Carson/Reno off-road info needed

[kdxkawboy]

For the XR, for a challenge, come back down to Gardnerville and head out Pine Nut Road, its at the south end of town at the lighted intersection with the 7-11. Turn east on the road and follow it on out. As Pine Nut Raod skirts the north side of the dump it goes through a little draw. As it breaks out of the draw you'll see a small cluster of homes to the south side of the road. About a half mile short of these homes there will be a singular Pinion Pine on the right side at the entrance to what looks like a parking are for mountain bikes/dirt bikes.

Turn right and follow this road on out the ridge line. It circles back to your left, around the homes like a big horse shoe. At the other end of the shoe, you see a single track trail bend off to the right, GRAB IT! This is the start of Jesse's Trail, one of the finest peices of technical single track you could enjoy. There is a rat's nest of interesting single track trails running through this area. You can spend the day just taking any fork in the trail knowing it all runs back on its self sooner or latter.

By now, I expect you can get out Sunrise Pass as far as the El Dorado Canyon Road and there are several great single track trails that run between Brunswick and El Dorado Canyon. And between Brunswick and the Carson River its another rat's nest of single tracks. Easiest way to get into this good stuff is follow Sunrise Canyon Road out past the first ridge line east of Johnson Lane. As you drop down the east side of this ridge line start looking for the first well used sand wash bearing off to your left. This is the high speed end, but do not enter the wash here, stay on Sunrise. Sunrise will slowly climb towards the entrance to Sunrise Pass, about two miles short of this, the road crests a rise with a sudden surprise hard left hand down to a hard right and across a flat. To your left you will see white trach trailer garbage and look further left and you'll see a dirt road heading north. Take this road and see if you can find your way back to that sandwash. If you do you wil lbe running Sunday's second special test from the old Carson Valley Qualifier.

At the same time, if you do not turn off here, but keep heading up to the mouth of the pass, you will go past the Brunswick Canyon Road going off to the north. There is also several dirt roads heading off to the south. Head down this road and keep taking the trail heading south and you will run into another rat's nest of single tracks. Some of the best, technicle sand washes are out in this area.

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by thebeeez

Take a look to see if there are trails off the road that follows the Walker River north of Yerington - it gets pretty remote back in there.

The dirt roads are still there to let ride between Schurz and Yerington, but you are missing the much better part by not following the two forks of the Walker back towards the Sierras. The west fork runs from Bridgeport out into the Pine Grove Flats south of Yerington and the east fork runs from Topaz Lake into the east fork just beyond Wilson Canyon. Head south out of the Flats and you reach the back door into the old Aurora/Bodie Mining District.

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by JimC

Hey CJ,

I was thinking about the Mt Patterson loop as well, I was telling Chris about it on the way back from Ballerat.
Jim

Jim,
It may be well into July before the snow has thawed enough from the summits on the Patterson loop. I was out there a couple of weekends ago and couldn't get up Bricham Flat Road to the Lobdell Lake turnoff.

[luv2lean]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

For the XR, for a challenge, come back down to Gardnerville and head out Pine Nut Road, .

That's the area I was talking about - great twisty little single track in the desert. But not a real big area from what I recall. Are there any dirt roads linking this area to other riding areas?


[/quote]By now, I expect you can get out Sunrise Pass as far as the El Dorado Canyon Road and there are several great single track trails that run between Brunswick and El Dorado Canyon. .[/quote]

How far is this from Pine Nut Rd??

Thanks

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

I just found this map of old Reno 200 routes from the Dustdevils. Looks like the route to Doyle and possibly the Virginia City loop may be out of the snow. Anybody know these trails? GPS info? Is this all public access?

I know the routes quite well as I've riden the Reno 200 more often than not. Its all public access. The Doyle loop is mostly soft, sandy roads, what isn't is split between high speed dirt roads and roads with lots of loose rocks. The Sierraville loop is mostly forest roads with some sections of single track. The VC loop is all technical two track, most of it being technical because of the abundance of rocks of every type. The Doyle and Sierraville loops have alternated as the Saturday loop while VC has been the shorter, Sunday loop.

For GPS info, I'd try contacting the Dust Devils. I believe they had the GPS data for last year's event. These are good folks.

[bigdog99]

I might as well add my $.02. If you go through the pass from Smith Valley (east of Topaz and Wellington) towards Yerington, then bear off to the right to take the back road into Yerington from the south, the road goes east, then makes a 90 left to head directly for yerington. If you keep your eyes to the right there is a small unmarked dirt road that follows a fenceline due east. It proceeds through a wash after a mile or two and then hooks up with a powerline road that ultimately comes out on Hwy 95 about 20 miles north of Hawthorne. I road my GS on a bunch of jeep trails and washes in that area about 10 years ago. Seemed like there were a lot more trails to ride back then.

There used to be a lot of trails just south of the Smith Valley, in fact a couple of bitchin canyon loops, but I had heard some of it might be closed. Last time I rode from Wellington to Bridgeport (last fall), there were still quite a few marked dirt roads heading east though.

Our RCB GS campout of a few years ago went through Risue, down to Sweetwater, then up an unmarked jeep trail into Masonic, over the top of a hill to Bodie and back out towards Virginia Lakes. Day 2 went to top of Mt. Patterson. We had about 7 beemers, one of the best rides we've ever had. I remember seeing a full on side view of Bechtold's GS about midway down the gnarliest downhill. He saved it somehow.

KTM Dave still has a roll chart for some trails in the PineNut Mts.

Hey CJ, you didn't use the same mechanic to fix your transmission the second time, did you? Must be the same guy that forgot to tighten Bechtold's lug nuts...

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

That's the area I was talking about - great twisty little single track in the desert. But not a real big area from what I recall. Are there any dirt roads linking this area to other riding areas?

By now, I expect you can get out Sunrise Pass as far as the El Dorado Canyon Road and there are several great single track trails that run between Brunswick and El Dorado Canyon. .[/quote]
How far is this from Pine Nut Rd??

Thanks[/quote]
Among local riders for hundreds of miles around the Pine Nuts are considered to have some of the best trails, anywhere. The Pine Nuts is a large island of public land and there might be a couple 1000 miles of single track hidden out there, a trail network that goes back to the On Any Sunday days. The old Carson Valley Qualifier was two days of 200 miles a day, 400 miles of trails and they mostly stayed in the area between Sunrise Pass and the Carson River and used maybe a third of what is in just that area. In the area south of Pine Nut Road I could show you eight different 40+ mile loops. In between these northern and southern riding areas are several hundred miles more single track hidden. And then there are the several 100 miles of dirt roads as well.

From Pine Nut Road back up to Sunrise Pass is about 15 miles running from south to north. The Brunswick Canyon Road is about 10-12 miles out from the end of Johnson Lane and I think the El Dorado Canyon fork is about 8-10 miles further up Sunrise Pass. Brunswick Canyon comes out on the Carson River just east of Deer Run Road on the east side of Carson City. El Dorado Canyon comes out in Dayton. From there, if you want the rugged route to VC you head up the Sutro Tunnel trail else you head west on 50 until reaching Moundhouse before looking for a dirt road up to American Flats.

[luv2lean]

[/quote]
Among local riders for hundreds of miles around the Pine Nuts are considered to have some of the best trails, anywhere. The Pine Nuts is a large island of public land and there might be a couple 1000 miles of single track hidden out there, a trail network that goes back to the On Any Sunday days. The old Carson Valley Qualifier was two days of 200 miles a day, 400 miles of trails and they mostly stayed in the area between Sunrise Pass and the Carson River and used maybe a third of what is in just that area. In the area south of Pine Nut Road I could show you eight different 40+ mile loops. In between these northern and southern riding areas are several hundred miles more single track hidden. And then there are the several 100 miles of dirt roads as well.

From Pine Nut Road back up to Sunrise Pass is about 15 miles running from south to north. The Brunswick Canyon Road is about 10-12 miles out from the end of Johnson Lane and I think the El Dorado Canyon fork is about 8-10 miles further up Sunrise Pass. Brunswick Canyon comes out on the Carson River just east of Deer Run Road on the east side of Carson City. El Dorado Canyon comes out in Dayton. From there, if you want the rugged route to VC you head up the Sutro Tunnel trail else you head west on 50 until reaching Moundhouse before looking for a dirt road up to American Flats.[/quote]



You da man - Lots of good info. I sure would like to get together and ride some of these trails.

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by bigdog99

There used to be a lot of trails just south of the Smith Valley, in fact a couple of bitchin canyon loops, but I had heard some of it might be closed. Last time I rode from Wellington to Bridgeport (last fall), there were still quite a few marked dirt roads heading east though.

Our RCB GS campout of a few years ago went through Risue, down to Sweetwater, then up an unmarked jeep trail into Masonic, over the top of a hill to Bodie

In the Wilson Canyon area I lot of the single track has been closed, but that is the extent of what has been closed. The unmarked jeep trail you mentioned is actually the historic Masonic/Bodie stage road. The dirt road from the Wellington/Bridgeport highway along the Walker is also a historic stage road that followed the Walker towards the then non-existent Yerington with the stage station at Weeks for the goal - from here they could catch the east-west routes.

Just past upper Masonic you hit a fork. The road to Bodie is left fork. The right fork goes over the hill back to the highway. Before it starts the drop back down it goes pass Chemung Mine, a most interesting place to root around.

[luv2lean]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

In the Wilson Canyon area I lot of the single track has been closed, but that is the extent of what has been closed. The unmarked jeep trail you mentioned is actually the historic Masonic/Bodie stage road. The dirt road from the Wellington/Bridgeport highway along the Walker is also a historic stage road that followed the Walker towards the then non-existent Yerington with the stage station at Weeks for the goal - from here they could catch the east-west routes.

Just past upper Masonic you hit a fork. The road to Bodie is left fork. The right fork goes over the hill back to the highway. Before it starts the drop back down it goes pass Chemung Mine, a most interesting place to root around.

Sounds like I need to spend at least a week over there exploring!

[kdxkawboy]

You da man - Lots of good info. I sure would like to get together and ride some of these trails.

Through the summer that could happen most any weekend. I'm going to be out there to lay out a geocacheing event for this fall.

[ktmnate]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

OK James!, thats 2 of us, now we need somebody that knows the area to lead or give us some routes. I had so much fun in ballarat last weekend I sure like to get back out in the desert before it gets too hot and dry

Make that two 640 Adventures.

[luv2lean]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

Through the summer that could happen most any weekend. I'm going to be out there to lay out a geocacheing event for this fall.

Kawboy - Just let me know when you are available. The sooner the better before it gets too dry.
Thanks!

[Towpilot]

Among local riders for hundreds of miles around the Pine Nuts are considered to have some of the best trails, anywhere.

I've flown sailplanes for years over the pinenuts, patterson & beyond, and I've always wanted to ride there. Now I finally have the right bike and the time, & Im just waiting for the weather to break. What about the range west of mt Grant & east of patterson? I think it's the pine grove range, above Hilton's ranch. Lots of trails there. What about riding Mt Grant?
Is there snow on the south end of the pinenuts now?

-Dan

[Gorilla King]

This thread is starting to piss me off.
My wife thinks two bikes are enough and I should sell a bike before buying a dual sport.

... sigh....guess I'll start advertising the R bike in the local papers...

[sacto929]

Hey L2L--

I'm heading out to Walker River Resort (Smith, NV) this weekend with some co-workers for 2.5 days of dirt riding and ghost town / old mine touring. I'll have the BRP and one other will be on his plated Husaberg, the rest will be on quads. The guy who's putting the trip together is into the geocaching thing and has a whole bunch of topo maps of the area. I'll try to take some good notes!

BTW, we're heading up on Friday, then planning on a long (100+ mile) day on Saturday. I'm sure we could arrange a place for you to crash if you want to head up for some reconoiter.

Let me know,

Charlie

[MotoTaur]

L2L,
I'd be interested in doing a ride based out of Gardnerville, my parents live about 3/4 mi from the trailhead with plenty of room for parking and room to stay there. Let me know when you're going up. What do you say Santa? you up for it?
Bob

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

Kawboy - Just let me know when you are available. The sooner the better before it gets too dry.
Thanks!

After last night it will be awhile before things dry out, they got another foot of snow up on the Sierras. I sit at a about 4700' looking up at 9000' mountain peaks and they are still snow covered from 7000' on up. In a normal winter I can ride up to the top of the Pine Nuts by Easter week, this year that day is still about 2-3 weeks off.

I've got the Sheetiron ride coming up on the 21st and plan to spend this weekend on final prep, mostly getting my old '66 K10 ready for the run over the hill, but we could make it happen Memorial weekend or one of the first two weekends in June.

[luv2lean]

Originally Posted by Gorilla King

My wife thinks two bikes are enough and I should sell a bike before buying a dual sport.

Whats with that??

[Gorilla King]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

Whats with that??

Shrug...she calls it fiscal responsibility for the retired or something like that....like at my age, I'm going to be all worried about running out of money in thirty years.

[luv2lean]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

After last night it will be awhile before things dry out, they got another foot of snow up on the Sierras. I sit at a about 4700' looking up at 9000' mountain peaks and they are still snow covered from 7000' on up. In a normal winter I can ride up to the top of the Pine Nuts by Easter week, this year that day is still about 2-3 weeks off.

I've got the Sheetiron ride coming up on the 21st and plan to spend this weekend on final prep, mostly getting my old '66 K10 ready for the run over the hill, but we could make it happen Memorial weekend or one of the first two weekends in June.

Let me know what fits your schedule. Whats the lower elevation riding conditions over there now? Did you get much rain this past week? Isnt most of the riding off Pine Nut Rd clear of snow?

I know my way to the staging area off Pine Nut Rd and a few of the trails if anybody wants to go exploring sooner. I can truck the XR650 over on weekends -- or a weekday if the conditions are good enough.

Kawboy - I would also be interested in a multi-day ride of exploring trails on the GS, like the verdi to Doyle Reno 200 route and black rock desert, when conditions permit.

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

Let me know what fits your schedule. Whats the lower elevation riding conditions over there now? Did you get much rain this past week? Isnt most of the riding off Pine Nut Rd clear of snow?

I won't be going anywhere for the three weekends after the Sheetiron so any of those fit my shcedule. If folks have plans for Memorial weekend lets shoot for the first weekend of June.

I rode to work in the rain twice last week and again on Monday. The mountains have yet to dry out from winter. It was about two weeks short of the upper Brunswick Canyon Road being clear of mud and snow and that was about the time the last this last four weeks of winter hit. The peaks at the southern end of the Pine Nuts are still snow covered down to the 8000' level. That still leaves a lot of the riding open.

Once the snow clears from the southern end, there is a good ride that goes over the top, goes down the other side hitting the pavement a few miles short of Wellington where you pick up the next dirt road that runs you down to Risue Pass and the Sweetwaters, which leads to another short sprint of pavement before you hit one of the dirt roads that run out in the Masonic/Pine Groove/Aurora/Bodie area.

For a day's ride in the Pine Nuts usually I start at the southern end and work my way over to Johnson Lane or Carson City or Dayton for the mid-day gas stop and then work my way back. For rides into the Sweetwater and Bodie area the pavement is limited to no more than a short twenty mile sprint down to Topaz then spending the rest of the day in the dirt and coming back onto 395 to catch a Walker Burger and make it back to the Carson Valley just as the sun dips behind the Sierras, usually making for only 60 miles of pavement in a 250 mile day. When playing guide I use the first 10 miles or so of dirt to figure the mix of abilities I have and then I use my intimate knowledge of area to pull together a ride that is fun for everyone.

I'll start figuring out a multiday loop for the big dualies out north of Reno. Are we talking about a GS with knobs or slicks? How challenging of a off road riding experience do you like with your GS?

[JimC]

Hi Kawboy,

I would sure appreciate it if you could target the second weekend in June for the ride. There are several of us that ride with L2L that are working the RCB track day the first weekend of June that would love to participate in this adventure.

Thanks,
Jim in Sacramento

[luv2lean]

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

I won't be going anywhere for the three weekends after the Sheetiron so any of those fit my shcedule. If folks have plans for Memorial weekend lets shoot for the first weekend of June.

I rode to work in the rain twice last week and again on Monday. The mountains have yet to dry out from winter. It was about two weeks short of the upper Brunswick Canyon Road being clear of mud and snow and that was about the time the last this last four weeks of winter hit. The peaks at the southern end of the Pine Nuts are still snow covered down to the 8000' level. That still leaves a lot of the riding open.

I'll make any of those dates work - up to you

.

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

Once the snow clears from the southern end, there is a good ride that goes over the top, goes down the other side hitting the pavement a few miles short of Wellington where you pick up the next dirt road that runs you down to Risue Pass and the Sweetwaters, which leads to another short sprint of pavement before you hit one of the dirt roads that run out in the Masonic/Pine Groove/Aurora/Bodie area.

For a day's ride in the Pine Nuts usually I start at the southern end and work my way over to Johnson Lane or Carson City or Dayton for the mid-day gas stop and then work my way back. For rides into the Sweetwater and Bodie area the pavement is limited to no more than a short twenty mile sprint down to Topaz then spending the rest of the day in the dirt and coming back onto 395 to catch a Walker Burger and make it back to the Carson Valley just as the sun dips behind the Sierras, usually making for only 60 miles of pavement in a 250 mile day. When playing guide I use the first 10 miles or so of dirt to figure the mix of abilities I have and then I use my intimate knowledge of area to pull together a ride that is fun for everyone.

Great info. Thanks

.

Originally Posted by kdxkawboy

I'll start figuring out a multiday loop for the big dualies out north of Reno. Are we talking about a GS with knobs or slicks? How challenging of a off road riding experience do you like with your GS?

I'll ride the R100GS or possibly the KTM950, and challenge is good.

[kdxkawboy]

Originally Posted by luv2lean

I'll make any of those dates work - up to you

Okay, lets put out the dates: its either the the weekend of the 4 June or 11 June. We have two don't care and one for the 11th. Folks can chime in for which one works best and we can go with the weekend that serves most the best. ANd then we can go from there to fill in the rest of the details.

I'll ride the R100GS or possibly the KTM950, and challenge is good.

Okie Dokie.

[White Knuckles]

L2L, I can't really tell from this thread, but if you want some dirt riding near Reno right now, GS or DS, the area north of Reno is BLM land and lots of Californians tow their RVs up there, camp for the weekend (or week) and ride around. There are dirt roads, two-tracks, and single tracks. The Dust Devils use this area for the Sunday part of the Ride Reno 200. It's easy to get to: go north on 395 from Reno, exit at Golden Valley, left on Estates. Estates turns to dirt after a couple of miles.



You can ride all day up there.