To be brief I would give this ride a big thumbs down.

I am currently getting ready for cyclocross season and so the official description of seemed to be on the money for what I wanted, that is a fire road with some elevation, something to get the legs burning. The fire road was easy to find after you parked at the east summit. I saddled up and headed clockwise around the base then started climbing to the saddle of backside of mt Catherine, the road went a bit chunky for a short stretch then I saw where the PCT crossed the road. The next turn which is a right turn, had me triple check my map because it looked like nobody had driven the road in 4 years. This must be the "primitive part"of the trail. Small birch trees choked the road and small saplings grew in the middle between the tire ruts. I rode thru and it cleared for a bit then right back into a similar situation where the 780mm bars were getting hung up on overgrowth that is reaching out from the side of the what used to be a road, riding on top of saplings, branches to the face and legs. It finally opens and I began to go down hill a bit this is where the road turned into more rock and sand glacial till, large stray rocks, very chunky again, not anything you want to go fast on. 

I hooked up with the PCT this time I rode on it for maybe 3 minutes and it emptied me out onto a fire road. You ride this under the power lines for a bit then climb to the ski area past grand junction where you start to see signs for the various ski runs. The ride down the hill back to the car was packed dirt and great fun. 

Biggest thing here is the road quality being lame chunky rock for possibly 1/4 of the ride. Also the turns had me second guessing where to go due to the overgrowth. Still got outside and any day on the bike is a blessing. 

Andrew