Bear-Morton anti-shuttle, 9/XX/2020

Basically start at BB Lake, over Skyline to SART, tag Morton Peak and return via roads/Clark's Grade. I'd like to do it next month, no date in mind presently but prefer a soonish weekday with a dark start.

It'll be a full day at my pace with numerous judicious breaks. A lot of it will be new dirt for me. I rode BB once decades ago, and have done SART. I don't know every possible water resupply, but I will have a Steripen. Don't feel bad if you can't swing it. I like riding solo and there will be more of this.




https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/149457/

(The route was not drawn perfectly in Planner, but you get the idea.)

 

Intriguing.

 

@mike is coming home!!!

 

Clark's Grade at mile 55.

7 miles/3300'

"Steep dirt road gets you up to the Skyline trail from the south slope. This road is not well maintained, it has many loose rocky sections and deep ruts. It is considered a Cat HC climb - the most difficult (Radford Road to the east is a slightly easier ascent, but still very difficult at Cat 2)."

Radford sucks....and they say it's easier?

And that's after climbing back up from Morton Peak......

King Size ride.

 

Thanks for the heads up, J. I would not choose terrible uphill surfaces intentionally. I’ll get to recon some stuff and adjust the route but try to keep it stout.

I don’t expect a lot of interest but enough of you like these punisher rides to throw it up here. Endurance riding seems like a safer challenge than some other flavors, and I’m trying to work with the covid situation. I’d like it to be hard enough for no assured outcome but not some crazy remote mission.

 

Sounds to me like you’re in?

 

Not likely....weekdays dont work for me

 

I’ve ridden up Clarks Grade several times..........It wasn’t bad.......... on my KTM....

 

Compare it to Nate Harrison Grade....

 

It’s been several years since I’ve been on Clarks. If I remember correctly, the average grade is about the same between the two, but Nate Harrison is longer with a little bit more elevation. The biggest difference is trail conditions. Nate Harrison is a graded fire road a lot like Blackstar. I could drive my 4Runner to the top. Clarks has a lot of loose, rocky and steep sections. There used to also be a few trees that required you to drag the dirt bike under. Those may have been cleared by now. From knowing what you like to ride, I think you’d enjoy Nate Harrison. Nice steady grind up with killer views. I’d be up for riding it again in the fall when it cools down if you ever want to head down this way. It’s a fun blast down Palomar Mountain as well once you get to the top.

 

I've wanted to do Nate Harrison Grade for some time now....looking for cooler weather and an open day.

 

@mike you should add the out and back down Loch Leven like the chicken nuggets are doing, it's about the only thing missing from this route.

I've ridden everything on this course, and in the direction this route is taking. The climb back up from Morton would suck as it will be in full sun in the afternoon, and hot. Clark's is a tough climb too when fresh nevermind this far into a ride. Steep, rough/loose road surface and again, little shade. I could barely stomach one of those two climbs in a single ride not both, and forget heading down to Morton knowing I'd have to climb all the way back to BB.

If you want some suggestions Mike:

1) Pineknot would be a fun way to end but the section of Skyline before it would be really tough at mile 60+. The profile looks flat but there are a ton of punchy climbs. Personally I'd start the ride by climbing Pineknot or Cabin 89 and when I get to top of Clark's near the end follow Skyline around clockwise. More singletrack, and in the better direction.
2) Climb up Middle Control road to Angelus Oaks from SART, and on the way back descend the singletrack behind the post office. That's a tough bit of trail to climb, much better to descend it.
3) I was only half joking about Loch Leven. After bagging Morton I'd drop down to Hwy 38, pedal up 38 for 1.5mi and then climb Loch Leven back to Angelus Oaks. Its an old road gone back to singletrack and will have a nicer grade and more shade. And will route you past the AO store again. There may be a stream crossing at the bottom for water.
4) At top of Clark's, mile 60.5 or so there is a singletrack called Bellyache Spring that splits off. Take that rather than Clark's. Might be harder but has some shade and is worth it. Not sure where the spring is.
5) bring your head net, you'll need it!

Water will be available
-where you connect to SART around mile 15
-down on lower SART towards the end there is a reliable and accessible crossing with wooden bridge - mile 23?
-Angelus Oaks store/restaurant
-Santa Ana River at start of Clark's grade

The whole section from AO to Morton and back is dry


If you will be available weekends in Sept, Schillingsworth and I will be doing a big ride sometime that month starting in BB, climb up to Sugarloaf peak the back way, and then down Wildhorse full SART to Redlands. I didn't realize you might be around then. You are one of the few people who might appreciate this route.

 

Definitely hit me up when you do. Would definitely wait for the cooler weather. I don’t recall it being hot when we did it but the bugs at the top made us all look like a Tourette’s cycling team.

@mike , sorry for the derail.

 

Your pace exactly. 10,000' climbs are best done solo. Enjoy the adventure. I couldn't make it anyway, working.

 

Agree w/ @evdog re. the Loch Leven climb... that's a gem!
The ride up 38 to it kinda' sucks, but really worth it.
Mountain Home Creek is year-round, so there will be water there as well.

 

...in da Sauce, baby!

Heee! @evdog referred to us as the Chicken Nuggets! We made the A-Team!

 

I'm so in!!!!

 

Thanks for the beta and suggestions, @evdog, @Cyclotourist, @Grego.

Chicken Nuggets sounds good to me. All aboard... Conductor Herz is closing the doors...

 

I wanna make you piss your pants by mile 30!

 

looks beastly

 

What is wrong with you?

 

The internet.

 

Yup, a bug net is MANDATORY on the Gnat Harrison! If you want to make the ride epic, consider adding the Gomez Trail down, as per MtnBikeBill (http://mountainbikebill.com/PalomarEpicLoop.htm). I did this a couple of years ago, and it was a blast, if legally sketchy.