Too cold to ride Skyline in Big Bear next week?

I am lining up a ride on Monday 12/4 to try Skyline in Big Bear. I have not done the trail before and now I am seeing a little snow in the forecast. Do you guys think the trail will still be manageable, or should I put this on the calendar in the Spring?

I am finally feeling strong enough to get up to the top and I want to see some pine trees.

 

If it's just pine trees you want (or any conifer) then you can ride up Skyline and take Main Divide over to Eagle Rd and see plenty of that...

 

Thanks for that. I actually told @jaime that if the weather does not participate that we would do Skyline to Eagle Rd.

 

I’d add Trabuco... I love coming back down through the trees. Some of the best forested areas of the Santa Anas.

Too cold for me in Big Bear!

 

Maybe we start at Skyline and then get picked up at your place Steve. haha. Neither of us are ready for epic distances, but my goal is to get there in 2018.

 

Yeah... That's a long one. The HJ - Trabuco loop is only 17 miles if you drive to the trailhead and skip the wash.

 

Hmmm... Maybe I can start my own shuttle service on this end of the mountain!

Except I wouldn't charge... And it's only for forum members.

 

But they're on the Corona side...

 

I cross over from OC to IE and back all the time.

 

Yes, but you're.....different.

 

Looking at the forecast, Friday is the last day before your window closes. Sat is iffy, then beyond that you're into winter!

 

Friday I will be doing a large-ish ride...

 

That is what I am worrying about. I will probably keep extending my Corona rides and be strong for Big Bear in the spring...

 

Maybe SART will be fine.....

 

I was up there last Sunday (Nov. 19) and there wasn't a speck of snow or ice except the piles that the ski areas were trying to make when the temps allowed. It was sunny and pleasant - about 60° - but dipped in a hurry when the sun went down to 40°. I do not see any real snow in the forecast, but Monday Dec. 4 the high temp is predicted to be 45° - so that's a little chilly. Snow on the trail won't be an issue. They are predicting "snow showers" possible on Saturday and Sunday, but I imagine that means no real accumulation.

Buck up buttercups and go get it!

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-116.93612570800782&lat=34.23684770657459#.Wh1iprQ-eCU

 

If you have cool weather cycling attire and you do a late morning ride in clear weather conditions, you will be fine. It's not that cold up there yet.

 

Oh? Want to try something new?

 

Maybe watch the weather and switch to SART if it looks bad the night before? Anything above 45 is good for me in normal clothing on the MTB, above 50 is comfortable. LLPoolJ and I did a short XC at Skypark a couple of weeks ago and it started at 30, that was cold (but warmed up later in the morning).

That was going to be my suggestion.

 

Depends on what you have in mind.

 

Per the Rossage:

http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Jack_London/To_Build_a_Fire/To_Build_a_Fire_p1.html

 

Looks nice and cold! Wear some wool and shred!

 

No bad days, just bad gear. Get it before it's covered by snow.
Best time to ride is on the edge of the weather.

 

I rode the same day as Chris, just earlier. Started in the mid 20's and finished around 10:30am and it was just at 50°. I was glad I had leggings and a beanie. I peeled my lightweight windbreaker off about mid-way but kept my long sleeves on. With no wind it was almost warm in the sunny areas. It is spectacular up there right now and zero crowds. I only saw one other rider during my trek. With as warm as the days are predicted to be, I don't see the snow sticking around except in the super shady areas. If it is windy, throw everything out the window.

 

I saw a pine tree today!

 

Hey... That looks familiar.

If you hang a right and climb for another 3-4 miles, there are more trees just before Pleasants Peak.

 

My next attempt will be to continue on to Eagle Road. My mind is already telling me no, but the mileage is not really that much farther.

 

Just pace yourself and have fun! Beeks to Hagador is the ball buster and then it gets a lot easier. I have to break that section down mentally...

Some of the downhills on Main Divide are loose and fun... There are also several extra credit single tracks off of Pleasants Peak, but I probably wouldn't do them alone. We did the one that drops back close to the gate recently, and it was a controlled slide through deep scree the whole way. I don't think my tire made two revolutions the whole way down...

 

That was such an awesome descent.

 

It looks like the highs in Big Bear this weekend will be pretty nice, so I am thinking about riding Skyline. Has anyone ridden it recently? Is it is in good shape, i.e. not covered in snow or muddy?

 

No rain yet to do that and it holds up well in the rain.