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9.9 miles
Distance
1,818 ft
Climb
-1,836 ft
Descent
1 mile
High Point
-18 ft
Altitude change
5,439 ft
Altitude min
5,816 ft
Altitude start
5,797 ft
Altitude end
-49.3%
Grade max
106.1%
Grade min
5 miles
Distance climb
5 miles
Distance down
2,543 ft
Distance flat
Classic short descending loop with easy(ish) access road climbing.
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Parking depending on your preference to just get the climb out of the way early (BlueSky Lot), or to break the big climb in half and suffer again at the end (Horsetooth Mtn Lot).
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Climb the south ridge access trail to the top of Horsetooth Mountain, pause to catch your breath, descend Wathen. Turn left at the junction at the bottom, skip the first right, and follow the drainage up to the second right, Spring Creek connection, to the Towers Access road. It's a short few hundred yards left (up) the Towers Access road to the top of Carey Springs.
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Carey springs will spit you out on a traverse, just continue the direction you were going on Loggers road until you see the cabin on your left. That's the signal to descend sawmill. The bottom of sawmill requires you keep your head on and attention focused as there are occasionally people climbing it and you do not have infinite visibility. Optionally hit the skidder rocks technical exit to work on your handling skills and then right at the junction continuing down (south) to the valley bottom.
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Either follow south on the Shoreline trail to exit the park if your legs are blown up, or (recommended) hit up Nomad for a bit more enjoyable singletrack.
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After the Soderburg parking lot head back through the campground to BlueSky to complete the loop. (Or slog up the hill to Horsetooth if you didn't start at the bottom).
Detailed Description
Wathen Sawmill Loop is a 10 mile moderately popular expert route located near Fort Collins Colorado. This mountain bike only route. This route includes 20 trails. This route climbs 1,818 ft with a max elevation of 6,895 ft then descends -1,836 ft.
Trail Issues on Route
- Minor Issue / Yellow: 1 trail (newest: Sep 21, 2023)
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Stats
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Distance10 miles
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Avg time3 hr 56 min
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Altitude change-18 ft
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Altitude min5,439 ft
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Altitude start5,816 ft
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Altitude end5,797 ft
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Climb1,818 ft
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Descent-1,836 ft
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Grade max-49.3%
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Grade min106.1%
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Distance climb5 miles
-
Distance down5 miles
-
Distance flat2,543 ft
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Trails in Route
| 2 miles | |||||
| 456 ft | |||||
| 1 mile | |||||
| 2,280 ft | |||||
| 876 ft | |||||
| 732 ft | |||||
| 2,559 ft | |||||
| 1,322 ft | |||||
| 1 mile | |||||
| 1,411 ft | |||||
| 4,455 ft | |||||
| 623 ft | |||||
| 2,375 ft | |||||
| 1 mile | |||||
| 98 ft | |||||
| 502 ft |
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