Where would you go?

[rogerk]

So I’ve one week in early August to take a MTB trip. I thought I’d let the general wisdom of the forum help me decide where to go. Here’s my requirements:

-Lot’s of xc trail choices
-decent weather in August
-preferably under 8’000 feet in elevation, since I live near sea level and don’t wan’t to spend a bunch of time acclimatizing,
– a local shop that rents xc bikes and paerhaps a bike rack
– under 4 hours of driving from the airport
– nice camping choices
-good restaurants

Where would you go?

Let the opinions begin.

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

The higher mountains in Colorado would be perfect in August. Some/most of the high trails would definitely be over 8,000 feet though.

A lower elevation option would be somewhere in Montana (Probably not bozeman due to the recent trail closures there). There’s a lot of largely unsung mountain biking all across western Montana, particularly in Missoula and the Kalispell/Whitefish area. Would be perfect in August.

Maybe somewhere in Oregon or the rest of the pacific northwest…. or whistler….

[GoldenGoose]

Whistler or Vancouver.

[trailrider247]

i would go to Moab, since thats what i plan on doing this Aug. as a nice little mtb trip. Colorado would be a great place to come ride, but the altitude here is kinda high with most of the trails being in the 6500′ to 12000′ area.

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

"trailrider247" wrote

i would go to Moab, since thats what i plan on doing this Aug. as a nice little mtb trip. Colorado would be a great place to come ride, but the altitude here is kinda high with most of the trails being in the 6500′ to 12000′ area.

I’d think most of moab would be too hot in august

[grandlakejames]

Colorado or Moab would be great. Grand County (Winter Park) Colorado is an awsome place to ride but everything is above 8,000 feet. Moab would be very hot in August. If you wanted to go in the Midwest, Marquette Michigan is a great area to ride and then head up to Cooper Harbor to ride this http://www.imba.com/epics/copper_harbor.html . Looks like great riding.

[trailrider247]

"Goo" wrote

I’d think most of moab would be too hot in august

i went last year late Aug. and it was around 70 degrees, it was hot but it wasnt uncomfortable hot.

[rogerk]

Trailrider,
I assume you mean it was 70 degrees on the trails coming off the La Sals? If so, is there now a week’s worth of riding in the higher elevations? It’s been 10 or 12 years since I rode up there.

I spent 10 years in Utah, and 100s of days in Moab, and the only 70 degree days I ever found in August were way up in the mountains or before 9AM.

[trailrider247]

"rogerk" wrote

Trailrider,
I assume you mean it was 70 degrees on the trails coming off the La Sals? If so, is there now a week’s worth of riding in the higher elevations? It’s been 10 or 12 years since I rode up there.

I spent 10 years in Utah, and 100s of days in Moab, and the only 70 degree days I ever found in August were way up in the mountains or before 9AM.

i dont think we were in the La Sals, we were on are way to ride porcupine rim and the temp guage in the car said it was 70 something degrees outside, granted that was one of the cooler days we were there, but out of the three days we were thier i think the temp peaked out at about 90 degrees, but it still wasnt so hot that you couldnt ride, but if your really worried about it being too hot, or if you dont believe me on what the temp was when i was thier, then scratch the Moab idea.

[dauw]

Sun Valley/Stanley, ID

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

"trailrider247" wrote

[quote="rogerk":27n9s8tg]Trailrider,
I assume you mean it was 70 degrees on the trails coming off the La Sals? If so, is there now a week’s worth of riding in the higher elevations? It’s been 10 or 12 years since I rode up there.

I spent 10 years in Utah, and 100s of days in Moab, and the only 70 degree days I ever found in August were way up in the mountains or before 9AM.

i dont think we were in the La Sals, we were on are way to ride porcupine rim and the temp guage in the car said it was 70 something degrees outside, granted that was one of the cooler days we were there, but out of the three days we were thier i think the temp peaked out at about 90 degrees, but it still wasnt so hot that you couldnt ride, but if your really worried about it being too hot, or if you dont believe me on what the temp was when i was thier, then scratch the Moab idea.[/quote:27n9s8tg]

Hey man, its ok! 😃 But if he’s got the whole nation to choose from, there’s going to be more temperate spots that will be perfect in August. Many of the mountains in Montana, Idaho, and that area really only finally dry out in July, so August would be perfect riding weather.

[rogerk]

Thanks for the responses so far.

We’ve had the obvious-Whistler, Vancouver, CO-and I’m looking into that

And some unexpected-Sun Valley, MT, MI, that I will have to look into it.

Keep it coming. I’m curious if anyone will weigh in on Bend or Park City.

[GoldenGoose]

Not sure you what you consider "decent weather in August" but you might also think about Chattanooga, TN. Bigger city with an awesome trail system right in the city (Racoon Mt) and tons of other trails within a 1&1/2 hour drive. Average highs that time of year are in the upper eightys to lower ninetys. Almost all the trails are through forested areas though so they won’t be as hot but humidity might be a problem if you aren’t used to it.

[brianW]

If it wasn’t August I would suggest SC/GA/NC lots of place to choose with some that have many miles of singletrack in one area. I would even volunteer and show you FATS for a small minor fee of a 6 pack of Otter Creek, Long Trail or another VT microbrew 😃 (miss that stuff)

[CraigCreekRider]

"rogerk" wrote

Thanks for the responses so far.

We’ve had the obvious-Whistler, Vancouver, CO-and I’m looking into that

And some unexpected-Sun Valley, MT, MI, that I will have to look into it.

Keep it coming. I’m curious if anyone will weigh in on Bend or Park City.

I’d love to spend a week riding in Bend and Oakridge. Completely different terrain and plants on both sides of the Cascades, but not really that far apart. Bend is a great town. Oakridge, well, not much town there but lots of trails. High country there might still be buggy though til about the end of August.

[dauw]

Was in Bend over Memorial Weekend. Another good option. McKenzie River Trail is a day trip from Bend also.

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