Kappes Connector Rd(sh) by Bicycle - Velo

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Kappes Connector Road (sh)

This connector road connects two roads heading south from the town Green River by cutting off the latter. The two roads are US191 and Wy430. In the process Kappes Connector heads over a low shoulder of Aspen Mountain, which has a large array of radar and other antennas along its long ridgeline. These things need to be serviced and thus there is a good unpaved road leading up there. But the highest two way summit near "Radar Tower Rd" (assuming that Radar Tower Rd is an out-and-back summit) is not this saddle, but Aspen Mountain Road . I included a few pictures of Radar Tower Rd in both pages.

1.START-END EAST:Side Belt Road crosses Bitter Creek, just south of I80, Rock Springs
2.profile turns left from Wy430 onto Aspen Mtn Rd
3.profile stays right at this fork, on Kappes Connector Rd
4.TOP, 7300ft
5.route joins Little Bitter Creek Rd downhill
6.START-END WEST:jct Little Bitter Creek Rd - Blair Ave

Approaches

From East. The beginning of the profile includes pretty much all of the paved little climb to the Wy430 summit from Green River. You can see the radar antenna on Aspen mountain slightly to the right of the direction of travel, and it appears as if there is barely any climbing involved to get there. Well - maybe there isn't, and it is all just seems that way because of the wind.

Turning onto CR27, the sight of trees has long since become memory, but the course of the road is clear as a day in the dessert. The road remains paved, and then hard graveled till the summit. The top comes up quickly and unsuspected. Aspen Road to the tower turns much steeper after this. But staying right on CR31, the road tops out quickly starts to descend gently.

From West. The summit section is at eye level with Pilot Butte in the distance, landmark of the Old Orgeon Trail behind the town Green River. It just manages to keep its top above the other cliffs in view. The decent includes a short paved section. But then rougher gravel takes over as the road makes its way down between low ravines. The antennas of Wilkins Peak become a guiding landmark.

Out and Back to Radio Tower Road

The next part on Aspen Rd has substantially deeper gravel and is also steeper. But who says walking has to be boring. The last out and back on Radio Tower Rd could also be made a two-way summit with the help of innumerable sage tracks along its slopes.

Slideshow of the Out-and-Back to Radio Tower Road

cLiCk on image , arrows , or thumbnails to advance slideshow

Dayride with this point as highest summit

( < US191 Firehole Cny Rd | CR18 Superior Cutoff Rd s(u)-1 > )

Kappes Connector Rd s(u) , Wy430 Green River s(u) , addtional out and back : not far from Middle Baxter Rd, about halfways between I80 and Wy430 > Middle Baxter Rd north > Wy 430 west > Aspen Rd south > jct Kappes Connector Rd - Aspen Rd <> out and back up Aspen Road up Radar Tower Rd << turnaround point short distance behind largest Radar tower >> Kappes Connector Rd west > Kappes Connector Rd(sh) > down Bitter Creek Rd > Blair Ave east > downtown Green River with sightseeing detours > Wy430 east > Wy430 Green River s(u) > back to starting point near Wy430, halfways to I80: 54.1miles with 3640ft of climbing in 5:37hrs (garmin etrex32x m6:25.05.26).