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Thread: TR - Big Bear to SART epic
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11-06-2020, 02:31 AM #1
TR - Big Bear to SART epic
After several tries were foiled by fire and National Forest closures, Schillingsworth made his way out to Socal a couple weeks ago to take on one of my favorite rides.
I managed to score a campsite in Big Bear that came free for the coveted Friday/Saturday night period. All California National Forests were closed for some weeks, then they partially re-opened but camping has been very restricted with only certain campgrounds open and no dispersed or backcountry camping allowed. And of course anything reservable is fully booked for weeks out.
We'd meet across I-10 in another range first and do a Friday afternoon ride in Idyllwild first thought. I was late leaving and traffic sucked so John got a lap or two in before I got there
We took off on one of my favorite loops
I often ride here at sunset which is perfect as there are some great views
Nothing hard but plenty of rock to keep things interesting
Fun roller
Sunset went off. Pics don't do it justice
We called it quits not long after sunset, still had some driving to do and didn't want to over exert before the big ride. Great tacos from a food truck off the freeway
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11-06-2020, 04:30 AM #2
Saturday was the big day. I have a route I've done a few times before that climbs up from Big Bear Lake to Sugarloaf Mtn at 9,950ft using an old little used ridgeline trail, before dropping down to Santa Ana River Trail (SART) and running all the way down to Redlands at about 2,500ft.
We had plenty of options to start with and settled on Pineknot Trail which would give Shillingsworth a taste of Skyline trail.
Pine knot starts off steep, but so far so good
Up top there is lots of interesting rock
Great views open up on Skyline across to the San Bernardino range
Lots of buff singletrack on Skyline. The only negative today is we were running against the flow of an xc race going on. Lots of stopping to pull over for racers.
Leaving Skyline we had some forest road to traverse, ending with a short steep hike a bike with a nice view of Big Bear Lake
Then the fun began. After a steep down hike bushwack we reached the seldon used Sugarloaf ridge trail. A hike back up to it yielded some beautiful, raw rideable trail
But also a lot of hike a bike
Our target in sight - Sugarloaf Mtn
Some big juniper trees appear trailside
We started down by the lake shore and will finish out of sight down the valley on the left
But first, more hike a bike
It gets steeper the higher we go
Finally reaching the shoulder of the peak the trail mellows out
Then it disappears completely and its a choose your own adventure to the summit. Here, we mistakenly end up on a scree slope which has terrible footing.
Summit shot
Dropping down from the summit sweet singletrack makes up for all the hike a bike
Nice, flowing 2k descent down Wildhorse Trail
We skip an upper part of Santa Ana River Trail which is in bad shape and pick up the main part at South Fork campground
SART keeps you on your toes with lots of exposure, many riders have tumbled off the edge
Fall colors on display
One of several creek crossings
Fading daylight
We reached Middle control road right at sunset which would be the end of SART for us. The trail continues on into a fire closure so we climbed the road for 3 miles up to Hwy 38 and then picked up Loch Leven, and old fire road returning to singletrack that would take us to the bottom in Redlands. We ended with 50 miles on the day, +5,600 and -10,000ft. The proper route including all of SART is obviously more epic, but completing the crux over Sugarloaf is what really makes the route even if the hike a bike to the summit gets a bit outrageous. Good times as always, thanks for making it out Shillingsworth! We'll be back to do Wildhorse + full SART once the fire closure ends.
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11-06-2020, 07:31 AM #3Registered User
- Join Date
- Sep 2005
- Location
- Fresh Lake City
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- 4,579
Sick TR as always. That juniper is HUGE!
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11-06-2020, 07:41 AM #4
Wicked awesome
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11-06-2020, 08:17 AM #5
Sick ride and TR
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsI need to go to Utah.
Utah?
Yeah, Utah. It's wedged in between Wyoming and Nevada. You've seen pictures of it, right?
So after 15 years we finally made it to Utah.....
Thanks BCSAR and POWMOW Ski Patrol for rescues
8, 17, 13, 18, 16, 18, 20, 19, 16, 24, 32, 35
2021/2022 (13/15)
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11-06-2020, 11:10 PM #6
Final day, recovery ride from camp on Hanna Flat trail to Grout Bay
Perfect way to spin out the legs among the boulders and pines
A few other riders out but not many
Schillingsworth had to take off but gave me a ride over to another trailhead to avoid a few miles of busy highway riding.
Figured a climb up Cougar Crest and traverse back would be less sucky than climbing the road back to camp.
Must resist.... kicking all these over!
Cougar Crest is a tough climb that gets harder the higher you climb.
Views up top are worth it though. Lots of hikers out
Continuing on for some extra credit miles. Big trees
And views
Another great weekend in the books, nice to be back camping in the mountains
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11-07-2020, 11:43 AM #7Registered User
- Join Date
- Jan 2006
- Posts
- 1,572
I had no idea Junipers got that big. Nice ride!
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11-07-2020, 03:08 PM #8
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11-07-2020, 03:14 PM #9
Awesome as always!
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11-18-2020, 10:19 PM #10Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2015
- Location
- Queen Creek, AZ
- Posts
- 77
Oh man, I'm late to the party. I wasn't the only one pushing my bike that weekend!!
This entire area is rad AF.
My ride report pretty much mimics what Evan posted, here's the blog link if you want to see a boatload more pics.
SoCal Triple
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