Plunge into Phase One of the Palisade Plunge
Grand Junction, Colorado – May 25, 2021 Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association and partners are excited to announce the opening of Phase I of the Palisade Plunge for public access on Saturday, May 29.
Once both Phase I and II are complete, the Palisade Plunge will connect the top of the Grand Mesa (10,700') to the Town of Palisade, CO, (4,700') via 32 miles of superb quality back-country singletrack with 6,000’ of vertical relief. COPMOBA Board President, Scott Winans, states “Phase I of the Palisade Plunge project began in July of 2019, and we are thrilled to be able to welcome the public to enjoy it soon. Our trail was forged through remote, rough, and beautiful country - a slow and painstaking process to create the physical trail that took so much time, effort, and partnership to plan and execute over the past many years. When viewed in terms of typical trail projects, the Plunge has happened at light speed. This is due to the tremendous community support for the idea and commitments made by all partners in the process.”
Phase I provides ~17 mi of trail along the stunning west flank of the Grand Mesa. This section begins on Lands End Road, approximately three miles below the Lands End Observatory, and traverses over the forested slopes of the Mesa to a classic desert canyon at Hwy. 6 and the Palisade Rim Trailhead. This section of the Palisade Plunge navigates remote, backcountry terrain with some sections of extreme exposure that require high levels of confidence and skill to ride. Less experienced riders may easily get in a difficult position with no alternate routes except backtracking to Lands End Road. Trail enthusiasts are encouraged to carefully consider their experience, skills, and preparedness before taking “The Plunge”. Be sure to bring plenty of food and water with you and appropriate clothing and bike repair supplies. No water is available at the route start point or on the trail.
When accessing Phase I of the Plunge, trail users are asked to use the U.S. Forest Service’s Wild Rose recreation site for parking, with just over a two-mile uphill ride on Lands End Road to the Plunge trail. The Wild Rose site can only be accessed by driving up from the bottom of Lands End Road at US Hwy 50. The gate just past Wild Rose will remain locked until snow melt and road conditions on top of the Mesa allow the road to reopen. Please do not block the road to allow for search and rescue access and other administrative needs. Commercial permits for shuttle service will be available and use of shuttle services is highly encouraged to reduce parking congestion.
Project Partners expect the entire trail to be completed and open towards the end of July, and the community will hold a celebration for this milestone. “This project exemplifies how a community can come together and create something great for the community and visitors.” stated Grand Junction Field Manager Greg Wolfgang.“This project will have many positive impacts to the Grand Valley for generations.”
The Plunge would not have been possible without the ongoing support from our many partners and the trail community encouraging this project and donating to support the Power the Plunge campaign, which has helped fund construction, along with project partners and grant funding. For up-to-date information on the Palisade Plunge and a list of shuttle providers, visit www.palisadeplunge.com
