2nd Annual Gooseberry Epic

After getting snowed out in January I’ve decided Fall is going to be the new time of year for the Gooseberry Epic.  September 26th to be exact.  Get it on your calendar now!

The route is mapped and it’s harder than you would think.  Kenny claims it to be “epic”.  Only 68.8 miles but over 9,000 feet of climbing.  Plan on 7-9 hours, 6-7 hours if you are feeling really fast and 9+ hours  if you are poking along.

The only awkward section, and by awkward I mean no trail or road of any kind even though the topo map shows one, is from the hay barn to the tumbleweed gate.  It’s only about a mile or so of tumbleweeds and cow pasture but totally rideable.

The rest of the loop includes everything that’s great about Gooseberry Mesa starting with the North Rim to the Yellow Trail and then the South Rim and Hidden Canyon .  It’s then off through Apple Valley and the foothills of Little Creek Mesa to eventually join up with Gould’s Trail and the Hurricane Rim Trail.  If you’ve made it that far there is some new single track East of Jem Trail that will take you towards the bottom of the “Death Hike”.   You will then cross a bridge and have a little recovery road spin of about 6-7 miles before starting the hardest most epic part of the day, the Scenic Bi-way climb from Rockville back up to the mesa.

Totally self supported and unmarked so bring your GPS or someone that has one and is willing to be responsible for you.  If you are alone and don’t have a GPS you will get lost.

Start time will be 7:30a.m. from the windmill.  You’ll need 180 ounces + of liquid and about 3200 calories so plan accordingly.

I do have a GPX file that I can email you or you can wait until I figure out how to post it here.

Questions?