Riding Utah for first time - ?'s

[tmk50]

We are driving out from Colorado to ride for three days. We are staying in Garden City.

We usually ride Northern Colorado and SE Wyoming (Snowy's, Rabbit Ears, Steamboat Lake, and Grand Mesa). I'm not asking for GPS coordiates or your secret 'honey holes', but I am asking for suggestions on the best places for us to ride while we are out there.

We don't do much hill climbing (we have all the avy gear anyway) - we like riding off trail through the trees and boondocking from clearing to clearing. It looks like the Avy situation out there right now is insane, so we'd prefer to stay in the trees/meadows. Since we are staying in Garden, we'd like to hit several places in the three days we are planning on riding. I did some searches and it looks like we have the following options: "Bloomington, paris, beaver mountain (egan basin), franklin basin, tony grove, the sinks". Any suggestions?

One of the days - for at least a half day, we will take the kids up for a ride. It looks like there is a big open area at the Logan parking area where we could ride around with the kids? Any other areas that would be 'kid friendly'?

 

[JedInUtah]

The kid friendly day is the day you will want to go to the "sinks" just up the hill and over the summit from Garden city. Good parking lot, bathrooms, very open, small hills and drainages.

The other days you will want to spend definitely checking out Bloomington/Paris. You will drive approximately 20 min. north of Garden City to Bloomington Canyon and then head up the canyon about 3 miles till you hit the parking lot at the water tanks. It groomed all the way in.

Another day you will want to hit the Beaver Creek or Franklin areas. I recommend Beaver creek. You can access both areas from either parking lot though. Beaver creek is a 15min. shorter drive for you than Franklin. For the type of riding you are describing, I think it will be right up your alley.

*NOTE* you will need both Utah and Idaho registration tags to ride those areas. They do patrol it fairly heavily.

If you have any questions let us know or you can feel free to PM me. I ride these areas quite often. Probably this saturday up bloomington if all works out.

 

[BB454]

Riding

Sinks area heading west out of Garden City. Big open area there at the summit. You can head south on the trail all the way to Hardware Ranch and see the Elk. Also have lunch. Lots of playing on the way. Next day continue west to the Beaver Mountain Ski area or Franklin Basin. Trail heads north into Idaho and lots of trees. Maps should be available in Garden City or at the Rental Outfit right there at Beaver Mountain.

You can burn up a week up there. Also you can drive north along Bear Lake and head up any one of several other canyons that head to the west and connect to the Beaver/Franklin trails.

Tony Grove is also up there but that is steep and deep.

 

[summitxtreme]

How is the tony grove area right now? Is the snow any good and how is the hill climbing? Tony Grove is right is in between logan and bear lake right?

 

[dragon900]

Snow is ok up tony but stll alot of land mines and avy are bad . And yes it is between logan and bear lake

 

[JedInUtah]

How is the tony grove area right now? Is the snow any good and how is the hill climbing? Tony Grove is right is in between logan and bear lake right?

Yes it is.......cover is finally getting good to cover up the rocks. Could still use more though, it is a very rocky area.

AVALANCHE DANGER IS HORRIBLE THERE RIGHT NOW! going to take some time for things to settle down a bit. Plenty of areas less steep for some good riding all around it though.

 

[tmk50]

Thank you guys for the quick responses -

We are looking forward to the trip. We had heard/read about the permit enforcement and called the Chevron (or Conoco?) to make sure we could buy both permits for all the sleds - the lady said they sold both so we will stop by there when we get to town.

Any restaurant suggestions? Places to avoid?

 

[JedInUtah]

Thank you guys for the quick responses -

We are looking forward to the trip. We had heard/read about the permit enforcement and called the Chevron (or Conoco?) to make sure we could buy both permits for all the sleds - the lady said they sold both so we will stop by there when we get to town.

Any restaurant suggestions? Places to avoid?

Its Garden City you don't have many options.......i would suggest breakfast sometime at the Bear Lake Motor lodge on main. Cafe Sabor is really good for mexican. The bear trapper steakhouse is good to.

That's about all they have to offer in the winter. Bear Lake pizza is open thurs. through the weekend I think. It is the same place and owners as the steakhouse.

 

[snengineer]

If the coverage is good I wouldn't drive all the way to Bear Lake with out riding either Tony's Grove or Franklin Basin.

 

[arctic matt]

I couldn't imagine driving from that far away and not taking a look at Tony Grove. There are ways around a lot of the steep stuff. Even if you just make the short drive up to the lake it would be worth while. There are a few meadows and smaller hills right around the lake, it doesn't have to be steep and deep. So my vote is definately Tony's!!!

 

[phatty]

Tonys is worth the drive. However your going to take one look at the area and want to play in the big bowls... DONT DO IT, it will take your life right now. The avy danger there is ridiculous. They just got 2 feet of new sunday to add more problems to the mix. Stay in the trees, boondock and have some fun up there.

you may also want to check out Smith fork on the south end of star valley, wyo. Bout an hours drive from garden city...

oh and one last thing... KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
http://utahavalanchecenter.org/

 

[tmk50]

Thanks to everyone - great info.

If any of you ever need info for N. Colorado or SE Wyo shoot me a PM, would be happy to return the favor and try to help you guys in return.

 

[phatty]

Tonys Last week:

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche_cornice_ridge_big_cornice_1242010



http://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanche_rock_bowl_1242010


Ridiculously big slides...