St. George Winter Riding Trip Report

Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
What started off as a mellow, off season, just get out of the cold ride couldn't have gotten any further than that.

We headed down Friday morning to a weekend of warm, no girls, and a lot of fun exploring St. George surrounding trails. After a long list of rider pickups starting with Cheston, then Stratton (Gravy), then me in Orem, Jared drove us down to Washington on the company gas card. We stopped in to RMATV in Payson to pick up a few things. After ordering my parts we proceeded to wait. Then we waited some more. After that there was some more waiting. Then after literally 45 minutes I went to check on my order. They said go ahead and get some free drinks and you can wait some more. So we did. Then we waited another 10 minutes and my bin finally rolled down the track. Checked everything out and we were out of there in a hurry. While getting gas at that same exit I realized I left the helmet I bought for my little boy on the floor in the store. After 55 minutes of waiting I forgot that I had bought it nearly an hour earlier. We headed back and grabbed the helmet and we were off.

Luckily that wasn't how the weekend panned out the rest of the time. We got lunch at Costa Vida on the way down in Fillmore. The rest of the ride down less eventful.

Greg was meeting us in Warner Valley. We would've met Greg there on time except we didn't because of the wait in Payson. He got a little ride in before we got there and as far as we know it was uneventful. We were also meeting up with James (Rockreligious) and his brother Luke. They got there about 10 minutes before us. We all got suited up and went for a ride. As we were getting ready a TJ pulled up with a trailer and a bike on the back. The guy was wearing jeans a t shirt, some regular shoes, and luckily a helmet.

We rode out through Warner Valley. There is a different trail every 100 ft it seems like. You can look left, right, or straight ahead and you will see a trail. Some are washes, some are single track, some are climbs. We just rode wherever the leader took us taking turns. Reaching the top of a hill, Greg's 300 sputtered to a stop. He lost all throttle. It was obvious what it was. Greg was prepared with all the tools we needed and we had it off and fixed in 10 minutes and we were back on the trail. We continued to ride until Greg's bike came to a stop again. Greg and I pulled over and took it apart again. Everyone else continued to ride. We got it fixed in about 5 minutes this time. The throttle cable wasn't seated all the way in the carb. The guys had a 5 minute head start and it was enough for us to get separated from them for 15 minutes. But we eventually met back up and continued to ride and then headed back to the truck. It was a blast and we covered a lot of ground.

When we got back to the truck the Jeep and trailer was still there. We didn't think anything of it as there was still a little bit of light out. There was a helicopter flying around and eventually some sirens and ambulance. But we didn't know what was going on. We went to dinner at Dickeys Barbecue. Had a great time and went home, talked for a bit and went to bid.

Woke up Saturday morning, hit up IHOP and then the trails. When we got to the same staging area the same jeep was still there. Not a good sign with the helicopter and sirens. We suited up and hit the trails. Headed out into the valley on some awesome flowing whoops, fast sections, rock sections, and tons of sand. We went through the maze, west rim, and I'm sure some other sections have names also but I don't know them. When we hit the dunes we rode for just a little bit around there but it was a little bit too much. After 4 of us took off we looked back and Stratton is kicking his bike ruthlessly to no avail. From our view we can see a 4 door jk coming down the sand fast headed straight for our boys. He's still kicking, but nothing. They haven't noticed the Rangers yet. They eventually give Stratton a push start. At the same time they look back and see some cherries and berries flashing. Stratton is out of there but Cheston and Jared got left behind. It was tense for 10 minutes but finally they came around the corner. They got off with a warning for no flags. After that James it trying to find the "Goat Trail" for us to head down the cliff. Yes, the cliff. No joke it is a 200-300 ft cliff that somehow James once found a trail that only a goat would go on down a rock cliff. It is merely wide enough for my 250. Everyone else's bike was rubbing and catching the whole way down. With some 3' ledges and 45 degree corners not big enough to fit a bike in we all made it down safely. Didn't think it would even be possible. We continued the ride out and it got exhausting for all of us. We eventually had to find the road to get back and get some fluids in us and eat. We did. Just after this what do we see? Far away we see a 4 door white JK coming straight for us. They came by, figured it was us. By this time Stratton has covered all his riding gear with normal clothes to stay hidden. They were pretty cool about the whole thing and they were off.

We found out from them that the guy with the Jeep hurt his neck on the trail and 2 other riders found him unconscious on a trail. The guy was lucky that someone found him. DON'T RIDE ALONE!!

We headed to Peppers which is Local Mexican restaurant. Good food and good times. Headed back to the condo and called it a way earlier night. Everyone was beat!!

Woke up Sunday morning, headed to IHOP, ate and we were off to a nice Sunday casual ride. Really, it was supposed to be pretty casual to loosen us up for the long drive home. Turned out to be anything but. Stratton was leading and we ended up going up a nice ridge that was plenty wide to ride along and get a nice look of the valley to see where the single track was. We saw it below but didn't know how to get there. We saw a faint trail going down a ridge but it didn't look possible. But turns out that's what James likes, impossible. He headed down without issue. You nearly had to be on the brake almost the whole way. If you hit the front brake too hard you were going over the front. It was that steep. There were 2' plus ledges with an already super steep angle. Somehow all of us made it down safely although a few looked like they would die on the way down. After this we were ready to go. But James decided to head up that same ridge. Crazy!! He almost made it after 3 tries but lost traction at the top. Hats off to him for even trying. We continued to a very narrow wash which eventually led to a narrow steep single track up the same mountain. We all made it with some effort, except for Cheston. He looked like he was out for a scooter ride with his Dyna ring and trials tire. Not fair! After that we headed back to the truck, packed up, and headed out. Cleaned up at the condo and headed out.

I've never been on a riding trip before but this was a blast. An awesome group of guys and some experienced riders. I learned more and got more comfortable riding rougher terrain and whoops on this trip that ever before. Everything ran smoothly with no break downs or injuries. And we definitely couldn't have asked for better weather! Thanks again everyone for an awesome weekend and I can't wait for next years second annual ride. Those who didn't make it really missed out!!

I failed to get any pics or videos but at least I got the trip report done. Lots of the guys got a lot of video and a few pics. Can't wait to see them.
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
St George Winter Ride - Warner Valley

So a bunch of washed-up, old rockcrawlers (there were a couple 'young' guys ;) ) got their dirt bikes out for a Winter trip to Warner Valley this weekend...

James Millet (rockreligious) on a KX450 and his brother Luke on a YZF450,
Stratton (gravesdiggerxj) YZF400,
Cascadia KTM 250 EXC-FW
Jared DRZ400,
Cheston WR450
and myself on a KTM 300 XC

All I have are some pics for now... hopefully more pics and video's will be added over the next couple days!

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Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
Sounds like a good trip, wish I could have made it. (I was secretly hoping for snow, or at least rain, for you guys cause I couldn't make it :p. Only kidding...sorta)
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Hey, my bike is a 250 xcf-w. Maybe soon to have a 300 big bore kit.:eek:

I couldn't remember, long day & all.... :p

Great writeup Tyson! Love the detail... great story! Thanks for that, I didn't have the energy! And thanks for putting this ride together, it was perfect!
 

anderson750

I'm working on it Rose
Location
Price, Utah
:cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody::cody:

Oh well........I had fun with my boy at the indoor MX....he came home with 1st place in both the classes he raced..............but it sure would have been nice to be in warmer weather.
 

Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
I've got the same bike, but a '10. I did the 280 kit along with head porting. Let me know if you have any questions or want to ride it before investing in a big bore kit.
I will for sure let you know and would love to see what it's like. I wonder if they have programming yet for mine since it is fuel injected.
 

jeeper

Currently without Jeep
Location
So Jo, Ut
Looks like a bunch of dirt and rocks. Glad I didn't go. Would have been a waste of my time. {runs into room and cries}
 

ChestonScout

opinions are like Jeeps..
Location
Clinton, Ut
FUN trip!


DO NOT take a trials tire if you go down to this area. That last hill climb was the ONLY place where it worked. The rest of the time I was fighting for traction. Just to much sand.


The area is cool tho. Very fun terrain!

Thanks to Jared and Tyson. Without their generosity the trip wouldnt have been possible for me. It was just what I was needing.



And thanks to everyone for waiting for me all weekend!
 

rholbrook

Well-Known Member
Location
Kaysville, Ut
I had heard the Goat Trail existed but never been on it. I will go look for it unless someone has the GPX for it.

Tyson, why not put an SX cam and reprogram it....wait, never mind, there is not replacement for displacement.

What really sucks is my doc canceled surgery on me after all. I go in this coming Thursday. I want to get this done so I can get back to doing fun things again sooner.

Glad everyone made it out unscathed.
 

anderson750

I'm working on it Rose
Location
Price, Utah
I had heard the Goat Trail existed but never been on it. I will go look for it unless someone has the GPX for it.

.

I don't know how to find it from the top, but the trail is just above the dinosaur tracks. I have been up it a couple times then just turned around and came down.
 

Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
You've been up it? :eek: We talked about that but I think unless you're pro (like you are) it'd be too difficult and you'd end up revving it over the cliff. That one corner half way up seems impossible. I can take you down it when you're ready Russ. But no going up for me.
 

anderson750

I'm working on it Rose
Location
Price, Utah
You've been up it? :eek: We talked about that but I think unless you're pro (like you are) it'd be too difficult and you'd end up revving it over the cliff. That one corner half way up seems impossible. I can take you down it when you're ready Russ. But no going up for me.

It is no worse than the 5MOH, just a higher price for failure.:D
 

Cascadia

Undecided
Location
Orem, Utah
If you are coming from the dino tracks parking lot you need to be on the west side of the fence. You go up and pass the dino tracks and it'll start going up a redrock hill. Then it takes a right and goes up the cliff. I will need a rekluse before I can go up it. Haha.
 
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