WEST BENCH TRAIL

COMMENTS: Spectacular late fall ride. Occasional uphill bursts required but most of the trail is middle chain ring material. Avoid early summer and the uncleared dead fall, mud bogs and mosquitoes.

STARTING POINT: Park at Jumbo Lake past Powderhorn Ski Area. From Mesa, CO, take State Rt. 65 south 12.8 miles to the lake. There is a sign here. The parking lot is right on the road. The trail strarts north across the dam.

RIDE TYPE: OUT AND BACK or SHUTTLE WITH THE SKI AREA DESCENT

TRAIL TYPE: SINGLE TRACK 90%, DOUBLETRACK 10%

ELEVATION CHANGE: 1347 feet

DISTANCE: Up to 20 miles

APPROXIMATE RIDE TIME: 2-4 hours

DIFFICULTY: Moderate with a few technical sections.

KEY WAYPOINTS FOR GPS:

Jumbo Lake parking lot	0 miles	39º 03.206' N	108º 05.449' W
Ranger station / West Bench trail	0.5 miles	39º 03.096' N	108º 05.890' W
Deep Creek cutoff trailhead	0.6 miles	39º 03.090' N	108º 05.899' W
Powderhorn East ski lift	3.2 miles	39º 03.214' N	108º 08.284' W
Powderhorn West ski lift	5.6 miles	39º 03.195' N	108º 10.110' W
Fence gate north crater view	7.0 miles	39º 03.516' N	108º 11.338' W
Radio towers	9.6 miles	39º 05.197' N	108º 13.058' W
Jumbo Lake parking lot	20.3 miles	39º 03.206' N	108º 05.449' W

RIDE DESCRIPTION: Ride West across the Jumbo Lake dam and veer right on the road to ranger station (.5 miles).There is a sign for west bench trail. Follow the singletrack to your left over two wooden bridges toward the cabins. After the second bridge there is a trail head for Deep Creek cutoff but continue straight toward the few scattered cabins. Follow short developed road less than 100 yards to the sign and head west down a moderately steep hill to continue toward lift one. The vista at mile 2 but its not too impressive. You will have to hike to it over the boulder field. Mile 3.25 is the top of the east Powderhorn lift. This is a good beginner turn around or rest point with a minimal view if veer right to the blue lift. You can stay on the main trail and continue on a gradual uphill which goes through several meadows. Then bomb downhill crossing a few creeks to arrive at the 2nd west lift (5.6 mile). Avoid the wide ski trail heading down the mountain called Tenderfoot unless you like steep loose dirt. This is on the map as an alternative descent to the base. The 2nd West lift is without a view so continue west on the doubletrack then uphill and through a meadow to the Grand Mesa. It really opens up on top. Go to the barbwire gate and walk to the edge for a nice crater view. You can chose to keep going to the end but it's government land to the radio towers. We generally turn around at the fence and do the singletrack back for 14 total miles. If you continue the easy ride to the point the roundtrip is 20.3 miles.

Anderson road can be ridden to make a loop by returning down deep creek but the developed road is dusty and Deep Creek upper trail can be hard to find and is a difficult rocky descent.

You may choose to descend through the ski area. From the west life head down Tenderfoot. The descent is very steep and poorly developed. From the east lift the descent is a switchback jeep road and easier to ride. Either way, you will need to set up a shuttle or hump it back up the paved road to Jumbo Lake if you go down the ski area.

MAP OF RIDE: [HIGH RESOLUTION MAP (7.5 minute)] [HIGH RESOLUTION MAP (100K)]

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