Draper Rim

The new job is keeping me busy but I managed to get in a ride on my way home Friday.

I wanted to start at the equestrian center but there was a rodeo going on so I diverted to the Coyote Hollow trailhead by the temple. I needed to change (which would have been easier at the EQ bathroom) so I did the car door changing room method. I felt uneasy about it with the McMansions looming nearby. As I had my pants down a cyclist rode by and gave a knowing smile, he knew the drill.

I headed west on the BST then peeled off on the Draper Rim trail, which I'd heard was finished. Well finished isn't quite right, but good enough.

The tunnel was fun. It needs some landscaping but it works.



There are some spots of shade.



And some good views.



The bottom third of the trail is pretty nice. Places in the lower section had been worked on very recently. Beyond that it's rougher, as cut by the trail dozer, with lots of roots sticking up.



The trail crosses the Maple Hollow DH trail which I took. The trail is getting pretty beat up - brake bumps, broken off trail edges, ruts, etc. It's still a fun ride, just not as smooth as it used to be. Here's a nice patch of flowers half way down.



After the DH trail I took the Oak Hollow trail up. Draper is putting in a new water tank there so the trail is closed, but I kept going and ended up hiking the bike across a big pile of dirt. Better to take the road up. A bit of bypass trail was added south of the dirt access road to the tanks to get you back on the Oak Hollow trail.

Oak Hollow was a nice climb. The cut has sloughed in a few places but the tread is solid. The trail also crosses the DH trail, in fact it's at the same place as the Draper Rim trail.

I took the Draper Rim trail down. It works OK as a downhill trail, but it's still rough right now. When it gets all cleaned up it will be better. My front tire found a root that twisted the wheel and put the handlbar into my gut as I did a nice endo into the oak brush. I wasn't going too fast and I only got some scrapes. It's been a while since I crashed.

The Draper Rim trail creates some new loop options. My route was fun. Next time I'm going to go up Draper Rim, down Oak Hollow then return on the BST. Another loop I plan to do is, up Draper Rim, up the top of the DH trail, east on Eagle Crest then down Clarks or Canyon Hollow or Ghost Falls.

I didn't see any other people on the trail. With the Corner Canyon trail use growing, Draper Rim provides an escape.

Kudos to the Draper trails crew who keep making more trails. Draper Rim is another jewel in the crown.


Saturday Jolene and I drove up Payson Canyon to ride, but it had rained heavy the night before (didn't rain at our house) and the trail got progressively more muddy. It was the sticky, ball-up-on-the-tires mud. We turned around after 50 yards and went home. Bummer.

Plan B. I rode my road bike up South Fork where Jolene met me with the mountain bikes and we went up Big Springs. It's really nice up there, very green and the trails are in good shape. After the dirt I switched back to the road bike and rode home.


I'll be packing a bike most days in hopes of more after work rides. So many options: Millcreek, Park City, BST, Corner Canyon. Man, I love living here.