2008 New Mexico Endurance Series

June 14th, 2008

Chris Hereford
is the ride coordinator/owner for this event.
He will handle any proposed route changes,
pre-rides, event day sign-in/sign-out, etc.
Thanks Chris!!!

See pre-ride information at the bottom of this post.

No more than 74 people allowed for this event! 

Please register here by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page.  Use your real name so we can actually have a record of who is signed up.  Serious entrys only - please plan on being there if you sign up, because if this fills up you could steal a spot from someone who actually planned on finishing this.This ride is for experienced endurance riders only.  As people found out at the 2007 Cochiti 100, these rides are definately not for the faint of heart.   Sign up only if you think you have a realistic chance of finishing.  

Please make sure to read all rules for this.  This is fully unsupported and you will need to be self-sufficient in order to complete this.  The rules are located HERE.   

When: Saturday, June 14th, 2008 6:30AM

Where:  Dixon’s Apple Orchard - west of Cochiti Lake, NM.

What:  100+ miles of awesome riding at Cochiti starting from Dixon’s Apple Orchard.  Climbing is estimated to be over 16,000 vertical feet!  With Dixon’s as a base, the event will consist of 3 separate loops and allow people to restock their food and water when completing a loop.  With technical single-track, and big climbs, this event is not for the faint of heart.  If you question your ability to complete this ride, please do not attempt this, this is a very challenging course - it cannot be stressed enough here.

Since this is an event with 3 separate loops, people may also ride 1, 2, and of course all 3 loops.  Each loop is 30-40 miles and roughly 4-6,000 feet of climbing!!

******************************************************* Route Information *******************************

Loop 1-  From Dixon’s, head out back toward Cochiti Lake and turn L on Dome Road FR 289 and take Fr. 289 to MoTown-CrossTown and back over to Media Dia Trail (Tr. 424)- following much of what you will do for Loop 2 in reverse back to Dixon’s.  Tr. 424 has ~9 water crossings and you will have even more once back on Fr. 89 when returning to Dixon’s.

1.  From Dixons Parking lot, turn east and head back out towards Cochiti Lake.  Gravel will return to Pavement. 

2.  Take first major LEFT and look for signs to Dome Wilderness/Dome Road.  This is Fr. 289.  This will be a very long climb of approximately 13-14 miles.  The elevation profile below from Dixon’s to Graduation Flats (which is the intersection of Mo-Town and Cross-town).

3.  After climbing Fr. 289 for approximately 13 miles you will notice the Mo-Town/Carl Shipman crossing.  Turn Right on the dirt road, then an immediate left for the single-track of Mo-Town.  Follow this all the way to Graduation Flats for several miles.  The trail in this direction will have some bad ruts early on, but will eventually open up to the epic moto style single-track that this place is famous for.  Follow the most obvious single-track route through here.

4.   Mo-Town actually finishes on an offshoot dirt road to Graduation Flats - Fr. 287.  Turn left at Fr. 287, and ride past the hikers parking area on your right.  At the intersection of Fr. 287 and Fr. 36, keep heading west (or straight) until you reach Graduation Flats.  There will most likely be some people camped here and notice the old horse corralle on your right.  The CrossTown Trail will be on the south side of Fr. 289, and on the east side of Fr. 36 (or in other words the SE corner of Graduation Flats.).5.  CrossTown starts out on a nice gradual downhill follow this until you intersect a dirt road, turn right.  2 single tracks appear on your left.  The first one heads down hills and eventually peters out - do not take this one.  The 2nd one is at the top of a very small rise in the dirt road - turn left here.  You will follow epic singletrack for the nest ~8 miles or so and it will be pretty obvious for most of the way.

6.  Crosstown Finish: At the bottom of the old quarry, head up the steep primitive trail that you came down on Loop 1 and eventually hike-a-bike back to the Fr. 36/Fr. 268 intersection that you will do for Loop 2 1.  At the Fr. 268/Fr. 36 intersection connect on Fr. 268 (left) and follow this all the to the Fr. 268/Fr. 286 intersection.

7.  Fr. 268/Fr. 286 intersection, turn right on Fr. 268.  continue on Fr. 268 for several miles through some really rocky terrain.

8.  Fr. 268/Tr. 424 intersection:  At the Media Dia Trail (Tr. 424) head on your left, go through the metal gate and follow this trail, Tr. 424.  Follow this epic 6 mile descent through 9 creek crossings, and then at the bottom, turn right on Fr. 89 to ride out of Cochiti Canyon back to Dixon’s.

Congrats, you have just completed Loop 1!

****************************************************************************************************************** 

 Loop 2 -  This loop covers a climb up FR 268 and connects to Fr 286and then a descent on Alamos Switchbacks (Tr. 113) down to the bottom of Cochiti Canyon for a very wet return from this epic ride.  Enjoy the nearly 30 water crossings again!

1.  From Dixons Parking lot, turn east and head back out towards Cochiti Lake (just like in Loop 1). 

2.  Turn at the first left hand turn on Fr. 268 to go up Bland Canyon.  You will climb in Fr. 268for several miles until you get to the top of the Cochiti Mesa again.  Follow this road until you reach the intersection with Fr. 286.  (Intersection Fr. 268 and Fr. 286 is quite confusing for those with dyslexia, eh?)

3.  At the Fr. 268/Fr. 286intersection go straight through (or east) toward Cochiti Mesa.  You will eventually pass through a small collection of houses.  A few hundred yards after the last house, take the faint singletrack trail on your left.  This is Alamos Switchbacks (Tr. 113 on the map).  Note that Tr. 113 is approximately 1.5 miles from the Fr. 268/286 intersection.

4.  Descend Tr. 113into the bottom of Cochiti Canyon and turn right at the bottom on Fr. 89.  There will be 26 water crossings on the descent back to Dixon’s - but you’ve done some of this before from Loop 1!   Also look for the awesome tent rocks to your left on the Alamos Switchback descent.

Congrats you’ve just completed loop 2!

******************************************************************************************************************

Loop 3- From Dixon’s climb up Cochiti Canyon to Media Dia Trail and climb trail that to it’s top.  Work the dirt roads over to Crosstown Trail and then connect Mo-Town over to the classic descent on Carl Shipmanand follow the dirt road at the bottom of Cochiti Canyon back to Dixon’s.  This first loop will cover 40-miles with over 6000-ft of climbing on dirt roads and epic Cochiti Singletrack. 

1.  From Dixon’s Apple Orchard, follow Fr. 89 up Cochiti Canyon.  You will hit some steep climbs fairly quickly, and then descend back down into a forested canyon and start several water crossings. 

2.  Fr. 89/Tr. 424 intersection:  Perhaps ~2.5 miles up Fr. 89 from Dixon’s, you will come to a small collection of houses/forest cabins.   The turn for Media Trail/Tr. 424, will be the first left after the last big house on your left. Follow the dirt road for 1/3 mile to the metal gate at the bottom of Tr. 424.  (this is a very popular spot for campers, and a good place to camp for Cochiti 100 people if they want.)  You will pass through here 3 times during the Cochiti 100.

3.  Climb Tr. 424 and you will have ~9 water crossings!  Enjoy the cold wet feet now because your dogs will be hot later on!  Climb for ~6 miles and expect some hike-a-bike at the finish.  You will come out at another metal gate and be at the Fr. 268/Tr.424 intersection.

4.  Fr. 268/Tr.424 Intersection:  Turn right on Fr. 268 and climb up to the Fr. 268/Fr. 286 (confusing, yes!) intersection for several miles.

5.  Fr. 268/Fr. 286 Intersection:  Turn left and continue on Fr. 268.  Continue climbing on dirt road which become less and less primitive to the intersection of Fr. 268/Fr. 36.

6.  Fr. 268/Fr. 36 intersection:  This is where the CrossTown trail starts.  Turn at the primitive logging road on your right and immediately look for a steep descending trail on your left - this is CrossTown!

7.  Descend CrossTownto the old quarry and turn right and follow tracks to trail at end of open space.  The CrossTown trail will appear on your left hand side.  Most of CrossTown will be obvious from here - follow the most obvious single-track path.  Oh yeah, and even though you have already climbed a lot - expect some more!

8.  Follow CrossTown all the way to Graduation Flats (Intersection of Fr. 36/Fr. 289).  Remember this place? You were here in Loop 1.

9.  Fr. 36/Fr. 289 intersection:  Turn right and follow Fr. 36 toward the Bandelier.  When you come to a very popular parking area on your left, ignore it and look for the dirt road (Fr. 287) on your right.  Turn here.  Follow Fr. 287 for a short ways and look for MoTown on your Right.  Turn right at MoTownand follow this epic single-track for several miles.  MoTown parallels Fr. 289 and eventually comes out at it with Carl Shipman/Alamos Trail (Tr. 113) on the other side. 

10.  Motown/Carl Shipman-Tr. 113/Fr. 289 intersection:  Go straight through and descend epic Tr. 113to the bottom of Cochiti Canyon for wild ~2 mile descent.  You will be at Fr. 89 at the bottom of the canyon when you finish Tr. 113.  Turn left and head all the way back to Dixon’s crossing nearly 30 streams on a very primitive and rough dirt road descent, and then, of course a climb.    Well you have to go over it to get back to Dixon’s!  Climbing never ends here. 

 Congrats, you have just completed Loop 3 and thus the Cochiti 100!

Map of Loop 3 is located here

Here is the elevation profile for Loop 3 (note that this is in REVERSE of the description listed above. - so read this from right to left)

****************************************************************************************************************** 

* All Mileage estimates are just that - estimates!  Expect it to be harder, longer and tougher than explained here. 

* Course will not be marked.  It is up to you, though use of GPS and Maps to understand the route and stay on course. 

* Cochiti trails see a lot of motorcycle use - in fact the motorcycle crowd maintains the trails for everyone’s use!  Please be respectful of them and yield the trail - there is no need to get into an argument with a heavier and faster motorized machine - you will lose!  You will find that the motorcycle community will be very, very respectful of your time on these trails so please - if you are not used to seeing motorcycle riders on trails, remember to be respectful of their right to recreate as well.   

Maps;

 Sky Terrain Trail Mapshas most of the entire course mapped out.  However Mo-Town and Crosstown singletracks are not mapped and marked all that well.  However they are heavily travelled singletracks and the most worn in paths so once on them they are easy to follow.

If you have never ridden these trails - you will not be able to find your way without this map and perhaps a GPS.  The routes are obvious to most, but note that the roads and trails are usually not marked.  Therefore, if you show up unprepared you will risk getting lost.  Responsibility is yours and yours alone.  Expect absolutely no help from others.

Pre-Ride Schedule

The Cochiti 100 is coming up on 14 June! Everyone has lots of races, rides, and general exploring of trails between now and then, so let’s plan to ride the loops. Although we don’t mark courses for these events, we do like to ensure the routes still exist from one year to the next. Attempting to ride all the loops of the C100 in one day, would be, well, just like the C100. So, we’ll try to ride all three loops on different days before the event comes. These rides will be to check the route status, refine the route card data (for those of who use PGPS- paper GPS), and to get the GPS track for all to download. We’ll add or restack cairns where necessary, move some brush, limbs, trees, (if possible), and get more familiar with the loops.

Dates for the rides are:

Loop 1- Saturday May 17th at 9am (Firm)
Loop 2- 31 May (Tentative)
Loop 3- 8 June (Tentative)

We use the word tentative because we may combine two of the loop rides in one day. Scheduling is tough for everyone, and we hope to keep these dates set to reduce any schedule stress. As the dates get closer, we’ll post any updates, meeting times, etc.

Remember last year? Only two riders completed all three loops. How many will complete the entire C100 this year?

Chris