Gateway Copper Corridor Winter 2024 E-edition

Topo Joes offers Pinal Mountain
shuttle service for mountain bikers
By Douglas Long
Editor
The Pinal Mountains
just south of
Globe are a haven
for mountain biking, ranging
from nearly 8,000 in
altitude down to the high
desert of 4,000 feet. The
mountains are home to a
wide variety of flora and
fauna, including black
bear, mule deer, bobcats
and rattlesnakes.
The severe terrain means
that cyclists usually find
themselves either pedaling
up steep grades or flying
downhill, with few options
for flat, casual riding.
For those who do not savor
the prospects of struggling
uphill for mile after
mile to earn their downhill
ride, Topo Joes bike shop
in Globe offers a solution:
a shuttle van that provides
reliable transportation to
higher elevations so mountain
bikers can focus on the
fun part of cycling – gravity-assisted
downhill rides
back into town.
There are several options
for the shuttle. Transport
to higher points on
the mountain – including
access to Six Shooter Canyon
Trail (TR-197), Telephone
Trail (TR-192) and
Kellner Canyon Trail (TR-
242) – costs $30 per person
with a bike, or $25 per person
without a bike or with
a Topo Joes rental bike.
Douglas Long/Copper Corridor
The Pinal Mountains: great terrain for riding downhill on a
mountain bike.
There is a three-seat (or
$90) minimum to schedule
a shuttle, but big groups of
six or more can ask about
special rates. Reservations
should be made at least 24
hours before the desired
shuttle time. The drive up
to these trailheads takes
about 1 hour.
A shorter option is a
drop-off at the junction
of FR-157 and FR-651,
which provides access to a
fun, 6-mile, mostly downhill
ride on the two-track
FR-157 northward across
the Pinal foothills to downtown
Globe. The track is
less steep and less technical
than the trails higher
up the mountain, making it
a great ride for beginners.
It’s also a good option
when higher elevations
are snowed in, or for those
who are short on time (the
ride can be done in well
under 1 hour). The shuttle
cost for this ride is $5 per
person with a bike.
Topo Joes staff advises
those planning on using
the shuttle service to be
prepared for conditions on
the mountain. Temperatures
can be 20-40 degrees
cooler than in town, with a
greater chance for precipitation
and higher winds,
so appropriate clothing
and gear should be worn
for existing and potential
weather conditions.
Water is not available
on the mountain and there
is no trash service, so cyclists
should plan on disposing
of waste properly
and following the “pack it
in, pack it out” ethos. All
trails on the mountain are
multiuse and bidirectional.
Horses and hikers have the
right of way over bicycles.
Above all, Topo Joes encourages
cyclists to have
fun on the trails. The shop
is fully insured, licensed
and permitted by the U.S.
Forest Service to provide
shuttle service.
For more information
on the shuttle and other
services, including bicycle
repairs and sales, contact
Topo Joes by calling 928-
351-6411, texting 928-
961-2583 or visiting www.
topojoes.com online. The
shop is located at 465 N.
Broad Street, Globe, Arizona.
Hours are 10 a.m. –
6 p.m. Wednesday through
Saturday. They are closed
Sunday through Tuesday.
16 Gateway to the Copper Corridor Winter 2024