Burke Mountain - Bullet Dodger
RATING:
DISCLAIMER
CAUTION: The trails are challenging and difficult and your use of them is at your own risk. You will find some sections of trail too difficult to ride. Please walk these sections to prevent injury to yourself. To prevent erosion, DO NOT walk off the trail or cut new sections. DO NOT alter the trails in any way.
Please refer to TRAILFORKS for the most up to date trail info and status.
DO NOT RIDE WHEN WET. Please wait at least 24 hours after a rainfall to ride this trail.
Date:
REVIEW
I was going to hike up higher on Burke this day but Harper Access Road was packed snow and ice. Decided to stay lower and check out some of the lower trails and Bullet Dodger was one of them. Not one of the greatest decisions I've made. This is one long trail with some really nasty steep sections.
The trail can be broken down into two sections. Near the gun range and after the gun range.
The first half of Bullet Dodger starts off nice enough with some really nice singletrack that descends nicely. Not too steep but downhill none the less. This is the calm before the storm. Then all of sudden the trail just goes steep and this is where I thought, maybe being on the trail in the slightly snowy conditions was not so smart after all. Lots of rooty steeps sections that I mainly slid down or choose to climb down the side of. I definitely could not ride these sections but don't get me wrong, all the other sections are some of the best singetrack around and rideable by myself.
The trail wides it way down with a the odd man made structure but most of these are simple ladder bridges traversing over a small section of the trail. One steep section actually has a couple of root drops on it, followed by a quick level section, and then straight into another steep section. Most of the top half of the trail is like this, basically unrelenting. Rollercoaster designers take note. After some of these sections you ride on some great singletrack, that is either level or with a slight down grade. It's basically like being with someone who is bipolar and manic depressive at the same time; yeah, oh no.
The second half of the trail starts off with a big fuck you to the rider. Two lines going down a very steep section of trail before the left onto a respite of dirt track. During this section of trail there are a few ladder bridges but a couple are in need of repair. Nothing you can't walk or ride around. Now back to the downhill. Next up is a steep section that actually has a jump on it. No worries, you can ride around it. After some riding there is a gap jump.Not my thing but a ride around on its left.
More single track after the gap jump but the personality of the trail takes a turn. Now it could of been just that the snow on the trail cleared a bit or something else altogether. I can't quite put a finger on it. The trail seemed to start following the top of a ridge.
This section of trail had more structures on it and the steep sections mainly where more manageable than what was above.
The first structure of note is a ladder bridge up a boulder, a ride across the top of the boulder, and finally a ladder bridge down the other side. The more adventurous could probably jump this. Next up is a small A-frame going up and down a fallen log. This is a nice one to practice on. The structure after this is a ladder bridge and a long one at that. When I walked onto it, the planks creaked, and not in a good way. Guess it didn't like my fat ass on it, so I walked around it. Can't wait to actually ride it.
After this the trail starts a long descent down. It's actually not that bad, ass off the back of the saddle, and turn your wheel when heading towards a baby head. It looks far worse that it actually is. More levelish singletrack with a couple of structures. One that goes between two trees and shortly after that a jump on the side of the trail. Then a steep section that starts off with a couple of largish roots across it and then more singletrack along the top of the ridge. The trail splits off into two, the right one tougher and steeper than the left. Lots of roots down the rightside.
Another steep section but this time it has large rocks on it that you ride over. This leads right into a large boulder drop slash jump. I couldn't spot a ride around but that could be because of a fallen tree to the left of it. Some more downhill before the trail finally levels out.
You think you are down and that the trail is over but alas poor Yurick, don't get too comfortable. One last quick steep section before finally ending the trail.
Quite a bit of work went into the trail and it shows. I'll definitely give this trail a ride or more likely hikycling.
That's it. Give this trail a try if you feel up to it. It is a double black not because of any man made structures but due to the use of the terrian and its steepness.
