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Old Trench-Road Trail
The Old Trench Road isn't really a road. It's a relatively steep and
rough singletrack that descends from Ridge 157 near Rock Springs. The recommended loop ride is 17 miles, starting at 6500 feet
elevation at Tibble Fork and rising to 9400 feet. Total climbing will be
about 3100 feet.
View of Box Elder Peak from Ridge 157.
Photos August 30, 2006.
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The
original trail cut was made to get excavating machinery up onto Mill Canyon Peak
to dig erosion-prevention trenches (the horizontal lines you see on the
mountain). The track is now covered with over half a century of
vegetation.
The ride is recommended only for advanced riders. The
climb to Pole Line Pass is long. Ridge 157 has some steep sections. The
Old Trench Road Trail becomes steep and rough, requiring strength plus
excellent braking and bike-handling skills. |
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For iron-thigh riders, there's the southern
singletrack option. Riding uphill on singletrack from Tibble Fork or Mill
Canyon, you'll take Ridge 157 northbound as it climbs from Mill Canyon to Rock Springs.
The new trail-cut of Ridge 157 between the top of the Mill Canyon trail
and Rock Spring makes this a nice steady climb. But don't think this is easy.
At 9500 feet, any climbing is hard!
Approaching from the south on Ridge
157, that's Trail 181 -- the first section of the Old Trench Road Trail --
traversing the hillside. |
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| Shuttle option: If you have
someone drive you to the top of Pole Line Pass, you've got a 9-mile ride
with 3000-vertical of downhill. Good luck finding someone who wants to
drive this bumpy road while you rock and roll on your bike. |
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Pole Line Pass Route: This
is Ridge 157 as it nears
the trail fork to the Old Trench Road Trail from the north.
When you see Timpanogos, you're there. I recommend
riding up the North Fork Road to Pole Line Pass. There's a
short section of steep hike-a-bike just before the trail
fork.
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Singletrack (Mud Springs and Tibble
Fork) Route:
There's a singletrack route where you start climbing
Tibble
Fork, hop onto Mud Springs northbound, switch to
Mill Canyon uphill, then take Ridge 157
north to Old
Trench Road. In 2014, a new climbing trail has replaced
the old 157, making this a nice option. |
| The descent down the Old Trench Road Trail starts on Trail
181, then joins the Holman Trail for a short distance, then forks off as
Trail 172. This trail drops onto the Mill Canyon Trail for the final
downhill portion. |
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The first mile is relatively pleasant with great views, as the trail
traverses the hillside. Then it turns downhill and becomes more technical.
The most difficult spots are lower down on Trail 172, where rocks lie in
the bottom of a steep trench. Did I mention you need good bike-handling
and braking skills?
View west on the early portion of
Trail 181. |
| The steepest part of the descent burns 2000 vertical feet in about 2.5 miles.
That's a blistering slope, cowboy! I thought it was fun, but if you hate
steep technical butt-over-the-rear-wheel descents, you'll find plenty to
dislike here.
After reaching the Mill Canyon Trail, the rest of the downhill (at 500
feet per mile) seems
absolutely tame.
View from Trail 181. We can see a tiny
bit of Utah Lake in the notch, with Lake Mountain behind it. |
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Loop ride via Pole Line Pass
0.0 Tibble Fork, straight onto gravel road
as pavement turns left
uphill
4.7 Keep R uphill at road fork
8.0 Pole Line Pass. Find ST on right.
(If you go immediately
uphill: wrong way!)
N 40° 31.901 W 111°
34.243
8.6 Fork R
N 40° 31.404 W 111°
34.249
10.3 Straight (L) at Forest Lake fork
N40 30.347 W111 34.861
Begin tough steep climb
11.0 R downhill onto Trail 181, OR
11.1 Hard R downhill onto Trail 181
N40 30.029 W111 35.182
(Continued...)
We're turning downhill on Trail 181,
still at about 9000 feet elevation. 20% down-slope, but still pretty tame here... |
(Pole Line Pass loop ride continued...)
12.8 Fork L downhill
N40 29.618 W111 36.705
13.2 Holman in from L (go R downhill)
N40 29.344 W111 36.559
13.6 Fork L onto 172
N40 29.150 W111 36.740
15.0 R downhill at Mill Canyon Trail
N40 28.577 W111 36.699
16.0 Straight (R) downhill
N40 28.655 W111 37.666
17.0 Arrive reservoir, cross creek
N40 29.031 W111 38.378
Made it! Suddenly, the technical steep
stuff is over, and we're about to join the Mill Canyon Trail, just across
the clearing. |
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Loop ride via Mud Springs and Tibble Fork
(Caution! Very
difficult climbs!)
Only
very strong riders who love pain
should consider
this route...
0.0 Tibble Fork, straight onto gravel road,
watch for trail dropping
to river,
cross river to Mill
Canyon Trail
N40 29.031 W111 38.378
1.0 Fork R on Mud Springs Trail
N40 28.655 W111 37.666
1.7 Left uphill on Tibble Fork Trail
N40 28.158 W111 37.592
3.0 L on Ridge 157 northbound
N40 27.547 W111 36.894
4.6 L on DT
N40 28.061 W111 35.681
5.1 ST just to R across dirt road
N40 28.445 W111 35.277
Begin hard, ugly climb
(hike-a-bike) |
6.6 East side trail in from
R
N40 29.472 W111 34.760
Then pass Rock Springs
6.8 Keep R
N40 29.472 W111 34.938
7.5 L downhill onto Trail 181
N40 30.029 W111 35.182
9.2 Fork L downhill
N40 29.618 W111 36.705
9.6 Holman in from L (go R downhill)
N40 29.344 W111 36.559
10.0 Fork L onto 172
N40 29.150 W111 36.740
11.4 R downhill at Mill Canyon Trail
N40 28.577 W111 36.699
12.4 Straight (R) downhill
N40 28.655 W111 37.666
13.4 Arrive reservoir, cross creek
N40 29.031 W111 38.378 |
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Getting there: From I-15, take the
Alpine-Highland exit just south of Point-of-the-Mountain. Go east towards
the mountains on UT-92 and continue up American Fork Canyon. There's a $6
fee (as of 2009). About 6 miles up the canyon, turn left at the North Fork junction and
drive 2 miles to Tibble Fork Reservoir. Go past the dam and park in the
long parking area north of the lake N 40° 28.98' W 111° 38.68', altitude
6050 ft. On your bike, head up past the bathroom, and continue straight
onto gravel road as the paved road turns left. (Alternate: to riding
through the river, bike over the dam and around the far side of the lake
until you hit the Mill Canyon Trail 040 sign.)
Copyright 2006 Mad Scientist Software Inc
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