Lutsen Info

[El Chupacabra]

Well, I just got back from a Labor Day family vacation near Lutsen, which included a half day worth of riding. I'd have to say that this most recent experience was much more enjoyable than the previous. I didn't really care for having to ride up the lifts, but I wasn't sure which trails were two-way and didn't want to take chances. I couldn't really difference between the intermediate and advanced routes as much of the terrain contains a lot of rocks. If I go there again, it will be on a FS. Some of the signs indicated there were drops and jumps, but I failed to see any. Trails 3 & 33 were my faves, which provided me with a flat and my brother-in-law with an intimate moment on his back in a rock cluster. I'm not sure how he came out of that unscathed. Trail 25 is a nice winding novice trail that's fairly smooth and fast. Just be sure to pay attention when crossing other trails. The cost was $26 + tax. If you're staying in the area it's worth a ride.

[dave t]

I was up there Monday until Wednesday the week before Labor Day and they only run the tram on weekdays. I had to climb up #3 to ride Mystery's runs. #41 goes through the trees by the lift and has a few nice kickers.

The trouble with the tram is that to get back, you have to climb back out of the central valley which made my wife and daughter not want to ride at all.

I had the all access wrist band but I don't think anyone even looked for it because it was kind of covered by my sleeve the whole time. When I renewed it for the 2nd day and they cut off my green one and then gave me another green one (with a new date written on with a Sharpie:eyeroll:) I just thought "damn, I could have just kept the $22". So that's the price for being honest. But since I was riding alone and couldn't completely ignore the Fam, I really didn't get a full day from the first one so I wouldn't have felt too bad about just riding the second half day on the same band.
I did pretty much pay for the thing on the alpine slide anyway!:banana::banana:

[dave t]

Also, MORC member sighting on the North Shore.

I ran into Dan B and his kids on their way to lunch at Papa Charlie's. Actually he spotted me first. I was on the side of the road adjusting my bike and not paying attention when he drove in.

Now that I think about it I guess I'm lucky he didn't knock me into the ditch!:D ...........Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Then again later I was the spotter at the Lutsen general store.

[Lezgo Cycling]

I have ridden lutsen a few times as we go up there at least 2 times a yr. A good friend of mine is a chef at Bluefinn Bay...and in my experience they do not check the wrist bands as you said. If your honest you find that out, but if its fall or cooler weather they dont check. But it is fun up there. IM going in a couple weeks

[DanB]

Also, MORC member sighting on the North Shore.

I ran into Dan B and his kids on their way to lunch at Papa Charlie's. Actually he spotted me first. I was on the side of the road adjusting my bike and not paying attention when he drove in.

Now that I think about it I guess I'm lucky he didn't knock me into the ditch!:D ...........Sorry. Couldn't resist.


Very very funny.......you run over one girl and the next thing you know everyone is a smartass........:p;):banghead:

[dave t]

Very very funny.......you run over one girl and the next thing you know everyone is a smartass........:p;):banghead:

Oh Yeah. I had forgotten all about that.

I was just saying how I was just adjusting away, right there on the road, not paying a bit of attention to anything around me. :nono:
I'm lucky to be alive!

:D Oh wait. I already admitted I couldn't resist. ......nevermind.

[Tony M]

I also made it up there for the labor day weekend. Rode both days, hooked up with 4 other buds, and had a blast. We didn't ride every trail but I was surprised by the decent mix up there. We found straight chutes with zero climbing over on the mystery side and ups & downs on 26 & 33 on moose mtn. We even rode the service trail to the top of moose mtn both days! Manhandler x5 with a left turn right under the chalet that will rip your heart out and force even the best to get off & walk.

Trails are definatly raw & rocky compared to the twin cities but I do feel I've now ridden on a mountain trail. No disrespect to volunteer based, sustainable trails cause they're the bread & butter but it was fun to ride with reckless abandon on a trail thats alreay loose & scrambled. Biggest moment was on far end of 33. Bombing down single track through the woods with a wide cut of grass on each side when I spotted a mud bog 20+ feet long covering the entire width of the trail. I call it a bog because the long grass stuck up & covered most of the water & swampy mud. Not seeing an obvious line and feeling gutsy, I lofted the front wheel and tried to mono as much as possible before planting my front wheel in the unknown depths. 1/2 way across I dropped it and the front landed in a deep rut, sending me OTB into the muck. My entire left side was covered helmet to knee with smelly mud. I didn't stop laughing for 10 minutes.

I'll post up a few pics. No good action shots because our photographer had to bail early when one of our guys bit hard bombing down the service road to the mystery lift. Ended up with broken collar bone & a neck brace to be worn with pride.
Lutsen is definatly going to be a annual trip for me. :cool::cool::cool::D:cool:

TM

[Tony M]

Mystery lift
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/hayabusa123456/lift.jpg




Bridge on trail 25 on mystery
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/hayabusa123456/group.jpg




Flat
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/hayabusa123456/fix.jpg





End of day
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb53/hayabusa123456/duck.jpg

[El Chupacabra]

I met the guys with the Enduro and Fuel on the top of Moose that day. They said someone from their party went down with a broken collar bone. Ouch! How long do you have to ride one handed?

[chiquito]

I will be heading there tomorrow, and I am taking my FS. Thanks for the info!!!

[Tony M]

I met the guys with the Enduro and Fuel on the top of Moose that day. They said someone from their party went down with a broken collar bone. Ouch! How long do you have to ride one handed?

That was me on the enduro. My buddy wiped heading from the parking lot down to the mystery mtn lift on the service road. There was a nice hump in the trail followed by channel cut by water runnoff. He had just switched to his hardtail and was caught off guard. He rung his bell pretty good & with the break there was no riding after that. Especially since it was uphill back to the lot.


I wasn't impressed by the mechanic/first aid guy. My buddy got a ride to his car on the back of ATV and that was it. No triage & we had to go back and ask for bandages to make a sling. :confused:

[snowcat]

Also went up there over July 4 weekend...first time. Had a giant grin across my face all the way down 33. I'll add for anyone going up there to be alert for people hiking up the trails. I was flying down trail 7 in top gear and I almost killed the entire Von Trapp family coming up around a blind turn. One of them had an infant in a backpack carrier. Not sure if these trails are mixed-use but I sure wouldn't try that with my family. Kind of like walking up the center of a freeway entrance ramp at rush hour.