Head west from the THD on a 4WD two track. Go about quarter of a mile (~0.5km), and you will reach a small opening in the forest. Here you can continue in multiple directions -- north, south or west. Do not head south. That leads you to the Chengeltei Mountain South trails. If you head west, you will be riding Two Dogs clockwise. If you head north, you will be riding the trail counter-clockwise. I have no preference. The trail rides great in both directions. The north trail is the main trail through the Chengeltei Mountain North system. Overall, this loop requires a little navigation, but nothing major for Mongolia. If you review the trail map page for the general layout of the trail and do a little pre-ride preparation on Google Earth, then you should be just fine. It is a little easier to find your way the first time, if you ride the trail clockwise. Ride it both ways for a nice moderate ride that is very high on the fun factor.
Rode Two Dogs today (or some of it) on 4/11. It had patches of deep snow on top and was mostly wet elsewhere. It will probably take until May for it to dry out. Still fun and pretty.
| ThankI failed to mention in my first review why the trail is called Two Dogs. There are a couple of dogs that live near the trailhead, and they will sometimes join you for a little adventure. They are friendly, playful and very intentional hunters. See photos. Give them a little snack, and they will join you for the entire day.
I should also mention that this is a beautiful trail. The surface is a little torn up the first two hundred meters or so, but don't let that fool you. After that, it is pristine and beautiful. In June the wildflowers are brilliant, and in the fall (late Sep or early Oct) the larch are stunning. There are a couple of nice overlooks. The most notable is on the main trail heading north through the system. The overlook is about a 100 m before you turn west off this main trail.
| ThankI love this little loop. The climbs are stout, and the downhills are very fast. It is a mix of singletrack and two track. The surface is a mix of slightly organic, hard pack and grass. It is not a very technical trail, but there are some rocks and rough spots throughout, but nothing bad. The technicality of the trail is mainly due to the high speeds at which you are riding at times. If you make a mistake downhill at speed, there will almost certainly be a substantial price to pay. The main descents/ascents range from about two-thirds of mile to 1.8 miles (1-3 km) each and about 825 to 1030 feet (250-315m) vertically. At four miles (6.5 km) in length, it is easy enough to ride the loop in both directions on the same ride. Or you can combine it with other trails in the system.
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