The Dirty Rat

Saturday was an epic ride. The Dirty RAT. RAT is an acronym for Ride Around Timp, Mount Timpanogos that is.

I rode most of the RAT last year (See The RAT).

But you have to ride a bit of pavement to ride the RAT correctly. You have to ride the pavement from at least Canyon Glen in Provo Canyon, up to the Lame Horse trail in Aspen Grove.

The Dirty Rat cuts out the pavement nonsense. I mean it's not nonsense if you are on a road bike, but on a mountain bike, come on, you really just want the dirt.

So park at Dry Canyon above Lindon and shuttle to Aspen Grove. Then take the Lame Horse trail up to the Summit and from the Summit head up to sheep camp via the Timpanookee campground and up to Bear canyon, etc.

From sheep camp ride to the top of Grove Creek, pass the turnoff to Grove Creek and follow the trails to the base of Big Baldy.

Make the arduous climb up to the saddle of Big Baldy then drop off the saddle into upper Dry Canyon, but don't miss the turn off to the Great Western Trail which will take you south to the saddle of Little Baldy.

Descend off of Little Baldy on a section of some of the sweetest single track you've ridden and then take a right to Area 51 and follow that to the Dry Canyon twister singletrack down to the good part of Dry Canyon.

Smoke the pipe on the way down if you wish and end your Dirty Rat at the Dry Canyon trail head.

The Pipeline

A successful pipe smoking (Dec.2008, filmed by Paul Hillyard)

The ride starts on the Aspen Grove side.