Lake Alpine Camp & DS Ride, July 28-31, 2013

Lake Alpine Camp & DS Ride, July 28-30, 2013

Its that time of the year again! I know Sunday to Tuesday seems weird, but I work that Saturday. Driving Ms.Beta up in the truck with tent camping gear. Planning to camp in the Silver Valley CG, 2nd CG at east side of Lake Alpine.

Several days of High Sierra singletrack, gnarly jeep trails, & forest roads. A nice swim in Lake Alpine every day to cool off before dinner.

I'll be leading intermediate-level riders on plated dirtbikes with a 100-mile fuel range. Easy to moderate to hard trails. Pack lunch for the trail most days. Noobs & adv bikes are OK on many easy gravel & paved routes, so bring your GPS & your riding partner if needed.




Yes, that is a trail!

And here too!

Late afternoon thunderstorms are normal this time of year ...




I'm bringing some Absolute, tonic water, limes, and a few other libations. . What are you bringing?

Catfish ...

Hey Catfish,

Sounds like fun!

I'll try to get a pass for Sunday and maybe Monday ... I'll try to bring a bundle of firewood ... how's that sound?

see you in the lake,
-- SFMCjohn

Catfish,

I'll be en route to Colorado so this will be a perfect start to the road trip!!

I can ride Sunday. Up for riding trails......

My plan arrive Sat pm, ride Sunday, leave Monday am.

John,Hope you get your hall pass.

happy trails,
BicyclePhil

Firewood sounds great John! I hope you both get a pass!

Cool Phil! Mmmm... Colorado!

I suspect all campsites near the lake will be filled by noon Friday, for the weekend. Popular area Friday & Saturdays. Only 1st come-1st serve, no reservations. Dispersed camping can be done in many places further from the lake for free; just no campfires. I can offer suggestions if needed.

I plan to arrive Sunday morning by "check out" time and snag a campsite, or more if enough folks are coming. Hopefully get an afternoon ride in on Sunday.

If you want a suggested trail route for all day Sunday, let me know what you are riding and just how adventurous you are.

I will have my set of area waypoints & tracks available at camp for garmins with std garmin usb ports.

Later,

Catfish ...

Hey BicyclePhil,

Cool, my hall pass request will have more weight if I can say/whine "but, but, but ... Phil will be there!" Ha.

Seeing if I can get some of the crew to ride up to meet you Saturday ...

Hey catfish,
Thanks for organizing this ... looking forward to hanging out on Sunday night!
And thanks for the riding tips ... I'll be on a KLR, looking for easy views, with a map ...
see you around the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn

Hello Catfish,

My plan is not set in stone, so may ride Monday as well.
I will take you up on the "suggested trail route for Sunday" offer.

I would say I lean towards the adventurous side of the equation with healthy doses of fear and respect thrown in for good measure.

Give me a shout when you get a chance.

happy trails,
BicyclePhil

High Sierra singletrack..... gnarly jeep trails....... forest roads..... with Catfish and friends..... I'm IN!

Be there Sun and out Tues afternoon.

Ooh...that looks like fun!

Are you guys going to do the Slickrock Road?




RockChick

Phil, what will you be riding? How are you with rocky (3"-15" rocks, a few steps & ledges) jeep trails? 50-70 miles? 100-120 miles? More clues will help me.

Excellent! As it turns out, I've been asked to work Wednesday night in S.F. I'll ride Tuesday, but will probably drive home Tuesday evening also.

Some of us will. The Deer Valley Trail also. Many options up there to make loops. You and Eric should join us too!


Catfish ...

Pfft...I wish! I love that area! Can't do the weekdays, though We were just up there 2 weeks ago. The flowers were stunning, the rocks were plentiful and the water crossings were deep










WoodsChick

Catfish,

I assume you are talking about Hwy 4? Sounds like you will be riding many of the trails we will be using the week before on the Topaz 600. Basically west of Bear Vly Ski area to Bear Vly Resort for Lunch. Blue lakes trail back.

http://www.dualsportwest.com/public/eventFlyers/13 Topaz.pdf

Mmmm ... rocks & water crossings! I know where those are!

Yes, one of my favorite areas also. You know, one of these years we're gonna have to actually compare calendars.

Hi Jerry, I noticed your ride announcement. Yes, I suspect we'll be on many of the same trails in the area. I know some of the locals who maintain the trails that the NF doesn't. They do a heck of a job!


I bet you know where this is.

Have FUN on your ride! We'll be along about a week later.

Catfish ...

KTM 500 XCW, 5.3gal tank, Garmin 60CSx

Rocky, steps and ledges good....100-120miles good....prefer the dirt and singletracks.
I'll be happy with whatever you come up with

I'm planning on a 8am, non-hungover start from Lake Alpine. Barring any unforeseen "what could possibly go wrong" circumstances hope to be back to Lake Alpine in the neighborhood of 5pm!


Also have the Stanislaus Natl Forest map and might be able to score some of the MVUM from Calaveras Ranger Station on the way up.

thanks,
Phil

Ricky, On the trail down to Bear Vly Gas? A guy that lives by the heli pad seems to be involved in trails. I was in from Strawberry cutting two big logs last Saturday. Ran into a Don Ivan ride.

In other thread I mentioned that I just opened the old Hwy 4 dirt road up from 88 at stream crossing. The guy who started thread said it was an old log bridge. Makes sense, no concrete just big ditch.

I'm heading out to Colorado for the same ride as Phil. I'll try to make this en route as well. Probably ride my plated KTM 200 for this stuff. Guess I'm bringing two bikes then.

Dave

Cool! We'll take singletrack & route details to PMs (I prefer email).

Log ramp in photo is west of BV gas & east of Calaveras Dome. BV Helipad? Hmmm ...

Did you cut that BIG log that's been across 5N95 just north of the Stanislaus River, east of Beardsley Lake? YEAAA, if you did!

Up from 89. Cool. We'll have a look. I don't remember the creek crossing, but I'm sure we've done the road. We usually take the climb (just to the west of there) up to the top for the great view of the Kinneys.

Hauling your plated dirtbikes to Colorado also?!? Sounds like an EPIC ride!

Another for Lake Alpine! I'll add you to the pm for email addresses & details.

Catfish ...

On the maybe list maybe


monday or Tuesday for the day

Don't know Calaveras Dome. I went down over one on the first N/S trail west of BV.

This was two logs on very obscure trail only 2 Mi south of Strawberry. If it is the one on the road going down to the river on the north side, it was gone last year. On roads like that logs are gone when the first jeeps get there in spring.

Log bridge was on old dirt Hwy 4 2 Mi down the hill from Kinney Res. No one has been across it for at least 10 years. My friends did it in the 90s with 2 guys per bike. It is not rideable.

Question, do you ever use the single track that goes west from the jeep rd that goes from Caples Lake to Strawberry thru Buck Pasture?

I'm flying east for the next week and won't be online very much. Probably only via an ipod touch w wifi when I am. I'll catch up when I'm back home again.

Later,

Catfish ...

This sound like fun, I will try to make it Sunday and Monday.