Chutes and Ladders

This may be the most popular trail in Fruita.  It is quite scenic and there are some fun steep parts to climb and descend.   Unfortunately having so much traffic has been pretty hard on the trail.  There are many sections where the trail gets quite wide from people riding off the main line.  There are many times that the steep climbs are unridable because people have walked up them and turned the trail to deep sand.  

Book Cliffs Parking Lot

Once you get to the top of Prime Cut, the fun starts with Chutes and Ladders.  As the Fruita Trail Guide suggests, if you don't like this first climb, turn back... because there's close to 2 miles of similar ups and downs to follow.

The first climb on Chutes and Ladders

Looking down that first climb.

Close-up of the First Climb.

Julian Climbing in October, 2002

Julian approaching the top.

Julian descending to get away from the rain.

Ara climbing in October, 2001

Ara making the final stretch of the climb

Me almost to at the top.

A guy climbing C&L during the Fat Tire Festival, April 2003

Once you top this climb, you get to have some fun on the descent.  There are a few nasty switchbacks... one of which I've had to walk every time except one.  This section is very beautiful, but it takes some skill to "clean" it.

Following the base of the Mesa.

This shows some of the trail damage from people hiking up.  This is almost unridable

Julian riding down towards the switchback.

Once you've enjoyed all the ups and downs that give Chutes and Ladders its name, you get the best prize of all...  2 miles of gradual downhill with lots of berms, dips and jumps.  This section is like a BMX track.  Put it in the big gear and let it fly.  You'll want to be careful on some of the jumps...  but you can still let loose a little.  It feels good after all the technical climbing and descending.

Ara heading out into the valley.

Ara on the trail heading back to the parking lot.

Ara likes to hold his bike over his head.  I'm still trying to figure out why.  It looks cool in the pictures though, which I suppose is good enough for me. 

As I suggested before, this is a good introductory ride to Fruita.  There are tons of great trails in this area, however Chutes and Ladders seems to be the one that gets the most traffic.  

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