Mt. Wilson Shuttle

Ride Name: Mt. Wilson Shuttle
When: 1/1/17
Time: 10:00a.m.
Where: JPL parking lot
Ride Description or Details:
Ride through the tunnel, hang a left at Markham Saddle and ride Upper Sam Merrill (Mt. Lowe East Trail) while bypassing the gnar-gnar scree slopes. Then from Inspiration Point, we'd ride Middle Sam Merrill to the Echo Canyon ruins. Climb the abandoned Mt. Lowe Railroad and drop along the Sunset Ridge Trail to Brown Mountain Truck Trail to Fern Truck Trail to either El Prieto or Ken Burton and back to JPL.

This ride was just launched by Shannon Edgmon, former manager of USA Cyclery in Rancho Cucamonga. I haven't ridden with him in 3 years, so it's about time.

Git'yer'self a shuttle or ask Chris Ashford of Southern Californai Outdoor Adventures (SCOA) if there's room on his rig.

https://www.peek.com/purchase/activity/57d84eab952746053f000000?utf8=%E2%9C%93&date_string=2017-01-01&time_string=10:00am&description=&channel=widget_schedule&bt_customer_file_refid=&reseller_refid=&is_touchscreen=&wconfig=
~~~~~ Optional Details ~~~~~
Meet Location: JPL or La Verne
Skill Level: Storm Trooper
Ride Pace: Fast Pace
Type of Ride: Shuttle
Rider Limit: Ask Chris
Anticipated Mileage: 16
Elevation Gain: 1,200'
Ride Duration: 3-4 hours
Previous Ride Reports: Search Mt. Wilson or Mt. Lowe
Possible Bail-Outs: Fireroads here and there
Facilities: Assume none
Food/water suggestions: Food and water
Option to Upload:

 

What you have no shuttle crew! I may climb it and meet you up there. TBD.

 

Chris Ashford SCOA is the shuttle outfit. He's good.

 

This sounds fun! How much is the shuttle?

 

I'm up for climbing it as well.

 

https://www.peek.com/purchase/activ...fid=&reseller_refid=&is_touchscreen=&wconfig=

 

This looks like a fantastic ride! Can't wait for the report!!

 

Forget waiting for the report, come out and ride! I'm planning on skipping the shuttle and riding up

 

Donde, como y cuando. Valedor!
I don't think climbing LSM is an option on New Years day. It will be infested with hikers.
Chaney and then Mount Lowe or Up Arroyo, Brown, Millard and Mount Lowe?

 

@bigringrider101 Arroyo (JPL), Brown, down to Millard, up the connector to Mt Lowe. The paved section sucks azz but it's growing on me. Hang out at inspiration point or ride up to the tunnel and meet the shuttle folk.
As much as I like climbing LSM, I think you're right about the possibility of the high number of hikers.

 

@Luis we ride again soon - but alas I will not be getting in my car on New Years Day!

 

@bigringrider101 @Luis ya one of those is an option then again it is New years day maybe half the people think like strandleper?

 

LSM has hikers almost any time of day-even more so on holidays. Luis' option sounds good. That paved road though....you could climb up Sunset.

 

I'll be jamming in the van on Sunday.

 

Well, DDD....I hope you like jammin too.
Yes @Tom the Bomb I hiked LSM with my wife on Christmas. It was a zoo.

 

lol ok @bigringrider101 .

 

What time are you meeting at JPL?

 

Ya climbers what time?

Uh oh, I think its getting hammered with snow At Wilson.

 

Keeping an eye on Wilson from my kitchen window. Haven't seen the peak since Thursday. Soon as she shows her face I'll let you know what I see.
She'll be beautiful anyway, but rideable?

 

I was thinking that a meet time of 8:30 at JPL should give us plenty of time to get to inspiration point (at least). If there's snow then upper Merrill (Mt Lowe east) will be treacherous because of the rocky terrain.

I'm calculating the shuttle monkeys will be rolling from the Eaton saddle around 10:45
Yes it will be a bit chilly it seems.

 

Low 40's is the forecast at 11am on Mt Wilson, about the time shuttle arrives. I'm dressing for winter, its gonna be awesome, hope I get to ride in snow. See you all at Inspiration point.

 

TTB out! Have fun! Happy New Years Ride!

 

6:40am, no visible snow on the front side of Wilson.Looks like prime conditions for you guys. I'm going to check out the work that was done on Strawberry. It's been a long time since I rode it without having to climb over downed trees.
Have fun. Be Safe!

6:56am. Now that the sun is up, there seems to be a light dusting of snow on the very highest points(5000+?)
Rock it!

 

Brrrrrrr

Anyways, I'll be at JPL at 8:30 to start riding up. If the lot is full, I park down the street on Windsor. Look for a Universal Cycles jersey if you're climbing too.
Might head up lower sam merrill if I get no takers. Easier for one rider to weave up past the hikers.

 

I'll see you and whomever at Inspiration Point Luis.

 

Strawberry out. Snow level is at clear creek so be ready.
Brown KB for me

 

Snow on the north face Climb from Markham saddle. 99.7% of the DH was sans snow or ice. Conditions ideal. No condolences from anyone on this ride. I hope @jon is doing well. Shannon ripped the entire ride. He hauled the mail with da Booges in pursuit. 17 riders with @Bluesrider, and @Luis said he waited only 15 minutes @inspiration point for us. Luis is inspiring 18 coming down was a conga line of rippers and HAB. Shannon was most gracious. Awesome day! Weather was terrible. Crisp air though.
Here's most of the gang:

 

Great weather today and the trail was in awesome condition. Group of 18 moved along at a good pace today, nice way to start the New Year off.

 

I was a stowaway today.
Got to JPL at 8:30 and ran into my friend Mike T in the parking lot. It just so happened they were going up to Inspiration point as well, so I volunteered to tag along. Turns out this was a seriously fast group and found myself at the back of the freight train real quick. It was all good though, riding with stronger riders makes you faster.... not really it just wears you out quicker
By the time I got to the end of the pavement, I found myself alone and riding in the clouds. Started to get chilly too, being soaked in sweat didn't help either. 2 1/2 hrs later I reached Inspiration point and quickly changed out my sweaty jersey and wet gloves but was still surrounded by clouds. I rode up to where the shuttle group would be coming down and waited there.

Looking back at Inspiration point covered in clouds


The Mount Wilson towers are barely visible through the clouds


Here come the shuttlers


So once the shuttlers regrouped, I became a stowaway again. I went from a group of seven, to a group of 18+
Trail conditions on Middle Merrill, awesome. Trail conditions on Sunset, awesome. Some blood was shed, some soil was sampled, some bike components gave up the ghost but overall I think the group had an awesome time, I know I did

 

I watched the clouds form over the Gabes as I climbed Brown. Chased the sun away and made those deep stream crossings in the Arroyo that much colder.