up or down

Just outside of town in Kamas is the new (since 2016) High Star Ranch.  A planned development, with "cabins" and lots available for sale, the quiet community has its own event center, bar/restaurant and fantastic view of Deer Valley.  Nestled on a 1,000+ acre privately-owned property up against west-facing foothills, it also has its own trail system which, amazingly, is free and open to the public.  There's some good word going around about the trails so we thought we'd go check it out, meeting P there in the parking lot at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Taking a break from all the UP

There were just a few cars in the large dirt parking lot (just past the DeJoria Center) when we got there and we really only saw a few other riders out on the trails.  None of us had ridden there before so it was all new.  I was a little nervous, as I always am when riding completely unfamiliar trails, but I figured that would keep my mind off my new, heavier tires.  The trails are very well-marked with flap poles, indicating trail names and directions, as well as numerous trail maps at major trail junctions, so it was always easy to get our bearings.

P on approach

Not that it was difficult to figure out where we were or where we were going because all the trails, and I do mean ALL THE TRAILS, at High Star Ranch are either up or down.  Climbing or descending.  No other options.  Since the property is right up against the hills, there is nowhere for the trails to go but up the hillside.  And since there are no chairlifts to bring you to the top, these trails are for people who like (or at least who are willing) to climb. 

To warm up, we did a loop on Lazy Dazz/Tombstone/Graveyard.  Since we wanted to stick to beginner and intermediate trails, our option after that was clear: Escalador.  We climbed and climbed and climbed, switchbacking up the front face of the hill.  The two-way singletrack was fairly narrow, but since we didn't encounter anyone on the way up, that wasn't an issue.  The trail surface tended to be a little more rocky than I strictly prefer but I was able to climb it pretty well.  Some of the corners were pretty tight too: fine for the climb (although I did walk several of the rockier ones) but more difficult for me on the descent. 

We kept climbing past the Whip It downhill flow trail, continuing up to the Saddle Loop intersection.  Here we went left, and did the Bottoms Up loop which is clearly a newer trail (rocky and not having been rubbered in like Escalador).  I didn't love that one due to the rocks.  At that point, H and P kept climbing, doing the Saddle Loop (which H says I totally could have ridden) while I started my descent back the way we came on Escalador.  The other options for descending are intermediate and expert downhill trails - definitely above my pay grade.  I took my time on the descent, pulling over a couple of times for uphill traffic, stopping once to let a small snake across the trail and once to watch a hawk circling just above the scrub oaks.  I got back to the truck several minutes before the guys did, with just enough time to crack a beer before I had to hand them out.

This looks more like a hike profile than a ride

I don't know how soon we'll be back to the High Star Ranch trails - it's just that much further to drive and there's a lot of climbing - but we were pleased with what we found to ride out there.  It's just lovely out there in Kamas and even lovelier that the owners of HSR are willing to share their trails with the rest of us.

This map shows: UP UP UP

Ride stats:  11.36 miles with 1,500' of climbing