Total Distance: 12 miles Ride Time: 1:38
Total Time: 3-5 hours
Climbing: 1552ft
Descending: 3082ft
Peak Altitude: 12,543
Difficulty: 1-10
Technical: 10 (can you ride the whole thing? True ninja Skills Required)
Aerobic: 7
Trail Highlights: This ride is a true Gem. Topping out at 12,500ft and descending to 9,400ft there are not many trails that can equal the challenging riding and beauty of Lenawee. From a lung busting climb up A-Basin ski area, to above treeline singletrack, this ride has it all. Technical challenges for the ninja rider, and fast, fast, singletrack this is Colorado riding at it's finest. You begin the ride from the upper parking lot at A-Basin. Cross the Highway and start around the gate at the Highway Department Metal Building.
Ride up the access road to the top of the ski area. I like to rest on the deck of the ski patrol building.
You can see a faint trail going around the south side of the top. Follow that around the backside of A-basin and HOLD ON!
This is a superb piece of singletrack with challenging techincal obstacles, as the trail descends from above treeline through aspen groves, thick connifer forest, and enough technical obstacles to guarantee having to put a foot down at least!
The trail exits onto a 4x4 road, Peru Creek, follow that downhill to the paved road turning right and coast into Keystone. I leave a shuttle car at the free parking for Keystone River Run, or ride back up to your car if you are feeling like you need more climbing!
