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McDowells - Central & Southern Area Trails

2K views 24 replies 9 participants last post by  waltaz 
#1 ·
Lots of good discussion on here lately about Brown's Ranch and the current phase of trail development in that area. I don't hear much talk from City of Scottsdale or McDowell Sonoran Conservancy about future phases in the Central (Gateway) and Southern ( Lost Dog/Sunrise) areas.

I have always hoped there would be a McDowell Haute Route, some of these proposed connections could make that possible.

How about:
1. Connecting Upper Quartz to Thompson Peak?
2. Connection from Gateway saddle to either Drinkwater or McDowell Peak?
3. Connection from Windgate Pass to either Drinkwater or McDowell?
4. Connection from Windgate up to The Overlook?
5. Connection from Jeep Trail to Quartz Trail
6. Connection from Andres Kinsey Overlook to Quartz to Thompson Peak

I am probably dreaming that any of this would ever come through, but there would be some awesome loops that could come of even some of these connections.
 
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#8 ·
Top of my list would be a trail coming off Andrews-Kinsey and winding W to meet up with Quartz or Paradise. I seem to remember a discussion I had with one of the big planners that indicated there was some land that they would need and did not own. But man, are you on the right track--lots of days I am up for a 15-20 mile loop but not up for a full double-bypass.

My fear if this we to become reality is that we would end up with another Tom's Thumb or East End trail--too steep, rocky, loose, and switchbacks too tight to ride.
 
#9 ·
If memory serves me correctly, when they put in the trail up to Toms Thumb from the SD side, they said it was steep to be able to keep the overall length reasonable. If they truly made it rideable, it would have been longer....not sure I buy that at all. If you look at the last couple trails built near the peaks, Andrew-Kinsey and the new Lower Sonoran, they are both really well built trails and completely rideable (and probably more sustainable). If you've every ridden the old Sonoran Trail (probably called upper sonoran now), that thing had some stupid steep switch backs and grades that were just silly. Not built for riding, but built for hiking.
In my dreams, I would love for them to reroute parts of the west side of Windgate, West side of Toms Thumb, and the west side of Bell Pass. It would just be nice to be able to actually ride all the way up to the passes.
The work done on the east side of Windgate and Bell has been great...I know they've worked on the west sides of both as well, but there's only so much you can do w/o a reroute.
 
#10 ·
DrHog - I hear you, but have learned that they COS has switched trail builders, so, hopefully any future work on the passes would be more suitable for hikers.

Ray-I think Andrews Kinsey could be the gold standard for version 2.0 of Windgate/Bell/Sunrise and Toms. Bell is a joke on the westside in either direction. I don't even like running on that side of Bell.
 
#15 ·
There are certainly a few parts that have gotten pretty gnarled up in the last several years that I used to not even think about and now I get a little wadded up over. Probably depends on the bike too....my 2 dozen times down it have been on a SS XC bike which isn't the most friendly for steep chunky downs.
Anyway, I'm all for a challenge, but in the end, I gotta go to work on Monday!
 
#20 ·
its not the boingy, its the geo. There is nothing in the McDs that needs more than 100, those better than I would say even less. Just lean back and be soft on the brakes. :)

We raised $32,000 tonight, to hire help in collecting signatures. Tell your friends. We can win, first time in 2 years I have truly believed that!
 
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