Isberg Recreation Area
(Trail Description by Brian Charlton)
Driving Directions: Drive out the Parks Highway past the Ester turn off. Take every road on the left after that (REALLY!) First Cripple Creek, then 1.5 miles to Isberg, then 200 meters to Oboe Ct. At this point you park on the right side of the road.
Race Across the Valley Long Course:
Take the snowmachine trail (the power line will be the
finish). In about a mile there is a four-way intersection at a power
line, labeled A in the figure. Take a right here. When you get to
the bottom (about 400m), at intersection B, take a left. (The
longer race will go through here twice, a left on the first lap, straight
on the second).
There's a moderate hill with a left hand at the top. Be forewarned that there is a sharp right hand corner about 200m from here, then a long mostly straight trail. After another mile you will see a 90 degree fork to the left (labeled C), bypass this and continue straight. At the next intersection (D) go straight again, you should be on a narrow black spruce-lined trail.
Eventually you will get to another four way intersection, take a left and you will eventually return to intersection D, the beginning of the narrow black spruce trail. Take a right to backtrack the way you came. When you get to the left (now a right) you bypassed earlier at intersection C, take it and head downhill to the lake.
When you get up the hill on the other side, turn left. In about 100m the trail forks, both of these return to the 4-way powerline intersection at A. The 2007 Race Across the Valley will use the right-hand fork.
When you get back to intersection A you can either go back up the trail you started on (for a 5.5 mile loop) or keep heading south on the powerline and go straight (left) at intersection B described earlier (it's fun so go ahead an check it out). Head up the power line until you get to the end. Take a right to head down the big hill and you'll end up back at Oboe Ct where you started.
Race Across the Valley Short Course:
Same as Long Course until you first get to C. Turn left here,
go downhill, cross the lake, and climb the other side. At the top of the
hill, turn left and then take the right-hand fork which will take you back to
intersection A. Turn right at A to go to the finish line the
on the same trail you started on.
Training Alternates:
There is another option on this section as well but we need six more inches
of snow to make it enjoyable. It would be to take a left at the top to the first
hill on the power line, weave through the woods and take a left at the top. At
the next intersection take a right and continue, past the power line until you
get to another right hand turn-off. Head down this through the birch trees, it's
wide but I would snowplow (it reminds me of the Two Rivers hill).
Hang a right then immediate left at the bottom and you will be at the top of the same powerline. Continue down to Oboe Ct.
