Solitude Resort Loop

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Solitude Resort Loop

Solitude Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon has a very nice singletrack loop. New options have been added in 2009. The loop I describe here traverses many of the resorts ski runs as it zips in and out of the trees. The loop is 6 miles long, with 600 vertical feet of climbing. (It will feel like more.) The ride reaches a peak altitude of 8550 feet. The singletrack is upper intermediate technical.

Photo above: View up the ski slopes of Solitude. Photos July 11, 2002 by Bruce.

Ridden counterclockwise, the loop climbs Serenity singletrack through the area of the Eagle Express lift. Then it hits the lift road, for a tiny bit of pavement, then a mile of doubletrack as it heads across the resort to the southern end. If you want a shorter ride, you can drop down the Apex trail from the doubletrack.

View towards the Eagle Express lift, early in the ride. We'll go far beyond the lift to the west, past the ski area boundary.

We peel off the doubletrack at the Kruzr Trail. This singletrack gets a bit more technical. Hope you like roots and rocks. At the southeast corner of Kruzr, you can catch a narrow singletrack that climbs up to Twin Lakes at the top of Brighton (if you want). Turning your bike's nose downhill, you've got a nice radical ride, zipping back and forth through the trees to the bottom.

Heading up the canyon along the Summit Lift.

Ride notes, counterclockwise loop:
0.0   Southeast corner Moonbeam parking area
        N 40� 37.383' W 111� 35.794'
        singletrack south, fork R after 100 feet
        on Serenity
0.2   Keep L (R = Silverfork and Queen Bess)
1.6   Keep L uphill (R = Queen Bess joins)
1.7   Paved lift road, turn R
        N 40� 37.220' W 111� 36.371'
1.9   Pass chalet, dirt doubletrack
2.0   Fork L (R=Powderhorn)
2.5   Straight (Apex or Easy Out ST forks off to L)
2.8   Keep R
3.0   Fork L onto ST (Kruzr)
3.15 Hiking trail in from R, keep L
3.25 Fork L (R=Sunrise Lift)
3.7   Fork L
        (R, then R again = SolBright, top of Brighton)
4.5   Cross DT
4.85 Apex (Easy Out) comes in from L
5.1   Keep R (L goes to road)
5.7   Paved road, go R
        N 40� 37.211' W 111� 35.769'
5.8   L on ST, head towards Moonbeam lift
6.0   At first trail fork, R to parking

View north towards the Wasatch Crest, with Brighton's Silver Lake below us. This shot was taken from the SolBright Connector trail, on the way to the top of Brighton Resort.

Getting there: Go to Big Cottonwood Canyon (Wasatch Blvd and 72nd South) and drive about 10 miles up from the traffic light. Turn right into the first Solitude parking lot at the Moonbeam Center. As you enter the parking area, the singletrack trail will be at the far left corner of the lot. N 40� 37.383' W 111� 35.794'

NOTE: Solitude LOCKS the gate to their lower lot in the evening. If think you'll be there past 6 pm, park in the lot uphill!

Riding Resources for Solitude:
Higher-res topo map as above: View map
Topo map, older race loop options: View map
Single-page riding guide for printing
Solitude's biking trail page
Lodging, camping, shops:
Links to Cottonwood canyon resources

GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
     Garmin      GPX
Race loop 2009 track file:
     Garmin      GPX
Include older race loops:
     Garmin      GPX