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Baldy Loop 2008 Version
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 5/27/2010, 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

If the snow is just right you could avoid having to snowshoe.

Else it could be a tough couple miles up the final climb via West Baldy as 1st 4 miles should be dry/dusty.

East Baldy could have snowfields just past the new parking lot.

The 260-273-261-260 loop around Baldy will be one of the best paved drives in AZ once the road crew finishes...hopefully b/4 winter freeze...

In the winter I hear it's an incredible ride via snowmobile... Too bad it isn't groomed for x-ski.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 5/28/2010, 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I really do not like groomed ski trails, myself. For one thing it really ruins the wonder of it all--the unbroken snow. At Pole Knoll I use them only if skiing with a group that wants to use them. (Plus, at Pole Knoll they groom only a couple of miles.) I prefer to either break trail or follow old ski tracks. Up on 273, and around Green's Peak I sometimes do follow snowmobile tracks, however, depending upon conditions. Spring snow, also, will hold your weight and is very fast. You can ski to Baldy trailhead easily on "groomed trails" anytime you want to, since the snowmobiles have made them for you. You don't need to wait for the FS to do it. I should have gone up there this winter, but Pole Knoll is so much closer, so I went there, and over by Green's Peak, and also RR grade trail. I will never ski RR grade again, though--it is deadly boring. Too flat for me.

RR Grade is fun on a mtn. bike, though, since it does have a few technical sections, it is a pretty solid intermediate ride from the sledding hill to the West Baldy trailhead and back--18 miles r/t. Then if you really want to make it longer and harder, you can ride down the West Fork Trail from there. I haven't tried riding the rest of the RR grade trail since it is sort of closed. Not sure about the conditions all the way to Big Lake.

The roadies (skinny-tire cyclists) are all talking about the loop--it will be a good one. I personally would go UP 261 first, and get that part over with. I don't like coming down 261 on a road bike--it is very hard on my arthritic hands, trying to hold onto the brakes!

The main thing the FS should concentrate on in the Springerville District is connecting all the trails to each other, and keeping the ATVs off of them. The RR grade trail can connect to the Overland Trail and the Indian Springs Trail, which connects to Thompson Trail, which could connect to Mainstem Black River but doesn't. The Overland Trail could connect to the Murray Basin system pretty easily. Also, they need to understand that if they are going to spend grant money building trails, the trails should actually GO somewhere, not be random loops, which I think are very silly. A series of connector trails could make it easier for a thru-hiker to get from Flagstaff to the Gila Wilderness, which to my mind is a much better option than the AZT. The AZT goes through both through hot desert and high mountains, so is impractical at any season.

So that is my 2c worth and I'm stickin' to it.
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Nighthiker





Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1714

PostPosted: 5/29/2010, 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

White Mtn. tour is coming up, your riding ?
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 5/29/2010, 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Yup, first weekend in October, I think. Haven't decided whether to ride it or not. They've changed the route, and I would like to ride it first to see whether or not it will kill me. If I live through it I might then spend the money. But, on the other hand, if I have already ridden it WITHOUT spending the money, then why would I want to have to PAY to ride it? I don't enjoy the venue scene: loud bands, lousy food, people everywhere--that whole county fair atmosphere of mtn. bike races. Not my cup of tea.

I do still go to a few races every year to do first aid. This summer I will be doing Deuces Wild Triathlon in early June in Show Low. In August in
Colorado a biggie with famous riders: Mountain States Cup Full Tilt Telluride. In Telluride they put us up in a two story condo in Mountain Village and we get tons of swag, and get to ride the gondola over the mtn. to old Telluride when we are not working the race. It is pretty fun to be there, have to admit. Most of the trails there are too technical for me to ride, though. I like to hike around there.

October 9-10 I will likely go to one of the most famous races of all: 24 Hours of Moab.

Are you planning to ride that Tour of WM?
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Nighthiker





Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1714

PostPosted: 5/30/2010, 10:40 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Road ride on June 10 and 11th. Visit www.pmbcaz.org for info.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 5/30/2010, 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Well, shoot, that is the weekend of my Blue Primitive Area backpacking trip. Well, all things considered, I'd rather be backpacking than road riding, but it does sound fun anyway. You will pass within 2 blocks of my house when you pass the stoplight in Eagar.
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gpsjoe





Joined: 01 Feb 2004
Posts: 535
Location: Mesa AZ

PostPosted: 5/30/2010, 6:20 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Nighthiker wrote:
Road ride on June 10 and 11th. Visit www.pmbcaz.org for info.


I am not a biker so that trip is not relevant to me but the website in your reference seems to have it on July 10 and 11, not June.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 5/30/2010, 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Oh, hey, maybe I could join it, then! Thanks for noticing!
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 5/30/2010, 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

That thing costs money! (Well, duh) So what if I just happened to be riding the same direction that day? I guess I wouldn't get the t-shirt or the swag!
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 6/1/2010, 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Did the baldy loop on sunday via west trail where I put on snowshoes for last mile to bushwack over to old east trail/peak.

still 5 feet covering top 5-800ft feet of mtn where at least crampons are req.

Came down from peak via old east to where it joins east which was snowfree from jct till trailhead.

Mtn biked the hwy back to sheeps which is very fast and smooth due to the new pavement.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 6/29/2010, 5:08 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

A new post up today on HAZ with triplog and photos. It looks to be very doable now, without needing snowshoes. I think I might do it on Sunday. The guy said there is a lot of deadfall on the East trail.

I hope Springerville is funding a trail crew this year. (I am getting tired of trying to get them to do something about the Overland Trail. This is a yearly battle and there are still ATVs on there all the time.)

I am thinking if I do the entire Baldy loop I would start at East trailhead, get the crossover trail out of the way first, then up the West trail and down the East. I have always gone up the East and down the West, so would like to see it in the other direction for a change! Doing crossover very early in the a.m. would mean I'd probably see a lot of elk.
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 6/29/2010, 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Word I got from the crew was East, West, and X-Cut were all just cleared last week. Road crew is also making good progress on 273 to 260 work.

Trail is suppose to be snow free except for summit ridge.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 6/30/2010, 6:53 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Good to know, although those guys on HAZ did say there was a bit of deadfall on the East trail.

The rest of us are discussing Baldy on the new thread I started:
http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=104099#104099

I thought of asking GPS joe to just change the title on the other one, but decided to start a new one instead to avoid confusion.
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