Mountain biking - Rim and Sky trails

To have the quality of mountain biking on our doorstep is mind-blowing. We have a mass to choose from, all accessible right from our door and back again.  Some like the Tom Blake trail take an hour door to door often not seeing a sole on route. Rim trail can take 2 and a bit hours door to door. Sky trail a little more.  The Town has amazing plans to further upgrade the trail system, one such route being planned is a linking of the Sky trail with the Rim trail i.e. crossing Brush Creek Road skirting round the side of Medicine Bow and going up the long ridge on the far side of the Rim trail joining that trail near the top of Divide . Probably a 25 or so mile ride from our door back to our door with no more than a couple of road crossings. Mountain bike riding of a quality to match anything in the world I suspect. The following give a taste of what Mary and I have enjoyed in last 2 days. And tomorrow the cross mountain and government trails crossing the ski mountain.

A testing section nearing summit of the Rim trail - M going strong but  in no mood to smile for the camera.

Now a smile - cresting the summit ridge.

Good view of Snowmass ski area. Top of Cirque headwall just to the left of my helmet.

A typical section on the 5 mile descent to Horseranch from summit of Rim trail.

This tree I get to admire about 500 times each year - on Snowmass Club Circle Drive - far reaches of the No 3 bus route ! Winter and summer alike it's magnificent.

Now the following day on the Sky trail - part of the Droste property bought by the town and Pitkin County jointly with a marvellous network of new trails being created. High Alpine and Wall in center and Long Shot on left.

Good view of Snowmass Club golf course. Meadow Ranch just visible on the left of the futhermost fairway.

Looking now to the right of the previous pic showing the Rim trail on the far side of the golf course.

Top ridge of the Sky trail looking back to Mary with the ski area and Capital and Daly Peaks to the right

Far end of the Sky trail looking down to Aspen airport with city of Aspen slightly right of center in the V, Aspen Mtn ( Ajax ) rising on the far right.