Description

If you head to the Pajarito Bike Park during the week when the lifts aren't spinning, the Aspen for Trouble trail provides an achievable uphill climb.

Winding its way from the base area to the top of the mountain, this switchbacked climbing trail is a reasonable pedal—albeit with some spicy bits mixed in. However, when the lifts are spinning, the Aspen for Trouble trail can still provide a mellow descent.

If you're a beginner or early intermediate rider that's trying to test your mettle at Pajarito, this will be one of the only trails that will prove rideable in the bike park. The trail starts off with a fast, flowy section and a couple of small jumps.

This section also provides access to some of the single-black and double-black runs on this side of the mountain. After traversing to descender's left, the trail crosses some wide ski slopes, providing stunning views of the surrounding region.

On the far left/northwestern corner of the mountain, the trail begins to lose elevation via a series of stacked switchbacks.

While one of these switchbacks is a bit tight and tricky with a rock move, most of them are very easy and quite flat.

In fact, you'll need to be prepared to do some uphill pedaling on this "downhill" run due to the grade reversals that have been designed to serve uphill riders. To avoid the worst of the flat sections, it's highly recommended to take a left turn at the fork toward the "Half Aspen" trail.

This downhill-optimized trail is much more direct, allowing you to carry higher speeds and truly enjoy the beautiful slopes on this side of the mountain. Half Aspen is fairly smooth, but it's punctuated by embedded rock jumps that serve as fun kickers, sending riders soaring into the air.

None of these jumps are large or gapped, making them quite intermediate-friendly.

It's also possible to avoid the rock jumps if you're not feeling up to them. All things considered, Half Aspen is one of the flowiest, fastest trails in the Pajarito Bike Park.

While it takes some work to access, it's a true intermediate gem!