Ride Description
Ride Directions
Ride Schedule

Mountain Mettle is a challenging Colorado mountain endurance ride beginning minutes from Denver. Participants will ride through wide open spaces, sand stone monoliths, aspen and oak brush. The riders will have views to the North, South and West of the rugged snowcapped peaks in Pike National Forest. Looking East the riders will see the high rise skyline of downtown Denver as well as mesas which once were an ocean floor. Add some wildlife, wildflowers and lots of single track trails and it becomes the perfect place to spend the day with your horse!

For horses coming from out of state: Due to the Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1), please visit the Colorado Department Of Agriculture for required permits.
Riders should take the resting temp of their horses beginning 10 days prior to the ride. If their temperature is elevated, stay home! Also, vets will be taking temperatures as part of the pre-ride exam because of the EHV-1.

COSTS:
50 Mile entrance fee: $90.00
30 Mile entrance fee: $80.00
Anyone not pre-registering will be required to pay an additional $20.00
Extra meals in addition to rider: $10.00
Cancellation policy is full refund if cancellation is received before June 4, 2011 (2 weeks); otherwise, we need to retain $25.00 for our administrative expenses.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION:

Both the 50 and 30 mile rides start at the Base Camp at Sharptail Trail Head.

50 Mile Endurance Ride - Consists of two legs and a loop. The 30 Mile Limited Distance Ride - Consists of two legs. Remote, Multi-Use Single and Two Track Trails. First and last section - Groomed dirt Middle section - Pike National Forest single track trails and forest road with decomposing granite footing and rocky areas. Hoof Protection is Recommended! Pads optional; know your horse’s feet!

**NOTE FOR ALL RIDERS** Elevation gains of 2300' in the first 15 miles. Base camp is 5700' and the high point is 8000'.
Prepare for a mountain ride. If you are not climbing you are descending. There is very little that is “flat ‘n’ fast!”

Water - Several creeks are supplied by spring run off. The Forest Service asks us to stay at the crossings to drink. DO NOT spread along the banks. Additional water will be hauled in by volunteers.

Forage - First and Last sections have good grass most of the way. The mid section has intermittent browse along the trail. Weed free hay will be provided at the out vet check.

Wildlife - Lots! Rattlesnakes, grouse, turkey, bears, mountain lions, fish, elk, deer, and eagles! We are so lucky!!

VET CHECKS ARE “OUT” - Located at the Indian Creek Campground and Trail Head.
Provided for the Horses: WATER, WEED FREE HAY, CARROTS, and APPLES
Provided for the Riders: Water to REFILL your containers, Forest Service Outhouse

CREWS/CREW BAGS - Crew bags will be taken from base camp to the Indian Creek Vet Check. Crews driving from base camp will need to be prepared for :

• Paved, two lane, twisting, winding, mountain road
• Nearly an hour drive from base camp
• $5.00 Forest Service Parking/Day use Fee
• Hike from parking lot to vet check is just under 1/4 mile. See map for directions

BASE CAMP - Sharptail Trail Head is only 3.7 miles from paved road ( see map for directions). Base camp is on PRIVATE property to the South and adjacent to the parking lot. NO DOGS are allowed at the trail head or in camp. Please look for signs and parking attendants. The ride exists because the land owners allow us use of their hay field, please be respectful of it.

Base Camp opens at noon on Friday -

• Watch for RATTLESNAKES!
• Horse water is available from a shallow well in Trail Head Parking Lot near the shelter. Please bring your own drinking water.
• NO DOGS!
• No campfires.
• No Smoking in camp or on the trail.
• No Firearms.
• Bag manure.

DIRECTIONS / MAPS

Use this link to see a Google map of the Sharptail Trailhead and Indian Creek Campground.

Base Camp
Coming from the NORTH:

• Heading South on Interstate 25 exit West on to C-470.
• Exit C-470 onto South US Hwy 85 (Santa Fe) towards Sedalia.
• Exit Hwy 85 onto Titan Road and go West (right) and drive for 2 miles to Roxborough Park Pkwy.
• Turn South (left) and travel 3.7 miles to the Sharptail Trail Head on the left.

Coming from the SOUTH:

• Heading North on Interstate 25, take the Meadows / Founders Pkwy, Exit 184, at the North end of Castle Rock.
• Turn West (left) towards the Meadows and US HWY 85 (Santa Fe) about 0.5 mile.
• Turn North (right) onto US HWY 85 (Santa Fe).
• Continue North for about 11 miles, take the Titan Pkwy ramp and turn West (left).
• Travel 2 miles West and turn South (left) onto Roxborough Park Road.
• Head South for 3.7 miles to the Sharptail Trail Head on the Left.

CREW DIRECTIONS / MAP TO VET CHECK: INDIAN CREEK CAMPGROUND / TRAIL HEAD

Allow at least 50 minutes for this drive! Limited parking, please car pool. Leave Base Camp the same way as you came in. North on Roxborough Park Rd, East on Titan Pkwy to US HWY 85 (Santa Fe).

• Turn South (right) on to Southbound US HWY 85 (Santa Fe) Travel to the town of Sedalia which is about 6 miles and has a light at CO 67.
• Turn Southwest (right) on to CO 67 (Manhart St) and drive 11.5 miles. This is a 2 lane paved road that twists and climbs into the mountains. It has some steep grades and hairpin turns. We’ll have a trailer at the vet check to haul horses back to base camp, in the event of any pulls. You will know you are 1/4 mile from the campground when you get to the top of the hill and Rampart Range road comes in from the South.
• Stay straight and be ready to turn North (right) near the bottom of the hill. There is a Forest Service Sign with Indian Creek Campground visible from CO 67.

The Parking Lot is on the left and there is a $5.00 day use per vehicle fee from the Forest Service to be there. (Rangers patrol regularly and are willing to ticket!)

The Vet check will be in the Equestrian Campground down the hill from the outhouse. Walk down the dirt road down hill a little less that 1/4 mile. Watch for signs and flags. A wheeled cart would be a good thing to have to haul supplies. Management will have some water, weed free hay, apples, and carrots for the horses. We will provide a trailer to haul crew bags from base camp. We will also have water to refill rider’s water containers, and some chairs. There is an outhouse, picnic tables, hitching rails and some panel pens and lots of shade.

SCHEDULE

Friday, June 17, 2011

• Noon-Base Camp and Office Opens
• 2:00 - Vets start checking horses
• 7:00 - Ride meeting
• Vets will continue to check horses in until dark

Saturday, June 18, 2011

• 5:30 AM - vets will check 50 miler late arrivals in
• 6:30 - 50 milers have a CONTROLLED START from Sharptail Trail Head shelter
• Vet continues to check horses in
• 7:30 - 30 milers have a CONTROLLED START from Trail Head shelter

Hold times and pulse criteria will be announced at the start.

Dinner 7:30 - or an hour after the last rider is in - awards will be presented