singletracks! armijo-faulty trail

If 18 miles of Otero/David proves a reliable means of laying this rider out, there are other local options to accomplish the same goal, and save some time in the process.

Take Faulty Trail for example.

Faulty has long been the benchmark by which I judge my peak fitness each season. For this mortal rider, it consistently proves a grueling uphill climb from the lower trailhead, up the six miles to the trail's highpoint above the intersection of Bill Spring Trail.  In my minds eye, I count at least 3 considerable hikabikes, not to mention the countless smaller I'll-just-stop-here-and-take-in-the-view, you-know-for-the-blog's-sake breathers.

But after six-plus miles of grinding uphill, that downhill back to the truck?  Priceless. 

You can imagine my dismay no relief yeah dismay earlier this summer, to arrive at the lower trailhead, and find this:

Turns out a few bad apples will spoil the barrel every time.  

The lowest access to Faulty for mountain bikers (outside of designated Wilderness) has required a trip up Cole Springs Road, which as it turns out, is a private road.  Over the years, the landowners have dealt with increasing amounts of trash, parking issues, gate blockages, and unruly traffic, I guess enough to finally pull the plug on access back in July. By my count, mountain bikers have lost a good 2 miles of prime East Mountain singletrack.

Bummer that, for both me and you.  

So I found myself casting about for a new lower access to Faulty, hopefully one that added some miles back to those recently lost.





Looks like I found what I was looking for in Armijo trail.  Armijo begins with a ripping half-mile descent over a series of graded switchbacks.  I was not more than a quarter of the way down when I nearly ran into this guy lounging on the trail.

Only my third quality sighting of bobcat in my life- most are just blurred streaks leaving me wondering if that was indeed what I just witnessed.  This guy spent our 3 minutes together trying to blend back into the hillside, moving only the exact amount backwards to match my every advance.

Armijo showed a moderate grade on its climb to Faulty, saving its punishment for that last half mile prior to the intersection.  Faulty from there on out is as you remember it.  Chunky, rooty, ledgy, swoopy all in one.  Most times in mixed ponderosa-pinon forest, at times dense when you plunge down into drainages.

And steep!  So bring your spare set of lungs, and leave your bandy legs at home.  Faulty will assuredly extract its pound of flesh.  But leave you grinning nonetheless.