47 Degrees

When I moved to Colorado last Spring 2022 I spent a good amount of time exploring LH and this trail was very intimidating at first go and I was dabbing all over the place. Flash forward a little over a year and I have now ridden this trail 28 times according to Strava; cleared it on my full squish and my hardtail(s). I got hooked on the steeps and this trail delivers.

I am a big guy at 6'8" 260+lbs geared up so others who are smaller/lighter will probably have an easier time with the physics of it all compared to me: maintaining grip and scrubbing speed. *If you are 160lbs just thing about how much harder it would be to stop on a steep loose trail with 100lbs strapped to your back.

I don't really get airborne so the jump look neat but I don't hit them. However I do have some comments/tips for the steeps. IMO this trail is highly sensitive to conditions, riding it with moist dirt is an excellent experience, the dirt is like chocolate cake. Riding it in variable conditions is fine. Riding in very dry conditions makes it considerably more challenging, especially when things get blown out and roots/rocks become exposed and rather large ruts form. Riding in light snow would be epic-heroic. Riding it with packed snow and/or ice would be pretty gnarly.

47 is great for practicing body position and specifically; keeping your weight over the front of the bike to maintain traction and braking grip. This trail is quick to highlight deficiencies in braking technique and/or mechanical braking performance.

The initial descent of the trail is tricky but mainly since it's rutted and there are some inconveniently placed rocks and logs. After a couple switchbacks you will encounter a steep chute which throws you right into another steep chute. I consider these 2 chutes the hardest part of the trail since the first chute you drop into a little crooked (when your front tire enters the chute your rear wheel is maybe 30 degrees to the right so it swings around and your bike straightens when you are already in the chute, at least for me with my long-ass bike. Exiting the 1st chute you have a short piece of flat real estate to scrub speed before entering the 2nd chute, for me it's important to get eyes on the 2nd chute since it has seen a lot of erosion and there are some big python roots popping up, the chute and the run out are also very rutted to tire placement is critical to keep it pointed straight and hopefully maintain enough ground contact to keep the speed in check.

It's not a trail for everyone but the technicality of riding it in varying conditions is very rewarding and the adrenaline spike you get is also keeps me coming back for more.

Just rode it again today after reading some of the it's over hyped comments...You guys are insane plain and simple!.. Oh okay maybe it's not quite as bad as I last thought but I consider myself just shy of intermediate who can at least slowly ride 95% of Browntown moderately slow speed without many issues and I could barely ride any of the steep forest still even in perfect conditions without stupidly risking smacking or impaling myself on one of the trees the denser then usual forest compared to most other trails here. Confidence is a factor on this for sure but so is near perfect downhill technique and be comfortable with not being able to stop for almost all of the steep forest section. Recommend being able to clean Browntown and Straightedge moderately fast before trying this so I probably won't try it again until next year ;p

Super good trail, magical at least! A bit more hyped thaN what it really is. You can ride it COMFORTABLY or ride it FAST, both without any issues (I consider myself intermediate level). I rode it a couple of days ago on a downcountry bike with 180 mm rotors. Just be confident! Cheers to the boys who built it.