tire with a floor pump. i had heard you can, but the theory wasn't tested until we discovered the shuttle rig driver's tire had gone flat. Wasn't so bad with the 3 of us taking turns.

chillindrdude said:
thats an awesome helmet! it looks just like hair! :nuts:
Thank you for your concern.

DRB said:
Wow just Wow.
awe quiet calm serenity peace accomplishment satisfaction well being balance mt. biking.

Sherpa said:
Cut your hair hippy. :eviltongu
My butt hair needs a trim, i'll send you the clippings, dingleberries included. :oink:

Heidi said:
You guys have wwaaaaaaay more snow left on peaks then us!
That's not snow, that's glacier! We did have a little snow hit a couple weeks back but it's all gone.

Acadian said:
Skooks - we need to set a few dates for next summer!! :love:

I'll supply the 12 grain bread - you bing the spread!! ;)

awesome pics!!
It's true i do ride with newbs too! :D
Seriously let me know, and i'll lead some unforgettables. Late June, July, August, early Sept guaranteed prime all mountain epic season.

enkidu said:
Fantastic! Saw those trails so many times flying back and forth between Seattle and Moses Lake. I hope you seriously do make a compilation of your exploits.
So far they just fade down the thread pile, and burn into my memory. Then in the winter when i'm riding lowland XC trails i just sit and dream of long extended descents and epic views while i toodle along.
 
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enkidu

Guest
Skookum said:
So far they just fade down the thread pile, and burn into my memory.
That's it! You can also burn those threads on a CD and give a hip title and sell copies of it to us. It will be useful as a trail guide and give a quick nature-fix to wonnabe *Northwestern* mountain bikers.
 
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enkidu

Guest
How about burning a series of CD titles:
"Monkey threads - riding in the Northwest": Skookum
"Monkey threads - riding in the Northeast": Splat
"Monkey threads - riding in the great Bend, OR": Heidi
"Monkey threads - riding in Norway": Trond
etc. etc.

And maybe H8R can design and print cool covers. Or does his new printing machine only print for fabrics?
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
enkidu said:
How about burning a series of CD titles:
"Monkey threads - riding in the Northwest": Skookum
"Monkey threads - riding in the Northeast": Splat
"Monkey threads - riding in the great Bend, OR": Heidi
"Monkey threads - riding in Norway": Trond
etc. etc.

And maybe H8R can design and print cool covers. Or does his new printing machine only print for fabrics?
The best things in life are free, but as Boostinbubbles has pointed out sadly many times it comes at a cost. Poor tree's they never had a chance.....
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
ok, i was in montana a couple weekends ago, staying at a friends cabin. We stayed up all night drinking/playing raquet ball/foosball/ bike riding and the next morning around 6 am we went for a hike to this waterfall. The whole way we hiked we collected pitch until we had enough to make a fatty pitch fire. So we sat there passing out from exhaustion watching pitch burn for almost an hour. Then i got bored and stuck my shlong in the pitch. OUCH.

hahaha, actually my friend got sick of waiting for his pitch puddle to harden into a smooth sheet of glassy pitch (which was the point of us making a pitch fire to begin with) He picked up the soft and plyable pitch puddle and proclaimed he was going to make a sculpture. Which in a couple minutes was a very large cock n balls. Somehow on the way home the shaft broke and i ended up with the shaft and head. so i have a pitch dick in the back of my truck. lol man that was funny
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
boostindoubles said:
ok, i was in montana a couple weekends ago, staying at a friends cabin. We stayed up all night drinking/playing raquet ball/foosball/ bike riding and the next morning around 6 am we went for a hike to this waterfall. The whole way we hiked we collected pitch until we had enough to make a fatty pitch fire. So we sat there passing out from exhaustion watching pitch burn for almost an hour. Then i got bored and stuck my shlong in the pitch. OUCH.

hahaha, actually my friend got sick of waiting for his pitch puddle to harden into a smooth sheet of glassy pitch (which was the point of us making a pitch fire to begin with) He picked up the soft and plyable pitch puddle and proclaimed he was going to make a sculpture. Which in a couple minutes was a very large cock n balls. Somehow on the way home the shaft broke and i ended up with the shaft and head. so i have a pitch dick in the back of my truck. lol man that was funny
What happens in Montana should stay in Montana. :think: :p
 
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enkidu

Guest
Skookum said:
The best things in life are free, but .....
How true.

But, if there's enough of us who *want* (doesn't this word sound SO American!) and are willing to pay for something (i.e. "the much coveted CDs" here) up to a certain $$ amount, on one hand, and another group of people who are willing to offer labor and material to make that something, isn't it considered as a healthy good commercial proposition? Like . . . next to the best things in life?
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
enkidu said:
How true.

But, if there's enough of us who *want* (doesn't this word sound SO American!) and are willing to pay for something (i.e. "the much coveted CDs" here) up to a certain $$ amount, on one hand, and another group of people who are willing to offer labor and material to make that something, isn't it considered as a healthy good commercial proposition? Like . . . next to the best things in life?
i should make a book, i have idea's about that. If i ever decide to do that i'm sure i would whore it out on here as much as possible.

But y'know a big reason i take the time to do these is to promote mt. biking in general. i mean simply riding trails i personally feel is the most purest form as in tranforming mt. biking the sport into mt. biking the recreation. It transcends alot of hype you may see, and just simplifies it down to what i think we all got into biking from the start. To just have fun. There are gems all over the world, i've seen em, and the real juice is in the ride, or rather the happiness and satisfaction derived from the ride. If i can inspire a few people to ride or ride more that's real *Skookum there.

Just as i feel many here whether they know it or not have inspired me to keep doing my thing.

*money, one of the many translations of the native word.
 
Sep 29, 2004
280
0
Skookum said:
Better come up with one fast, most all the goodies get covered up by a healthy batch of snow real soon. :p

please tell em here that is, so one day when im done wiht school and the marines, i may die there
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
Skookum said:
What happens in Montana should stay in Montana. :think: :p

well when your as intuitive as you were with the 'pitch dick' comment, i can't help but share the story. ;)

oh and btw, LETS RIDE!! :slayer: :rock on:
 
E

enkidu

Guest
Skookum said:
i should make a book, i have idea's about that. If i ever decide to do that i'm sure i would whore it out on here as much as possible.

But y'know a big reason i take the time to do these is to promote mt. biking in general. i mean simply riding trails i personally feel is the most purest form as in tranforming mt. biking the sport into mt. biking the recreation. It transcends alot of hype you may see, and just simplifies it down to what i think we all got into biking from the start. To just have fun. There are gems all over the world, i've seen em, and the real juice is in the ride, or rather the happiness and satisfaction derived from the ride. If i can inspire a few people to ride or ride more that's real *Skookum there.

Just as i feel many here whether they know it or not have inspired me to keep doing my thing.

*money, one of the many translations of the native word.
Skookum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A Chinook jargon word that has come into general use in British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. It has a range of positive meanings. . . from "'good,' to 'strong,' 'best,' 'powerful,' 'ultimate' and 'first rate.' Something can be skookum meaning 'cool' or skookum can be 'tough.' A skookum burger is a big hamburger, but when your Mom's food is skookum, it's delicious. [...] When you're skookum, you've got a purpose and you're on solid ground."

Yup, you are skookum!
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
Sir Happypants said:
please tell em here that is, so one day when im done wiht school and the marines, i may die there
Fly to Seattle head east on I-90 take the Roslyn Salmon La Sac exit follow the signs to Salmon La Sac.
Park near the horse camp and ride up 7315. About 5 miles and 2000 plus feet later pass a gate. Climb another 1000 feet by the time you see Mt. Rainier the forest road turns into singletrack. Sasse Mt. trail continues up for another 1000 feet and runs into Jolly Mt. Trail after a quick descent on a ridge, ignore the Jolly Mt. spur to your left and resume you climb. Ride/Hike the ridge up ignoring the West Fork Teanaway spur to your right, then further up still ignore the left to Jolly Creek Trail and ascend a half mile up to the peak at 6443 feet. But don't die there you'll miss out on all the downhill.

boostindoubles said:
oh and btw, LETS RIDE!! :slayer: :rock on:
i'm riding up north man, Bellingham at Galby then i'm doing a BBTC club ride, Angels Staircase up by Manson.
i was thinking though that i'd like to get another Hamilton Buttes ripper in before it's too late. Might be good still in a few weeks, that's right over the hill from you next to Mt. Adams.

enkidu said:
Skookum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
mmm Skookum Burger that sounds good.....
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
Skookum said:
i was thinking though that i'd like to get another Hamilton Buttes ripper in before it's too late. Might be good still in a few weeks, that's right over the hill from you next to Mt. Adams.

just get me the time/date/location and i will see how it fits in. i am down to get into the mtns and see me trees anytime ;)
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
boostindoubles said:
just get me the time/date/location and i will see how it fits in. i am down to get into the mtns and see me trees anytime ;)
tentative Oct 15 or 16 or the weekend after that 22/23 might be goin to my rez..... It'll all depend on if the snow moves in as the peak is 5722 feet up and the most of the trail is in the 5000's.

In the meantime you gotta ride this! This is your back yard man no excuses....
http://www.nwsource.com/outdoors/scr/of_detail.cfm?category=Biking&rt=41413
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
"WHOA! For the next four miles, the smooth singletrack flirts with the edge of the cliffs, offering both great views and radical exposure. This is one of the best extended stretches of singletrack anywhere. August heat waves rise from the top of the cliffs. This is the magical part of this ride."

sounds f-in awesome. the next day i get off from picking apples i will definitly round up some friends and make this ride happen. thanks man
 

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
boostindoubles said:
"WHOA! For the next four miles, the smooth singletrack flirts with the edge of the cliffs, offering both great views and radical exposure. This is one of the best extended stretches of singletrack anywhere. August heat waves rise from the top of the cliffs. This is the magical part of this ride."

sounds f-in awesome. the next day i get off from picking apples i will definitly round up some friends and make this ride happen. thanks man
My pals tried bringing me to this trail for years, just one thing after another and never got there. Finally made a solo venture a few weeks back. it's sweeeeeet.....

johnbryanpeters said:
T'anks, Skooks! Someday...
i got my can of moss killer ready.....