Mountain Biking on Gooseberry Mesa in Utah

With the winter season coming to a close in Lake Tahoe some friends and I decided it was high time to get the mountain bikes out.  With snow still in the forecast in May, the biking in Lake Tahoe wouldn't be ready until sometime in June.  That meant only one thing - it was time to load up the cars and head for Utah!

After hearing a lot of great things about the mountain biking on Gooseberry Mesa, we decided that would be our destination.   With the car already packed, my friend Sean got off work at 11pm and we started the overnight drive through the Nevada desert.  After multiple cups of coffee, several delirious 4am conversations and 11 hours later we pulled into camp.  Sean and I set up camp and slept for the better part of the day - not too late though, since we had to fit in an afternoon ride.

"Wesley King takes a break at sunset on Gooseberry Mesa"

"Dan Keenan rides on Gooseberry Mesa with Zion National Park in the background"

Once we awoke we got the bikes unloaded and headed out to see what all the hype was about.  Within 10 minutes I could see exactly why we had heard so many good things about the biking on the mesa  - IT WAS EPIC!  Extremely technical slickrock combined with a mix of singletrack provided some of the most fun I've had on a bike in awhile.  The unobstructed view of Zion National Park in the background wasn't too shabby either.

Over the next couple days we really gave the place a going over.  It took a little bit to settle into the kind of technical riding style that Gooseberry demands. It is completely different from any type of riding that I have ever done.  In Lake Tahoe you become accustomed to long climbs with fast moderately technical descents.  Because of it's extreme technical nature, Gooseberry riding is much slower and precise.  Fast short sprints up very steep sections of slick rock, mixed with tight corners and sharp turns keep you on your game 100% of the time.

"Sean Cronin mountain bikes on the very skinny terminus of the North Rim Trail.  There is a 300ft drop on either side of him"

One of my favorite parts about riding on Gooseberry Mesa has to be the camping.  Because the mesa is on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land the camping restrictions are very loose.  You can pretty much camp wherever you want and it is all free of charge.  It is important though that you bring enough supplies with you.  There is no running water or much else in the way of home comforts on the mesa.  The only facility in the immediate area is a lone toilet that is, sometimes, stocked with toilet paper.

The biggest benefit to camping on the mesa is that all of the rides are accessible from camp.  You can simply crawl out of your tent, make breakfast and get on your bike and ride.  There is no need to drive anywhere. Within minutes of riding on one of the several double track roads you can be at the entrance to all of the trails.

"The view of Zion National Park from camp"

"Corey and Sean relax by the fire"

"The night sky from camp, note the shooting star"

After about four days we had ridden every trail on the mesa, in both directions.  We decided to go check out some of the other trails in the area.  We did a 15 mile loop on Little Creek Mesa (about a 20 minute drive from Gooseberry), and car shuttled the Jem trail (also about a 20 minute drive).

"Dan gets some air on the downhill section of the Jem trail" 

"Heading back after the ride on Little Creek Mesa"

Even though there was a lot of good riding off the mesa, the accessibility of the trails from camp won us over for the rest of the trip.  We continued to link up different sections of trails and come up with creative and cool lines all over the mesa.  Trails like God's Skateboard Park provided entire afternoons of entertainment. 

The possibilities on the mesa are endless and the trails are still definitely in the baby stages of development.  The appeal for a strong intermediate rider will be the ability to ride a lot of the terrain and simply have to walk sections one is not comfortable with.  On the other end of the spectrum Gooseberry has terrain for the most advanced rider with stunt possibilities that range all the way up to the extreme.  It all depends on how creative you want to get.  Our favorite trails included: God's Skateboard Park, South Rim Trail and Hidden Canyon.

"Corey finishing a climb on the South Rim Trail"

"Corey sprinting up one of the many short technical climbs on the South Rim Trail"

"Dan riding on a small ledge in God's Skateboard Park"

"Corey on the South Rim Trail"

"The merry go round section of the Hidden Canyon Trail"

"Sean climbing some slick rock in God's Skateboard Park"

The likely choice for many people heading to Utah for a mountain bike trip would be Moab.  Even though the riding at Gooseberry isn't as extensive as Moab, the mesa offers up some of the best slickrock and singletrack riding in the lower 48, with virtually no crowds.  So my advice to you would be to load up the bikes and get out there before everyone else figures out what they've been missing.

  

"Sunset on Gooseberry Mesa"

The Great American Southwest - Death Valley, The Grand Canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley and Zion National Park

I was finally packed and ready to go. My trip to the American Southwest was becoming a reality at last. As I pulled away from my home in Lake Tahoe, I knew I was going to see and photograph some of the most iconic places in the world. On my trip I would have the pleasure of visiting Death Valley, The Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley and Zion National Park. And what a trip it was.... The American Southwest is like no other place on earth. The landscape is awe-inspiring and sometimes surreal. There is such a diverse amount of terrain located in a relatively small area that it provides for endless photographic enjoyment. My first stop was Death Valley. I didn't have much time in Death Valley but the sunrise at Zabriskie Point was not to be missed.

"Zabriskie Point Sunrise"

From there I continued east through Las Vegas, across the Hoover Dam and onto Grand Canyon National Park where I arrived just in time for some great afternoon light and a wonderful sunset.

"Grand Canyon"

The real treat in Grand Canyon National Park was the Big Horn Sheep that I came across. Not two minutes after being out of the car and walking along the rim of the canyon I ran across this amazing creature. He posed for several minutes along the edge of the Grand Canyon and then went on about his business. I couldn't believe I walked into such an amazing opportunity. Sometimes you go looking for great photographs and sometimes, by dumb luck, they find you.

"Grand Canyon Big Horn"

After darkness took over I headed for Page, Arizona and made camp. I awoke early and grabbed some breakfast in town. Eager to start photographing, I headed east out of town towards Lower Antelope Canyon. I chose Lower Antelope vs. Upper Antelope because it seemed to me that less people went into Lower Antelope. Instead of having to book a tour and get on a bus in town (Upper Antelope), I was able to drive up to the entrance to Lower Antelope Canyon, pay my fee, and go exploring.

"The Bird"

Lower Antelope Canyon is one of the most serene, peaceful and enjoyable places that I have ever had the pleasure of being in, let alone photographing.

"Sand Wave"

"The Womb"

Lower Antelope Canyon is much narrower than Upper Antelope Canyon. I found myself contorting my body in all sorts of various positions to get the angles that I wanted.

"Hot and Cold"

As an added treat I was able to photograph several beams of light penetrating from the canyon's roof. I heard this was only possible in the summer months. Going to the canyon in October I had written off the prospect of photographing the famous light beams. Turns out, for just a few seconds, I was able to capture a couple beautiful displays of light. They only occurred for about ten seconds apiece, but it was more than enough time to get a good shot.

"Piercing Light"

"Canyon Light"

The next day I made my way out to Monument Valley. Whenever anyone thinks of the American Southwest they probably have a vision of Monument Valley in their head, whether they have been there or not. The Mitten formations in the valley are some of the most iconic formations in the world.

"Monument Valley Sunrise"

I arrived to the valley in the afternoon and took a lot of shots. Some were ok but the real treat was the sunrise the next morning.

"Monument Valley Silhouettes"

"The Mittens"

It was on to the last and final stop of the trip, Zion National Park. The easiest way to describe Zion is that it's like a sandstone Yosemite, at least at first glance. When I pulled into the valley I was surprised to find that the fall colors were still in full swing.

"Zion"

After taking a drive around the park I headed over to the ranger station to get my permit for the next day's hike, The Subway.

"The Subway"

The Subway is one of the most unusual canyons in the Southwest. The approach isn't easy but it's well worth it. Once you reach The Subway, and yes it does really resemble a subway, you will most likely stand there and recap in your mind the millions of years it took to form such an amazing canyon.

"Dark Pools"

"Autumn Flow"

"Serenity Falls"

After leaving Zion I headed back across the Nevada desert on Hwy 50, The Loneliest Road in America, to finish up some shots for a project I'm working on for Nevada Magazine............but that's for another post.