Grizzly Lake / Iron Chest / Holy Cross City

Hey guys, it's been a busy few weeks with some back to back and multi-day runs with my local club. I thought I'd share some of the sights and trail conditions I encountered on these trails. Not too many pics again, sorry about that.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Khl1lNt.jpg[/img]

It started off with Iron Chest. It's initial stretch of boulders are very loose really make it difficult to pick a line. It's really just "point and shoot" and try to keep momentum.

You break out of the rock garden and start up some shelf roads with gentle switch backs a pretty steady flow of water down the middle of the trail as well.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/4TE361M.jpg[/img]

Took a pic of the memorial to the female wheeler that lost her life last year slipping of the shelf road heading to the mines.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Vv4bEOD.jpg[/img]

View from top of Iron Chest.

[url=https://imgur.com/nA0A3Hm][img]http://i.imgur.com/nA0A3Hm.jpg[/img][/url]

Next day was Grizzly Lake. The bottom of the Gate Keeper was filled with rocks this year and made getting up and over a lot easier this year.

You pass up the narrow boulder strewn shelf road before getting into the trees. It seemed the road was narrower this year.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/riugNHl.jpg[/img]

Some avalanche debris that was cleared just before the lake.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/CUDx8Uj.jpg[/img]

Grizzly Lake at the top

After Grizzly, we took a side trip to check out Mary Murphy Mine and Lake Pomeroy.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/HzGhsfm.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/JmeMLYw.jpg[/img]

Beautiful area. Thx for the pix.

Finally it was time for Holy Cross City. What a kick in the pants! It was a blast to be able to do this trail. Technical and scenic, with a interesting history as well. French Creek is no joke and requires some careful tire placement to get in and out. Some light showers made for some interesting traction, or lack there of! :)

[img]https://i.imgur.com/PT6ncrd.jpg[/img]

Waiting my turn to get out of the creek.

[img]https://i.imgur.com/tBsghNP.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/jzLhgkI.jpg[/img]

Cabins at the top. Needless to say, there are a few obstacles along the way I just didn't get to take any snaps. I needed the winch once as well at the Steep Rock obstacle. Might have made it under dry conditions.

Anyway, it was a great time hitting these three trails and getting back pretty much in one piece. I did knock off the counter weight to my front driveshaft, rip the boot and nearly ground the u-joint straps off! Lol, got home and welded a washer on the front drive shaft. It worked long enough to hit MSV, Coney the next weekend. Ended up swapping out the front u-joint and having the driveshaft shop rebalance the driveshaft. So, not too bad for some pretty gnarly trails!

[QUOTE=Brian;333238][URL="https://imgur.com/nA0A3Hm"][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/nA0A3Hm.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Next day was Grizzly Lake. The bottom of the Gate Keeper was filled with rocks this year and made getting up and over a lot easier this year.


[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/CUDx8Uj.jpg[/IMG]
[/QUOTE]

That gatekeeper has turned me away twice (alone when I tried), sounds like I'll finally get to see the lake next time!