Southwest Singletrack: Weekly Conditions Report - 4/23/21
Copper City will get some much-needed moisture this weekend, but we’re recommending folks avoid riding until the rain and snow pass.
This weekend’s conditions report will be brief: go skiing. Or plan on organizing the garage.
We got a nice blast of winter starting Thursday evening that is supposed to stick around through the weekend in the form of cold drizzle and wet snow. What dry trails we do have desperately need the moisture, but we recommend avoiding singletrack for the weekend. We’ll probably take our bikes for a dirt-road spin or head out for a ski tour.
Copper City - Soaked
Reports from our agent in Three Forks confirm that even Copper City got a heavy blast of moisture Thursday night. The forecast calls for several more periods of significant precipitation, so this probably isn’t the weekend to plan around mountain biking out there. We’ll check on things Saturday morning and provide another update via our social media pages. Get the latest by following us on Facebook and Instagram.
Lewis & Clark Caverns - Getting much-needed moisture
Like Copper City, Lewis & Clark got significant but needed rain and snow Thursday evening. This will help consolidate some of the fresh trail work our crews did there last weekend, and once it dries conditions should be perfect.
Town Trails - Were dry, but now muddy again
Just as things were coming into form in town, Mother Nature did her thing. It’s a waiting game once again, and we’ll likely see more rain through Sunday evening, so things probably won’t be dry until early next week.
West Bridgers - Backward steps
Like last week’s report, the news isn’t good for mountain bikers, but it is good for conditions later in the summer. We want moisture in the dirt, and we’ll be happy for it come July. The trails are getting closer as far as winter’s snow melting, but periodic moisture and cold temps mean we aren’t there yet.
Gallatin Foothills - Ditto
Snow, ice, and mud. Even Hyalite road will be slick, but it is clear to the reservoir, although expect to contend with the most recent snowfall, which is being reported at a few inches. That could be melted out by later today, but things will be wintry up there, so prepare with layers.
Dirt Roads - Should be good, keep an eye on the weather
Roads continue to be our go-to backup for the uncertainty of spring. There are many fun, scenic rides to choose from. Storm Castle Rd. is good if you want to avoid all vehicles as it is closed to cars from the gate at the first parking lot until May 16. With all the moisture, things could be messy and chilly, so plan for a slog and pack along some hot beverages. Another spot to try is Olson Creek. The snowmobile traffic has subsided by now, but there can be persistent snow drifts the higher you climb and if we get a truly soaking rain, even the road bed gets soft.
Thanks again to Freshies Cafe for sponsoring our weekly trails conditions reports. With their help, we’re able to bring the community this informative resource so that we can all do our part to be better stewards. If you’d like to show your appreciation, head to Freshies and pick up a Mud Mocha. From now until Memorial Day, $1 from every cup sold goes back to keeping the southwest Montana biking community updated on current conditions.
