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Bald Mountain - Little Dell Loop
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This is a challenging loop ride for seasoned bikers with leg to
spare, but it's not anybody's favorite. The loop takes you up the Mormon Pioneer (Donner)
Trail to Big Mountain Pass, then south along the ridgeline on the Great
Western, where you'll be treated to great views. The loop finishes by dropping down
a rough ridge above Little Dell that's barely a trail. Portions of
this loop are remote and primitive, so trail conditions can vary
dramatically depending on ridership and infrequent trail maintenance.
View from Bald Mountain, looking
towards Little Dell (middle) and Mountain Dell (just up and to the left),
and on to the mouth of Parley's Canyon. In the distance, the Bingham
Canyon mine occupies a large portion of the Oquirrh Mountains. Photos by Bruce,
August 2002. |
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Altitude change is 1400 feet, starting at 5600, but total climbing will be
just over 2500. This loop is 18.2 miles long. Many bikers will want to
shuttle, driving to Big Mountain Pass for an 11-mile ride with about 1100
total feet of climbing.
The ride begins just off I-80 on the road to East Canyon
(U-65). After a couple of miles on pavement, you can duck downhill off the
road to catch the Mormon Pioneer Trail. This is your uphill route, and
it's a plush, easy singletrack. Grinding out your initial vertical will be
a pleasure on this pretty, shaded trail.
Looking up the Mormon Pioneer Trail,
we see large ferns among tall maples. |
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(I would discourage you from riding the loop counterclockwise. The run
up the ridge above Little Dell has some brutal steeps, and the climb up
Bald Mountain from this direction ain't fun.)
The Great Western starts as a forested ride. Clearings with
low brush and wildflowers alternate with groves of aspen, maple, and oak,
with an occasional fir.
Serviceberry (Hawberry) is ripe and
ready for snacking in late August. |
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Reaching Bald Mountain, the trail becomes a bit rough. (Trail
maintenance is rare here, and at its best the trail is far from plush.) Admire the views
from the ridge. After descending a steep loose trail from the peak, you'll
enter forest again. Cresting the next mountain, watch for the critical right
turn that takes you down the ridgeline toward Little Dell.
Mahogany grows among the aspens in a
cooler section of the GWT.
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The ride down the ridge is a fast
and furious descent. There's a little technical stuff at first, then it
gets easier. (2016: a recent rider reports that the ridgeline trail is
barely a trail -- rough and overgrown.)
The ridgeline ride takes a hard left turn at the gas
pipeline and power pipeline. After a mile of "yawner" straight
trail, you reach the Alexander Creek Trail,
where you turn right to ride along the creek back to the trailhead.
We're half-way down the ridgeline
towards Little Dell. We'll drop off the left side of this mountain to
Alexander Spring. |
| You can shorten the distance by shuttling to the top of Big Mountain
Pass, for an 11-mile ride. Or for a more brutal ride, you can continue on
Great Western to Jeremy Ranch, then fight your way back over Parley's. See
the descriptions below.
We're passing by Little Dell on our
right, nearing the end of a great ride. |
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Getting there: On I-80 in Parley's Canyon, take
the Little Dell Recreation Area exit (East Canyon, U-65). Turn north
towards the golf course. Drive about 0.1 mile. On your right, spot a gate
on a doubletrack, just past a ravine and before the first hill. There's a wide spot on the
right for parking. N 40° 45.336' W 111° 42.590'. Start
your ride by heading up highway U-65. The doubletrack will be your return
trail.
For the Shuttle Ride, leave one car at the trailhead and drive to the
top of Big Mountain Pass. The Great Western Trail is found on the far side
of the parking area, heading uphill near the small shack.
An alternative ride using the Great Western over Bald Mountain is to
loop down above Jeremy Ranch to the East Canyon Road, then come up the
Mormon Trail in Little Emigration Canyon. Click here for information on
the Bald Mountain Loop.
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Standard Loop, Ridgeline
above Little Dell
0.0 Start north on U-65
2.3 (Approx) just past Little Dell Reservoir,
find a pullout on R, drop down
trail heading to
the Mormon Pioneer Trail, then
L uphill
3.85 Trail reaches roadside parking, continuing trail
is on your left downhill
across road
4.6 Affleck Park. Straight on DT, R across creek,
then L on DT to end of park,
continue on ST
5.7 Cross road
7.3 Big Mountain Pass. N 40° 49.680' W 111° 39.227'
Turn L to end of parking to
find continuing trail
(Climbs hill south)
10.8 Top of Bald Mountain, start rocky descent
12.4 Crest hill, join DT, watch for rockpile where
ST forks R (west) - critical fork
N 40° 46.418' W 111°
38.951'
Stay on
top of ridge for 2.8 miles
15.2 At 3rd pipeline crossing, fork hard L just
before power line, go east
N 40°
45.769' W 111° 41.668'
16.2 Fork R (downhill) in meadow near springs
N 40°
45.638' W 111° 40.435'
(Don't follow pipeline uphill)
18.2 Back at parking.
Shuttle Ride:
Park at return trail, drive to the top of Big Mountain Pass.
Find the trail on the far southeast end of the parking area.
0.0 Climb uphill to start ride
3.5 Top of Bald Mountain
5.1 Crest hill, join DT, watch for rockpile where
ST forks R (west) - critical fork
N 40° 46.418' W 111°
38.951'
Stay on
top of ridge for 2.8 miles
7.9 Hard L at gas and power line (east)
8.9 Hard R (west)
10.9 At parking!
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If you're
determined to ride all of the GWT, here's an option.
Warning: This is a big and brutal ride!
Long Loop, GWT into Jeremy
Ranch
0.0 Start north on U-65
2.3 (Approx) just past Little Dell Reservoir,
find a pullout on R, drop down
trail heading to
the Mormon Pioneer Trail, then
L uphill
3.85 Trail reaches roadside parking, continuing trail
is on your left downhill
across road
4.6 Affleck Park. Straight on DT, R across creek,
then L on DT to end of park,
continue on ST
5.7 Cross road
7.3 Big Mountain Pass. N 40° 49.680' W 111° 39.227'
Turn L to end of parking to
find continuing trail
(Climbs hill south)
10.8 Top of Bald Mountain, start rocky descent
12.4 Crest hill, join DT, keep straight at rockpile
where ST forks R. N 40° 46.418' W 111°
38.951'
13.3 Cross game trail on saddle, start climbing up again
13.8 At crest of hill, keep straight (L goes 0.2 to viewpoint)
N 40° 45.783' W 111°
38.238' Alt 7800
14.9 Microwave towers, singletrack goes to R of structures
Joins gravel road
15 At first turn in road, hop singletrack on L, heading east
16.3 Fork "Main"gy Mouse, turn R onto Switchback Trail
N 40° 45.789' W 111°
36.009'
16.7 Go R as ST joins doubletrack N 40° 45.754' W 111°
35.898'
17.1 ST veers L off DT
17.3 R on cindered trail (west), becomes narrow ST
N 40° 45.343' W 111° 35.913'
17.9 Paved road, L (west) down to Parley's Exit
Straight on dirt, past gate
18.5 L off road on pipeline clearing, straight W
(Trail becomes more obvious
after first hill)
Follow pipeline down
21.6 Fork L, cross creek N 40° 45.638' W 111° 40.435'
23.6 Back at parking. |
Copyright 2002 Mad Scientist Software Inc
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