Dakota Ridge

Dakota Ridge Trail is one I'd ridden alone a couple of years ago (click here to review), and found to be quite challenging and almost fun. It's one of the north-south hogback ridges that comprise the first wall of mountain on the west side of Denver. Riding it is just as challenging as you might imagine it would be to ride along the fracture-surface of a mile-long, broken slab of limestone jutting up 300 feet out of the ground at 75 degree angle.  In terms of distance, I'm sure I was able to ride more of it than I walked -- or dragged my bike through -- but in terms of time, I'm not so sure: it's possible that I spent more time bike-dragging than bike-riding.

So I thought Quinn would enjoy it. Cindy and Abbey were busy, so on 13 July 2014, Quinn and I rode the ridge from north to south and then returned by way of the much smoother Red Rocks Trail. I screwed up the Garmin track, so I have no link to the route, but it was similar to that of my previous ride at the hyperlink above.

This is the view from the north end of the north end of the trail, looking south and a little west, towards the mountains of Southern Colorado. Here the trail is smooth.

But it doesn't stay smooth.

I'm not sure what to call them, but these log-ramps are common on the heavily-used Front Range trails. They are good fun, up or down.

It is possible to ride this stuff, if you're young and strong and Quinn and crazy. But it's best to wear a lot of padding.

This was a nice smooth climb, reminiscent of some of the trails in Moab.

The views were incredible in both directions. We had a lot of fun, and finished unscathed, but for a few small bruises and scrapes, including those that spanning the space between my chin and my nose; fairly minor once I dug the sand out from under my upper lip.