Captain Ahab

My new favorite trail in the world!! The tech climb up Hymasa is extremely fun, and i don’t particularly enjoy climbing. Once Ahab begins it’s a whole different level of tech skills. The ride up is filled with punchy climbs on slick rock and a plethora of lines to take near the blue painted marks.

Once the downhill sections begin the riding is bliss. Total nirvana. You’ll want to be a comfortable black diamond level rider, if not double black diamond ability. Almost everything is rollable but there are many small drops, mostly optional to make things even more fun. The views, the flow, the trail aesthetic. This is a masterpiece of trail building, desert riding doesn’t get better than Captain Ahab. Don’t miss it.

This trail is an adventure in itself. Sustained tech, backcountry feel, rugged beauty. If you're going to ride this clean, bring your extra sack. Legit Black Diamond trail. If you have the skills, this is a must ride- loved it!

This is in the Amasa Back Area and it is one of the best trails I've ever ridden. It is gnarly, chucky slickrock that is still somehow flowy. Also the scenery is epic. I used Hymasa to get to the beginning.

This trail is part of the Amasa Back Area and has to be accessed by climbing up an intermediate trail, but it is the gem of the trails in the system. I did a review on the amasa back area that is more descriptive but this is truly an amazing trail. I don't think this trail should be separated from the Amasa back area since it is the MAIN TRAIL. its 2 trails that make one loop with some options to go ride to some view points, or leave the area. One blue up and one black diamond down.

It's best ridden as a loop, climbing up Hymasa Trail to join Captain Ahab near the top...

The Hymasa Trail is magnificent advanced climbing singletrack. There are lots of rock steps and lots of short steep pinches you have to punch up. When you reach Captain Ahab you continue climbing for a while - only steeper and more challenging. Captain Ahab is a double black diamond trail! It is relentlessly and intensely technical with steep ups, steep downs, rock steps, rock drops, side exposure, rock gardens and very little easy going. Expert riders will be in nirvana. Advanced riders will probably survive with some dabbing and walking.

I like this trail. Some drops, slight exposure and absolute fun from top to bottom.

Words do not do it justice. Go ride it for yourself!

A phenomenal trail. All rock. Very technical. Recommend expert riders only. Pretty much everything is rollable, but there are plenty of small 2-3 ft drops. Exposure in places. Very easy to hurt yourself out here. Bring your big bike for big smiles.

Technical mountain biking at its finest. The uphill sections are demanding and the downhill requires focus. If you like to be challenged then this trail is for you. It does have flow but does require skill. I think every mountain biker should test themselves on this trail at some point.

Kudos to the trail makers. Pure awesomeness throughout.

Ahab is beautifully laid out and an absolute blast to ride!

Rode Hymasa up to a small connector putting us on the halfway point of Ahab. I was told the full Ahab wasn't worth it, rather doing two half Ahabs was a better use of our time and energy.

So this was the last part of my "break-in" to Moab ride. Took Hymasa up to this one and of course by the time I got started on Ahab, it was night. The GoPro footage turned out alright. The ride was EPIC! Loved every bit of it, rolled right through this, Praise The Lord for safety. Had a blast!! Gnarly and there are drops, getting speed, close calls, don't fall to the right and die, and so on. This deal is an absolute must and you can crash next to the water on Kane Creek Rd when you're done and sleep happily ever after... zzzzzzz

It's a great trail but don't under-estimate it because it will try to maim and kill you!!! If you survive you will have found enlightenment and will never be the same again. It is a truly epic trail.

So sick! Techy trail, the most technical I did while in Moab. Aerobically not as hard as Slickrock, but there are some crazy options for drops and some inevitable rock rides that make the trail so sweet! A must ride.

I guess I'll be the odd man out by knocking this off the 5 star list. I did the ride up Hymasa and down upper and lower Ahab. I guess I expected a lot more down and more flow after riding up Hymasa 2.7 miles. Lower Ahab was fun and I liked the techy nature of it but for me, this isn't the be all to end all trail that a lot of others think it is.

Wow! The Hymasa/Captain Ahab loop may just be my favorite loop-style ride of all time. But since this is the Captain Ahab listing, I'll focus specifically on this trail.

Captain Ahab is an absolute masterpiece of a descent! I say descent, as that's mostly what it is, but there are a couple of short, pedally climbs mixed in. Also, especially at the top (but really all the way down) the views off of this trail are to die for!

But back to the descent. This new-school Moab trail is an absolute riot of twisty turns, exposure, technical moves, and air opportunities. But the beauty of this trail is, that for the most part, you can make it as difficult as you want. Don't want to take air? That's ok, all of the drops are rollable or set off of the main line. But if you DO want to get air, there are plenty of rollers to launch, optional ledges, and essentially air opportunities of all size and kind! Just make sure that you don't try taking air near the sign that says "walk your bike," as you could find yourself flying off into a beautiful abyss.

Start on the new single track to bypass the drop in, cross the creek and go right onto the new Hymassa singletrack. This bypasses all the jeep road to Captain Ahab(signage good}. You can continue over to Pothole Arch on double track and slickrock for a side trip at this point. Out and back is sufficient. Return to Jct at 4.5 miles to Capt. Ahab. Be prepared this not a trail for the faint hearted. It includes drops and high exposure ramps. It has good flow but is worth the double black rating.

Great ride, signage could be a little better but i liked the blue lines on the rock

I really loved this trail. It serves up the best of what Moab can offer the advanced rider, with lots of technical slick rock, but nothing terribly scary. Almost all the steps and ledges had ramps built into them so it is possible to roll practically everything on this trail without having to do any hucking. One section is marked "Walk your bike" but it is easily rideable -- I mean, if you got that far without dismounting then you shouldn't have any trouble negotiating that rock shelf. Don't be put off by the double black diamond rating that is posted for the trail; anybody with decent tech skills should be able to ride this trail without risking their body. The trailbuilders obviously put a lot of time into figuring out the route and building the rail. Well worth the ride.