Who else here longs for the days when we could ride Cochiti? When can we stop putting signage at La Tierra and worry about getting these trails back in shape? At least let's try to get Medio Dia back. Oh, and Happy Halloween.
I hear you brother. What's the skinny on getting up there to at least take a look at the damage and to help determine if it's salvageable. Has Yogi gotten up there?
When you find yourself on the side of the majority it's time to pause and reflect.
-Mark Twain
Personally, I miss Medio Dia and CShipman. I recently drove up FR289 and although the fire had torched everything, it did expose many interesting rock outcroppings. I did however find the standing dead timber very unnerving each time the wind began to blow.
Last edited by xNJr; 11-13-2012 at 02:33 PM.
Got religion? I am happy for you, however please keep it to yourself..thanks!
Having friends that lived up on the mesa, I've been up there a few times since the fire, and have driven by the entrance to Medio Dia. While I've not tried to do any riding in that area, if it's anything like the burned areas closer to town here (some of it's probably quite a bit worse), then it'd be a herculean effort to rebuild it and the tread would still be lousy marbles on top of kitty litter, and would soon be overgrown w/ locust. Sorry to sound like a defeatist; I miss it, too.
I hear ya there. Cochiti was a great area to ride. From a trip this summer it looks very trashed after the fire and flood. Do not know if recovering Medio Dia back to what it was is possible with the flood. I'm thinking there are new lines after that much earth was moved. I'd be up for a scouting ride seeing what trails could be re-established.
Pic of the Jeep near one of the over looks heading up Dome Road.
The last time I rode Medio Dia was just after the fires and the evening that most of the orchard was "swept" away. It was unrecognizable before that thunder showers, and I couldn't really even find the trail even before that rain. Cochiti Canyon road was impassable by anything other than crawling over fallen trees.
I stayed a little too long and got caught in the rain and a bolt of lightning landed about 20 yards from me on the way back. The farthest I could really get was just past the lower entrance to Medio. A neighbor said that the upper part had less damage but I am sure it is pretty bad still.
Dome road was resurfaces with Pumice and was pretty smooth last time I road it this past winter, but I am not interested in riding the road. I think some of the upper trails were still salvageable. Carl has been redone part of the way down, but not far into it there was a big crevice about 20 yards across and 15 yards down where the erosion had basically removed a huge section of trail and it was impassible even by foot. The Forest Service has beed doing some work there obviously, so someone could contact them and ask about what will be done and what could be done.
I miss it Big time, I was thinking that it may be possible to do the crashed plane ride. Anyone have thoughts on this?
Looking at google earth imagery from May 2012, the road in Bland and the Abermarle Road to the fence crossing look passable and like they've been graded/maintained. The forested portion beyond that fence crossing looks torched though and I imagine it would be tough going. Also noticed all the burned up buildings in Bland Ghost town area..........bummer
Cochiti was first place I ever broke (well bent) a fork and thus forced me to buy my first real mountain bike thereafter - circa 1993. Another guy in my group ran into a cow up there on the same ride. Yes a cow on the downhill. Man, you could really get some serious speed through the berms. There was also a cold freshwater spring I used to frequent just before the downhill.
They used to have a race up there called "the Ultimate" or something like that.
"I think im gonna go to walmart and look at the mountain bikes and see if i can salvage the rear frame."- Nick_Knipp 3/21/12
I miss it Big time, I was thinking that it may be possible to do the crashed plane ride. Anyone have thoughts on this?
I heard it was good to go. You can access that side of the canyon via the other jeep road. I forget the name, but it meets medio dia where it switched to double track. My buddy works for the Geological Survey and he hiked up that road quite a ways this summer. I've never explored that side, but it might make for some good recon.
I heard it was good to go. You can access that side of the canyon via the other jeep road. I forget the name, but it meets medio dia where it switched to double track. My buddy works for the Geological Survey and he hiked up that road quite a ways this summer. I've never explored that side, but it might make for some good recon.
I'd b into the crash site ride. I've never been there but have heard about it for years from Ray.
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Originally Posted by makachut
