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Trip Report: Railroad Grade Trail, 260 to Baldy

 
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




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

PostPosted: 7/4/2010, 7:17 am    Post subject: Trip Report: Railroad Grade Trail, 260 to Baldy Reply to topic Reply with quote

I mountain biked half of the RR grade trail #601, from 260 to W. Baldy TH, on Friday.

http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/modules.php?set_albumName=albus21&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
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sam_hikes





Joined: 07 Apr 2003
Posts: 383

PostPosted: 7/4/2010, 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

nice pics... a couple years ago I mtn biked from the lower Greer Rd gate/construction closure to East Baldy TH for a hike and all crossings between those areas were covered with large cinders. Did not seem very bike friendly.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




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

PostPosted: 7/4/2010, 6:30 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

When the FS developed the trail 12 years ago, they put the cinders down. The local mountain bikers were very upset, and made no secret of that. Since then the FS has not maintained the trail very much. As far as I know, no new cinders have been put down except the ones right by W. Baldy trailhead, going into the culvert tunnel.

Between the 260 TH and W Baldy there are several very short stretches of cindery areas, and one longish one, but it is less than a mile in length, I think.

Talking to mtn bikers I find they are still discouraged by it, but mostly only the ones who don't ride the whole thing. I took two mountain biker pals on it 2 summers ago and they never said a peep about the cinders, mainly because they rode the whole 10 miles and back, not just those short cindery stretches.

I have ridden from 260 to W. Baldy TH every year for the past 4 years, and I do not find cinders to be much of a problem. Another thing I noticed is that after a rain it is better. There has been a lot of horse traffic on one of the cindery stretches, and they do not make an improvement, since their hooves dig it up, make it bumpy and loosen it.

I next plan to ride it from Big Lake to W. Baldy TH. I have never ridden that stretch.

The Railroad Grade Trail #601 is either 19 or 22 miles long (depending upon which guide you read) and goes from Big Lake to 260. Other stretches of the old Apache Railway roadbed can be ridden or hiked, especially along the Thompson Trail and the Indian Springs Trail. I am not sure if a person could still ride it all the way to Maverick, though!

The railroad's heyday was from the 1920s to the 1950s. It hauled logs from the logging camp in Maverick (no longer exists) to the sawmill at McNary. The rail line then went on to Holbrook. It operated regular passenger service from McNary to Holbrook up until the 1950s. From about 1964 to 1976 there was a steam engine tourist train that ran from McNary to Maverick, although they had to shorten it as the tracks deteriorated. When I first started vacationing in the White Mtns 20 years ago, you could still buy postcards of the steam train.
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