Thread: Northern Northern California Beta Request

So I am skipping 'rafting' this season in Colorado and heading to Northern California to try my hand at Wildfire Fighting. I will be based in Redding, CA and wanted to know about the riding up there, I have never been.
I have been spoiled the last few years with the lift-access riding in Summit and Grand Co's and sold my XC bike last year, of course. Just wondering what to look forward to up that way? Is there anything freeridey, dirt jumps, shuttles? Obviously no lift service anywhere near?
I am supposed to be within 3hrs tops on my days off, so all the badass riding i know of in OR is a lil out of reach, minus Ashland. I have done the shuttle with the company on Mt.Ashland, and it was pretty rad, minus the ridiculous dust.

Just wondering if there is some awesome riding up there, since it seems Ill be surrounded by sweet mtns like Shasta and Lassen.

Thanks for he beta, and im starting to do some research now

I recall there being a long DH race near Redding around either Whiskeytown or Weaverville not too long ago. No idea about the FR scene though. I've also heard that there are some long shuttle rides near the resort on Shasta, which is about an hour closer to Redding than Ashland.

Brannen - I can't offer anything on the mountain biking scene, but just as a complete tangent, get yourself a fly rod (if you don't have one already). There is phenomal fly fishing up that way, including floating the Lower SAC right through Redding. Up north by Shasta includes the McCloud, Trinity, Pit, etc... - all great spots.

The entertainer on shasta. There are also some old 'bike park' trails at the shasta ski area. No idea what kind of shape they're in these days.

Get a hardtail and kiss some ass (IE be willing to throw some dirt) and there are some sick dj trails up there. Gonna be hot though.

Go talk to the guys at Shasta Base Camp or maybe the Fifth Season.

The entertainer is super fun but gets really dusty later in the year.

Cool, thanks for the beta!!
No money for a hardtail, although I wish.
As far as fly-fishing goes, I am so ADD and impatient that I dont know if I could handle it, and smoking weed isnt an option. Im actually borrowing a paddleboard this week to see if I can handle that. My buddies a flyfishing guide, maybe ill ask him to teach me this week if the paddleboarding thing goes well.

Digging - that will basically be my job all summer, I am down whenever, so if you know anyone up there i can get in touch with. . . ?
Which also brings up this week. I have actually called both guys I dig with here in Tahoe to see if they need any help this week but neither answered or called me back today which leads me to believe they are out of town. I know one of the places is off limits to digging right now, but if ANYONE needs help in the next 5 days around the Tahoe area I am willing to put in 8hr days as long as some riding is involved.

Entertainer something you can do solo as a push uphill? Shuttle? I will be by myself and im guessing no one in my fire crew will be a mtn biker.

Whiskey Town is the only thing I know of in Northern California. It has some decent terrain and is home of the Lemurian Shasta Classic http://www.shastalemurian.com/ Look on there and find the Course info. Sections that are supposed to be pretty good are Couch, Ice Box, Gas Can and Recliner.

I rode there last year but can't remember the names of the trails.

Brace yourself Brannen - it's hot as shit up there during the summer. But have fun. And find your way over to shasta on the right weekends. :-)

If your ever in Stocktom or Modesto look me up or head up to Pincrest, on 108 we have the best trails in the central Sierras, most of the pusys on MTBR want even ride with use because it to tec. TROG Mark 209-652-6442


Markatrog

thanks mang, for sure.
just saw this. . . unfortunately i have no idea what my work schedule is so not sure i can register, which sucks. sounds rad though. for yous guys in the know, is this on the aforementioned entertainer?
http://skipark.com/the-mountain/volcano

its a bike race on shasta via the chairlift

Chico has a few car shuttles in bidwell

sent from the future using my mind powers

Originally Posted by brannen

thanks mang, for sure.
just saw this. . . unfortunately i have no idea what my work schedule is so not sure i can register, which sucks. sounds rad though. for yous guys in the know, is this on the aforementioned entertainer?
http://skipark.com/the-mountain/volcano

its a bike race on shasta via the chairlift

Nope. The Entertainer starts near Bunny Flats. The lifts are on a different part of the mountain.

Will definitely try and get in on the Shasta goods, guess Ill just go around to different shops and try and get in on some digging.
Did some hiking around Bidwell, looked alright, our main office is there so will try and get on the bidwell trails for sure.
Take it nothing is legal around Lassen since its national park?
Will poke around Whiskeytown and Weaverville as well, looks like those trails might have some beta available.
Just looked into the Ashland shuttles, Ill probably make it back up there once or twice i hope.
Looking into more stuff in Oregon too, remember riding something besides Umpqua in the Roseburg area, isnt there a shop around there that does shuttles? Looks like Oakridge is a little too far, which blows.
How about Humbolt Co? Are those trails too far? I have a Bike mag somewhere with that area in it.

Not sure about the quality, but lots of people ride here in Arcata in the community forest and adjacent forest.

Great fishing north of shasta lake, and if you have a drift the SAC near redding is very good. bidwell park in chico is awesome, and has a great discgolf course.

Redding is really hot, but there is water there be it the SAC or whiskeytown reservor.

I am in Arcata so if you make it over here hit me up, I'd be down to get a firefighter a beer.

Idiot- How is the non-DH singletrack in your neck of the woods? I hear good things, but is it worth a long drive and perhaps a three-day weekend? (Sorry for the thread drift.)

AK, really not sure about the bike riding. I haven't been out around here. the last time I rode any trails was up in Tahoe. Other than that you could probably entertain yourself here for a weekend just looking around if you haven't been here before.

I do play discgolf around here alot, and I know the course that is behind HSU gets quite a bit of bike traffic, and I can only imagine how cool it would be riding through redwoods. I just don't have a bike currently. Well one worth riding off pavement.

Take your raft. That area has some of the best WW in the country: Burnt Ranch, Cal Salmon, North Fork of the Trinity, should be raging about now.

When I lived in Arcata 6 years ago, there was (and most likely still is) a large contingent of downhillers. Most of the trails were illegal so you have to ask around but there were some sick gap jumps in the Community forest - too big for my balls, Jacoby Creek, probably lots more that have popped up since I've been there. Guys at The Revolution bike shop or The Adventure's Edge can hook you up.

Originally Posted by Mr. Toad

Take your raft. That area has some of the best WW in the country: Burnt Ranch, Cal Salmon, North Fork of the Trinity, should be raging about now.

My girlfriend and I have a Rogue River float trip planned July 4th and were contemplating going out early and checking out the stuff around there. I grew up hiking in the Trinity Alps Wilderness in the summers so it would be nice to go back to the area and see it from a different perspective. We are Class III/IV boaters at this point. We probably only have time for one or two runs, any recommendations for our time of year and skill level? Probably not going to be able to make it back to the area again for a long time.

Originally Posted by knumbskull

My girlfriend and I have a Rogue River float trip planned July 4th and were contemplating going out early and checking out the stuff around there. I grew up hiking in the Trinity Alps Wilderness in the summers so it would be nice to go back to the area and see it from a different perspective. We are Class III/IV boaters at this point. We probably only have time for one or two runs, any recommendations for our time of year and skill level? Probably not going to be able to make it back to the area again for a long time.

If you're driving up I5, check out the Klamath below the dam. Check the release schedule, and if they're running both turbins, its a fun, fun, continuous IV+. Gotta have a solid roll, cuz you don't want to swim there.

Salmon will be dried up that time of the year, but if you have time, drive through the Forks of the Salmon - one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Down river, below Orleans and Ishi Pishi falls is a mellow III float down the lower Klamath. Klamath has a funky green hue, not my favorite.

The main Trinity is probably the most popular area with a couple of commercial raft outfits near Sawyer. Class III with a couple of play waves.

If you're a solid IV paddler, Burnt Ranch is the place to go. There is a short V near the end of the run (3rd fall) which can be portaged on river left. You probably want to hook up with a paddler who knows that river.

Thanks for the info!

Some good info here

http://www.teambigfoot.net/

For the bidwell stuff, get a ride up the 32 past the disc golf course (which is one of the best) and mount up at the green gate at 10 mile house road. The classic DH is down Guardian proper but my favorite is pine to guardian to bloody pin then up annie's tennis ball hill. If you need a lift up the hill, go down to 5th and Chestnut with some pot and get a student to shuttle you up the hill......

If you want to climb, ride up North Rim and down B Trail, then back on Middle Trail. That climb can easily be done on a FR sled.

Bidwell is not freeride terrain. It is rough technical stuff and fun as hell.

http://www.bidwellpark.org/page/_fil...werParkMap.pdf

Just rode in Auburn and got to raft on the American for a few days. Headed to Chico tonight or 2mrw, will check out Bidwell for sure, hopefully someone will pick me up and take me up 32. Prolly ride Culvert and Confluence again today, pretty fun trails here in Auburn.
Guess Ill head up towards Redding in the next few days, gonna explore around Redwood Natl Park as well.
Thanks for the info, Ill check back in with anything I find out.

If you make it to Weaverville, you can get a damn good sandwich at Trinideli. My mom waitresses there most weekdays.

^^^ brannen: "Excuse me, Miss. Are you the mother of TGR's Dantheman?"