TR - Big Bear to SART epic

**evdog** · 11-06-2020, 02:31 AM

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

**evdog** · 11-06-2020, 04:30 AM

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.

**brutah** · 11-06-2020, 07:31 AM

Sick TR as always. That juniper is HUGE!

**geomorph** · 11-06-2020, 07:41 AM

Wicked awesome

**whyturn** · 11-06-2020, 08:17 AM

Sick ride and TR

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**evdog** · 11-06-2020, 11:10 PM

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