DOWNIEVILLE!!

Discussion in 'Trailhead' started by mtbMike, Jun 10, 2018.


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Added to Calendar: 09-13-18, 09-14-18, 09-15-18, 09-16-18
  1. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Ride Name: DOWNIEVILLE!!
    When: Sept 13-16, 2018
    Time: 0900
    Where: Downieville
    Ride Description or Details:
    While there is theoretically something for every skill level up there, most of the rides up here are shuttle based so you need to factor those costs into your budget. Depending on what ride you do, you may only take one shuttle per day....or many people do two a day.

    There is a flow, there is chunk, there is exposure at times and there are hike a bikes for evdog on Mt Elwell. It all depends on the route chosen. For those of you in Wrightwood, think about the possibility of riding Leprechaun for 8-10 miles straight...or going down Boy Scout at 2-3X the speed!!

    ~~~~~ Optional Details ~~~~~
    Meet Location: Based on the fact that we're so geographically spread out, meeting in Downieville itself would make the most sense.

    What *we* do from San Diego is leave on Wednesday night to miss the LA traffic and then ride Thursday, Friday & Saturday before driving home Sunday. There are two shuttle companies up there running 4-6 shuttles per day to different drop off locations that you choose ahead of time.

    Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced, Storm Trooper, Suicidal
    Ride Pace: Moderate Pace
    Type of Ride: Out and Back, Point A to B Shuttle, Shuttle
    Rider Limit: 10+ per shuttle....
    Anticipated Mileage: 15 miles is the "standard" route I believe, 90% downhill
    Elevation Gain: Too route dependent to quantify
    Ride Duration: 2-3 hours but KOM is like 37 minutes I believe?
    Previous Ride Reports:
    Possible Bail-Outs: There are definitely easier routes to take but the only true bailout that I know about is at the bottom section where you can jump on a forest service road to avoid the last section of trail
    Facilities: Once on the trail, there are no bathrooms but there are river crossings for water if you need to filter some.
    Food/water suggestions: Downieville is a TINY town with just a few restaurants but all that I've ate at have been very good.
    Option to Upload:

    IMG_2883.JPG

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  2. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    So somebody at the Wrightwood ride was asking me about Downieville and I received a couple other questions vis PM when I posted my ride report from last year so I thought I'd post this ^^^ above. This is when I'm going back in 2018 and I have a place rented vis AirBnB in town. If anybody else is interested, the upper half of the duplex I'm staying in in currently available the same weekend. We've stayed her before so know it's a clean, comfortable place with a location you can easily walk to/from town. Here is the AirBnB link....https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6020502?location=Downieville, CA, United States&s=bHDYRN76&check_in=2018-09-13&guests=1&adults=1&check_out=2018-09-16 It's a one bedroom but the living room has a sofa that becomes a queen futon if I remember correctly so it *could* sleep 4 adults. In the lower unit, we bring an extra air mattress so people aren't sharing beds. This is literally the cheapest deal in town for a house/condo rental but there is one other that is reasonable but I'm not sure of it's availability at this point.

    I don't know where everybody else has ridden so it's hard to offer a comparison but you can tell from my photos that it's pretty much 100% thickly forested and immensely beautiful up there. Everybody has heard of the Downieville Classic so you can check rides out on Youtube. This is the "standard" route but as you work your way down, there are choices. There are other alternate route right off the top as well as shuttles to Mills Peak and Mt Elwell (which is where most of my photos are from) . That trail was tough. Tons of chunk and plenty of HAB but the views were so incredible, it was worth the pain. One of the other rides we did was off the SOT and led to brand new trail which was deeper in the backcountry where we saw a bear on the trail. He saw us, boogied down from a tree and took off but still cool nonetheless.

    Those are just the trails I've done so I'm no expert but I'd be glad to help any way I can. Just post up here or send me an PM if you have any questions. For those that want to camp, there is dry camping available and of course the river runs right thru town if you want to engage in any shenanigans down there. I'm not into fishing but apparently it's world class up there.
     
  3. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Worthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TFPU :thumbsup:
     
    mountaingirl sara, Danmtchl and Mikie like this.
  4. pperrelle

    pperrelle iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Oracle, AZ
    Name:
    Paul
    Current Bike:
    Ripley V4 & Ripmo V2
    This looks very worthy of a road trip!
     
  5. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    This is great, thanks Mike!
     
  6. ricke24

    ricke24 Member

    Location:
    La Habra
    Name:
    RickE
    Current Bike:
    2016 Santa Cruz 5010C
    This looks like an awesome ride! I wish I could join but that's the wifey's birthday weekend :unsure:
     
  7. HBkites

    HBkites Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Huntington Beach
    Name:
    Sharone
    Current Bike:
    Why S7, Revel Rascal, Spark RC
    I'm interested.
    I'll try to corral a minimal crew and make it happened.
     
  8. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Let me know if that materializes and you need more beds. There is ONE other place up there that is reasonably priced and has 4 separate beds (various types). I’m not sure it’s available when we’re going but I can look if you need more beds. I know with our group, dudes generally avoid sharing a bed
     
  9. kingaucho

    kingaucho Well-Known Member

    Location:
    South OC
    Name:
    Lubo
    Current Bike:
    Giant Anthem 29er
    Great riding up there for sure! Mills Peak is even better if you do an out and back and they extended the singletrack and it now bypasses the rocky fire road altogether. Great beer down the street at Brewing Layer in Blairsden, too! Here are some more pics from my ride up to Mills Peak. Downieville is obviously awesome! I am going to be in Truckee from 7/20-8/6 if anyone else happens to be there.

    Mills Peak is behind the sign! Looks like a long ways, but I think it was about 7-8 miles to get there.
    0C267C78-6B7A-4D2A-BB61-2C10E67B5090.jpeg

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    290F06E2-1246-46B1-B417-DFEFF9B99602.jpeg

    Fire lookout @ top of Mills Peak
    69944640-6546-4DAB-9C97-C818D8A8E027.jpeg

    Beers @ Brewing Lair
    122FD7E8-751B-404C-ACFE-05FD516CE116.jpeg
     
  10. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Dahhhh-HAAAAAMMMMM!
    @mtbMike !
    You know how to sell the FASHIZZLE Dood!

    I gotta figure out a way to make this happen!
    Never been to DOWNIEVILLE!

    Thanks for the post up!
    :)Mike
     
  11. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    That’s crazy as close are you are. I’m going to say that it’s in my top 3 favorite places I’ve ridden so far. Forest riding is my favorite anyway but add in 15 mile shuttle runs with a variety of routes in total backcountry and it doesn’t get much better. The town itself, while tiny, is pretty cool right on the river.

    IMG_2850.JPG
     
  12. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Here is the ONE other place that's actually in Downieville that is a decent deal for a group of guys that all want separate beds. It's $700 total for (3) nights and still available Sept 13-16. That works out to $175 per person. There's also the couch and room in the living room to throw an air mattress so I think you can get (6) in there easy. Check out the views from the deck in the attached link. Amazing views but you have to deal with 1980's decor. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/13714065?location=Downieville, CA&adults=4&children=0&infants=0&guests=4&check_in=2018-09-13&check_out=2018-09-16&s=jz-H8uhh
     
  13. doublewide

    doublewide iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Tallcan
    Last minute trip, headed there tomorrow morning.
     
  14. pdqmach26

    pdqmach26 Member

    Name:
    Bob
    You need to try the new Gold Rim Valley trail from the top of Packer Saddle. It drops you into Pauley or Big Boulder and gives you a 20+ mile ride back down to the city. Also, the new section on Mills Peak is sweet!
     
  15. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    We did that ride last year and came back via Boulder. Holy smokes that was cool. Kind of reminded me of dark Hollow above Brian Head in Utah but much faster. The best part was actually the deep backcountry stuff after leaving the legal SOT section.
     
  16. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Looks like I'd need to pack some fishing gear. :D
     
  17. HBkites

    HBkites Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Huntington Beach
    Name:
    Sharone
    Current Bike:
    Why S7, Revel Rascal, Spark RC
    Fishing?....... I thought you like snakes
     
  18. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I've been a fisherman for 46 years and counting.
     
  19. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Enjoy your trip. Aside from the 10 hour drive from Oceanside, I’m completely jealous. Everybody posting from there is raving about the conditions of the dirt
     
  20. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    There’s arsenic in dem’dar hills. If you ain’t in front of the conga line, you breathin’ toxins.
     
  21. pdqmach26

    pdqmach26 Member

    Name:
    Bob
    I rode their last weekend, and yes the dirt was great. It’s early right so a few more weeks will create a good amount of dust.

    Mid September is a good call, because they start getting random rain showers that really clean up the trails.
     
    mike, Danmtchl, Cyclotourist and 4 others like this.
  22. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Why you gotta be like dat? o_O:cautious::)
     
    MTBHotRod, SnakeCharmer, mike and 4 others like this.
  23. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    Because if I didn’t mention it, I’d be like Edward Scott Pruitt, and ain’t nothing good or healthy come about from that man.
     
    mike, Danmtchl, Cyclotourist and 5 others like this.
  24. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Despite Captain Arsenic’s statement.:rolleyes:
    If you only had time for 1 Epic trail to ride up there... which one would it be?

    And, if you were to do a 2nd Trail with a beginner, which trail would you take them on?

    Carry on Professor Poison!:cool:
     
  25. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Are you talking a beginner to D-Ville or a true beginner rider? If I could only do one ride up there, I’d do the standard shuttle which takes you down Sunrise to Butcher to 3rd Divide to 1st Divide. If you have a whole day (not that it takes ALL day), I suggest the Mills Peak shuttle which takes you to Mills Peak first, picks you up down at the bottom in Graeagle and then drops you at Packer Saddle on the way back do you can do the Downieville Classic run I described above.

    I’m no expert in the area but I don’t know of any true beginner trails up there, at least not off the shuttles. There was a trail I saw over in Graeagle that ran thru town that was a beginner trail. Beautiful area too...45 miles from Truckee. After looking on MTB Project, I see something called the Downie River Trail which is marked as beginner and 3.9 miles long.
     
    kioti, mike, Danmtchl and 3 others like this.
  26. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Well I was going to take Mrs. imtbtrails up there. She’s not a beginner, but she has no MTB fitness right now. She’s a fair weather rider, so kinda a date ride.

    For me? I like the chunk and technical, but also like fast and flow. I don’t think I will be able to make up there when you will be up there but I have the week before the 4th off and thought about taking Mrs. Watson up there to check it out. So if I had one day to ride..........
     
    kioti, mike, Danmtchl and 3 others like this.
  27. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    Well, you *could* do the Mills Peak shuttle I mentioned above (I edited my post by the way) and ride the Mills Peak portion with her. The top has a few rocky sections but the lower you go down, the easier it gets and ends up being a beginner flow trail. On the whole, the trail is Intermediate and she could walk the few spots she felt uncomfortable. As I mentioned, the shuttle then normally takes you to Packer Saddle to run the regular Downieville. You could just have your wife go back to town with the shuttle while you did the other ride.
     
    kioti, mike, Danmtchl and 3 others like this.
  28. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    I ain’t sayin’ I wouldn’t go, but i’d do my best to shred out front or hold a ripper’s wheel.
     
  29. littlewave

    littlewave Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Newport Beach
    Name:
    Brett
    Current Bike:
    GG Smash (Alu)
    Mikie, Danmtchl and DangerDirtyD like this.
  30. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    I just see the name "Sierra Fund" and immediately conjure up images of a group connected to the Sierra CLUB who would like nothing better than to find any reason to shut down recreational usage up there.
     
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