Bear Creek Adventure Date TBD - Possibly Memorial Day

HotRod, Randy, and one or two others of us are working on a plan to do a Bear Creek (Camp Nelson Area) one-day ride. We would plan to depart Castaic Sports Complex at 6:00AM, drive up and be on trail around 9:00AM and get back to SCV that evening. We will need to self-shuttle given the shuttle service there closed (I think). Would love to have Scotty, Doug, Mikie and anyone else that would like to join.

We are considering Memorial Day. If Memorial Day doesn't work, then we could consider another day Memorial Day weekend or possibly the the following weekend. Post and let me know if you are interested AND what dates work (and don't work) for you.

Here's a link to the Bear Creek trail:
<a class="postlink" href="http://sequoiamountainadventures.com/bear-creek-trail.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://sequoiamountainadventures.com/be ... trail.html</a>

And you can find ride reports on IMTBTRAILS in other threads. A big thanks to Mikie, Scotty and HotRod for introducing me to this amazing area.

Tony
AKAKTM

 

I would love to do it, but I can't Memorial Day, going to Tweety Lake. And then that weekend hitting Hurricane

 

See you Monday Mikie and HotRod...

 

Yeeeeeop!
I'm in on this one. Bear Creek Trail is hard to pass up! Awesome!
Mikie

 

Bitches!

 

Really? Bear creek trail? hmmmmm
asking for permission.... oh honeeeeeyyyy...

 

I wish I wish I hope...nope! I wish I wish

 

What is the weather like up there right now? How long is the ride? Sounds like there would be an odd man out if self shuttling. So does that mean more than one run?

 

Hey Tom the Bomb,
If I remember correctly this is a one run trail. The Shuttle point gets us to a 5 mile climb on singletrack then drops us on a long fast flowy with some chunk trail that drops back to Camp Nelson. If we do decide we still want more. We would need to drive back up to the trailhead and might do Camp Nelson Trail (that would be a big maybe).
Tony is running the show but I thought I would get you this info, cuz you be . . . Tom the Bomb!

Here is the Overview:
With a shuttle, the Bear Creek trail starts with a five-mile, 1,800' climb on Summit Trail to Slate Mountain. After the Bear Creek turn off, it's (almost) all downhill to Coy Flat (descent of ~4,000').
Typical ride time with shuttle: 3.5 to 5+ hours

Trail Description:

The shuttle route for the Bear Creek trail starts from essentially the same place as Camp Nelson, but in the opposite direction, on Summit Trail toward Slate Mountain. The climb is fairly steep and takes most riders between 1.5-3 hours to reach the top of the climb, just below 9,000'. The descent to the Bear Creek crossing is about 15-20 minutes of fast and smooth singletrack in the high-country.
After crossing the creek, a short climb puts you at the top of the downhill. From here to Coy flat, the terrain will change so many times you won't believe you're on the same trail. From ridgeline, to sequoia groves, to fast and twisty berms, then to a younger part of the forest, and when you round a corner, it changes to an exposed traverse through some amazing manzanita. With all this change in topography, Bear Creek is the longest, steepest, most strenuous and technical trail in the area, which also makes it the most fun.

 

Bear Creek is worth the drive because it is an awesome, awesome experience! Just beautiful, and I wish I was going!

 

So If you are self shuttling you need 2 cars. How long is the shuttle drive?

 

So sorry TOM!
I just read this post this morning! This Thread does not really reflect what is going on. I think there is like 4 maybe 5 vehicles going with a guesstimate of 8 people. I'm in the backseat on this one and just along for the ride. If I remember correctly the shuttle is like 1 hour, one way.

Tom! This does not have to be the only trip up there for new dirt. I would be honored to escort the Bomb Squad up there in the very near future my brothah!

 

Tom this ride is your kind of a ride. Surprised you have not done it. Camping at Quaking Aspen Campground makes for a nice weekend as there at least 4 rides that leave from that campground.

Dean

 

Thanks Guys. I did Nelson and a couple others about 20 years ago. At that time there were no features to speak of. Did not do the shuttle ride described above though. Must be time to make a visit. Looking forward to the RR.

 

Are the BITCHES back yet? :lol:

 

Nope! Still on the road. Your jealous anger is showing... :roll:
If it helps we had an awesome day! Trail was in prime condition less several down trees.
Ran into jfsh up there as well. They ended up doing Bear Creek behind us.

 

What? Not jealous, or angry. That is a stupid trail anyway!

 

I really wanted to go with you guys, and I really didn't want the 10 hour commute to go with it (2hr to the sports complex, then the 3hr drive to the location). Seeing that you guys were still coming back only a few hours ago... yowch. I have chosen wisely (although I'm sure I'll have some remorse when I see the ride report come in). The wife also appreciates my choice in this matter, which is always a good thing.

 

@cougar,
If you like epic scenery, trail, company, super steep, crazy twisty, rocky and downed tree jumping, super loamy tacky epic trail riding, than you are going to definitely regret not going... But as you can see... hill^billy has been there and hates the stoopid trail... So you didn't miss a thing... :roll:
We had 14 people go so we could easily tighten up the ride time....

 

14!!

 

Thats what kept me out also. But if an overniter trip get planned, I'd be up for it. Spent a coupla days up there last year with Mikie and a few others, great trails.
.

 

Sorry Scottay, you guys missed out on a fantastic ride, epic scenery and a great meal after. It was six hours of driving, but worth it for such a ride and worth it to hang out with awesome friends!

 

Well now you're just rubbing it in and trying to make me feel bad! :lol:

Make it an overniter next time so the poor folks who have to work the nite before can get some good rest!

( I see a caravan of motorcoaches....)

 

With such a large group you'd think that there would be a lot of time issues. Riding time was only 2 1/2 hours and total time on trail 3 1/2 hrs. Only 2 flats (Mikie) and no mechanicals. The group consisted of 14 solid riders with not much waiting time for the slowest rider. It was an awesome day with epic dirt, good company and great weather. The one thing that was obvious was that the trail is getting very little use. I'm assuming that since the shuttle has stopped running the trail is not getting much traffic. The only thing I wish was that we had another day to hit Freeman Trail and Camp Nelson Trail.

 

I'm good all weekend over Memorial Day weekend. I have an element with a rack that can fit 4 bikes.

 

Hey Bud, this ride invite was posted in 2015, we are both a bit late.