Palm Canyon Veterans....How is it as a Night Ride?

Like the title says.....how is Palm Canyon as a night ride?

I have done it quite a few times during the day.....a favorite ride of mine.

Have wondered how much fun it would be on a full moon.

Thx

 

I'd be interested. Always wanted to do it as a reverse night ride - like the Main Divide ride you posted.

 

That is the plan.....2 - 3:00am start and ride into sunrise.

Already have a small group together....was just curious what others thought of their experiences.

 

I bet that would be awesome! NNNNNot backwards!

 

have always discussed doing that. but not backwards. you want to climb up to Idy?

Like the early morning start idea and finish at sunrise. cool idea.

 

Nope...my normal route from the top down.....reverse as in night ride into sunlight.

 

haha OK. wouldn't surprise me knowing the type of rides you do, and of course your signature line

Still, it's a little crazy this time of year. Right now the temps are in the upper 80s or even 90s even at 3-6 AM. and then if something were to go wrong out there and you got stuck somewhere after sunrise. YIKES!

It sure would be neat however to see all the things that come out and crawl around at night.

 

I think that the ride is doable if the right precautions are taken. Limit the group size, and make sure everyone knows what to expect. Take it a little slower and be ready with a bail out or self extrication plan. Water could be stashed the day before along Dunn road near the wash or by Cindy Whitehead.
Our deserts are wonderful places to see at night. The critters come alive and the moonlight is surreal. Don't fear the desert, respect it.

 

Damn this sounds like a great idea?

 

We did it! PCE was a blast to ride at night!
Yeah, it was bitterly cold. 19°F when we woke up, 22°F to start, and in the 20s until we hit the wash where the still rising sun caused the temps to fluctuate between the high 20s up to 40°F. The wind was not a factor for us, gusty not constant.
Everyone was prepared and layers were key. Stops consisted of layering up and down and packs were heavily laden with clothing and protectivery gear.
The semi-full moon lit up the campsite and provided some light but can not be relied upon to provide enough light to ride, especially in the deep canyons.
The sun rose at 6:34am but we did not feel it's warming rays until an hour later when it finally cleared the surrounding mountains .
The trail is in great shape. The frozen moisture in the soil provided a slight crunch and amazing traction. We rode a lot more of the trail than anticipated. Techy ups and downs, rock rollers and drops.
The wash was in pretty good shape, thought the middle mile is best avoided to the right due to beach sand.
We did an OAB up to the Hahn trail sign and then headed down the Art Smith trail. We saw the werewolf for the last time by the trailhead....it's still out there....
No flats, mechanicals, or noteworthy crashes.
NOTE: The trail through Indian Potrero is closed to mtbs and is signed as such. We saw the sign in the dark so no excuses. A not-as-fun but still interesting detour will drop you at the start of the wash.
We ended up with 31 miles and a deceptively low 2700ft of climbing, but PCE vets will know it was a workout, especially with the 8 XC style Art Smith miles at the end. 4 of the miles were on the road back to Palm Desert.
I rode with 2 awesome riders. mike, who has tons of experience Bikepacking and touring and Danger Dirty Dio who's craziness just added to the insanity.
Special notes:
Mike had us meet at the Paradise Valley Cafe, a roadhouse 10 miles from nowhere. The prime rib special was spectacular!
Dio set up camp and was ready for several days up there. Having extra wood made for an extravagant waist high fire that kept the chill away....a little bit.
Thanks guys! Let's do it again when it gets a little warmer.