Winter rides through Mohican

With the right gear and attitude winter rides through Mohican can be invigorating and memorable. I like to ride in the middle of the week when there is almost no one on the trail. For me, this is the best time to focus on my ride and admire the snowy or stark landscape (if no snow has fallen). If I’m lucky, I’ll see a deer or two, some playful squirrels, and bald eagles.

My favorite winter route is to start from Sno-Mo and ride the trail to the paved park road and then back to my vehicle. I love the flow through the pines just past mile marker 16. The crunch of the pine needles beneath my tires is an added joy.

At the park road, I turn left (yes, it’s a climb) and pedal to the Gorge Overlook to admire the Sycamores that line the river and punctuate the horizon. The simplest way to describe the view from the overlook is, “Cool.” Or in recent vernacular, “Sick.”

It doesn’t take long to warm up on this short 7-mile ride as you encounter some climbs and switchbacks halfway through your ride.

I’m still new to mountain biking so haven’t dialed in all the right gear. A friend gave me advice that I should be uncomfortably cool as I start my winter ride because I’ll warm up quickly.

For me, when riding in temps below 30 degrees, I wear a thicker beanie under my bike helmet, try to cover my face and keep my core warm with a base layer, mid-layer, and vest. I wear leggings and a thinner snow pant for my bottom. I top off my attire with snow gloves and boots. Above 30 degrees, I dial back the layers some, but am sure to keep my core warm.

I hope you make a trip to Mohican for a winter ride. If not ride, at least do a hike and enjoy the still of the season. Happy riding!