Manzanita 12/2

Ride Name: Manzanita 12/2
When: Saturday 12/2/17
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Where: Big Rock Creek Rd. at South Fork Campground Rd. south of Valyermo
Ride Description or Details:
3 mile paved climb to Fenner Cyn. Camp then 2 more hideous climbing miles to Hwy 2 at Vincent Gap. Then an out and back traversing Baden-Powell to the Vincent Mine. Back to the Gap and down Manzanita. Various types of rock gardens, exposed hard pack, switchbacks, some short climbs and lots of fun for 6 miles back to South Fork. May add on an out and back at the bottom on the Punchbowl trail. 14-20 miles depending on options.
~~~~~ Optional Details ~~~~~
Meet Location: Wide dirt shoulder off Big Rock Creek Rd. where it intersects with the dirt road to South Fork Campground. South of Pearblossom and Valyermo and east of Devil's Punchbowl.
Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Ride Pace: Social Cruise, Easy with Moments of Effort
Type of Ride: Loop
Rider Limit: None
Anticipated Mileage: 14-20
Elevation Gain: A Bunch
Ride Duration: 3-5 hrs.
Previous Ride Reports: Still too lazy to check
Possible Bail-Outs: You don't have to do extra credit add ons to Vincent Mine or the Punchbowl trail. Once you start down Manzanita there's no way out except the bottom trailhead at South Fork!
Facilities: Outhouses at Vincent Gap and South Fork. No water anywhere
Food/water suggestions: Lots of both. It's a tough trail that will work you! Temps in mid 50's to low 60's and it will be dry!
Option to Upload:

 

Hmm very interested. New dirt and @Maddog as a tour guide sounds pretty darn good. I'll check with the wife later tonight after she gets home from her stuuuuuupid PTA meeting.

 

I’m bummed again, just recovering from a solid week of sickness so I gotta work Saturday. Wanted to hit that all year and never got around to it. Ride it! It’s sweet!

 

Manzanita is the wildest trail I’ve ridden out there! More on the raw and untamed side than the others...

 

Perfect...

 

"South Fork"?

South fork of what?

 

Yeah, Manzanita is one of my favorites because it is hard.
Can' make it. Gotta work at noon fixing department store bike flat tires. Ha!

 

Big Rock Creek of course!

 

Yeah I've been meaning to ride it for months too but have passed it over in favor of the more accessible trails closer to Wrightwood. Too bad you got to play catch up at work! Maybe we'll do a shuttle from Blue Ridge before it snows!

 

I see. I am not sure that I have ever actually seen Big Rock creek. I believe that did hike down into Devil's Punchbowl once, though. How close did I get to the creek?

 

Could be a plan.

 

Manzanita Trail made me giggle like a school girl. Me likey.

 

@Maddog and @Voodoo Tom and @scan...
I’m in if you guys are.
My out of town cutting firewood trip this weekend fell through. And even though Manzanita is not my favorite trail, it’s new dirt for VT and possibly scan. Plus, I have not ridden with MD in quite a while and I’m going through 20/20 withdrawals!
Manzanita might be a hoot on the Hightower. Yes, I used the word “hoot”.

 

I may ride but the trails more east. less of a drive for me and showing a friend who has never ridden there. I did Manzanita once with Mad Dog and hillbilly ,shuttle.

 

20/20???

 

Referencing @Maddog 's avatar. C'mon man! Keep up! (Just like I yell at you on the trail! Oh! no he di'int!)

 

C'mon scan the man! It's only about 10 miles from Jackson Lake to the start of Manzanita! Or you could stay on 138 at the Hwy 2 junction and make a left at Pearblossom to avoid the windy mountain roads! Besides, you haven't really enjoyed Manzanita properly until you've partaken of that great climb past Fenner Cyn. Camp! It is truly a bucket list experience! If your friend is at least a solid intermediate, he/she can handle Manzanita!

 

Big Rock is a couple drainages southeast of the Punchbowl. The creek can run year round but in dry years it doesn't flow much past May. I think the trail from the Punchbowl to South Fork Campground is officially called the High Desert Recreational Trail and is roughly 6 miles one way.

 

Yeah and that little trail is flipping awesome!

 

@Mikie, it will be a different story on the Hightower I’m sure! Have fun BITCHES!

 

Umm forgot to reply back but... if you boys r goin then so am I.

 

Are we carpooling Tom? If so what time at your place?

 

According to my "subway" senses we should roll from here by 7:20...

 

10-4.......
See you then!

 

Aw, Shucks! I agreed to have my legs ripped off tomorrow on a death march. This sounds like fun!

 

See you at 9 boys!

 

@Maddog 20/20!
Where's the dang ride report! It's ride report worthy...
My legs are still talking to me!
I got picks to add to your verbiage...

Mike

 

Yeah it happened, blood proves it and rumor is some "legends" were on the trail. No pressure @Maddog just make them kids run some extra laps today in this wind while you work on the RR.

 

No pics, no ride report. Didn't happen...

 

Oh we got pics beeotch! Pics and some blood.