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Epic downhill flow trail with progressive alternate lines and features.


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Map Key

2.6

Miles

4.2

KM

Singletrack

8,758' 2,669 m

High

7,600' 2,316 m

Low

9' 3 m

Up

1,168' 356 m

Down

9%

Avg Grade (5°)

19%

Max Grade (11°)

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Downhill · Drops/Jumps · Flow · Technical · Wooden/Built Features

Bike Only Downhill One Way Only: This is designated as a directional trail.

Need to Know

Trailhead is located at the ARGO mine in Idaho Springs. Trailhead parking at the ARGO is currently closed due to construction. NO PARKING is allowed at the ARGO Trailhead. Park in Town and ride/walk to the ARGO.

Clear Creek Greenway connects all of the town's key areas to the trails. Colorado Boulevard offers the most convenient parking options.

Area Parking Map: comba.org/virginiacanyonmou…

Description

Drop Shaft is bike-only downhill-only directional trail that drops like a rock down the south face of VCMP. Its a bike park on the side of a mountain. If you like flow and speed this is the trail. Many alternate lines exist for progressive riding. Most features have ride arounds, but heads-up riding required.

The trail starts at the top of the mountain and the Rosa Gulch trail top and bombs downhill all the way to the bottom to the Argo Mill. The upper section flows through the sparse trees and consists of big bermed corners, rock features and drops, tables and rollers and a huge wood wall ride Half way down, take the cutoff and rest at the Hub, or continue on for more fun. A huge elevated wood ladder bridge lifts the trail over the Morning Star trail and then the trail continues below the Hub cliff area...rest up on the gentle descent before the trail steepens into a series of bermed corners, rock features, and table tops and then deeper into the woods.

Enter the woods for the lower section of the trail and bomb through the gulley including half-pipe type turns and step-up table jumps crossing the drainageway. As you near the bottom, a series of rock garden humps set the rider up for the iconic wood corkscrew feature and the final roll to the start of the Rosa Gulch climbing trail or into the Argo upper lot.

Contacts

Shared By:

Bob Kelsey

Trail Ratings

  4.8 from 16 votes

#736

Overall
  4.8 from 16 votes
5 Star
81%
4 Star
19%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#203

in Colorado

#736

Overall
0 Views Last Month
0 Since Sep 26, 2024
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

0%
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87%
13%
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Photos

Leaving the wooden berm.
Oct 2, 2024 near Idaho S…, CO
One of the dozens of alt lines on Drop Shaft.
Oct 2, 2024 near Idaho S…, CO
Would feature at the end of Drop Shaft
Sep 30, 2024 near Idaho S…, CO
Leading the pack at the start of Drop Shaft.
Oct 2, 2024 near Idaho S…, CO
The big wood berm
Oct 2, 2024 near Idaho S…, CO
Start of Drop Shaft
Sep 30, 2024 near Idaho S…, CO

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Bad / Closed 41 days ago
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Check-Ins

Nov 2, 2024
Garrett B
approx 50 min loop from town
Oct 9, 2024
Private User
Oct 8, 2024
Patrick Burns
I will probably run more than a half shell on this. Kind of border line. And the speeds keep climbing the more laps you run.
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