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FR106 Devil's Dance Floor s(u)

The first time I camped on FR106 to do this ride, I had to postphone my plans due to snow. The second time I camped at the identical spot several years later, the following day brought record heat for June, and the ride turned out much different than I had first  imagined it. Actually the best part of the loop was finally finding the first tree, big enough to give shade to my entire body after the monotonous hot stretch on I15. These trees were located in a traffic island between the I15 - I70 interchange. But they were just fine for an extended rest, and drinking whatever water I had left. But I hope the picture shows, that there are also a few very nice views of the Tushar Mountains along the way, especially during periods of cool weather.



01.(4930ft,mile00) START-END SOUTH: Ut133 joins I15, south east of Kanosh
02.(6160ft,mile11) Cove Fort - Dog Valley Pass
03.(5970ft,mile12) I15 Fort Cove exit
04.(5920ft,mile13) intermediate low point
05.(6040ft,mile15) profile exits I15 onto I70
06.(6000ft,mile17) I70 Fort Cove exit
07.(7190ft,mile23) I70 Clear Creek Road exit Summit
08.(7110ft,mile23) profile exits I70 onto Clear Creek Road
09.(6400ft,mile24) route turns left onto FR106
10.(7250ft,mile27) TOP
11.(6870ft,mile29) intermediate low point
12.(7220ft,mile33) intermediate high point east of Mary's Nipple
13.(5600ft,mile41) Adelaide Campground in Kanosh Canyon
14.(5040ft,mile46) START-END NORTH: jct Kanosh Canyon - Ut133, Kanosh

Approaches

From South. The ride along this profile starts out in a strangely unappealing way, so strange in some way, that somebody might consider it strangely appealing, because it is a sign of the culture we live in. The ride starts on the shoulder of I15 through bone dry dessert, being passed by lots of big boats, towed by cars of course. The boats are on their way to Lake Powell.

The profile turns off I15, just to enter another interstate, I70, after having crossed a high point on I15: Cove Fort - Dog Valley Pass. This is the way I happened to ride the route, but the logical thing to do would have been to get off I15 and point 4 and back onto I70 at point 6.

One single gradual turn with one single gradually changing view to the east leads to the top of a signed summit, where this Interstate reaches its highest point in the Pavant Range. Soon after that, the route gets off the Interstate and all that noise is finally over.

There have been a few fleeting views of the peaks in the Tushar Mountains already, but the first really nice ones come, within a few miles after the dirt road turnoff to FR106. (Turnoff is labeled as going to Three Creeks Reservoir). But you have to turn around, so that it's easy to miss. The road reaches a high cow grazing meadow, which carries the mysterious name "Devil's Dance Floor". But the views enjoyed from this dance floor by the cows must be some of the best views enjoyed by bovines on the planet. Three Creeks Reservoir is just west of here.

From North. (described downwards) Rolling onwards through these juniper hills, the road passes another point almost as high as the summit, as the road skirts east of Mary's Nipple (no relation to Mary's Nipple in the Wasatch Plateau near Salida - or maybe they are related, but they definitely are different mountains).

The further descent has no more exciting views, just pleasant Juniper Hills and a slope which hardly requires breaking. Approaching the Adelaide campground, the surface is more deeply graveled, and less pleasant to ride. Shortly below that, it becomes hard medaled. The profile ends in the town of Kanosh, which has a gas station, so at least one can get water there.

 

Dayride:

PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED

( <FR113 Winkler Point | Success Summit> )
FR106 Devil's Dance Floor s(u) , I70 Clear Creek Road s(u)
: lower part of FR106 > up FR106 > FR106 Devil's Dance Floor > down FR106 > Adelaide campground > Kanosh > Ut133 south > I15 south > Cove Fort - Dog Valley Pass(shp) > I70 east > Clear Creek Road east > back to starting point: 59.6 miles with 3600ft of climbing in 4:48hrs (VDO MC1.0 m5:13.6.8)
Notes: ride with only one functioning brake in the front.

FR106 Devil's Dance Floor s(u)

Highest Point:
7250ft
Southern Approach:

drop
from jct I15 - Ut133, south of Kanosh via I15 (4930ft) 2320ft 27miles ~500ft
Northern Approach:


from jct Kanosh Canyon - Ut133, Kanosh (5040ft) 2210ft 19miles ~500ft



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