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Esker
1 reviews
5 of 5
After a steep series of swtichbacks, you spend the next 2 miles on an undulating rocky and rooty trail that makes up the esker ridge. Only the scenery off both sides and the cobblestone path keeps you from going wide open. I had the good furtune to ride this trail most recently after the leaves had fallen. I saw no one and had views for miles. The trail moves through maples and oaks to a fairly substantial stand of old pines. After you leave the ridge, you continue to ride a rollercoaster all the way back to Telemark. The trail crosses a spring fed creek, winds through pine meadows and around a couple small ponds. Other than the need to take Spider lake Road for a bit, this trail offers a great variety. It''s a quick 6.7 mile ride, but all your sense will be satisified. It has elevation, quick turns, long downhill runds, some grownover logging road single track, varied vegetation, great views and water.
This is one of my favorite rides to remind me why I mountain bike. It''s got just enough elevation to the ridge to keep the trail from becoming popular. This is a particularly good Fall or Spring ride becuase of the views. Just when you think you have had enough, ride this trail.
While esker is on the eastern edge of the Cable system, it is worth the side trip. From Telemark, take Spider Lake Road about 3/4 mile south and look for the Camba sign on your left - just after the snowmobile trail. No, this is not an ATV trail.
Summary: I checked this trail out over the weekend and was extremely impressed. They did a great job of offering a huge variety of riding conditions in a short distance. CAMBA literature talks up the initial climb but it is not too daunting. Well worth it for the joy you get out of riding this trail.
This trail is a good break from some of the slower, more technical trails that are found in the Chequemagon area. If you want you can hook up with the other trail systems within the Cable cluster to include more of that kind of riding (more on that below)
Great views and also not too much traffic. It even has a stream crossing to make things interesting.
Recommended Route: Park at the Telemark trailhead and follow the main road back east until you see signs pointing you towards the esker trail head. This will serve as a warm up before getting on the singletrack and hitting the first big climb (which starts pretty much immediately after you leave the road).
Instead of opting out at the end of the trail and taking spider lake road I hooked up with the Ojibwe trail and took that back to the trailhead at Telemark. It added an extra 6-7 miles of very technical riding. This made a great all around ride.
If you do this, keep an eye out for oncoming mountain bikers - although I believe I was headed "the correct way" according to the map, it seemed like there were 2-3 groups that were headed towards me on the trail.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Rock Lake, Patsy Lake, Namekegon Trail. I am sure the others are great too, I just didn't have the time to hop on them this time.
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