1st Pass

I started mountain biking back in 1994 and immediately picked up a few local trail books.  I made my way through a good deal of the suggested routes, but for some reason never made it out to Pass Mtn.  I've been to Usery Park a few times, just never went around 'ol Scarface.  Over the past year and a half I have been exploring more local trails, meeting new people to ride with and generally just keeping the sport fresh with a good mixture of destinations.  This past Sunday it was time to finally add Pass Mtn. to my list.  The loop around the mountain is only 7 miles or so, but it can be technically challenging and will get your heart rate up as well.  The views are tough to beat the higher the trail takes you.  This ride will definitely be added to my short list.  It will be fun to add this loop into a Hawes epic in the Fall.



Pass Mtn.




Seron making his way up one of the steadier climbs




Phil making it look easy




Cameron is starting to like this desert riding...I think




Four Peaks





The view from the saddle before we plunge down the front side




Scott taking it all in




A little bit of exposure, but the views are worth it!




Cool aerial view of the trail snaking through the desert




Phil & Scott finishing up on the bumpy stuff




Land of giants




The whole group made it down in one piece




<Phoenix put there for visual flight control for pilots flying north from Tucson




Superstition Mtns.



5 Bikes, dirt & lies



Bees Knees, why yes it is!

So the middle of May rolls around and my friend, Sam, posts up that he cleaned the entire climb up Bees Knees at S. Mtn.  I am very impressed, i.e. jealous. and I happen to get a reprieve in the weather on one of my designated between job rides.  So off to Bees Knees I go to give it a shot, this would be my second visit to the newly constructed trails on the southwestern fringes of S. Mtn. Park.

 That's where I need to get to

 I didn't quite make it all the way, but this is how far I made it before running out of gas

 Another challenge is attempting this beast, up 620!

 Aerial view of the ruins

 There's a trail dropping down there, Mine Drop Trail

 A look back at the starting point

 Made it up to the base of the 3rd set of cobbles

 Down at the bottom getting set to tackle the Gila Valley Trail

 Great views of the Estrella Mtns from the Gila Valley saddle

 Looking up towards the Bees Knees cut-in

 Some ruins of S. Mtn

 The first sign of the Bees Knees climb

 Final tracks & profile

Didn't hurt as bad as it looks, uphill crashes always leave a mark!

All in all it was a fun ride, 2 stops on my way up the climb.  The first because I was out of breath, the second due to some tight switchbacks that I failed to negotiate.  I took a spill attempting to clean a set of switchbacks heading up to the saddle on Gila View.  I spun out & couldn't gain tracktion on the ground, plus I unclipped the wrong foot while momentum took be backwards.  The desert is an unforgiving place to crash, it's either rocks or cacti, neither one is pleasant.  I'll be back to this ride in the near future, still more trails over there to explore.