With bodies and bikes refueled we remount and continue up Hwy 21. Hwy 21 (the Ponderosa Scenic Byway) is a one of those super fun roads that you can ride over and over. It’s a paved strip that encourages aggressive lean angles as it winds along rivers edge and between steep and jagged ridge lines.
Passing through a section known as “Avalanche Alley” … duly named by the frequent avalanches that occur after winter storms, we crest Banner Summit and drop into the west side of Stanley Valley. We wont be making our way through Stanley this day, instead we will turn off Hwy 21 and onto Seafoam Rd (FR 008). This leads to Beaver Creek Rd (FR 172) in a few short miles. Beaver Creek Rd is primitive and rough … perfect for ADV bikes.
Seafoam Road
Turn off for Beaver Creek Rd
FR 172, Beaver Creek Road is a narrow 300ft easement through the southern section of the Frank Church Wilderness. It is narrow, sandy, rocky, runs tight ridge lines and has miles of views.
Following Beaver Creek the road eventually starts to climb out of the drainage and up to the eastern ridge.
Once out of the drainage and up on the saddle we are overlooking the eastern drainage down into Loon Creek. Weather has been chasing us in and it’s apparent now that the darkened skies might have little more in store for us as the distant thunder creeps closer and closer.
Frank Church Corridor
This starts our ridge run towards Pinyon Peak where the road will aptly transition to the Pinyon Peak Loop or Rd 117. You are kept high on the ridge with amazing views in all directions of the surrounding ranges.
We stop and regroup at the turn off for Pinyon Peak Lookout. We contemplate a run up to the lookout, but the active thunder that is closing in diverts that decision instead for a direct descent down into Loon Creek.
From the summit the road winds it’s way down the valley into Loon Creek. Right at the top there is a switchback that can maintain a snow drift over the road well into August on heavy snow years.
Lucky for us the drift has has almost completely melted off allowing us to pass.
…. to be continued