White Rim Trail - Canyonlands Mountain Bike Trip

Itinerary

This Itinerary may be in reverse depending on the entry point

DAY 1

We will shuttle from our shop in Moab to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park where we begin our ride with a dramatic descent of the Shafer Trail switchbacks. This 1,200 foot downhill lasts for three miles and brings us down to the White Rim sandstone layer. Points of interest include: the Colorado River Overlook, Musselman Arch, Little Bridge Canyon (prime Bighorn Sheep habitat) and Lathrop Canyon. The route continues with a downhill trend and then rolls gently to camp. After Lathrop Canyon, we will ride to our camp at Airport Tower and enjoy views of the La Sal and Abajo mountains. TOTAL MILEAGE: 18 miles

DAY 2

Today, as we approach Monument Basin, we will continue riding around the beautifully eroded canyons of the Colorado Plateau. In this spectacular canyon stands the Totem Pole, a 300 foot tall sandstone pillar. A gentle climb takes us to the foot of Junction Butte, marking the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers. A 1-1/2 mile side trip to White Crack offers fantastic views of both the Green and Colorado river canyons as well as the Needles District of Canyonlands. Giant free-standing pillars of rock dominate the landscape and exemplify the powerful forces of erosion at work. Continuing on past Junction Butte, we descend to the base of Murphy Hogback, where a steep 400 foot climb brings us to camp. The Hogback is the high point of the trip and from here one can look into the Maze and Needles districts of Canyonlands and beyond. TOTAL MILEAGE: 27 miles

DAY 3

We begin the day with a fun but technical descent off the Hogback down to the White Rim layer. Points of interest include Candlestick Tower and Holeman Canyon, where we may take a short hike. Hiking into this canyon is very tricky and requires some interesting moves. The hanging gardens, pools of water and narrow canyon walls make this hike one of our favorites on the White Rim. We will then continue along in a downhill mode along the rim of the sheer canyon to Potato Bottom where the White Rim sandstone layer disappears into the Green River. We’ll camp here under the cottonwoods on the bank of the Green River. TOTAL MILEAGE: 21 miles

DAY 4

A hearty breakfast will get us going for our first climb up Hardscrabble Hill. It’s a steep one, and it’s about a mile long with intermittent pitches. After topping out, we traverse the Chinle rock layer, where the miners of the 1950s searched for uranium, before dropping back down to river level. Following the course of the Green River, our final morning’s ride is an enjoyable cruise along the river bank to Horsethief Bottom. Views of Upheaval Dome, rising 1,500 feet from the trail bring to mind the geologic complexities of the area. There are different schools of thought regarding the processes which formed this interesting feature. Some think that a giant meteorite crashed into the earth here and distorted the impacted area. Others say that Upheaval Dome formed due to a slow collapse of the underlying Paradox Salt formation. Our journey ends with a major climb up the Mineral Canyon switchbacks. This strenuous climb is two miles long and gains 800 feet in elevation, bringing us back up to our beginning elevation. After lunch at the viewpoint our shuttle will take us back to Moab. TOTAL MILEAGE: 14 miles

Be sure to bring everything on this list. We have carefully developed this list to ensure your comfort on the tour regardless of the weather. If you are prepared for extreme weather, it is an adventure. If you are not prepared it can be a serious problem.We recommend the layering system, including a wicking or long underwear layer, an insulating layer and a weather barrier for wind and rain. This list reflects that philosophy. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable so be sure to bring all the warm clothing and rain gear listed!

HOW TO PACK: The bulk of your gear and clothing will ride in the Western Spirit support vehicle (preferably in a large duffle bag) and will not be accessible during the day.

For this trip, you will need a riding pack and optional day bag:

Your riding pack may be a hydration pack, but needs to carry 2-3 liters of water, rain gear, other warm clothing, and food for the day. You may be away from camp and the support vehicle all day and need to be self-sufficient.

A small day bag is optional and may be used to store things you’d rather not ride with, but would like to have access to during the day. This day-pack will remain with the support vehicle and may not be accessible, depending on the day.

WHAT WE PROVIDE: ✓ meals, snacks, water, electrolyte drinks, non-alcoholic drinks ✓ camp mugs, all kitchen and dining ware ✓ 1 cycling water bottle ✓ camp chairs ✓ solar showers ✓ sunscreen & bug spray ✓ bike stand and lube ✓ guides bring their own tools ✓ first aid kit with basic medications

BRINGING OR RENTING

• Bike (Our rentals come with flat pedals. You are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.)
• Helmet (gratis w/rental bike)
• Tent
• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad

CYCLING CLOTHING

• cycling shoes
• 3 - 5 pair cycling shorts
• 3 - 5 cycling shirts
• long sleeve cycling shirt
• long sleeve cotton shirt or solar sleeves
• cycling socks
• windbreaker
• tights or leg warmers
• 2 pair cycling gloves (1 pair full length for warmth)
• rain jacket (Gore-Tex or similar)
• rain pants (Gore-Tex or similar)
• warm layer (lightweight synthetic puffy jacket or long sleeve fleece shirt)
• sunglasses or other eye protection

CAMP CLOTHING

• camp shorts
• shirts
• warm socks
• long underwear, top and bottom (wicking layer, not cotton)
• 2 pair warm long pants
• long sleeve fleece or sweater
• pile or down jacket (insulating layer)
• warm gloves and hat
• brimmed hat or visor
• bathing suit (for solar showers on the trip and at the hotel before/after your trip)
• hiking shoes
• sandals
• rain gear to wear in camp

PERSONAL

• toiletries
• medication (daily and emergency)
• towel
• biodegradable soap
• wet-wipes
• flashlight or headlamp (with extra batteries)
• sunglasses
• optional day bag
• stuff sacks or reusable grocery bags (or separate compartments for your dry bag
• cash for tipping guides: your guides work as a team and share all of their gratuities. A tip of 10-20% of the price of your trip given to either one of your guides when you return to civilization is a great way to say thanks for a job well done.

OPTIONAL

• camera, extra batteries
• binoculars
• alcoholic or any of your favorite beverages (your guides will pack these)
• books or maps
• we encourage you to turn your devices off, but if you cannot, please bring a way to charge them. We recommend a portable USB charger with 1-2 charges. Also, putting your phone on airplane mode to save power is recommended.

It is a good idea to book your rooms in advance; here are a few recommendations:

Aarchway Inn -Where the trip meets (10% off for WS guests) 435-259-2599 - Use Hyperlink above or mention your a Western Spirit guest over the phone for discount.

Red Stone Inn 800-772-1972, 435-259-3500 moabredstone.com

Gravity Haus Moab 435-355-1088 gravityhaus.com

TAXI SERVICE

Contact Moab Express at 435-260-9289 for shuttles