1.4 miles
Distance
612 ft
Climb
-463 ft
Descent
518 ft
High Point

Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    White (1 vote)
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, DJ
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Season
    October to February
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • TTFs on Trail
    Bridge
  • Global Ranking
    #28696 in Mountain Biking
  • Local Popularity
    5 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking

Words by the guys at McMurdo Station:

The Ob Hill Loop trail takes you out to Cape Armitage and around the back side of Observation Hill (see Ob Hill trail description) via a land route. Peace and solitude are experienced as you approach Cape Armitage from either direction.

Route
The Ob Hill Loop trail begins with a road walk at either end. You can access the trail from the road to Scott Base (just off the road as it begins a climb towards Ob Hill) or you may access by walking past Crary and the Helo Pad, across the pedestrian bridge and then by following the road as it climbs back up towards Ob Hill.

The trail is 1.37 miles long and the total loop distance is 2.7 miles. The trail can be walked in either direction with a steep climb as you approach the side slope behind Ob Hill. Care should be used if snow has covered the trail particularly in this area. The trail is marked by red sleeved bamboo poles.

Current Hazards
There is a steep side slope behind Ob Hill. Snow collects on the trail and can cause hazardous footing. Please report any trail hazards. The trail is located where lichens and other small plant life grows in the summer months. To minimize environmental impact users should remain on the designated trail at all times.

Access Info

You can access the trail from the road to Scott Base (just off the road as it begins a climb towards Ob Hill) or you may access by walking past Crary and the Helo Pad, across the pedestrian bridge and then by following the road as it climbs back up towards Ob Hill.

This trail is unsanctioned.

More Stats for Observation Hill Loop mountain bike trail trail
  • Altitude change
    149 ft
  • Altitude min
    38 ft
  • Altitude start
    353 ft
  • Altitude end
    502 ft
  • Grade
    1.961%
  • Grade max
    -32.527%
  • Grade min
    32.797%
  • Distance climb
    4,374 ft
  • Distance down
    3,190 ft
  • Distance flat
    57 ft
  • view trail stats
Status:
on Dec 28, 2024
Snow Covered
Avg: 4.24 (2 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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      Directions to observation-hill-loop trailhead (-77.850106, 166.704659)
      update trails status or condition

      Observation Hill... Trail Reports

      statusdatedescription
      Dec 28, 2024 @ 10:01am
      Dec 28, 2024
      80% of the trail is snow-covered (powder, not pack) with knee-high drifts on the southeast side. I found it a bit challenging for trail running...
      Jan 21, 2023 @ 10:36pm
      Jan 21, 2023
      Trail is in great shape. Keep your eyes on the trail. Be sure to stop running if you want to oogle the views. Golfball, baseball, and softball...
      Jan 5, 2023 @ 10:05pm
      Jan 5, 2023
      Recent snow on the trail but there are workarounds, no worries!
      view all reports »

      Recent Ridelog Activity on Trail

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      Dec 27, 2024 @ 4:43pm
      Dec 27, 2024

      1 Review & Comments


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