FR532 Warm Springs Rd s(u) by Bicycle - Velo

FR532 Warm Springs Rd s(u)

The GDMBR (Great Divide Mountain Bike Route) uses this pleasant forest road to climb the first 1200ft to Union Pass, rather than the Union Pass Rd itself. I use it as the other approach to the summit in the profile below. I think both approaches have their own different star qualities.

1.START-END EAST:jct US26 - Union Pass Rd
2.profile turns from Union Pass Rd onto FR532
3.road crosses Warm Spring Creek. There are several junctions in this park
4.TOP, 9080ft
5.START-END WEST:bridge over Wind River, immediately before jct US26 - FR532 Warm Springs Rd

Approaches

From East. The turnoff from US287 onto Union Pass is marked with a sign pointing to a historical monument, honoring the history of Union Pass. But I couldn't find a historical monument. At least I found the road to Union Pass. This is a hard medalled mountain road, serving real estate owner's needs to access their second homes high on the hillside, with spectacular views onto Ramshead Peak,

In the summer the view over to Ramshead Peak can resemble balloons surrounding an icicle. Sooner or later the thunderstorms happen, and a few sharp Ramshead pinnacles can burst them into action. The well used road crests in the forest and descends about 200ft to the beginning of the Warm Springs Rd. This intersection, surrounded by a mountain lodge near the beginning of the national forest land is well signed. It even informs that the following this route on Warm Springs Road will get you back to US287 after 18 miles.

From the profile it is obvious that there are three more high points, until finally the true summit is reached with the fifth try. The ride is through pleasant deep forest on a bike friendly surface. The low point before the true summit is a beautiful sage park with craggy mountains in the distant north. Crossing the well defined top, the main features around the Togwotee Pass Rd take on starring roles, Pilot Knob and Pinnacle Buttes.

From West. (described downwards). What is first obscured by trees a little later appears framed between them. These mountains do not rise extremely high above the fruited lava plain. But the fact that each mountain has its own characteristic and unique shape, so different from its neighbors, gives this landscape a fascinating appeal. A fast descent on a good road quickly leads to the jct with US287

Dayride with this point as highest summit

PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED

( < Union Pass | Togwotee Pass > )

FR532 Warm Springs Rd s(u) , additional out and back : near jct Union Pass Rd - FR532 Warm Springs Rd > FR532 west > FR532 Warm Springs Rd s(u) > jct with US287 <> out and back on US287 west > short distance on FR515 Brook's Lake Rd north << turnaround point after ~1mile on FR515 >> US287 east > up Union Pass Rd back to starting point near jct with FR532: 43.7miles with 3940ft of climbing in 4:42hrs (garmin etrex32x m5:23.09.14)