6 Days of Hatfield-McCoy report with pictures

[R7]

There's a lot to say so this will be a report in progress, check back for updates. I'll keep the small details out because i type slow and spell like shit

First off, big thanks to Bob M, and Sean & Leah for organizing this trip Fun company as always.

Friday night everyone met at my house to load the truck and trailer with our bikes and gear. The plan was to load up that evening, grab something quick to eat, catch some sleep and leave by 3am. We left about 5 minutes before 3 so we were off to a good start.

15 hours later, we were at our destination. The Browning Fork Dew Drop In. It didn't take us long to unload and get settled in. Got our trail pass stickers taken care of at check-in so we would be good to go first thing in the morning.



We were all exhausted from the ride/drive down there so riding wasn't an option that evening.

Day 1 Rockhouse Trails





We all had no idea what to really expect. Yeah, we've seen pictures and watched video's on youtube, but like the pictures i'll be posting, they really don't do it any justice. We decided on easy trails to get to know the place. Huh, that's a green trail?? I don't know how many times I said that! I'm not afraid to say, I was scared shitless at first. I brought my YZ450 somewhat expecting trails like Maine, fast, wide, and with a few tight sections. Not the case at all here! Uphill, downhill, switchback after switchback after switchback. Granted the trails were a little better than quad width but just a slip over the edge of the trail and you could slide Hundreds of feet down the mountain side...well maybe not hundreds because you're going to land in the trail below at the last switchback. Honeslty it took me almost 2 days to get used to this and be somewhat confortable riding. I was really kicking myself the first day or 2 for not bringing my Raptor. Day 1 was still fun for me, but being so nervous at first kinda tired me out quick.

Some great views from the mountains



Our group





FU to Bob



One of the switchbacks. Even with Sean there, the pictures just don't show what it's like. Some trails had over a dozen switchbacks as they went up/down the mountains.






We made our way to the Rockhouse Trailhead in Man, and went into town for a snack and I topped off with fuel.







I don't recall exactly where these pictures were taken, just some random trail pictures from the ride back.





On the way back, we came up on a section where they were installing gas pipelines. This was some crazy shit, to think and a machine went up this mountain to excavate and install this pipe is amazing. Again, pictures just don't show how steep this was. I'd guess it was 800-1000' up from where we were parked?





All in all, it was a great day.
Not a drop of rain yet!

Stay tuned for day 2

[Paul_E_D]

[R7]

Day 2 at Rockhouse Trails

Not sure why, but I didn't feel all that great when I woke up. We had a small fire on the deck the night before and had a few beers but I didn't think the amount I drank would have been the problem.
Anyway, we were off to a nice early start. The plan for the day was to have fun
I think Bob and Sean wanted to step it up a bit so we ended up on some blue trails and even a couple blacks.





I didn't pay much attention to the trail numbers, wasn't really a need to at the time always following. I kinda do wish i did pay more attention as i coulda posted a map with the numbers on it to give you a better idea, but oh well.

After a bunch of uphill and downhill trails, an endless number of switchbacks, we ended up on this hill climb that brought us to what felt like the top of the world! It's safe to say we were easily changing 1,500 feet in elevation from the valleys to the ridges, if not more?



Notice the drop off in the background? That's the trail we came up, notice how close the trees look, yet seem so small? Probably 100' tall trees just to give you an idea



And the saying for the weekend, "what goes up, must come down".
And down we went...I think we dropped all that elevation on one trail. The one trail that I never wanted to see again was this one. It was a steep STEEP downhill that just never ended. Loose shale/stone on one side, somewhat hard pack on the other. Bob said the hardpack offered more traction but there was no way in hell I was riding along that edge with the dropoff inches from your tires. I'm sure none of us looked pretty going down it, but we all manged. Funny comment of that hill was made by Leah, "I'm NOT starting my bike"



If you go down, you must go back up again? I may be off in order on this one but I thought it was shortly after the big downhill? We entered this trail, sun in our eyes and not much chance for them to adjust as you enter the shaded section...only to look up...and up...and up. This uphill just never ended, you'd be climbing what was a reasonably steep trail and see a small flat area and think "great a rest spot", but as soon as you got close you'd realize that letting off the gas and slowing wasn't an option. Bob was first to the top, I was second adn as I got to the top I yelled out a holy shit! Bob mentioned he said the same thing. Bob and I are both sitting there and here comes Leah to the top, holy shit! Here comes Sean, holy shit! I guess you had to be there

Just some random trail pictures.







At this point, my head was pounding and i felt like shit but didn't have much choice and kept going forward. We were a ways from Gilbert and the plan was to head into town to top off on fuel and grab a drink, for me anyways.

And here we go again, uphill, downhill, switchback after switchback after switchback. Leah had a close call with the edge of this trail, the trail was much steeper than the pictures show.





This is the switchback "landing" where we had our bikes parked while we helped Leah..well Bob and Sean did anyways, I was busy taking pictures Keep in mind, the trail goes down to the left and not back where the bikes are parked



The trail into Gilbert was a green and pretty easy with some nice scenery. There were these huge grape vines hanging from the trees everywhere which was kinda cool to see.



What's the matter Bob, bike won't start? Glad I'm not the only one that had to fight with a kickstarter all week. Right leg sure got a workout this week!



Just some random trail views on our way to Gilbert







Bob on his way down from one of the most fun switchback sections of the Rockhouse trails IMO



Quick stop with a nice view





We made it to Gilbert, grabbed a snack and fueled up. My head was pounding and I didn't feel like riding anymore so I chose to take the road back to base, it was about a 5 or 6 mile road ride.
Sean, Leah and Bob went back into the trail and kept riding. At some point Leah also decided she'd had it as well and arrived about an hour later, Sean and Bob to follow in about another hour.
Another fun day for sure, and another day with NO rain!

[Sportygurl131]

looks like fun!!!

[R7]

looks like fun!!!

It was awesome
And I still have 4 more days worth of pictures and reports to post

[R7]

Day 3 Bearwallow Trail System

We had all our bikes and gear loaded the night before and were ready to leave base shortly after 8. Some of the locals had told us Bearwallow was a bit easier than the Rockhouse area, hmmm!
We got the parking lot somewhere around 9:30am. It was a bit of a hike to get there but well worth it. We unloaded, geared up and were on the trails by 10am.
I instantly felt waaaaay more comfortable at this place. The trails were fast and flowing and was more like riding on dirt vs hardpack and shale. We were covering ground pretty quick and having a ton of fun.



Now picture me not looking at a map and just following, who would have thought this trail we were about to enter was the only way in...and the only way out! Again, steep downhill grade with a couple switchbacks. On the way down all I kept saying to myself is "glad we're going down and not up this

We get to the bottom and take a break to catch our breath. I always have to find something to lean my bike on because there is no kickstand. That'll change if i keep riding this as a trailbike.



Another few hundred yards down the trail and we spot some old coal mines. Some pretty cool shit but I wasn't about to crawl into them.







I'm loving this place so far. Trail after trail is just fast and flowing with nice high burmed/banked corners.

The scenery wasn't bad as well.







There's Bob, always ready with the camera just in case one of us slips and falls. In the event of a get-off, our rule was camera and pictures first, help second Something tells me when Sean gets his pictures though, there will be some interesting shots



Another trail side rest, and I found a rather large kickstand this time.



It was time for lunch so we made our way into town for lunch. It's pretty cool to be able to ride into a busy little town on your bikes to grab some fuel and a bite to eat. We were in Logan and it seemed to be a pretty busy area.
Now keep in mind, the section were there was one trail in and out? All I remember is rounding that corner and seeing the coal mines and looking up to see Bob stopped and looking at my...I'm just shaking my head saying there's no way I'm going up that huge hill! What choice though as it wasn't until we were at the top that they told me it was the only trail in and out. Turns out it wasn't all that bad



No more pictures from the ride back but it sure was a fun one.
IMO this was the best ride yet. Granted the trails may have been a bit easier, but as the week went on, i think we all questioned weather or not they really were easier?
A GREAT day for sure and yet another day with NO rain

It was a bike care night for me this evening. I was cleaning the bike every night anyways but it was time for an oil change, change adjustment and a air filter check.
Also failed to mention that every time I went in water or mud, I'd get a face full of mud! It was pretty annoying and I was kicking myslef for forgetting to swap out the supermoto front fender for the offroad one when I swapped the wheels

[typeone]

man does that place look fun. great report and pics, thanks for posting! i gotta make it down there sometime.

[breakdirt916]

looks like a blast!

and great picture story

kickstand ftw! I might try to get one since my RM is only trails only

[a13x]

Neat. Looks like good times fo sho!

[seth399]

cool shit, nice dude

[R7]

Day 4 Pinnacle Creek Trail System

Same as yesterday, we had all our bikes and gear ready and loaded the night before. It was about an hours drive, maybe a bit less? We had tried to get shirts and whatnot at Bearwallow yesterday but the trailhead office was closed. Fortunatly Pinnacle was open and we were able to grab some shirts before we started riding The nice lady gave us updated trail maps and pointed out a few closed areas. We had our shirts, unloaded the bikes, got geared up, and were riding shortly after 10am. This was another one of the easier rated mountains.



It didn't take long to pick up the pace at this one and start having fun. Another area where the trails were fast and flowing, with nice sized burms in the corners. It was so much fun that I didn't take nearly as many pictures



We came up on a steep trail, I think it was a black? Big uphill that you didn't see until rounding a switchback at the base. I knew I was screwed once I saw it because I didn't carry any speed coming out of the switchback..and a fist full of throttle would have spit me off the back. I bobbled about half way up and came to a stop. Lucky the bike didn't stall..yet, and I was able to ride the clutch a bit and walk/push the bike up another 4'...then it stalled. I was exhausted at this point. I had another 4-5' of uphill rocks I needed to get over before i felt I could ride the rest of the way up. It musta took me 20 kicks to start that bike, legs felt like jellow and i was soaked from sweating so much. I was able to go up the 4-5' I needed, tossed a leg over the bike and was able to make it up to the top! Pretty much tossed the bike into the bank and went for a drink.



Leah also had some issues on it so Sean was riding her bike up.



As Sean was getting ready to come up, Bob was ready and eager with the camera



Turns out, something wasn't right with Leah's bike. It almost sounded like it was loaded up as if the choke was on or something? When Sean tried to come up, he said he was at full throttle in 1st and it was bogging and making no power, then it just stopped. Bob and I walked down the hill to help, it was pretty much the same area I got stuck so we had to push the bike uphill a bit to a flatter area. After a few minutes, we got it up and Sean rode to the top. The suck part is, 3 of us now had to walk up the hill! I'm not sure what sucked more energy from me, fighting with my bike on that hill, or walking up it?

We all needed a much deserved rest after that one.



From that point on, this trail system rocked! By far, my favorite At every stop, we were so busy talking about how much fun the last section was, the camera's never came out. Great day of riding and 100% exhausted when we left. Of coarse another day with NO rain!

[R7]

man does that place look fun. great report and pics, thanks for posting! i gotta make it down there sometime.

looks like a blast!

and great picture story

kickstand ftw! I might try to get one since my RM is only trails only

Neat. Looks like good times fo sho!

cool shit, nice dude

Thanks for the comments Good times for sure

[theothersean]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=508214

finally done

[R7]

Day 5 Back at Rockhouse

They had been calling for rain all week on this day so we had talked about driving to another riding area thinking Rockhouse wouldn't be all that fun in the wet. We had no set plans but when we got up, the sun was out and they were no longer calling for rain today, they moved the chance for rain to Friday. We figured it'd be best to ride Rockhouse again while it was dry.

Bob and Sean wanted to try a couple of the single track trails and Leah and wanted nothing to do with them Their plan was to go and try a few, then come back to get us. We figured about 1 1/2-2 hours (I was betting on 3) and they would be back. We would then take a ride into Gilbert for lunch.
Well, I'm all relaxxed figuring I'd have some time to just do nothing, then I see Sean and Bob pull in the driveway? WTF? All I kept hearing was, Fuck that!

New plan, hurry up and get ready to ride! We left within a half hour of their return.

We entered the trail system from another end this time. The plan was to mix up some green, blue and black trails. Nothing like warming up on a black trail, though honestly it was an easy black. I get to the top and see Bob sitting at the base of this hill, and see "a" trail continue up it. Well, I'm not stopping to lose my drive up the hill, I look up and hit the gas! Make it to the top and there's Sean, yeah, i guess this isn't the trail he says. Head back down and there's Bob telling me he was waving to me before I went up the hill saying the that wasn't the trail. I was focused on that hill
Took a couple pictures from the top anyways, good views for sure.







We had some fun mixxing up the trails. Some of the same trails that seemed hard at the beginning of the week, didn't seem so bad now? I was ready for single track 199 at this point, but I couldn't talk the group into it

This is the entrance to trail 199, the most difficult trail in the system.



We made our way into Gilbert for lunch. The plan was Subway When we pulled into the gas station, there was a group of dirtbikers fueling up. Sean, Leah and myself stopped to chat a bit while Bob went inside to order his sub. There were mentioning the single track trails and all the rock faces and dropoffs in them, but mentioned trail 130 was fun and easy. I knew it was in the plans at some point after that.
We ate lunch, I fueled up and we were off again. Leah decided she'd had it for the day and took the road back to base, Bob, Sean and myself went back up the mountain.
They were doing some grading work on the trails and we came up on a dozer in the trail on a fair incline. I never let off but did slow down, lucky he was able to move over a bit as I'm not a fan of riding a few inches from the edge of the trail that has a 100' drop off.
There was also a large group of quads we came up on. As soon as they saw us though, they pulled off and let us by which was pretty cool. We did hold them up a bit at the next trail intersection though while looking at the maps. We took off up the trail, steep grade up with a steep switchback near the top. I almost didn't make it and the the clutch on my bike wasn't happy with that one.
Quick rest on the top, there's a big trail intersection here.



We carried on and took what seemed like the long way back to base. Some fun trails, a great pace and some awesome scenery.



Saw these holes in the side of the mountain and we were guessing what they were? hey are obviously drilled in coal, but is it a way of mining or are they air shafts?
The entire bank along this trail had them, I'm gonna guess it's a form of mining.





Yet another awesome and exhausting day of riding. Did I mention we were on day 5 of this trip and still NO rain?

[Sheppo]

great write up and super pictures.

[Bgcj5]

Excellent write up and pics. Looks as though you had a ball. Were the trails crowded at all or were you left pretty well by yourselves?

[R7]

Day 6, the final day. Rockhouse trail system again.

Motivation was low when we woke up, there was even talk of packing up and leaving then I know I wanted to ride so I voted against leaving. The plan was a nice easy day, nothing crazy as we all wanted to go home safe on the last day.
We geared up and were on the trails shortly after 9:30am. Started out on some of the same fun green and blue trails that we've ridden the past few days and ended up at single track 130. Bob and Sean went up it and Leah and myself went ahead and waited for them at the next trail intersection.

Notice the cool switchback?





Another rest stop, look up?



Look down?



We made our way to the RockHouse Trailhead again, fun trails and they just got done grading the section that leads to the trailhead. It was hardpack and slick before it was graded, on the first day I had a minor get-off on that trail. Front end just washed and I fell into the bank. Couldn't even stand up on the rocks on hardpack, it was that slippery.





Leaving the trailhead, we ended up going up this trail we had been down twice before. It was always a blast going down it as there was switchback after switchback after switchback. Well going up it was even more fun, all the switchbacks seemed to be banked perfect and you could carry a lot of speed in the tight corners. Not to mention there were probably well over a dozen of them on this trail

At the top of that trail, we decided to take a quick lunch/snack break.



Bob took the lead, Sean seemed a bit off pace and waved me by so the hunt was on to catch up to Bob. I was starting to see the dust and it was getting thicker and thicker. Next thing I see was Bob pulled off to the side of the trail. "Did anyone see that" he asked? Not me! "Good, cuz it wasn't pretty"
All was well after his little get-off and we were back on track. We bumped into a large group of quads at a trail merge and I see Bob heading into the black trail and stop. Hey, we're going this way he says, it's easier, we've been down it twice. He even told all the quad guys the same thing.
Screw it, up we went! I didn't see Bob's line as there was a corner just before the incline. I start up it and round the corner only to see a set of rock steps in front of me. Shit! I hit the throttle but it was to late and I stopped and stalled. The front end was over the top so I just had to start it and walk the rear up. No problem, though it did suck a lot of energy out of me. I finally made it to the top where Bob and I waited for Sean and Leah.
Next thing I heard were the quads coming up, a Rappy 700 in the lead The first guy mentioned the green bike was down but got up and everythign was OK. So we waited, and waited. After the group of quads were all up top, Bob decides to head down to have a look. After he left, the quad guys still said everyhting was OK



Shortly after the quad group leaves, Bob comes back up, they're good and we'll meet them and the bottom of the mountain..lets go!!

We took it easy heading down as we knew the group of quads wasn't far ahead. We got to the bottom and waited. Bob spotted this big ass dead snake that musta got hit by the trail dozer or something? It musta been 3 feet long?



We stayed there for about 15 minutes waiting.



Even took a couple close up pictures of the bike to prove that it has been dirty. You won't think it's the same bike once the SM wheels go back on and it's at the BoMo trackday on the 30th





Bob and I decided it may be best to head up the trail a bit rather than wait in the heat. We met up with Sean and Leah within a mile, turned around and made out way back to base.
It was bike clean time before we packed up for the ride home. Sure was nice to have a hose with some pressure to clean the bikes.
The end of yet another great day of riding and another day with NO rain.







Our plan was to leave at 3am Saturday morning but we all cleaned up and packed up so quick, we decided to just head out. he riding part of the trip was over so there was no real need to stay. We were on the road for home shortly after 4pm.

Rt 52 leading to this area was like a mini Deals Gap. Woulda been great fun on a Motard.



This was an interesting Yamaha Dealership in Logan. The building was probably 20' wide and 250' long. I couldn't help but to drool over the new Red/White YFZ450R they had in there.



Trail signage?





All in all, an AWESOME trip. Still amazed at the forcast as it called for rain for over half the time we were there, and we got none. Well, I think there was a quick shower one night as I heard 10 or 12 drops hit the tin roof
Thanks again to Sean, Leah and Bob for organizing this trip, Bob for doing most of the driving and using his truck, and again to Sean and Leah for the use of their trailer.
Good times as always

[R7]

Excellent write up and pics. Looks as though you had a ball. Were the trails crowded at all or were you left pretty well by yourselves?

I wouldn't say they were crowded at all, but there was much more traffic on Thursday and Friday than there was all week. I'd bet Saturday is the busy day, and we didn't ride then so it wasn't an issue for us.
I can see a lot of trail traffic being an issue on some of the steeper hills

[Stoneman]

Big Shirl and I almost went there last Sept with the quads for our anniversary. Now I'm REALLY bummed we didn't. Looks like it'd be WELL worth the trip though. If'n you ever hunker to take the Rappy down there, I'm in!

[R7]

Big Shirl and I almost went there last Sept with the quads for our anniversary. Now I'm REALLY bummed we didn't. Looks like it'd be WELL worth the trip though. If'n you ever hunker to take the Rappy down there, I'm in!

I questioned if it'd be worth it myself, only because a place like Maine is 5 hours away and has around 6k miles of ATV trails, and Hatfield McCoy is 14 hours away and has less than 600 miles of trails. We were also going there thinking we could ride 100 miles a day, which is NOT the case.
You can't compare the trails to anything in New England, you simply couldn't build a trail system like this around here with the environmentalists.

I think I would have had even more fun on the Raptor, but I'm glad I took the YZ because I know it made me a better rider. If/when I go again, chances are pretty good that it'll be on 2 wheels..unless there were a few other quad riders, then I'd have to think about it