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@softrockhardtimes

SOFT ROCK HARD TIMES




ROUTES

· West of the 87
· Cold Spring Clover
· Rotten Apple
· Round Up
· Dirt Audax
· SRHT400


CALENDAR
FAQ


ABOUT

Mountains out of molehills. Born out of a desire for all day train-accessible dirt adventures based out of NYC, Soft Rock Hard Times is a project to show that we have some pretty fantastic routes here in our backyard.

Whether you’re training for SRMR, the Colorado Trail Race,  HT550, AZT, Tour Divide, or just looking for a simple day trip or overnighter loop, there’s something for everyone. Mtb bikepacking is possible out here! Most of these routes lean towards singletrack wherever sensible.

Want to practice remote conditions? Skip out on all resupply points. You want to practice handling mountain passes? Ride in the winter*. Thou wouldst like to live deliciously? Use the routes as guides to connect cabins/campgrounds/motels with fine dining and upscale farmstands.

There is always more to find when you take a deeper look locally (or procrastinate on other activities by going down rabbit holes while perusing RWGPS). Enjoy!

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*Respect trail crews and ride in mtb groomed parks only when conditions are dry. That said, some of the routes are on multi-use paths or stable gravel beds and won’t be negatively impacted by bike use. Read route descriptions for details. Follow advisories when arriving at trailheads.

A lot of these trails are maintained by volunteers. If you’re able to, please donate to JORBA, Palisades MTB, or NEMBA to help keep these trails going!

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FAQ






What route do you recommend starting with?

Dirt Audax for general gravel. If you feel ready for more technical terrain, West Of The 87.


What is the hardest section?

The 17mi stretch between Pine/Wooster/Hemlock


Do you take suggestions on routes?

Yes! I’d love to build out a library of options. The Portland folks have OMTM. It could be nice to have something built out for NYC.


Are there group rides?

We sometimes hold them throughout the year, usually closer to autumn. Feel free to set one up yourself! If you tag @softrockhardtimes on your Instagram story or post, I can happily repost so you can find more people.


What would you recommend if I wanted to train for a bikepacking race?

A favorite section is the gravel road up to North Beacon. It’s 1200’ over 1.3 miles - that makes for an average of 12%! It’s the closest, most sustained climb in the Hudson valley. It’s at the point where it’s just barely rideable - one may find it equally strenuous to hike it. Either way, if doing hill repeats, know that the descent will be fast - stay in control and don’t let those brake rotors get too hot!


Is there rock climbing near some of these routes?

I’m a big, big fan of multimodal trips. There are sport routes at West Rock north of New Haven, trad lines in Allamuchy, and bouldering/trad/sport at Powerlinez in Suffern. Mianus isn’t too far.


What are some other local big bikepacking rides that can be done?

What if you connected the Taconic Crest trail in Pittsfield with the Vermont Super 8 or VTXL? What if you used the Empire State trail to get to the Catskills or Adirondacks? What if you hopped onto an Amtrak train to travel to even more states? What if you used Trailways buses?


NYC Pizzas or New Haven pizzas?

You tell me. The trifecta in New Haven apparently is a toss up between Sally’s, Frank Pepe, and Modern Apizza. If leaving/arriving at Penn station, NY Pizza Suprema is pretty GOAT.


What’s next for SRHT?

  • New photos with proper mountain bikes. Early recon was with gravel setups and those are inadequate for most of the routes.
  • Records page
  • More routes!!
  • New route loop with Alpine/Blauvelt, crossing over Tappan Zee Bridge, returning via OCA
  • New route to connect Wassaic train station to VT Super 8 southern lobe via Lenox mtb trails and Taconic Skyline trail
  • Possibly cutting off the “stem” for Cold Spring Clover. It feels distinct enough from the rest of that route
  • Update pages with cultural points of interest, history, geology, arbology, and animals.
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