Hatfield-McCoy trails

[thatguy]

In replying to a post in another thread I jokingly asked if we could meet up there.And after some thought maybe it'd be a fun thing to do.Too late this year for me but in the spring during mud time (yeah I need help) maybe we could do a multi-day ride.It's a long drive/ride (I gotta tow mine) for most of us so one day won't cut it.Anyone up for it?

Oh and here's a link in case your not familiar with them.And videos can be seen here.

[garry]

I've been wanting to head down there for some time and check it out. Seems to be quite an extensive system of trails of varying levels of difficulty. My DRZ should be ready to go by spring (starting the winter mod frenzy). Drive down Friday after work, ride Saturday and most of Sunday. Drive home exhausted Sunday night. Sounds like a perfect weekend!

[buff36]

As I posted in another thread, But cant seem to remember which but It sounds like a winner. Why not a spring ride I am sure enough people will show and I know of a few adv riders from that area (Not the hard core careless ones) Ill catch crap over that   but anyways lets set a date my parents live across the hill from there. I can go see them then meet up over there.

[hig4s]

OK, I'm just posting here so I can find this thread again.. Not sure if I will make it for a couple reasons.

1. I don't have a dirt bike or dual sport anymore, sold my motorcross bike last fall, but keep thinking about getting another one.

2. I went there last year summer for the first time and on the first day, after falling in a puddle, grenadeing my KTM's trans, and sitting in the woods wet and cold for 4 hours while waiting for my riding partner to find someone with an ATV and a trailer to get my bike back to the cabin, I'm nervous about going back.

But I will keep track of this thread's updates and who knows, I still have all my gear, I might just rent a bike or ATV for a day or two.. By the way, in most towns around there they don't care if the bike or ATV is street legal, they still let you ride on the road from the camps to town.  We stayed at Browning Fork Trailhouse http://browningforktrail.tripod.com/  near Gilbert.

We also checked out this place after we were there,, http://www.twinhollowcampground.com/  seemed very nice,, up on the top of a hill with a great view.

[DNA]

I g there 2 times a year for 3 or 4 day weekends.
It is a an awesome place and I expect I will be back there in April and Aug again in 2009.

As for DS bikes - I ride a KTM 250 and am on my ass all the time.  It is really tough in some paces and I doubt anyone would have much fun on street compliant bikes.

[R.Markus]

A friend of mine, and very proficient rider, just went there this summer. He said it was pretty tough. He also said the trails are marked easy-hard similar to ski slopes and you shouold pay attention to that.

[R Doug]

Good info so far.  

I'm up for a ride to check it out.  If we did a long weekend, I understand there are plenty of places to stay along the trail system.  

[thatguy]

Check the videos here.These look like they're fairly easy for a DS bike.I'm sure there's some tough trails there but not all or it wouldn't be popular with the family guys.

[thatguy]

So is anyone interested?

[buff36]

Give it awhile i bet there is alot more that will be count me in.

[garry]

I'm up for it.

[stainlesscycle1]

i'm in

[vulcanbill]

Check the videos here.These look like they're fairly easy for a DS bike.I'm sure there's some tough trails there but not all or it wouldn't be popular with the family guys.

Go to the Trails TV section of the main website and check out the first video of the single track ride.  

[thatguy]

Yeah I'd love to do that but it's outta the scope of a DS bike unless you love a serious challenge.Maybe we could do a hardcore trip also.

[buff36]

Dude I ride a heavy KLR I take it everywhere single track open rode it does not really matter with me on the terain I am just happy riding with friends and making new ones. check out some of the pics from the fall ride with rdoug

[thatguy]

I understand but we need to see what the lowest common denominator is before we decide on difficulty.

[DNA]

Go to the Trails TV section of the main website and check out the first video of the single track ride.  

I can't get it to load - does it have footage of a guy on a KTM with a silver Arai repeatedly falling over while trying to negotiate hairpin turns in the slime on super steep cliff like faces?  If so I want royalties.

[buff36]

This is true we dont want anyone trying anything to dificult and getting hurt. Its always nice to have enough people to have two groups so no one is left behind. After all we are there to have fun.

[hig4s]

I understand but we need to see what the lowest common denominator is before we decide on difficulty.

Not necessarily,  if there is a fair size group there should be several to go each way.. Just have plenty of maps and when the group hits a section too hard for all, they split up, and plan to meet back up at an easy trail intersection an hour or so later. Or even split from the start and just meet back at night.  

[stainlesscycle1]

now wait a minute.  i thought riding trails was all about getting hurt.  my old yz400 wasn't nicknamed 'emergency room' for nothing.

hah - but i'm getting much older and much lazier now.  a couple a wipeouts and i'm hurting.

[thatguy]

OK I'm up for mayhem and carnage.WTF?

[DNA]

OK I'm up for mayhem and carnage.WTF?

Just hold on - I haven't confirmed that I'm going just yet.  I hope to, but it depends a lot on when the baby shows up.

I'm sure widnblown mayhem will be along shortly.

[thatguy]

OK now that it's freezin' azzed cold and snowy anyone interested in a spring trailride?I'd prefer some harder trails instead of dirt roads myself as I ride offroad for the challenge.Anyone up for the challenge of some single track?

[thatguy]

Appears as if I'm on my own.Somehow I knew that.

[DNA]

I will be there for 3 days the weekend after memorial day - until then - I'm staying warm.

[stainlesscycle1]

i'm up for whenever - i'm going to georgia end of february to do trails/etc.

as soon as whether clears hatfield mccoy trails would be great - late march/early april?  

[R Doug]

I'm going to the Burger Run.  But, other than that, I'm still up for going.  

[SVNET]

Great location, I am looking for a good destination this spring so that might do it...

I wonder what location is this one...  see attached, I would love to go there...

[R Doug]

I don't know the exact location of the attached image but I do know it's on the Pacific Coast (Big Sur, CA or Haystack Rock, OR perhaps?).

[DogBoy]

Great location, I am looking for a good destination this spring so that might do it...

I wonder what location is this one...  see attached, I would love to go there...

Its on Mattole Road which passes through a very remote area of Northern California (located just southwest of Eureka) known as The Lost Coast. The southern end of Mattole Road starts at Hwy 101 in Humboldt Redwoods State Park and passes through several beautiful valleys then travels along the coast for a short time before climbing back inland toward Ferndale, CA. The view in that photo is taken while northbound on Mattole Road. That particular section of road is called "The Wall" because that stretch is very, very steep.

Mattole road is often one lane wide, the worst "pavement" you may ever encounter and mostly open range so watch out for cows. I love beat-up one lane roads and seek them out. Mattole Road is a whole different category of one lane beat-up roads. Its not unusual to encounter fog, sun and rain all in a few hours while navigating Mattole Road and The Lost Coast. Don't miss it.

[stainlesscycle1]

fuck it.  i'm going down to h-m trails this weekend.  gonna hit buffalo mountain trails.  with 2 50-60 degree days it should be interesting.  snow melt will make it muddy as hell i bet. gotta get some dirt time in before i go to georgia in 3 weeks.

[swingset]

I'd love to go down, was planning on it this summer some time, but having been there on an ATV a couple times on the weekends, I'd not want any part of a weekend on a bike.....waaay to many quads on the trails. During the week, you'd have the run of the place, and I'm all about that.

The easier trails are no problem at all for a dual sport, I saw a guy on a KTM950 riding it so it can't be that bad. The trails are marked for difficulty, so you can avoid the really gnarly stuff.

[shiney]

The last 2 years we went Easter weekend. Snowed both times. Nothing like riding in a white out. Planning on a summer trip this year.

[R.Markus]

I want to go down there and ride sometime.

[DNA]

Our annual spring trip will be the weekend after memorial day Thursday - Sunday.  Last year we went in Aug as well.  You should go - it is a cool place.

[stainlesscycle1]

so i've been to hm trails 3 times already this year   yep, i am addicted.  all on my 2000 drz400kick.  going back a 4th time in a few days.

here's my views on it.  

i rode matewan (buffalo mtn) in 6" of snow. that was grueling, but still a ton of fun.  the single track is brutal in the snow.  i'd really like to go back and try it when i can see the surface..

i've ridden rockhouse 3 times - by far my favorite - but ice was an issue each time - you can see the large ice patches far enough in advance though..... it's a big trail system, there's a ton of variation, the trails seem to drain very well - yes there is a lot of water, but most can be avoided.

bear wallow has a bunch of closed trails (mostly all the blue stuff...) - i road every single trail (except 88 and 59) in about 6 hours. but i was really moving, i wanted to try little coal river in the same day...

little coal river is very atv oriented..smooth wide dirt. and tons of mud/large mud pits with axle deep sticky mud.... i would not go back there unless it had been dry for at least 5 days....  

i only go weekdays pretty much - there's never anyone on the trails on weekdays.  i've done a few sundays too, but it's been cold so not a lot of traffic (the most i saw was 4 or 5 quads a day - haven't seen another bike yet..)

i ride all the blue and green trails, and the occasional black trail.  mostly the black trails are basically blue trails with a big tough hillclimb somewhere in there.  i spent an hour climbing one hill (end of 94 at bear wallow).  you don't wanna get lulled into the 'this trail ain't nothing' feel - the black trails are definitely challenging somewhere.  i have been good and stuck on occasion...

you can easily spend all day at any of the trails systems.  you could spend several at rockhouse and still not do it all. the same trail is totally different going the opposite direction.

i've only ridden these trails 100% alone.  kinda scary - i've had one good 35 mph wreck in which i saw stars - and checked for broken bones.  aqnd a few slow speed get offs, but i've been lucky so far. as for the bike, only broke a clutch lever, killed a set of tires, stretched a brand new chain to uselessness, broke a front and rear spoke.  bought and installed a new super heavy duty chain at one trailhead..  no flats (i run 16lbs).  

i'm going back down on sun/mon/tue this week.  (mar 1/2/3) and gonna ride rockhouse and maybe indian ridge/pinnacle creek/matewan/buffalo mtn/ dunno..definitely not little coal river - it's raining today.  this time i'm bringing 3 other guys (3 dirt bikes, 1 utv) which should be interesting.  if anyone is interested in going feel free to email me at info@stainlesscycle.com.. i have cheap lodging and transport..

i stay in man, wv which is real central, cheap, and very dirt bike friendly.  and there's a nice husaberg dealer at one trailhead.... fuel has not been an issue at any trail yet.  i think i have about an 80 mile range full of fuel, so after 50 miles or so i start figuring out turning back.  i've been on reserve once.. rockhouse has fuel at both ends. bufallo mtn, bear wallow, and little coal river do not.  

it's been 30-40 degrees each time i've went, which is not bad - you're definitely working enough to keep warm.  it would be probably unbearably hot in august with atgatt..

oh and if you wonder about tires/riding surfaces:  buffalo mtn/rockhouse/bearwallow are hard/intermediate surfaces - mostly rock..rockhouse has a ton of softball sized loose rock.. d952's hold up well (i destroyed a set of michelin s12 in 2 days..) little coal river is 90% soft dirt..kinda like most of ohio/pa that i've ridden.  there is almost no gravel stuff on anything i've ridden (well i dunno about bufallo mtn - it was 75% snow).  i've had good luck with the d952 tires, and i have a spare rear trials tire i'm probably gonna mount on the next bike...most of the big hill climbs are entirely loose large rock, which is why i'm probably gonna change to the trials tire.

tons of elevation changes/switchbacks at all trail systems.  very well maintained - i started way early in the season, and only found 2 unpassable trees total on all the trails. (i've done maybe 400 miles on the systems)  1 i carried the bike over, and 1 i rode way around. there is the occasional rockslide blocking part of the trails,  but not a problem for dirt bikes. dunno how the atv's/utv's get around. if you have a serious fear of heights, i would think twice.  there are ALOT of major cliffs/mountain side riding.  you could easily fall a great distance if you were not smart.  none of the trails i've ridden can you really really open it up - i've been to 40mph for some short bursts, but there are no real long straight aways.  all the switchbacks and a lot of the turns are burmed high enough to hit relatively fast. these trails will make you a better rider guaranfuckingteed.

trails are really well marked, maps are extremely accurate. red and black means really fucking difficult - almost impossible - some really scary superman challenge typa shit.. black means difficult (there are some very long/steep/rock hillclimbs, tight turns, very little room for error stuff - you will not be lazy on the black trails.  blue means have some suspension/power - probably what a gncc trail is like - and some abilities. green means a 100cc 4 stroke could do it.. this may change a bit when the trails are drier and there's no slick rock.  but not much.  if you are not used to mountain riding, this will be a totally new experience for you.  

any dual sport can do green and blue trails.  i would not even remotely attempt red/black trails on anything less than a serious dirt oriented bike.  if you have street legal tires you will not complete a red/black section without major major effort or ungodly skills.

just riding these trails non-stop for quite a bit of time has improved my dirt abilities 10 fold.  i'm not tentative, can really hustle offroad now, and am ready to get a more woods/trail oriented/lighter bike.  i think i've pushed my drz400 too it's usefull limits with me anyways.  the suspension is great for this stuff ( really plush!), but the weight to power ratio is just killing the super technical single track/big tough stuff - a few more hp and a few less lbs and i'd be golden -  i'm looking for a ktm 450 exc/mxc (or maybe a te/tc510) in the next few weeks..i really should get a 250 2 stroke 200lb woods killer, but i'm so addicted to the lugability of the 4 stroke, i'm not sure i wanna go back...


anyways, if you're planning on going down, feel free to email me - i'm always looking for someone to ride with.. i'm self employed which gives me the luxury of going whenever....

[thatguy]

When are you going next?Fuel mileage is my problem.The YZ is a big bore 2 stroke and I might have 40 miles or so before I am pushing it.The CRF isn't any better but it's in the middle of a rebuild so moot point.I just installed some new forks on the YZ so maybe I oughta sort it out before a big trail ride but no biggie I kinda know what I'm doing.

EDIT:I'll let ya ride my 29 year old YZ465.Big 2 strokes have every bit as much "luggability" as a 4 stroke.From idle to 8K RPM it just goes 'BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" and moves right along.

[stainlesscycle1]

i'm going sun/mon/tues (mar 1-3) - if you wanna go, let me know. there is extra space/beds there - and it's around $20.00 a night per person.  i also have room on the truck/trailer for more bikes...

no need to lend me the yz465 - i spent plenty of time on my 1979 yz400.... i ride 90% vintage stuff, but offroad there's a lot to be said for modern suspension.  i'll stick with 2000+ era dirt bikes....

[thatguy]

Can't do this weekend.Dammit.And the 400 won't hold a candle to the 465.Next time so keep me posted.

[stainlesscycle1]

i'll probably go down sometime during the week of march 15-21 - gotta sell the drz and get a new trail machine by then though.  i'll probably be parting the drz400 out..

[thatguy]

May I suggest.

[R.Markus]

Oh yeah, that 310 is awesome.

[stainlesscycle1]

they are awesome - just outta price range.. if they started making that thing in 03 or so i could find one affordable...

[shiney]

Wish I still had my old 250 EXC with the big gas tank. It was made for that kinda stuff and damn near bulletproof.

[thatguy]

Well if budget is a concern perhaps this would be more to your liking.

[stainlesscycle1]

not sure if i want to go with a honda.....  i'm still hoping to find a 4 stroke ktm 450  or husky 510 for affordable $$$$

[thatguy]

That's some expensive parts you're looking at with either of those brands.Might as well buy the new 310 at least it'll be a while before it needs anything.

I thought you were heading down this week?

[OhioPT]

That's some expensive parts you're looking at with either of those brands.

Nope.  That's a common misconception that parts for a KTM cost more than Jap bikes.  If you go aftermarket for all your wear items (All Balls wheel bearings, EBC brake pads, DID/Regina chain, Moose/JT sprockets, etc) you will find the prices are the same.  Same with skid plates, radiator guards, bark busters, etc.  The only time you might need to buy something directly from KTM is for a KTM-only part like a switch or something, and then there are several vendors that offer 15% off the MSRP, so again, it's no more expensive than the Jap bikes.  The only time you pay more will be for the initial purchase price of the bike.   If you go used, you can find some good deals that don't cost much more (if at all) than a similar condition DRZ/WR.  Even maintenance costs are the same (oil, filters, etc), and it's pretty easy to do your own valve adjustments on the KTM RFS motors.

I own both a DRZ400S and a KTM 450exc.  The biggest difference you'll notice is the handling.  The DRZ has a heavy front-end that makes the bike prone to understeer and running wide in aggressive turns, which is not the case with the KTM.  The second biggest difference is the weight, where the KTM feels about 20% lighter, more so when picking the bike off it's side, than it does when riding.  The KTM also has better brakes (better feel and less lockup) and a more instantaneous power delivery.  The DRZ does have it's advantages too, such as a more plush suspension (great in rocky terrain), smoother power delivery, a stronger rear subframe, and no need to check the valves for quite a while.  

Anyways, I'm interested in riding the H-M trails.  I'd like to get down there sometime this month or next, but it'll have to be a weekend, due to work.  I'm getting somewhat bored with the trails around here.

[stainlesscycle1]

yep, ktm is about the same cost as jap overall - there is a ton of aftermarket for 03 and up 4 strokes...- oil filters are now cheap (not so on pre-03 bikes...) i'm looking for a 400/450exc for 3k or less (yes, they are around...). i figure i'll dump another 500-1000 into it slowly....can't get a 310 for that price...


i am gonna miss the plush suspension....but i'll be glad to get rid of the front heavy drz.


i did go down mar 1/2/3 (i just got back early today..) - only rode sun/monday..

i am going again on mar, 10/11 i believe..

[stainlesscycle1]

i am gonna be down at hatfield mccoy trails again on mar 11/12.. gonna do rockhouse and maybe bearwallow or matewan - or just do rockhouse.  depends on how much ground i cover/surface conditions..

[DNA]

You must be single....

Luck bastige.

[stainlesscycle1]

hah.   yeah, i guess.

[buff36]

He is his own boss. I may be up for going the weekend after next

[OhioPT]

I can only go on the weekends

[buff36]

Same here every other sat off

[stainlesscycle1]

hah - i'm gonna ride local with a friend of mine on tuesday (he just got a2000  ktm 400 sxc i found for him last week) then to hatfield mccoy on wed/thursday.  i don't know how packed them trails will get on weekends now.  so we'll both be trying out new bikes...

[thatguy]

hey man........psssssstttt.........can ya hook me up with somewhere local to ride?PM me if ya can.Oh it must be legal too.

[buff36]

Sat after next. Anyone up for a ride weather permitting

[thatguy]

I am but strictly off road.My stuff is dedicated off road.

[buff36]

Gives me a chance to try out the new dunlop 606s

[thatguy]

Well then.Where and when?

[buff36]

Sent a PM to another guy thats been there before I will let you know if we can put something together

[thatguy]

OK thanks.