This desert singletrack is one of the primary arteries of the Sugarloaf Peak trails. It runs roughly north and south, and sits on the eastern extent of the trails.
Getting there is work whatever route you choose. One popular route is to take
Front Yard to Johnny Walker, a short little bit of
Sidewalk, and you'll be on the south end of Champagne. I call this spot "Top of the World." This is a great place for a break to take in the fantastic vistas where you can see the Imperial Sand Dunes backed by the Peninsular Mountain Range to the west.
The south half of Champagne is a ridgeline trail that is smooth and fast with few challenges to interrupt your flow. At a sedate pace, there is nothing an intermediate rider in reasonable condition can't handle. Riding south to north, this trail is a non-stop blast if you can carry enough speed to get you through the short climbs. high speeds are easy to attain and easy to manage with the solid tread surface. Experienced riders who are comfortable with speed will find that, with its narrow tread, twists and turns, and short climbs, this ride takes on more of a roller-coaster character if you keep your speed up. Be careful you don't relax too much on your first ride; there are a some avoidable rock obstacles that come up unexpectedly and could easily end your ride if you hit one at speed.
Many riders opt to drop off the ridge at
Kristin's Cut and pick up
Picnic Table which will take you to the base of Sugarloaf, or, if 11 miles is enough for you, hop on Ryan's for an easy ride back to the car.
If you continue north on Champagne, the trail continues as a downhill, ridgeline blast, but past the
Picnic Table/Ryan connector, maintenance and traffic drops off, the trail narrows, and the tread is a bit less "clean." At the far north end, the character changes dramatically as you drop into the wash then climb your way out of the valley along the sides of a geological wonderland. One tough 20/30 percent climb over loose on loose, then you'll be rewarded with solid trail tread for the rest of the trail.
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