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BEYOND THE BURN: Tonto Gravity Riders Reignite Pinal Mountain Trails

The Pinal Mountains offer adventure and stunning vistas for mountain bikers ready for thrills. Photos courtesy Tonto Gravity Riders

For years, the Pinal Mountain trail system has been known in the mountain biking community as a well-kept secret and a must-ride experience within Arizona, offering a 3,000-foot change in both elevation and scenery, from ponderosa pines and aspens to desert scrub. The secret has often been passed through word-of-mouth, and with some help from trail guide writers such as Cosmic Ray, who, in the mid-90s, penned a number of Arizona hiking and mountain biking guidebooks, with the Pinal Mountain trail system included.

Ray lists Six Shooter Canyon trail in one of his guides, giving the trail a “puck-o-meter” rating of 9 for its steep switchbacks.

“While it’s true this ride is mostly downhill, this downhill ain’t for candy asses.” Ray states. “Starts off steep, stays that way for a while and remains way too fast the rest of the way home… It’s wicked cool.”

Such appeal has attracted mountain biking enthusiasts hailing from around the Phoenix area, including a particularly die-hard bunch who realized over the years that the Pinal trails could use a little “TLC.” This includes Chris Johnson, founder, CEO, president, and volunteer crew leader of the nonprofit trail building organization Tonto Gravity Riders (TGR).

Chris Johnson and the Tonto Gravity Riders can be found in downtown Globe on First Fridays, where they are happy to talk about the work they do and volunteer opportunities.

Johnson, alongside other biking enthusiasts who had been frequenting the Pinal Mountain trail system for its spectacular elevation drop (perfect for gravity riding, aka downhill biking), saw a real need for trail upkeep in the Pinals, and started what Johnson describes as a sort of grassroots movement. 

“We took it upon ourselves to perform (unauthorized trail) maintenance,” Johnson says, noting that the work began as “unauthorized” since the group at that time had no formal affiliation.

He and the other riders founded Tonto Gravity Riders in 2010 with the intent to repair and maintain the Pinal trails, not just for mountain bikers, but for everyone—hikers, horseback riders, campers, locals, and visitors alike—to enjoy.

The Pinal Mountains are prime ground for mountain biking enthusiasts. Pictured are TGR volunteers working on the trail system.

Johnson, who resides in east Mesa, had already been volunteering his time to building trails throughout the state since the early 2000s, learning trail building from research and reading building guides, and firsthand by trial and error.

Fast forward 13 years, and TGR is now an official nonprofit and gained regional recognition in 2023—the group was awarded the USDA Forest Service Southwestern Regional Volunteers and Service Award in the category “Citizen Stewardships and Partnerships.”

Since October of 2021 alone, Johnson approximates that the organization has restored 18 miles of trail in the Pinals, committing just under 5,000 hours and 98 trail days to the cause.

This work has primarily been focused on the destruction caused in the mountains by the Telegraph Fire in the summer of 2021, which essentially shut down every trail from peak to peak, followed by sustained record monsoons.

“That wreaked havoc on the mountain. It wreaked havoc on the town, too,” Johnson recalls. “Many, many miles of trail on the mountain were completely obliterated, and trail would need to be rebuilt again in the same corridor as it was previously. Our knowledge of pre-fire conditions and trail location was critical in that process and we also had the volunteer base to get it done.” 

The group has been working to bring the trails back to at least pre-fire state, if not better.

“We’re still in restoration mode, getting trails opened back up and getting them friendly for all users,” he adds. 

Thanks to TGR, Icehouse, Kellner, and Six Shooter Canyon trails have all been restored since the fire, and Telephone Trail is nearly complete. Then TGR will begin restoration on Pioneer Pass. 

A look at the group’s website shows their monumental progress; they essentially work on the trails every week through fall, winter and spring.

The group averages three to 12 volunteers per trail day, though sometimes it’s just Johnson working alone. Volunteers range from those just out of high school to retirees, mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. As of right now, Johnson estimates 98 percent of volunteers are based in the Valley.

A trail day is long, usually starting between 7 to 9 in the morning and ending between 4 to 6 in the evening. The volunteers hike to the area where they’ll be working carrying their equipment, including shovels, rock bars, pulaskis, and pruning saws. They spend the day clearing brush, rocks, downed trees and debris from the trail, fixing drains, addressing erosion issues, and reestablishing or cleaning up the “tread” (trail surface).

“All of these trails are quite long, getting to the middle of them requires a lot of effort,” Johnson says. “If you don’t do it that often, it definitely hurts.”

“We’re appreciative of every minute we get help,” he adds.

Trimmed and Cleaned trails thanks to TGR volunteers.

Becoming a 501(c)(3) has given TGR more legitimacy, a collaborative partnership with the Forest Service, and has allowed the group to have a voice in proposing the construction of new trails. 

In the future, the organization aspires to grow the Pinal Mountain trail system significantly, with hopes of adding 35 miles worth of trails for all to enjoy. New construction will start with what they call “Upper Lollipop Loop,” which would comprise five and a half to six miles of trail interconnecting three other trails at the top of the Pinals. 

“It is one of the most needed additions on the mountain and will be one of the biggest factors for increasing recreation for all users on Pinal Mountain due to the location,” Johnson says.

The idea is to develop a trail that can see near year-round use, “staying above 7,000 feet, where it isn’t scorching hot during the summer,” he adds.

The Upper Lollipop Loop has received approval at all levels, according to Johnson, and if TGR is given the green light, they will break dirt October of this year.

Future work done by the organization will require infrastructure funding, such as improved signage, new trailhead access points, and parking lots, Johnson says, as well as funding for NEPA and ecological studies.

For now, though, TGRs’ operational expenses are low. Most equipment used by the group was either purchased with TGR funds or donated. Local bike shop Topo Joes provides the volunteers rides to the trails. Johnson purchased his own excavator, which was a huge investment, simply for his love of trail building. The crew uses it in tandem with working by hand, reducing the need for TGR to apply for large grants. 

“We save $30,000 to $40,000 per mile built on Pinal Mountain with the same result,” he says. 

The organization is working to build its reputation and support base in Globe, frequenting First Fridays where TGR receives individual donations. They attend mountain biking events where they promote their cause, selling t-shirts and stickers, and the proceeds have been used to build up their trail fund. The Goff Family Foundation donates several thousand dollars to the group on an annual basis.

Johnson hopes more locals join the cause and volunteer with TGR.

“It’s a special place… the town is awesome,” he says. “The mountains are gorgeous… And it’s minutes away from [their] doorsteps.”

Interested in volunteering or donating to Tonto Gravity Riders, or just want to learn more? Go to www.tontogravityriders.org/volunteer.

Local bike service/repair shop and adventure hub Topo Joes provided transportation to the trail for the TGR crew.

About Jenn Walker

Jenn Walker began writing for Globe Miami Times in 2012 and has been a contributor ever since. Her work has also appeared in Submerge Magazine, Sacramento Press, Sacramento News & Review and California Health Report. She currently teaches Honors English at High Desert Middle School and mentors Globe School District’s robotics team.

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