Trail Overview
Osborne Mountain Trail starts on the north end at the Big Creek Campground. There is a small day use staging area at the entrance to the trail. It starts climbing the hillside right away, through a dense and dark forest of hemlocks, switch backing up a series of 20+ switchbacks, and gaining almost 2,000 feet in the first 2.2 miles. The switchbacks are mild and rideable in the beginning, being smooth and more gradual, but they get more difficult as you climb. Some of them have tighter turns, ruts, or embedded rock faces. One of them had the option of a very steep rock face, or going around with a moderate embedded root ledge. Another of the switchbacks had an embedded boulder, making the line very narrow between the rock and the trees. After the switchbacks and the intersection with Cave Creek, it keeps climbing, but more gradually, and it is very narrow and exposed as it traverses along the hillside with a steep drop-off to the side of the trail. There was one spot with a sudden wash out that made the trail even narrower, and it will be very high consequence if anyone veers off the trail here. Expect several small rock and root obstacles throughout the route - often a blunt and dug out root ledge. The last quarter mile of trail is a steep and loose descent down to the intersection with Teeley Creek Trail. The descent is full of big loose rocks and loose dirt, and is rutted and extremely steep. This descent will be more difficult in the uphill direction if riding east to west. This trail is open to motorized use from 7/1 to 2/29.
Difficulty
This is an upper intermediate difficulty trail due to lots of tight switchbacks that are steep and require advanced pivoting skills. There is a very steep and loose climb from the east entrance as well. Expect several root and rock obstacles, narrow terrain, and significant exposure throughout the route. Conditions can change with erosion and fallen logs. The trail will be difficult ridden in either direction.
