Mt Wilson advice....

So a group of us is driving up from the Oceanside area to ride/shuttle with SCOA this Saturday on Mt Wilson. 3 of us did the 'Enduro Tour' last year and we were going to do that again but it appeared to be sold out. When I called and emailed SCOA for advice, I never heard back which I've learned is par for the course with them.

Anyway, it was suggested we do a double-single shuttle and that's what we're going to try and pull off. We're doing the 8 am shuttle out of Altadena and then catching the 11:30 am shuttle on the Darkside. We have a rider off FB helping us out but if we get separated, I want to have a plan in place. Can anybody give me the route and trail names we want to take from what I *presume* will be an Eaton Saddle drop off to get over to the Darkside and down to the shuttle pick-up in Arcadia? I've been looking at the Trailforks app and trying to pull advice off youtube videos but I'm not convinced I know the best way to pull this off. Our 2nd drop will be at the Observatory and we know the way back down to our cars from there.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Just here to listen...

 

From Eaton saddle ride up the paved road to Mt Wilson.
From the top of Mt Wilson you have some options.
The Dark side refers to the Sturdevant trail that will drop you into Sturdevant Camp and the Gabrielino trail.
For more extreme back country epic you can take the Rim trail off the back side of Wilson. This will drop 4 miles to the Gabrielino trail at Newcombs saddle.
The Gabrielino will get you to Chantry and from there it is a 3 mile paved ride to the REI lot where the shuttle stop is (was?).
I would show you guys the way but I'm working...
Watch out for hikers. Bring a bell.
Have fun.

 

We have bells I think our 1st drop is at Eaton Saddle...or that is what it was suggested we do. On Trailforks, it looks like there is a road named 'Mt Wilson Red Box Road' that connects Eaton Saddle and Mt Wilson. If you ask me and I'll ask for advice from SCOA on Saturday, it looks like we should do the 1st drop at Mt Wilson Observatory and do Sturdevant to Winter Creek, then do an Eaton Saddle drop on the 2nd run. So many options here.

 

I would do the Eaton saddle drop first. It's a 13 or 14 mile chunk-a-thon that gets you the Merrils, Sunset, and El Prieto back to JPL lot for the next one.
For the drop off Mt Wilson, my personal favorite is the Rim trail. BUT, it is hard. Exposed, off-camber, lined with acorns, travelled by bears, and remote. Not for the faint of heart.This route would give you about 4 miles of Rim trail, 6 miles of the Gabrielino back to Chantry.
Taking the Darkside get you about 6-7 miles of trail to Chantry.

 

We don’t have that option as the 2nd shuttle pickup at 11:30 in at the bottom of the Darkside so we have to go that way on our first descent

 

Don't forget the poison oak! That's my favorite route too.

 

After the Station fire, I rode the Rim trail with Hans from OTB to see what was left. We ran into a poodle-dog forest back in there. 8 ft tall bushes of that nasty plant. It was so bad, we had residual oils and fibers stuck to our handlebars, gloves, and bodies. The gloves went in the trash. The bike got washed. I got immunity to that nasty bush... was a little itchy, but never got a blister.

Man! All this Mt Wilson talk has me jonesing to go!

 

This is a small possibility, but I was thinking about doing a pedal up. What would be the most fun route? Yes, I like ultra chunk, but SART isn't chunk and it's still fun.

 

The Toll road up is the classic way. 9 miles up an unrelenting fireroad that gets harder towards the top.
If you start from Chantry, you can climb Upper winter Creek to Manzanita trail. Climb and hike a bike up to the last 2 miles of the Toll road.
Mt Wilson trail from Arcadia is another way
Or, climb up the Lowe road to Eaton saddle then to road up to the summit.
There are other options too.

 

How about down?

 

Mt Wilson trail down to Sierra Madre
All the ones listed above...
Idlehour trail over to the Merrils
Kenyon Devore/rattlesnake to West fork/Gabrielino

Make sure you know where the trail hits the city once you get down or you will be in for some roadie miles

 

Are there any trails from Chantry Flats that will take you down into Arcadia?

 

That stuff got me GOOD after the Station Fire. I had to get a steroid shot to shrink the blisters and they got infected so I also had to take a round of anti-biotics.

 

Just the road down. There is no way around the dam as far as I know.

 

Is this poodle bush an invasive species?

 

Its natures way of healing the dirt after a fire.
.

 

I've never used the SCOA shuttle so I checked out their site and will bring up a couple of points.
Where are you guys parking your cars?
The Eaton saddle (Front side ride) shuttle picks up from the lot at the corner of N Windsor Dr and Ventura St in Altadena.
The Darkside shuttle picks up from N Santa Anita Ave and E Foothill Blvd in Arcadia.
That's a 10 mile distance from each spot.

The Eaton saddle drop off is primarily for the front side ride. The Merrills, Sunset Ridge, Lower Brown Mt, El Prieto.
The dark side shuttle drops off at the Mt Wilson observatory parking lot, which opens at 10am. Here you have access to Rim Trail or Sturtevant trail which drop down to Chantry flats.
Like @rossage mentioned, we don't advise descending the Mt Wilson trail (single track) on a weekend. Too many hikers.

Too bad I work Saturdays

 

My preferred darkside route from Mt Wilson.
Rim trail to Newcomb pass.
Newcomb pass to Sturtevant camp via the Gabrieleno trail.
Continue on the Gabrieleno to 2N40 and climb out the canyon on the paved road.
Descend Chantry Flat Rd to Santa Anita Ave.

I'm sure these rains brought down some trees, so be prepared to do some scrambling, and stay away from the edges especially on Rim Trail.

 

More on the dreaded Poodle Dog Bush

http://corbamtb.com/news/2011/07/21/beware-the-poodle-dog-bush/

https://mwba.org/trail-hazards/poodle-dog-bush-is-still-out-there/

From what I recall, it is coming near the end of it's ten year cycle. You still see it here and there but from the most part, it's starting to dry out.

 

I just realized the Poodle Dog bush has similar brush type tips to Scorpion weed. YUCK! Fear, fear, fear!!!

 

That all makes perfect sense to ME. As I mentioned, I’m just going off what the guy from San Gabriel Trail Riders told me. Luckily he’s doing the ride and allowing us to tag along.

To answer your question, we are getting on the 1st shuttle at Windsor and I’m assuming we’ll get dropped at The Observeratory for the ride down the Darkside. Then that shuttle will take us back up to Eaton Saddle for the frontside ride back to our cars.

 

Oh yeah. Just did a Zion loop and cleared a few trees...



Ha ha!
Enjoy that 3X!!!!

 

^TRIPLE VISION!!!

 

Hmmm trying to get 3x the credit for one tree

 

No butt crack, no enjoyment!

 

Was supposed to be these pics. Mule train in background

That's my buddy. He's not on Imtb...but he could be! His name is.....Mike!

And some wet Manzanita

 

Did the Darkside once with SCOA. Had to do some walking when I got into the park. Then had to ride up out of the park. The 4 mile road ride down to the car was pretty fun.

 

Anybody heading up in the Gabes this weekend should be prepared for downed trees and fresh slides. The streams are running, the brush is heavy with dew, an the rocks can be slick.
Get some!

 

Monroe Truck Trail should be flippin' outstanding. I think I may head out there tomorrow.