City Creek

Well, it's time again for another fun filled adventure of mountains, single-track trails, and Stella. So it's been a little over a week now since I've returned to Pocatello, ID for a 5 week stay while doing my General Surgery rotation. Might as well hit the trails while I can.
The City Creek ride took place last Friday afternoon. Now I've ridden the main trail many times because it is a quick up-and-back for when you don't have a lot of time. However, I was given a little magazine that had some articles about how the city has improved and expanded upon the main trail of City Creek. So my buddy and I thought we'd get out and do a little exploring, while also hitting the famous 911 section of the trail. We started up what is known as the lower trail. This trail is a single track trail that follows the contour of the creek as it heads back up into the hills from whence it flows. The first part of the trail is mostly uphill but very mild. There are a few foot bridges that you cross from time to time, some only about a foot wide at a time. Hopefully you're lined up pretty good when you hit those bridges because if not you're taking a drink (happened to me last year on one). About a mile and a half up the trail you come to a 4 point crossroads. Here you have the option to head up to the Bench Trail (which takes you to 911), you can cross the river to the main road that leads up to Kinport Peak, take a trail know as Adrenalin, or continue up the upper city creek trail.
We started up the upper trail. About a quarter mile up you run into a challenging hill that has a grade greater than 20%. Luckily it's mainly dirt without a lot of rocks so the technical aspect isn't as demanding as the physical strength. Pushing up it tires you out quickly, but there's no better feeling than pedaling to the top of that hill and looking back down on what you've conquered. Also knowing that you get to go down it later is a good reward. After making it up and another quarter mile of biking we got off the main trail and started up a trail called Cross-Cut that is basically a push up some more hill until it intersects with the Serengeti. Now this trail is pretty easy going with a mild incline. It wraps back around one of the hills that forms the canyon for City Creek. However the change in vegetation was remarkable. It's amazing how little one has to divert from the lush grounds of a flowing stream to find death creeping around the corner. We followed this trail until it connected with a trail called Sullivans and then took that. This one is a fun climb that takes you back into that same canyon we came out of (basically a switch-back pattern) although on a little higher plane. We rode deeper into the canyon, through groves of pine trees and aspen. Eventually this trail ends in the canyon and merges with the upper part of the city creek trail.




Time to head back down. This part was unarguably the most fun part of the trail. It is a single track trail that continues along the stream through dense pines and aspens. The trail zigs and zags through these trees, often with trunks growing right next to the trail. The downhill requires a bit of technicality in it's handling because if you're not careful it's easy to clip a trunk with your handles or hand for that matter. I clipped one and it tore a pretty good chunk of flesh away leaving me with a bloody pinkie the rest of the ride. Parts of the trail ride right next to the creek and some hairpin turns make for a great adrenalin rush as you fish tail around the bend so as to not end up going over the 2 foot ledge into the creek. That downhill fun goes for a little under a mile. From there it we met up again with that little 20% grade hill, only this time at opposite ends of the spectrum, and flew down it (although not as exhilarating as the zig-zag section) until we came again to that 4 point intersection.
From here instead of following back down the original trail we took one more hill climb to the Bench Trail where we eventually met up with a section called 911. Now this is a fun ride. It's a single track, 3/4 mile ride through a gully that serves as a type of half pipe for the bike. Up and down and up and down and up and down we went. One wrong move here can send you for a nice little fall back into the bottom of the gully (and yes, I've done that too, last year) where you'll be pleasantly greeted by the fauna with dagger like projectiles jutting from their stems.
When you make it out of 911 (either spiffy clean, or feeling like a human pin cushion) it's a quick sprint back to the Bench Trail that then flows down the side of the canyon rim to meet up with City Creek trail just past the parking lot.
Over all the ride was just a little over six miles and can be done in under a couple of hours if you're in no rush (or faster if your pressed for time) and would like to take in the scenery. Physically it's not too demanding and, as I said at the beginning, is a good up-and-back ride.