By Carol Godwin, Cycle Mania

Fall is the perfect time of year to squeeze in that “last” ride or hike on Los Burros. Last year, the lack of snow allowed us to use Los Burros nearly all season, but around here, you never know. Maybe it’ll snow, maybe it’ll rain, maybe it’ll be warm, maybe frigid, maybe nothing and maybe it’ll be a combination of all the above. Last month, I talked about being prepared for winter outings, but today I’m celebrating the perfection of fall in the White Mountains on a crisp November morning, loving the breeze, feeling the freedom of a morning to ride and marveling at the sharp contrast of the golden glow of the aspen leaves quaking in the slightest breeze against the pristine blue of a clear Arizona sky. Awesome!

We started off at the Los Burros Vernon-McNary Road trailhead and began the ascent into Aspen territory. We climb up through rocky switchbacks, traversing the first grass-covered ridge leading towards Los Burros campground. This initial climb is an “invigorating” start to a ride, and at a 30-degree start temperature, the climb quickly builds body heat and the cold is soon forgotten, but don’t shed those layers yet! An exhilarating downhill leads to the two-track road behind the campground, and the speed-induced wind makes me grateful for that wind-jacket I was first debating removing after the climb. We pass through thick pines and bronze oaks, but no aspens just yet.  

We reach the flats at the southern edge of the forest and can see a few antelope out in the golden grass of “Rez Flats”. They are unconcerned at our passage, but watch us go across the meadow on the dusty singletrack. If you’ve ridden Los Burros, you know what’s next, and removing the jacket is appropriate to prepare for the “Ice Cream” (I scream) Hill climb. TRACKS has done a great job clearing and improving the Ice Cream Hill climb-thank you- but it’s still famously exhausting, and there’s always a feeling of accomplishment when I reach the top without having to touch down. Where’s my ice cream though? You’d think… 

Down and around, rocky singletrack that makes you pay attention but not so very technical that it’s handleable by anyone with a little experience. Another descent, another climb and another ascent. Los Burros keeps you entertained with something new around each corner and now we are solidly into thicker pines and at a rest stop with a view to Wishbone Mountain, we observe that there are no longer aspens here and recall that there was a nice grove here when we first started riding Los Burros years ago. Drought and grazing have xerified much of the aspen ecosystem here, and we need to climb yet higher to see the colors we came to see. 

A unique characteristic of aspens is that a grove of aspens is actually one organism with the many trees as clones sharing the same root system. Aspens do flower and make seeds in the spring, but the probability that seeds will sprout and thrive outside of the grove area is slim, and most trees result from root propagation. The grove that was here and is now gone represents one individual that could no longer survive. A grove of aspens makes its own ecosystem by dropping leaves, which add nutrients to the soil, shading the ground to keep it cooler and moister, and actually communicating via pheromones in the mycelium connecting the intertwining root system. We discuss the sobering thought that reminds us that, like aspens; we are all one, depending on each other for survival, stronger together. We continue on to “Downhill Bomber”, one of the best descents on Los Burros and up “Lung Bleeder,” one more big climb…cool fall air so appreciated and any need for a jacket long gone. 

We finally reach the correct altitude, the correct soil type and the correct moisture levels for aspens to thrive and are greeted with a blaze of the purest yellow against a backdrop of the most pristine blue sky possible. The contrast and beauty of the colors literally gives one pause and renews the feeling of strength and spirituality that experiencing nature brings to our short lives. The leaves tremble in the wind, and hundreds are constantly falling; floating gently through the air and onto the ground we pass over. We repeatedly stop and marvel at the sight and feel thankful that we are in this place at this time with these people we are riding with. 

All the aspens in this grove are clones and come from the same base parent tree from centuries ago. The oldest known aspen grove is in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest and is close to 80,000 years old and 106 acres in size. Aspens in a grove all share the same root system and, being genetically identical, they turn colors nearly simultaneously. Color change is related to temperature and day length and is caused by the absorption of the green chlorophyll from the leaf blade into the branches to be stored until next year’s spring temperatures and day length trigger new growth to begin. A process called apoptosis is genetically pre-programmed cell death that occurs after the chlorophyll is safely stored away. The weakening of the cell walls of the dead cells at the base of the leaf petioles causes the leaves to snap off in the slightest breeze and make their zigzag fall to the ground. (This is the same process that causes hair to fall out during your pet’s shedding season, only much more glorious than that pile of old pet hair on the rug!) The spectacular display in this grove of aspens is worth every bead of sweat and the effort of repeated climbs to get here. We can’t help but stop and take pictures; looking through the gold leaves into the blue sky is awe-inspiring!

We are at the “Fuzzy Bunny” section, a fun technical tiptoe through a rock garden, which I enjoy because the rocks are firmly planted and give great purchase to the tires to get over them. Down to the 96 road (thx again, TRACKS! Great job on the Fuzzy Bunny descent!), through another aspen grove dropping shimmering golden leaves and over the whoop-dees on the “Fun Part” to “Collar Bone” (one more kudos to TRACKS), down the Wishbone switchbacks and around the meadow to the Vernon-McNary Road crossing.

 

Today, they were doing a prescribed burn here, and we got to ride through the familiar smell and slight eye-burn of fall smoke emanating continuously from smoldering ground cover and stump holes. The trail is a tan line through the black of charred pine needles, and it makes for a perfect post-Halloween spooky feel as the smoke drifts through the trees and still brightly flickering flames catch our attention. Then just one more climb and a rocky switchback descent to the “Backslider” run and back to the trailhead. 14 miles of fall splendor that will be on display a couple more weeks until the next season of bare oak and aspen branches and falling snowflakes (let’s hope for a wet winter!).  

¡Los álamos dorados magnificos en Los Burros!