Originally presented in Park City’s Prime Cuts 3 by Paul Boyle, Mark Fischer & Charlie Sturgis
Ratings
| Rating: | Green Circle |
| Grunt Factor: | 4/10 |
| Technical: | 3/10 |
| Mileage: | ~3.7 |
| Ride Time: | 0.2-1.5 hours |
Elevation
| Highest Elevation: | 7,127 ft |
| Lowest Elevation: | 6,841 ft |
| Total Climb: | 268 ft |
| Net Climb: | 286 ft |
Key Features
A mellow climb paired with a manageable but fun descent. This ride is excellent for beginners or if you have limited time! (Note: intermediate riders will enjoy this ride as well thanks to being able to hit higher speeds and the long, wide turns!)
Summary
Starting on a wide dirt road leading to the climbing-only PorcUclimb trail, the first 1.8 miles of this ride are quite smooth and mellow. The side cuts are long and the turns are smooth and wide with lots of space. On the way down, there is a similar grade downhill, on the descending-only Downward Dog, back to the car. You may want to do this one twice!
Description
Beginning at the Round Valley Way parking lot (some locals call it North 40), you’ll head left and north up Matt’s Flat, a portion that happens to be a nice wide dirt road. The grade is easy here, making for a great warm up. Veer right at the first fork and left at the second. At mile 0.6, take a left onto Matt’s Flat singletrack, then right on Seventy 101, and continue for another 0.3 miles.
Start on PorcUclimb and ride for 0.8 miles. The trail will T-bone into Nowhere Elks. Stop here for a rest and enjoy the views of Park City Mountain and Deer Valley. Start up again at the T intersection by going right for 0.1 miles. Just before a steep doubletrack downhill, Nowhere Elks will appear as a quick left onto singletrack and then there’s a long sweeping right all the way to Downward Dog which will peel off to the right.
Rip Downward Dog all the way. This 1.6-mile trail is nice and mellow with little to no technical features but some nicely bermed corners and long lines of sight . The trail crosses Valderoad and the bottom of Nowhere Elks. At the bottom you will meet up with the Matt’s Flat dirt road. Head right here and pedal the last 0.1 miles to your car. Not too tired? Now that you know how fast you can ride it, head back up for a second lap!
Background
PorcUclimb and Downward Dog are both directional trails developed for adaptive riders coming up from the National Ability Center. They were purposely built and maintained to be wide enough for three and four wheel cycles. But their mellow grade and lack of technical features make them a great first ride for beginners who are just starting to hone their skills on a bike.
