Afton Alps
From MORC Wiki
| Trail Name: | Afton Alps |
| Trail Maps: | (see below) |
| Forum Link: | Forum |
| Land Manager: | aftonalps.com |
| Length: | 7.5 miles |
| Lap: | ~60 minutes |
| Singlespeed Gear: | 30x18 |
| Toilet: | yes |
| Water: | yes |
| Physically: | challenging |
| Technically | demanding |
Contents |
Getting There
From St. Paul/Minneapolis take I-94 east to the CR-15 Manning Ave. (exit #253). Head south on Manning Ave. for 7 miles. Take a left onto 70th Street South, heading east for approx. 3 miles, then follow the signs into Afton Alps.
Google map here.
Hours: Monday - Sunday: 7 a.m. - Sunset
(all trails must be cleared by sunset)
History
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The Details
Afton Alps is a $9 per rider pay trail built on one of the metro areas larger ski hills. The trail system features signage breaking the trails into sections allowing the rider to select how much of a challenge they wish to experience. Be sure to pick up a map in the chalet. This allows the whole family to go out and have a great time riding. All routes involve some steep climbing. For the racers among us, the Afton Avalanche, Afton Off-Road Series, and our own 24 Hours of Afton are well worth becoming a permanent part of your race schedule. For more detailed info reference their site or the MNSCS site here.
For the experienced rider, you won't want to miss trails such as "Bridge Loop", "Cliffs Edge", "Southern Switchbacks", and "Express". Novice riders will appreciate trails such as "Southbound Crossing", "Shady Lane", and "Deer Path". To get to the best views, you'll have to climb up "Birchwood Lane" and "Mountain Trail" up to "Northwest Crossing" before dropping back down "The Hideaway" onto the very sketchy "Midmountain Crossing" before reaching the chalet where you can grab a bite and get ready to head out for another lap. (see map below for trail names and locations)
Racing
Afton Alps is home of the 24 Hours of Afton 24hoursofafton.org held in August each year. New in 2007, Salsa Cycles has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as the title sponsor for the event. The annual race, which will be held August 24 to 25 in 2007, tests the stamina of solo and team cyclists in a 24-hour contest across a rugged single and double track course. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC), a non-profit volunteer organization that works to build and maintain mountain bike trails across the state.
In addition to sponsorship, Salsa will provide festivities, including a moonlight Mariachi performer, a homemade salsa competition and tasting, and fun events for both racers and spectators. The company will also have demo mountain bikes available for test laps, including its popular Dos Niner and El Santo models. A special edition Salsa t-shirt commemorating the event will be available from MORC.
If you like watching bike racing, park yourself near "Midmountain Crossing" and you'll see some huge wipe-outs for sure. Racers come flying over a hill onto a very thin/rough stretch of singletrack that tends to be a little too much for even those with full suspension. If a rider strays just a bit off the trail in this section, they are in for a big surprise. If you ride this section of trail, SLOW DOWN and RIDE SAFE!
Like Buck Hill, Afton doesn't run their chair lifts for bikers, so no lift assist in getting to the top of the slope. You must work for those great views!
Land Manager
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Overall Impression
For the racing crowd, you certainly feel like you are at a major event when you are at Afton. It is not uncommon to find 400-500 racers of all ages and skill levels, and there are plenty of great places for the family to camp out and enjoy the events and scenery.
If you haven't been to Afton, be sure to put it on your calendar at least a few times each year - especially in the fall when the leafs start to turn and the scenery rivals none.
Trail Maps
