Morrison, CO - Mountain Biking Dakota Ridge. This trail has been on my short list of priority rides for a long time. Why? In other videos that I’ve seen from Nate Hills and JF Rides, it looked like a hogback slog, a technical masterpiece reminiscent of Moore Fun at Kokopelli. Gnarly and chunky!
I came to Dakota Ridge with tempered expectations knowing there were features I wasn’t going to be able to clean, nor was I going to ride this one fast. Instead, I took the slow is smooth and smooth is fast approach.
The weather in Denver was quite bizarre this weekend by Colorado standards. The humidity at altitude was exceptionally high and an approaching cold front stalled in Wyoming creating a foggy scenario without the thunderstorms that were previously forecasted. Overnight as the temperatures cooled, the fog descended to the lower elevations that spawned long periods of mist to the Front Range. Myself and others called off the group ride with Sean Hanson and JF Rides, but regardless I left to check out the conditions.
Because of the mist, the dirt was very damp, Hero, while the Rock was Zero and very slick. My lines choices and speed were heavily impacted by the rock conditions forcing me to err on the side of caution. Not to mention the wood features were near impossible to clean with rear tire being a mostly downhill tread, the Continental Der Kaiser.
Dakota Ridge was seriously technical and a very advanced rider with trail surgical skills and upper fitness can find a way to navigate the climbs and rock mazes. While this isn’t going to go down as one of my best rides, this video definitely serves as a benchmark for solid advanced riders and what the nature of the trail is for them.
There can be exceptional hiking traffic so stay frosty and ride conservatively for the safety of hikers who will mostly likely have the right of way in most circumstances. Again, no drones were used, primarily because I would have to obtain Part 107 authorization from the park authorities. Open space parks on the front range usually restrict recreational drone flight. In this case, flying the drone was not worth garnering the necessary permission.
Dakota Ridge’s geology hits close to home for me. The formations the trail sits on are both Morrison Formation and Dakota Formation. Aptly named after Morrison, CO, these formations are well regarded for Dinosaur fossil on the Front Range and in Dinosaur National Monument and the Grand Valley. For example, most Lunch Loop trails live on Dakota and Morrison formations as well as Moore Fun and Mack Ridge and some other Moab trails.
There is a whole Red Rocks loop, I just didn’t have the time to complete the single track prior to my sister’s graduation.
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