5MOH
Well, it's been about fifteen years since I first rode
across the Five Miles of Hell on that 1994 Fantic KRoo and wrote this story. I recently crossed it
again on
The Five Miles of Hell is
probably one of the most awesome single track motorcycle trails in the
The
5MOH is best enjoyed on a Trials motorcycle as this trail is what Trials bikes
are all about. During our last crossing, we met a group of Enduro riders working on a broken bike. We wished them
our best then carried on as there wasn’t much we could do to help them.
They watched us ride away, then once they got the bike running, took the first
bail out they could find. They had no idea that the Trail would be as
intense as it was. It was obvious to
them though, after seeing how much easier we were riding it on our Trials bikes
than they were on their Enduro bikes, that Trials
bikes are the ticket on the 5MOH.
Actually the 5MOH trail is
right at nine miles across. Guys who fly (like iron man John Weiss) can cross
it in 2.5 hours, but most of us mere mortals usually take 3 hours to cross it
one way on a Trials bike. Some riders can cross it faster, but it's best
to go slow and enjoy the spectacular scenery that is found there. I’ve
often ridden across it, have lunch then ride it backwards. You want to
make sure that you are up to it if you decide to ride it both ways. The trail is a whole new experience going
back across. For those who have had enough after the initial trip across,
there is a return trail (used to be an old mining road) that goes around the
top of the 5MOH from the far side that will take you back to the trail
head. Like the 5MOH trial, it is a single track trail. ATV's,
Jeeps, etc. are not allowed on either the 5MOH trail or the return trail around
the top.
If
you decide that the trail is too much for you, as more than a few riders have
found out in a hurry, there are three bail out trails
(marked in green on the map below) that will take you from the 5MOH trail to
the return trail. The 5MOH crosses lands managed by the BLM and it is
important that riders stay on the marked trail to ensure that it, and trails
like it, stay open for us to enjoy. The trail is marked with white paint
dashes painted on the rock. If you can, try not to ride on the paint
marks to keep from scuffing them off.
The 5MOH Trail head
Notice the pile of broken bike parts paying homage to the keepers of the 5MOH
The 5MOH is not for the faint of heart. It is a
rigorous, demanding trail and should only be attempted by experienced
riders. A rider that is not able to ride comfortably in the WTA's Sportsman class (our third hardest) should probably
not attempt the 5MOH. Even those riders may need help occasionally on
some of the harder parts of the trail. You wouldn't want to take your ten
year old kid across there on an 80cc bike. Beginner and Novice riders
probably should pass on this one. It is best to go your first time with
someone who has been across before as it is easy to lose the painted marks on
the rocks, and if one were to get lost it would be virtually impossible to find
another route out. The 5MOH is also not a trail that a rider should
tackle alone, which is only common sense. Over the years, many of
the harder parts of the 5MOH, such as the wall that many call "The
Crux" and the dreaded "Slot" have become even more difficult.
These are three different views of the wall known as "The Crux", a series of ledges that have gotten rougher over the years. Andy (on the left) took the hardest line...right up the middle!
These three pics are of "The Slot". The slot is actually about two thirds across riding from
west to east.
Going east bound you go down it. Going
west you have to go up it!
So what should you
take on your journey across the 5MOH?
1st...your machine should be in good operating
order. You should do everything you can to ensure that your bike is ready
and prepared to tackle one of the toughest single track trails you'll ever
encounter. Make sure your tires and brakes are good. Trials tires
work best, even on the Enduro type machines as 95% of
your riding will be on rock. There are a few short sand gully runs that
you'll have to make to get from one access down a canyon to the next access
up. I run about 7 pounds of air in mine, front and rear to help
from getting pinch flats. Knobby tires with thirty pounds of air do
not work well on the slick rock. They just tear things up. Be
aware...there are only two ways to get a broken bike out of the 5MOH.
Piece by piece on your back, or you can lift it out by helicopter. You
won't be able to push your bike out, well you could if
you had two weeks and twenty guys to help, and your buddy's bike can't pull
your bike out. So make sure your bike is as good as you can make it
before you start.
2nd...if you take a Trials bike, you'll need
to take extra gas. Over the years we've discovered two extra quarts (ok
two liters now days) of gas are sufficient to ensure that you can complete the
ride the trail over and back. In the past, I carried the two liters of
fuel in a two liter pop bottle in a back pack. They are tough, don't
leak, can survive a fall without splitting open and can hold enough to ensure
that you can get across ...and back, plus once they are empty they can be
crushed to be easily hauled out and weigh next to nothing. Some riders
take two or three smaller bottles instead of one big one. If your bike
requires premix, make sure you've added the right amount of oil. In
recent trips across the 5MOH however, I have decided that the less that I have
to carry on my back...the better. Like I said, this is a rigorous trail,
and even a single liter pop bottle of gas will start feeling like it weighs
fifty pounds before long. So, now days I carry as little as possible in
the back pack. Instead, after seeing what some of the other guys are
using, I too have come up with a carrier that carries the fuel on my front
forks where my front number plate goes. Mine is pretty simple, made of
two old number plates sandwiched together on which are mounted two aluminum
bicycle water bottle carriers. Some guys carry a single 1 liter
bottle. I now carry my gas in two 1 liter aluminum bottles. They don't
weigh much more than a plastic jug and are reuseable.
The neoprene beer can holders help keep them from jarring around on the rough
trail. Either way works, but these are the two options that we use.
The pic on the left is how I carry two, one liter bottles of gas. On the right shows John with one, two liter bottle.
3rd...like
your bike, your body requires fluid too. Temperatures on the 5MOH can
easily top triple digits during the summer. That's one of the reasons why
spring and fall are best, when it's cooler. Just as you took two liters
of fluid for your bike, two liters of fluid (I take 50/50 Gatorade/water) for
your bod are the minimum I'd take too. If you
have a CamelBak type of hydration backpack with big
pockets it can carry the gas bottles too if you decide to go that route.
Only take what you'll need. Like I said, the less you have to carry on
your back, the more you'll enjoy the trip. I've been across it before
when I had so much crap in my backpack, I was exhausted before I got to the
first big wall climb. You'll know which one I mean when you get there.
Those who have ridden the 5MOH will recognize
this as the first wall climb when riding from west to east. This is where
a lot of lesser experienced riders turn around. The camera really
flattens it out!
4th...It takes normal riders about three
hours to cross the 5MOH one way. So it takes almost a full day to cross
the 5MOH both ways, and in the spring and fall the days are shorter, so get an
early start. We usually ride it in October and try to leave the parking area at
5th...it's wise to take whatever tools or
emergency equipment you might think you would need, however, if there are half
a dozen guys going, there's no need to have six tire pumps. Often riders
get together and divide up much of these things so that one rider doesn't have
to carry everything. Spread out the tools among the riders to keep things
light as possible. Some things to consider are: spare spark plug,
tire plugs, patches, tire irons, air pump, and specific repair tools.
ALWAYS carry matches and or a butane lighter such as a
Bic lighter. Some guys also carry a personal
two-way radio. Make sure you are on the same channel that everyone else
is on before you leave the pits. Don't assume that someone else is going
to have the stuff that you may need to get your bike going again. We've
never lost anyone down in there yet, but we do know of a couple of mountain
bikers (the only two I've ever seen in there in ten years) with a broken
bicycle who most likely spent the night down there in the trail as they were
about half way across when we came up on them and it was getting late.
6th...take time to enjoy
the ride. This is not a
race. It's a trail ride across some of the most spectacular scenery you
will ever see. Very few people will ever have the chance to see what you
will have the opportunity to see. You could hike across the trial, but it
would take two or three days to get across it and back, so we've never EVER
seen any hikers down in there, and the trial would flat kill a horse, so you
won't see any of them down in there either. It can be crossed by mountain
bike, but in all the times I've ridden it I've only seen two and like I said
one of those was broke.
Follow
the trail, or you're lost! There's no other way across!
Rob (on the left) carries his fuel and a
terrific camera in his pack
Lunch
at Lone Man
7th....keep an eye on your buddies.
Some riders may need a little help on some of the tougher parts of the
trail. Some riders tire more quickly than others. And it's wise to
keep the group together. There are always some guys who will want to race
out ahead. That's fine, but they miss what the trail is all about.
8th...Take the time to enjoy. Bring a
camera. You are one of the handful that will
ever see the beauty and experience the fun of the 5MOH.
9th...Thanks to Rob Norbutt,
Steve Moosman, and John Weiss for their GREAT pics of the 5MOH!
