Trail Guide - First Ride San Juan Shuttle

We took few friends from West Covina, LA and San Diego to ride San Juan for the first time. They are so stoked!

We had 12 riders of new and old friends. Shuttle wasn't that easy coz we weren't able to get in to Lower SJT due to huge tree was blocking the road.

All in all, we had a great time!

I hope you guys enjoy the video

Happy trail! ☺️

 

Glad you guys had fun and no injuries!

42 minutes is loooong. I skipped around.

 

We just might be doing the same this weekend with these high temps. For anybody that likes riding down the SJT, do yourself a favor and spend a day with Mt Wilson shuttles. Finishing your day on a 12 mile DH run of Mt Lowe, Middle Merrill and Sunset Ridge will blow your mind.

 

TFPU!

Shuttle wasn’t that easy...LOL!!!!!!!!!

 

And don’t forget to use a bell! Pleeeze!

 

nice video... this trail is on my must ride list. hoping to get up there soon if the fire doesnt take it first.

 

I always do on fast trails like these with blind corners. I get told "thank you for using a bell" by multiple people on every ride up there. Many people complain about the hikers but 98% of them have already moved aside long before I see them because they hear that bell coming

 

I have to agree.. mt wilson is pretty awesome...

 

San juan feels like two distinct sections..while mt wilson just takes u on varied single tracks that seem to last forever...

 

I personally don't think SJT should be shuttled. It's not a terribly difficult climb, and that's from someone who hates to climb. I'm not a fan of shuttling crowded, two-way, multi-use trails for the sake of a DH run. Shuttling a point-to-point like Palm Canyon or Kokopelli is essential, and does not pit DHers against hikers and other riders. Shuttling pure DH runs like Telonics or Skidmarx also makes sense, and does not create a conflict for trail users (except anyone disoriented enough to hike a designated DH mtb trail).

That said, if the DH shuttlers are respectful and don't dress like stormtroopers, they would be indistinguishable from a rider who just turned around to ride down. There is no need for a DH bike, full face, goggles and full body armor for a ride down San Juan.

Be cool to others out there my brothers and sisters! And for deity's sake, use an awareness bell. It's amazing how they calm the jittery nerves of hikers who are typically off the trail by the time you even see them!

 

I've never seen anybody riding SJT in a full face or on a DH bike but we only ride it 3-4 times a year. We climb when it's cooler but shuttle when people are short on time or it's crazy hot. For the 1st several years we rode it, I didn't even know you *could* shuttle it. Oh and @Sidewalk would disagree that shuttling Palm Canyon is a "necessity"

 

My first 5 or 6 times down it, I neither climbed it nor shuttled it.

I've seen the occasional full face helmet out there. I don't think I've ever seen a DH bike, though... But I have seen DH bikes at the luge! And more recently, e-bikes galore.

 

I guess it's all that OC money. I've seen a total of maybe 6-7 e-bikes total on trails and (4) of them were being PUSHED up the SJT on two different rides up there. With SJT technically being National Forest, shouldn't e-bikes be illegal there?

 

Good common sense, TFPU. Sadly, lost on the entitled.

 

Yes they are..:.but that didn’t stop the 3 guys on their Haibikes riding you Lower Holy Jim on Sunday.

 

We climbed San juan to blue jay. Beautiful day... nice temps.. started early to avoid the downhillers. we got to Bluejay. got some water at the campsite. then met a downhiller w/ big bike eating a big fat burrito.. he said he was gonna drop down after....

 

I agreed. It's intentionally made for anyone who hasn't been there at all.