Jacob's (Jackson's) Ladder

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

This is an amazing, exposed, impossible-seeming portal through a monolithic cliffband in an enormous, sublime landscape.

Don't even think about going down this trail. It's effectively unrideable, and you'd be giving up incredibly fun downhill options like Amasa Back / Cliffhanger, Rockstacker and Captain Ahab. Yeah, I shouldn't have said "unrideable"--now you'll just have to go down it. Don't say I didn't warn you. Enjoy the elevator shaft and the sandy, uphill slog out to Hurrah Pass.

What you gain by laboriously dragging your bike up this horror, however, is the ability to link together absolutely mind-bogglingly complex terrain, from the Lockhart Basin road and Hurrah Pass, through Jackson Hole, over Amasa Back and out Kane Creek to the Colorado River.

Start from a dirt spur off the Jackson Hole road. It heads over to the only weakness in the entire cliff wall, so you shouldn't have trouble finding it. Once at the end of the spur, however, it's a bit tricky to find the trail up. Don't follow the water pipe at first--it goes over cliffs. Instead, look for the broken ramp system to the right and head that way. The trail becomes clearer as it bears left up the broken cliff.

Be sure to pause (like you can help it) to enjoy the off-the-charts views. And there are some small, but very nice petroglyphs on the boulders as you climb, including a sweet Kokopelli. Early Euro-American settlers used this route for cattle--think about driving a panicky herd up this beast as you toil skyward.

Once at the top, the trail fades a bit. If in doubt, just work your way leftish to the overlook viewpoint road, turn right, and join the Amasa Back / Cliffhanger trail.