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The Ribbon -> Free Lunch -> Holy Cross Shuttle (Lunch Loops Free Lunch Ribbon Shuttle Holy Cross)

Mountain Biking Trail

Extreme
10.98 mi
894 ft
One of the fastest, rowdiest, point-to-point shuttles anywhere, with wide-open rock slab riding, uber-technical rock gardens, and big jump and drop options--experts only!

Riding the entire Ribbon route requires expert-level bike handling skills and cojones of steel, thanks to mandatory drops, steep rock rolls, boulder-filled rock gardens, and high-speed slickrock slab surfing. However, if you're an advanced-level rider and are willing to walk a few sections, you'll still be able to enjoy 95% of the Ribbon's sweet charms!

The top of the route begins with a bang, with high-speed two-wheeled surfing down a wide-open slickrock slab set on an angle, with speeds easily topping 30 or 40 miles per hour! Watch closely for the end of the slab, as most of the slab ends in a vertical rock cliff. Flying off of it could mean death. However, there is one rideable descent off the slab through the Toilet Bowl rock roll, but even that descent is very tricky. Walking is always an option if you're uncomfortable.

Once off the Ribbon's classic slab, the slickrock surfing continues down the bottom of a gully. It feels like you're riding a ribbon of rock (hence the name) as the scenery blurs by at around 40mph! Watch for the singletrack splitting off of the Ribbon, as passing that departure point will lead to another sheer cliff and, again, possible death.

One of the most technical sections of the entire route takes place after the Ribbon concludes—a gnarly, rocky, fall-line descent with big drops and huge chunk. Again, walking is advisable for riders who aren't expert-level.

Eventually, the Ribbon shuttle route enters the main Lunch Loops trail system, with numerous route options. Riders of the expert variety will want to head for Free Lunch to continue the gnar-filled descent. The evac heli pad at the top of Free Lunch gives a hint of what's in store, with the easy bailout lines in Free Lunch easily black diamond level, and the double black lines serving up 10 to 15-foot rock drops to flat, and other technical insanity. If you had trouble higher up on Ribbon, other than the two uber-technical spots described above, it's best to choose a different route down through the Lunch Loops and skip Free Lunch.

After Free Lunch there's no end of options to conclude the ride, but flowing into Holy Cross creates a great route, with more bouldery rock drops and rock gardens aplenty.

The Ribbon has grown into a legend through Youtube videos of pros blasting down the rock at high speeds and launching off of cliffs, and for the intrepid mountain biker who isn't afraid to walk every once and a while, this is the ride of a lifetime! But be honest with yourself about your abilities, as the Ribbon spares no one. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Ribbon To Andy's2.82 mi-1,434 ft-9.6%
Grand Enduro Stage 12.21 mi-1,312 ft-11.1%
inaugural Grand Enduro Stage 12.63 mi-1,329 ft-9.5%
Ribbon Descent (Top Rock to Hospital Hill)2.64 mi-1,398 ft-10.0%
First Slab 0.33 mi-184 ft-10.5%
The Ribbon DH (Grand Enduro Course)2.14 mi-1,175 ft-10.4%
Grand Enduro Late Start1.98 mi-1,112 ft-10.6%
Ribbon Descent Pt.1 (Above the Toilet Bowl, down the Wine Glass)0.95 mi-761 ft-15.1%
Bean's out of control, again...0.02 mi-36 ft-33.9%
Frankie was here0.72 mi-558 ft-14.6%
Ribbons of Wine0.39 mi-348 ft-16.6%
Ribbon Final Descent0.32 mi-151 ft-8.8%
Andy's climb-Ribbon to LPR0.46 mi220 ft9.0%
Ribbon Climb (Final Wash to Little Park Junction)0.42 mi217 ft9.7%
climb out to road0.31 mi180 ft10.8%
Little Park Rd Climb0.81 mi269 ft6.2%
Little bit0.65 mi217 ft6.3%
Lunch line climb refreshed0.72 mi292 ft7.7%
Lunch Line to Eagle's Wing0.44 mi187 ft7.9%
Lunch Line; final climb from Eagles junction0.23 mi102 ft8.2%
Upper Half Free Lunch 0.66 mi-226 ft-6.5%
Free Cross (Free Lunch & Holy Cross)2.98 mi-866 ft-5.5%
Free Lunch1.00 mi-384 ft-7.2%
First Bite O’ Lunch0.33 mi-115 ft-6.4%
Free Lunch (start to rock squeeze)0.83 mi-404 ft-9.1%
Don't Lose Your Lunch, Ridge Drop to Squeeze0.19 mi-98 ft-9.5%
Widow maker From Free lunch0.14 mi-131 ft-16.7%
CONSOLIDATED SEGMENT - the Whole Cross2.57 mi-387 ft-2.4%
Holy Cross (all)2.45 mi-427 ft-2.8%
Holy Cross1.76 mi-361 ft-3.9%
Holy Flow0.40 mi-164 ft-7.7%
Holy Cross - Main DH from Pre-Nup to Holy Bucket1.60 mi-358 ft-4.2%
Holy Cross from prenip1.47 mi-344 ft-4.4%
CONSOLIDATED SEGMENT - Holy Cross (after prenup)1.67 mi-371 ft-4.2%
CONSOLIDATED SEGMENT - Holy Cross (after prenup)1.67 mi-371 ft-4.2%
Holy Trinity (all the jank incl. the 3 "moves")0.28 mi-56 ft-2.3%
HC - Just the Middle0.65 mi-72 ft0.0%
Apocalypse (The End of all Holy DH)0.51 mi-197 ft-7.0%
Final climb out of Holy Cross0.34 mi59 ft3.1%
HC to Ali's0.24 mi95 ft7.5%
Ali-Alley Down0.17 mi-23 ft-2.4%
Where it HURTS (GE Stage 3 Sprint, Raven's to Kurt's)0.35 mi36 ft0.5%
Reroute0.33 mi-82 ft-4.7%
neW sKooL and Old School (Flow&Tech)0.58 mi-187 ft-6.0%
Curt's down to junction0.23 mi-66 ft-5.4%
Curt's Down0.11 mi-56 ft-8.7%
Kurt's Last Stand0.29 mi-125 ft-7.8%
Beast Hook Ends0.82 mi-85 ft-1.7%
Low and Flow0.74 mi-92 ft-2.1%
Simcoe hop, noreastern pop.0.20 mi-36 ft-3.1%