Autumn mountain bike trail spotlight: Snowmass loop

Fall colors don’t last forever. At high elevations especially, an overnight snowstorm or a strong wind can wipe them instantly away. Thus, we mountain bikers are often on a frantic jag this time of year to forest bathe in yellows and oranges. There’s nothing quite like crunching over a cushy carpet of said-colored leaves in a tunnel of twinkling aspens.

A favorite fall ride hub where you can find such a thing … Aspen. Or Snowmass, rather. Home to a brand new bike park (which is lift-served on weekends through the end of September), Snowmass offers both uphill and downhill trails (for those of us who like to go against gravity before we earn our DH treat) that pretty much cover the mountain biking gold standard spectrum ... especially true when you’re surrounded by golden leaves.

Where: Snowmass Village

What: Village Bound/Cross Mountain/French Press loop

Length: 8 miles

Elevation: 1,668 climbing

Start at Elk Camp gondola base and ride the dirt service road about a quarter mile before taking a left on Village Bound.

Village Bound uphill: a smooth, wide and flow-y singletrack (also used for downhill) on which you can activate your G-Force superpowers by hammering into some of the switchbacks. Village Bound connects to Cross Mountain after about 3 miles of switch-backing up the slopes through pine forests and clusters of aspens.

Cross Mountain: This is a classic, rolling cross-country singletrack complete with techie sections of rocks, steep punches over thick roots and even a stream crossing. Take this up/across the slopes for about a mile before taking a left on French Press.

French Press descent: This is a swinging, super fast and fun downhill trail complete with huge bank turns, whoopties for small airs and wooden bridge and plank features to make you feel like you’re a DH badass (but nothing we uphill sloggers/careful descenders can’t handle). It’s new to the Snowmass bike park and in primo, buffed out condition.

Oh yes, another thing ... you pretty much have the place to yourself. Go hit it before the snow does!