Bear Creek / Camp Nelson Trail

Ride Name: Bear Creek / Camp Nelson Trail
When: To Be Determined
Time: To Be Determined
Where: Up near Porterville
Ride Description or Details:
Shuttle Ride due to Point to Point.
This is another Epic ride in High Sierra's with Humongous Red Wood Trees. Bear Creek is a mucho classic starting at just over 7,ooo feet and peaking just under 9,000 feet in elevation. A 5-1/2 mile climb with a 7 mile semi technical descent several thousand feet. Camp Nelson is another trail we will shuttle that is full on river bed rocky technical that even finishes with the trail going through a live redwood.
~~~~~ Optional Details ~~~~~
Meet Location: To be discussed for van pool opportunities
Skill Level: Advanced
Ride Pace: Moderate Pace, Fast Pace
Type of Ride: Point A to B Shuttle
Rider Limit: 10 due to the diversity of the trail and ride disstance
Anticipated Mileage: 12 for Bear Creek
Elevation Gain: Estimated 2500 feet of gain
Ride Duration: 3 to 4 hours depending on breaks
Previous Ride Reports: http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/rr-bear-creek-trail-ride-report-2-with-video.2605/
Possible Bail-Outs: None. Finish or die dammit!
Facilities: Thousands of National Forest Acreage
Food/water suggestions: As always, a 100 ounce Camelbak using Tailwinds, a water bottle and a food bar
Option to Upload:

 

If you go to my previous Ride Report, the video is down cuz I forgot to pay my Vimeo bill. Oops! Be up later today.
Would like to discuss a date we could get together and ride this. It is worth the drive. <--Mikie Watson Trail Event Guarantee!

 

Anything at +7k' sounds idyllic!

Subscribed.

 

Any info on what kind of shape it's in, did it not become off limits? Hoping I'm wrong!

 

Snow till sometime in July???

 

Overniter or kamakaze run?
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I'm in unless there's an unavoidable conflict.

 

Erin Carroll did a bikepack up there a couple weekends ago. From his TR it sounds like Bear Creek is in kinda rough shape (downed trees, general winter damage) but Nelson is ok. I imagine Summit Tr north of Quaking aspen is in rough shape too. It was hard to follow even when Jeff had it in good shape.

http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/routes/kern-plateau-(southern-sierras)/40/

I'm interested depending when you guys decide to go. I'd have to make it a 3 day weekend coming from SD.

 

I was up near Freeman Creek two weeks ago and I saw no snow. This is near Camp Nelson.

 

Been trying to contact @jfsh to find out some facts. It's been a week or two with no word. He cleaned it up last time.
I will continue to try and contact Jeff.

Thinking a Kamikaze Run.

 

I will need more, depending on what transpires, I will bring the house.

 

Interested! If you guys decide on a weekend, then hopefully I'll have enough time to request a Saturday vacation day.

 

Interested

 

Wow, no snow!?!?

 

Definitely interested!

 

Do I really need to respond...?

 

I'd be interested depending on the day

 

I guarantee you will have enough time to deal with "Richard C."...

 

I am in just don't schedule it on 1st weekend in Aug! Overnight for me or weekend. If you have room Doug I will shack up with you.

 

Another request for HillyBilly accommodations if this goes down for the weekend or multi day trip.
/
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I'm in. Making it a weekend trip. Possibly 3 days.

 

Count me in too.

 

Count me in!! I'd probably stay the night at Quaking Aspen.

 

...frowned upon!

I'm out for this one unless there is a miracle or very specific catastrophe on the home front.

 

I'm interested depending on timing and just how "advanced" this trail is. Mikies mention of advanced has my attention. I am not near as good as many of you on the techie stuff so not sure how gnarly this ride is. I've done Cannell several times and SART but for anyone here who has ridden it (and/or with me) please feel free to post up if I'd be in over my head. I have a day job ;-) I'd take the Spark over the HT and at least have a little suspension. Be curious what Jeff has to say about conditions too seeing as he lives up there...

 

My main take away from Camp Nelson when I rode it in 2012 is that it is not overly steep in any one section, but it has a noteworthy downhill grade that wears out your arms over the 6-7 miles it descends. If you attempt the extra curricular features (some natural and some built) along the single track, there is risk of catastrophe, but none of the "advanced" features were mandatory in 2012. The redwood tunnel is a sweet spot for a group photo. If you have time, camp at Belknap campground and pitch a tent under redwood canopy. Quaking aspen should still be green unless ya'll wait until September, during which the gold hue would make Robert Frost pitch a tent. See what I did there; props to Dorcas Good, my 8th grade English teacher.

 

Thanks Dennis I liked the Frost reference ;-)

 

I think that a trail update will detemine alot for me, bear Creek is an awsome back country trail, but if no one is riding it anymore than it could be undesirable, and our winter was epic! I'm hoping for a trail update.

 

Hmmm, timing is everything.

 

@evdog ...
Could you break out the BRAAAAP SIGNAL and shine it up over the skies of Kernville to attract a response from @jfsh in regards to Bear Creek / Camp Nelson Trail conditions?