The worker at Cole Sports had recommended the Mid Mountain Trail ... and had suggested I take the Spiro Trail to get there. So my journey began as a search for the Spiro Trail.

I left the condo bright and early, pedaling toward the Spiro Trailhead, less than a mile away. I had looked over the map and read a guidebook and had everything planned. Not 5 minutes into the ride I made my first mistake. The roads in Park City were like many in other old cities I'd visited ... intersecting at various different angles. I managed to take the wrong angle.

Click Mid Mountain for a larger map. Click back-button to return here.

The result of my poor navigation was a ride through Old Park City, with its many beautifully restored shops, bars, and grills. I enjoyed cruising down Main Street, even though many of these establishments were closed at 9:00 am.

In my 4.5 mile search for the Spiro Trail, I came upon the beautiful wrought iron gate to the Glenwood Cemetery. A plaque in front told the history. The cemetery started in 1885 when pioneers came to the area, and closed in 1920 with the collapse of the mining industry in Park City. Just around the corner from the cemetery were the ski lifts.

I rode over to the lifts and looked around. I was pretty sure I remembered the Spiro Trail didn't start at the lifts but I hoped there would be a trail leading to the Spiro.

I also thought there would be many signs at the base of the lifts, like I have found at other ski resorts.

I looked for a sign that mentioned the Spiro Trail, but could find no trail signs anywhere ... not a one. The map I had been "given" at the bike shop had ski runs, ski lifts, roads, and trails. I had a hard time telling exactly where everything was located as the map did not seem to match what I was looking at. So I took a double track trail up the right side of the western most ski run figuring if not the Spiro Trail, it would lead me to it. I later found out the Spiro Trail doesn't begin at the lifts, but in a residential neighborhood one street away. I also found out many of the signs had been knocked down during summer construction projects.

It turned out what I was riding was called the Crescent Mine Grade Road. A hundred yards after beginning my ride up the mountain I came to a small trail crossing the Crescent Mine Grade Road. Of course, there was no sign. I later learned this trail (called Silver Spur) would have led me directly to the Spiro Trail. Instead of turning onto the small trail, I continued trying to ride up the road ... which began to travel almost straight up a ski run.

The Crescent Mine Grade Road proved more grueling than I could ride. As I pushed my machine up the road I got a good chance to see ski lifts overhead, and snow making equipment set in various places. Every ski resort in Southern California has snow making machines, but I didn't expect Park City to need them.

I rode across another trail cutting the road I was on, and was just about to turn on it when a young deer bounded from the grass, and ran across a ski run. I managed to get my camera out in time to catch a fleeting shot as it vanished into the thick bramble on the other side of the run.

I turned off the double track, onto the trail, and continued up the mountain but in the direction of town. I was able to get back on my bike and ride as it was not quite as steep as Crescent Mine Grade Road. Just as I was about to pass under some ski lift cables I stopped to take a picture of Park City and the ski resort below. As I turned to capture the hillside behind me I noticed a young biker coming up the trail.

He stopped as I asked him, "Do you know what trail I'm on?" He responded with a blunt, "Crescent Mine Grade." I sighed and said, "Oh Jesus. I am trying to find that Spiro (I pronounced it Sp-eye-row) Trail, which meets the Mid Mountain a mile or so up the hill." He corrected me saying, "You mean the Spiro (pronounced Sp-ear-row) Trail?" I countered with, "Yeah, that is the one." He went on, "This is a much better ... ah ... a much less crowded trail. That trail is so busy ... I try to avoid it."

I took out my map and he was kind enough to show me where I'd been and where I was going. As he pointed out the actual trails below I began to see where I went wrong. I should have taken the Silver Spur over to the Spiro. I wish there had been a sign! I said thanks and he sped off while I folded my map.

It felt great to know I was on a trail better than the one I was supposed to be riding. Within two minutes I rode under the cables of a ski lift, the first of many I would pass beneath on the day.

The Crescent Mine Grade Trail did indeed round the mountain and meet the Mid Mountain Trail in the next ravine, and I did not see another rider up to that point. The Mid Mountain Trail, which begins at the Deer Valley Resort to the south, was perfectly named ... undulating northwest (at around 8,000 feet elevation) on the side of the Wasatch Mountain Range. Each time the trail rounded the mountain and hit a clearing ... Park City was visible below.

To read more about this ride click on the Mid Mountain Trail (page 2).

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