The phrase "earn your turns" rings no truer than on Bolt Mountain. On the way up, the aggressive climb is unrelenting and rewards for good line choices and maintaining momentum. Use the first half mile for a light spin to get your legs warmed up because once she pitches up....she pitches UP. The last mile of the trail is the most difficult, as the grade increases along with rock and sun exposure. Technicality increases as you climb - good lines pay massive dividends in maintaining momentum, while a bad pick over the jagged rock beds will literally stop riders in their tracks. Just when you thought you couldn't take anymore, a dead (lightning-bolted) tree beckons you upward in a teeth-gnashing all-out grind to the top. The burliest of legs can climb it straight to the top...let's just say I have some work to do to get there. Record times are in the blistering low-27-minute range - Matt Solomon (current KOM), you're an animal.
If you're still reading, here's the reward: 1300 of the best downhill you'll find in the area hands down. Rocks suddenly become your friend as a matrix of descent options unfold seamlessly into the next. Use the time on the way up to scout the tricky off-camber sections, make a mental note and blast them on the way down. A few blind off-cambers have left many-a-rider in a heap amidst the trees. Same goes for the boosty rock faces on the way down: Look before you leap!
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