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Slippery When Wet Slippery
When Wet is an advanced technical singletrack loop in the McCoy
Flat trail system west of Vernal. The shortest route is just under 6 miles, but the trail
can be incorporated into longer rides by adding Retail
Sale and Fire Sale
or More Hoes.
Steve Winters cranks across the desert
early in the Slippery When Wet Loop. Photos May 26,
2010 by Jake Weber, Gene Poncelet, Steve Winters, and Bruce. |
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The McCoy Flat trail system is managed by the BLM.
Although there's no water at the trailhead, there's a toilet, a large
fenced parking lot, a shaded picnic area, and well-developed trail
signage. Looking west from the
bathroom. There's a large picnic pavilion and plenty of parking. |
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Trails exit the parking area on the east and the west. The
Slippery When Wet ride starts on the west side -- important if you don't
want to be immediately lost. Consult the trail map and follow the signs.
Exit from the parking area westbound.
Trail maps are found only at the trailhead, but there are plenty of
marking signs. |
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Absolute elevation change is about 300 feet, starting at
5300. Up-and-down riding brings total climbing to 700. Although considered
an expert-level mountain biking trail, intermediates can ride Slippery When Wet with a few
short hikes past tricky sections.
Gene Poncelet drops down the mountain,
with the continuing trail tiny in the distance. The ride gains and loses
elevation a few times. |
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The ride starts by crossing the McCoy Flat road from the
parking area. Follow the trail signs and veer to the right to the combined
Got Milk and Retail Sale trails.
Steve pops the bike up over a
sandstone ledge. |
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Options: To do a longer ride, head right instead. Follow Retail
Sale west. Do Fire Sale and continue on
Retail Sale to the Slippery When Wet fork. Or take Got Milk to More
Hoes, and do More Hoes before following Retail Sale to the Slippery
When Wet loop.
Gene Poncelet and Jake Weber are
caught by Steve's camera -- in the act of trying to catch a photo of Bruce
going rubber-side-up on this tricky little stunt. |
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Shortly after branching off Retail Sale, the loop splits.
Keep right. This is a one-way loop. The trail will climb into an area of
sandstone and mudstone. There are a couple of short technical areas.
Gene follows Bruce around the
sandstone ledges. |
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There are views in every direction as the trail tracks
along the edge of a sharp little hill. At one viewpoint, check out the
cool kokopelli. |
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For a longer ride: When you get back to Retail Sale,
flip the bike around. Ride the last 5 miles of Retail Sale trail back to
the trailhead.
View north from a high point late in
the loop. |
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Riding notes, Slippery When Wet, short
loop:
0.0 From corral parking, cross road
0.1 Keep R N40 20.994 W109 34.939
(L = Return from Retail Sale)
0.4 Fork L on Retail Sale N40 20.759 W109 35.083
0.5 Fork R on Slippery When Wet
N40 20.679 W109 35.064
0.6 Fork R for outgoing loop N40 20.615 W109 35.142
5.0 Back at fork, loop finished
5.1 Keep L for return N40 20.679 W109 35.064
(Option R for Retail Sale)
5.2 R on return trail N40 20.759 W109 35.083
5.5 R and cross road
5.6 Back at trailhead |
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Getting there:
While driving toward Vernal on US-40, pass mile marker 138, then turn
right on the narrow paved McCoy Flats road ( N40 23.427 W109 35.752). If
you miss McCoy Flats road, go to the viewpoint overlooking Vernal and
backtrack exactly 2 miles, then turn left into the road. Drive 3 miles.
Immediately after passing a corral on your left, turn into the large
fenced BLM trailhead parking lot.
Camping: BLM land, primitive camping allowed. No developed
sites.
Bathroom: At trailhead
Water: Bring your own.
Bike services, maps, trail conditions:
Altitude Cycle, 580 East Main, Vernal. 435-781-2595 |
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