Rouding out with Bootleg Canyon

Today is the final ride scheduled for Mancation 5.5, Bootleg Canyon, outside of Vegas in a place called Boulder City.  If you ever visit Hoover Dam, you know the place.  Anyway, I saved this ride for last as the build up and the hype more than any other ride in my travels.  Additionally, this would round out four epic rides during the trip, and completing four of the top 20 rated trails in the world (three in the top ten).

Bootleg Canyon can best be likened as a ski resort for MTBers.  This place has something for everyone, and a nice shuttle (a.k.a. 'lift') if you don't want to continually pedal the three and a half miles to the top.  Since the 'lift' started a little late today, I decided that to earn the return trips to the top of the hill by pedaling up for the first run of the day.  This was an easy journey, and probably gets harder as the day progresses and more riders are flying down the trails.  Nothing strenuous, and might even make for a good loop if you were bored with the other things to do on the hill....not sure how that could happen though.

The first run was down the intermediate trails on the XC side of the hill.  Lots-o-fun was had, and was over before I knew it.  Shuttling back up decided to hit the advanced trails, and rode the hardest of the XC trails, Skyline.  Wow, the first mile of this trail challenged me.  Exposures, sharp rocks and really watching your line as the wrong one would put you off the trail and into something that you probably really wanted to avoid.  The next run down was on Powerline, and overall not as drastic as Skyline, but the introductory drop in is insane.  The video doesn't do this portion justice - a 60 degree shoot down loose shale with a nice switchback at the end.

After surviving what the XC side of the hill had to offer, decided to follow the downhillers on, of course, the downhill side of the mountain.  Now, this is where things go serious!  Three to sever foot drops, gnarly technical rock sections, and lots of places to catch air.  Catching my breath, a sandwich and drink decided to hit the downhill side one last time for the day.  Taking some different lines, and knowing the bailout or roundabouts for the more severe stuff provided for a great wrapup to Bootleg and the trip.

I highly suggest this place to all MTBers.  Get here, challenge yourself, and definitely take a joy ride down the downhill side of the mountain to get the old blood pumping.  The trails from the top of the hill to the bottom are less than four miles in length, and can be done without stopping.  Just ease up on the brakes, and pedal damn it as you can rest on the ride back up for more.  As a bonus, when you get to the bottom, hang to the left.  You'll get to enjoy a jump park and skills area!  What more can ask for?  A downhill course?  Got it.  Side-by-side BMX pump track?  Got it.  Told ya it is all here.

This placed lived up to the hype, and will be out there every time I visit Vegas.  What a way to round out the trip, and was not disappointed that I saved this for last.

Tomorrow, I will be heading out to camp with the wife, and spend time with her since she allowed me to indulge for a few weeks.  This will close out the Mancation.  Back to a few more weeks of sabbatical, and thinking of how I can possibly pull off a Mancation 5.75.  Enjoy the video, and will be posting some bonus footage of Bootleg when I get back to Phoenix.