Poderosa Rd., Ishi Wilderness, Black Rock and the Hogsback. Whooo Hooo!!!

It started with a random thought thrown out a couple of days before Thanksgiving. I was considering riding Ponderosa Rd. connecting up with Hogsback Rd. and heading home. I was pretty sure I was going to do it this past Sunday but when I got home Saturday night I saw a couple of other inmates post that they may like to join in on the fun, very cool, I'm game and a chance to meet a couple of other local inmates. I checked the thread Sunday morning at around 7:00AM no other updates so it seemed, or so I assumed, it was on. I showed up at the Flyers gas station on Cohassett Rd. in Chico at 9:40AM, waited until 10:15AM seemed I was on my own so what else to do but
A little later start than I'm used to but what the heck.
The "meeting" place.


Heading up Cohassett Rd. you come to this sign shortly after hitting dirt. This road is refered to either Campbell Ridge Rd., Cohassett Stage Rd. or Ponderosa Rd. depending on which map you're looking at and whatever you prefer.


The puddles that are on this road are sizable and can be pretty deep but today they were drier than I had expected since we've had some pretty heavy recent rains. The ground is so dry it's just absorbing the water like a sponge. We need it badly and it looks like we've got another week of wet weather on the way. The mud and puddles would not be a problem today.


Sorry for the finger in the pics. There are several like this, I was wearing my heavy gloves and wasn't aware my fingure was getting in the way.
Another puddle that is usually pretty sizable this time of year. There are go arounds at most of these puddles but they're getting almost as bad as the puddles themselves.


Got to the helipad at the top of Campbell Ridge and realized that since I'm riding alone and nobody knew where I was going and I was heading into some new territory maybe, just MAYBE I should tell somebody where I was going so I stopped and called good ol Mom and let her know my plans and when to expect to hear from me when I got back.
Helipad shot,


Mt Lassen in the distance from the helipad,


I continue on and from here you are on Ponderosa Rd. heading down to Deer Creek. Rocky road that I always have a blast on,


Minor obsticle along the way but made me wonder what lay ahead.


Veiw of some pinacles from "pinacle point" on the way to Deer Creek. For those of you that enjoy Geo-caching, there are a lot of Geo-caches along this route. Just be sure you have the vehicle capable for the area.


Rough road, blah blah blah, usual disclaimer, pictures DO NOT do justice.


Big rock pinacle at the top of the hill that caught my eye. I don't have to tell most of you that enjoy taking pictures that you usually don't capture the true beauty of what you're seeing. It was truly a beatiful day and the colors were fantastic


Like this moss covered rock that caught my eye as I came around a corner and the way the sun hit it, it was really bright colored and the contrast between the dark grey lava rock and the bright green moss was awesome.
There are more of these pics coming. Indulge me.


Creek crossing as you head out of the canyon from Deer Creek.


Ok, that's all for tonight. I'm down to Deer Creek now. Tommorrow night we'll head up and out of the canyon.
Goodnight.

Once you cross over to the other side (north side) of Deer Creek you enter into a State Game Refuge and after a little ways it opens up to just brush. You're out of the trees for awhile. Why the lack of trees I'm not sure but it's still beautiful country where there was a lot of volcanic activity about a billion years ago. Actually the most recent volcanic activity in the area wasn't that long ago. If I weren't so lazy I'd pull up the info for you but if you're really interested, you can google it.


As I rode along I noticed there was a lot and I mean A LOT of bear scat/poop/dung, whichever you prefer, on the road. The most I had ever seen on a ride. Seriously it was everywhere. The only thing I could think of was the bear population may have condensed to the Game Refuge due to bear season being open. I did see a lot of bear hunters in the Hogsback area.
Looking West,


As I rode through the area, it was pretty overgrown, bushes overgrown the road a little, I began thinking maybe I should slow down a little in the event that I might come around a curve and run into a bear. Probably wouldn't be a good thing. So I did and took it all in a little more. Looking Northwest.


Soon after the previous picture the Lassen Trail and Ponderosa Rd. merge together for a little ways, Soon I came to my turn that would take me into the Ishi Widerness Area.


A couple of pics as I decended in elevation.


Looking west. That mountain range way off in the distance is the Pacific Coast Range the other side of the valley.


Looking down the road where I was heading. Sorry about the glare but I actually like the picture.


I passed by these sign boards and had to turn around to come back to them. Hadn't expected them. I wish you could read them. Sorry. :huh






This is Mill Creek. Black Rock Campground is here.


Black Rock. It's one big a--ed rock.


Another veiw, better.


Another veiw from the canyon looking towards the valley. The thing about this ride is you wind your way in and out of multiple canyons working your way north from Chico towards Red Bluff. It was kind of cool as I slabbed it back to Chico on Hwy 99 to look east toward where I was riding and realize that I had just come through the area working my way through the canyons.


Just a road shot. Nothing intense here. Pretty easy riding but fun stuff.


Rock wall along the canyon.


South Fork Antelope Creek. South Antelope Campground is here also.


More mossy rock.


Water crossing Middle Fork Antelope Creek.


Ok, I'll leave you here at another water crossing and finish this tommorrow night.

This was on my list of to-do's for this year, looks like I waited too long

Looks like a great ride, really want to do some overnight camping here next year.

I wish I had seen the post, I would have dropped by at the Gas Station.

Looks like some fun riding.

Thanks for the kind words guys. Dave, I don't know about the Zuma on that road unless you give yourself a lot more time. I was moving along pretty good. Summer trip for you.
Ok, I left off crossing the Middle Fork Antelope Creek, I knew I had to pick up the pace a little, I really didn't want to be riding in the dark. BRRRRR!!!! That and the lighting isn't that great on the older KLR. Because I picked up the pace there are fewer pics but I'll make due. It wasn't long before I hit Hogsback Rd. Pretty smooth for awhile but soon got rocky. Seemed a little smoother this trip probably because I was riding faster and letting the suspension take more abuse and there's been more traffic on it with the bear hunters.
Looking the direction where I was going.


and the direction from where I came.
There was a lot of big puddles on the road, not much drainage in all of the lava rock.


I had stopped at the above pic to take a break. I was at 92 miles non stop with the exception of quick stops for pics never dismounting the bike. I needed a break. I had 3 granola bars with me and man did I down those things quick. Didn't realize I was so hungry. It was enough to get me home.
Another rock with moss and lichen.


Rough part of the road. A couple of miles futher down the road I came across an older couple out for a drive, :eek1
WTF. They waved me down and asked "Doesn't this road go all of the way through to Hwy 36?" Uh.... YEAH, but not in that thing (refering to their fairly new Chevy Malibu) I told them at the very least they needed a 2wd pickup, SUV, something other than a car. He says "I thought so, I've been through here many years ago" me:"in a CAR?" Him: "No in a pick-up" me:"ok" anyways after talking for awhile and finding out he was also very low on gas and didn't have a cell phone I told him he'd probably be ok if he took it easy and went straight to Red Bluff to get gas once he got out. I figured he had at leat 3 gallons of gas and about 15 miles to Red Bluff. I also let him know there would be some hunters coming out behind him since it was Sunday evening and getting dark soon. His wife didn't look too happy, poor gal was standing outside of the vehicle with her walker. He politely informed me they had stopped so she could go potty.:huh I excused myself and let them get about their business. No pics of this episode.


Stopped for a couple of pics looking over some of the Tehama State Wildlife Area.




That was the last pic. I soon came upon another rider. I stopped and waved him down to let him know about the older couple in hopes he would check on them since he was heading that way. He was out on a test ride on an old 1980 2 stroke Kawasaki 125 or 175cc Can't remember which, that he had just got running. Clean little bike, seemed he was into older bikes, has a old Honda 305 Dream and some kind of old 1960's triumph also. It was cool talking to him, I soon beat feet and headed home. Hit the slab and cruised up 99 to Chico then home to Magalia. 172 miles door to door.
That's it everybody. Thanks for coming along. Get out and

Nice ride and report! Thanks for sharing!

Great report ... many pictures I like, and your bike too
Thanks a Greeting
Medel

Nice report, dude! My grandparents lived in Paradise my whole life and my sister lives there now, I've always thought it looked like a great area to explore on a bike. Thanks for confirming my suspicions.

Thanks for sharing redog1.
The fall colors are awesome!

Very nice... your bike and mine are almost twins.

Nice looking trip bud. Hope the sun comes out soon, looking forward to making that ride soon.

I enjoy sharing and love to ride. Seems it's my new passion, used to be boating. I know a lot of this ride was a repeat but for me it was new. Some new territory and going the reverse way of the prior ride report. I still need to finish the Ponderosa Rd. up to Hwy 36. That was on my to do list this year but it didn't happen. Next year. I think there's going to be some overnighters thrown into next years riding and hopefully a little fishing and gold panning. Gold Lake and the OBDR is on the agenda. Maybe a trip back to Crystal Lake. Already can't wait until next year. YEAH BABY!!!!

Looks like you had a fun ride!
I like mossy rocks, too. You found some nice ones.


Get more gold lake/butcher ranch info from PinkPillion, she knows where the good stuff is.
thanks for the report!

Yeah, I'll probably be contacting PinkPillion but it'll be when the time gets closer. Still having a lot of issues loading new maps into the Devil box so I can finish planning the OBDR, trying it agan tonight, may have to call Garmin if it doesn't take.

Thanks for the pics!

I'll have to watch for those old fire engine pics that you like. I see old fire trucks all of the time, never really think to stop and take a pic though. I should, they are cool trucks.

Thanks!
I've been to a few fires up in that area, I'd love to get in a D/S ride up there.