The route begins by slowly climbing up a mellow hill on mostly non-technical singletrack. All of the grades on this route are quite mellow, making for easy hiking. If you're trail running, these climbs and descents are all very runnable. If you've spent all summer punishing yourself in the steep mountains, these mellow grades might offer a bit of a relief come fall!

At the main junction, this route takes a left turn to keep climbing on singletrack, making the most of the singletrack as it climbs to the gravel road. Once it reaches the gravel road, this route turns around and retraces the same trail back to the trailhead for a simple out-and-back. For a lollipop version of this route, see the "Tiehack Lollipop," mapped separately.

The descent back to the trailhead is mellow, mostly non-technical, and incredibly scenic. Trail runners will really be able to open up their stride and fly down these hills, while hikers will enjoy the beautiful scenery of the valley below and the whispering aspen trees all around.