Back in the 1990s, during the formative years of mountain biking, there was a pro-level race on the U.S. circuit called the Rage in the Sage.

That race was held at Hartman Rocks in Gunnison. I never had the opportunity to go see it but I sure remember reading about it in my trusty Mountain Bike Action magazine. In that time before the Internet, I spent hours poring over the print stories and glossy photos of racers like Ned Overend, John Tomac, Dave Wiens and Susan DeMattei.  

Here’s an excellent video that describes those days.

Since then, we’ve all gotten a little older. The pros have moved on.  Hartman Rocks has been discovered by other outdoor enthusiasts like rock climbers, horseback riders and motorcyclists.  But the trail network has continued to expand and the things that made Hartman Rocks attractive for riding in the first place are still obvious to this day.  Just a little over an hour drive from Salida, I wanted to ride it for myself. 

I mapped out an approximately 25-mile counter-clockwise loop that would take in as many of the trails I could reasonably do in a day to give myself a sample of what the current-day Hartman Rocks has to offer. Call it age in the sage.

The Hartman Rocks base area:

How does someone lose one hiking boot?

The view heading up Jack’s.

The Gunnison River from the top of The Ridge trail.

The northern San Juan’s from the Skyline trail.

Yucas in full bloom.

Nature’s playground.

Hartman Rocks seems like one of those places you could spend years exploring, learning the various lines on the many rock features. It was great to see it for myself and to get a sense of those days when the pioneers of mountain bike racing were making their mark on history.

My ride video.