Category: Trail Info

Trails are logically distinct components. A trail can be ten meters long or 100,000 meters. Trail Info category indicates a post that has detailed specific information describing a particular trail. For posts describing a suggested route that uses one or more trails, use the Ride Route category INSTEAD.

Foothills, MTBing, Trail Info, Trail Work, Videos

OAXMTB YouTube Channel and First Trail Video

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Two bits of news, campers:

1) Trail work on “Vela” is done and the trail is ride ready.  The upper part is still a bit thick with grass on the tread, but it opens up as you reach the middle and bottom.  Get out an ride it as the more it gets used, the better it will roll.

2) I finally got around to trying out my new GoPro knock-off video camera – an MHD (MonoPrice) Action Cam.  Earlier efforts using the chest harness were a total fail (unless you’d enjoy watching the trail tread go by with my knees wobbling around).  First halfway watchable video that I made is from a run down the freshly cleared “Vela” trail.  The video starts on Trail LLL, runs the bit of Trail PC that is used to get to Vela, and then ends as the 1 5meter walkout at the end of the trail where it pours back onto Trail TTT (aka Pista las carnívoras). The lighting is poor, there is a smudge on the camera lens, and I’m not sure I really like the handlebar mount perspective, but this is an experiment for now….

 


On that note, and with the hope that we will be able to provide a full collection of trail videos eventually, OaxacaMTB.org now has a YouTube channel to share these videos as they are created/provided.  That also means there is now a Google+ page to go along with our previously existing Facebook page.  We hope you’ll add these additional outlets to your social media lists.   Here are the links:

 

OaxacaMTB YouTube.com Channel

OaxacaMTB page on Google+

GPS, Mountains, MTBing, Trail Info

Visit to Yuvila

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Yuvila is a small Zapotec village in the highlands of the Sierra Norte not far north of Oaxaca city. It is accessible from a dirt road that links La Cumbre with La Neveria. The ride illustrated on the map below is an out & back trip to Yuvila from La Cumbre that covers 9.3 miles (14.97 km) round trip. It is a relatively easy ride, as the road is wide, smooth and not too steep. The bike rider will gain and lose a total of 1472 feet (448.6 meters) in elevation going up and down the hills along the way. We had expected to go longer and further on this ride, but found heavy cloud cover, light drizzle and chilly temperatures in the area when we visited on 14 April, so we cut short our time in the saddle.

Countryside, GPS, MTBing, Photos, Trail Info

Pedaling Around San Pablo

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There is no shortage of flowing trails around San Pablo Etla, a suburb on the north side of Oaxaca city. This Sunday afternoon ride follows a popular trail (almost identical to the San Pablo Mountain Park Loop Two reported elsewhere on this web site). Fact is, there are so many intersecting trails in these parts it is possible to make a thousand variations so there is always something new, even when you’ve ridden the area many times over.

The bulk of the ride is on singletrack trail that pretty much follows the contour lines of the hills — though there are some rather steep ups and downs. The trail is quite narrow, for the most part, and often runs off-camber. There is a good assortment of rocky sections to keep you on your toes, and lots of thorny shrubbery waiting to draw blood from passing bikers.

The loop ride shown on the map below covers 6.0 miles (9.65 km) with a gain and loss of 1002 feet (305 meters) on the circuit. The high point just touches the 6000 foot mark (1829 meters), while the low point tips the altimeter at 5500 feet (1676 meters).

GPS, Mountains, MTBing, Photos, Trail Info

Cuajimoloyas to Yavesia

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The dirt roads and backcountry trails that abound in the Pueblos Mancomunados are a continual lure to mountain bikers living in Oaxaca. On this particular Sunday in February some friends lit out for the high country intent on riding to some place new. Without much discussion we found ourselves in Cuajimoloyas looking for the start of the hiking trail going to Yavesia. A couple of friendly guides at the ecotourism office, though, dissuaded us by saying it would be much better just to stick to the dirt roads linking the two villages. Bowing to their knowledge of the area, we did just that – and were later grateful for the advice.
As you can see on the elevation chart below, Yavesia sits some 3485 feet (1062 meters) lower in altitude than Cuajimoloyas. The road between them has a grade of over 17% in places, making for an exhilarating descent but a brutal climb back up. The singletrack trail could only be even more daunting. We sailed the 12 mile (19 km) distance to Yavesia in about 75 minutes; the leg- and lung-searing return took a good two hours longer.
In all honesty, one has to wonder if this ride is worth the effort. Like my motorcycle trip from Kansas City, Kansas to Fairbanks, Alaska, I can say that I am glad I did it — but once was quite enough, thank you. The route is in heavy forest throughout, with hardly a mountain vista to inspire and nothing of note along the way. While Cuajimoloyas has a certain charm, Yavesia has little to recommend it. If you want a memorable ride, there are better choices — unless your REALLY like grunting uphill for twelve miles.

GPS, Hiking, Mountains, MTBing, Ride Routes, Trail Info

Ixtlan Revisited

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In November of last year (2013) we visited Ixtlan de Juarez. Unfortunately, cold, rainy weather cut short our exploration of the miles of logging roads that create a maze in the hills above the town. We returned yesterday (5 January 2014) in excellent weather and rode a very satisfying 11 mile (17.7 km) loop, beginning and ending at the main church in town.

Except for the small portion on paved city streets, the entire loop is on dirt roads which are in relatively good condition and have decent gradient. There are numerous junctions with lesser trafficked logging roads (we stayed on what seemed to be the most-used road) along the route and a couple of single track trails that dropped off into the woods.

The loop can be ridden in either direction, but clockwise is recommended, as that way the grade going uphill is a  manageable 5.8%, whereas the descent averages a “Yee-haw!” 9% for a fast paced, brake-burning downhill run.

The ride begins in the center of town, at an elevation of 6505 feet (1983 meters) and tops out at 8556 feet (2608 meters). The total elevation gain pedaling 7.0 miles (11.3 km) to the top amounts to 2119 feet (646 meters), with a scant 33 feet (10 meters) of downhill along the way. The blistering 4.0 mile (6.4 km) descent is even more consistent, with a meager 20 feet (6 meters) of climbing thrown in for grins.

Give yourself a whole day to play in the forest and enjoy riding this and other nearby trails.