Looking Glass Pond Extended Loop - 5.0 mi.

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Mountainbiking
Schoharie County

The directions for this ride begin the same as with the 2 mile loop, heading up the dirt road (Rossman Hill Rd.) and turning left through the gate, the muddy section and grassy meadow, and continuing around the pond.  However, a couple of minutes after crossing a small wooden bridge start looking for a right turn at an undefined intersection.  You'll know you found it, because after turning right you immediately come out at a dirt road. If you reach the dam you've gone to far.

The trail continues across the dirt road and becomes some of the best singletrack around.  The expert rider will enjoy some difficult rock gardens and 3 stone wall crossings.  Note that all are rideable.  Between each technical challenge is some nice singletrack, suitable for beginners.

At one point you come out to a lean-to.  The trail continues in front of the lean-to and bears left, and then right through a meadow.  Soon you come to a difficult stone wall crossing with a big tree on the left.  There is a gap next to the tree.  Hit the wall fast, keep your weight back, level your pedals and hold on.  After the wall and some more singletrack you arrive at a creek spanned with log stringers.  Hike-a-bike over the logs.  The creek is unrideable.  After the creek you bear left and up a small climb and then down the remnants of an old road.  The trail soon bears gently right off the road and through a nasty, but rideable, rock garden, over another stone wall and spits you out onto Burnt Hill Rd. Cross the road.

This section of singletrack zig-zags along some stone walls and through a hemlock grove until it arrives at a stone wall crossing that is challenging, but rideable.  The path then turns sharply left and heads down a gorge to a gorgeous stream crossing.  The water is shallow as it runs over moss-covered ledges.  You may have to get your feet wet as you hike your bike across the stream and up the unrideable opposite bank.  At the top of the bank the trail passes a tiny cemetary to a steep drop to another dirt road.

Bear left at the dirt road, which soon begins to climb.  Shortly you come to an intersection with Burnt Hill Rd..  Bear right and continue climbing.   The road comes to a "T" with Rossman Hill Rd., bear left back to the Looking Glass Pond parking area.

Beginners will find frustration with the singletrack as the rock gardens and stone wall crossings are challenging.  There is relatively little climbing, though.   Intermediates will find this is an execeptional ride to hone their technical skills, while experts should find the ride challenging and enjoyable - worth doing another lap.