Trail ideas in Big Bear

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Sasquatch9billion, Jul 1, 2019.


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  1. Sasquatch9billion

    Sasquatch9billion iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    trinidad j. mendez
    We're meeting-up with some of my wife's friends in Big Bear for the 4th and one of their husbands reached-out asking if I'd take him mountain biking.
    Well, since the dude is super cool and a music nerd like me, I said "Hell yeah!"
    I offered Summit and Skypark but, he seemed a bit daunted by those options. So my current thoughts are Pine Knot to ???

    Do any IMTBrs more familiar with the local trails from town have any good suggestions?
    I want to get out and have fun, but I don't want to scare my buddy-off the idea of mtn. biking on his first attempt.

    TIA-Trinidad!
     
  2. Derkderkall

    Derkderkall iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Monrovia
    Name:
    Derek Allison
    Current Bike:
    2020 Specialized Fuse 29
    What's the fitness level of this bloke? Eastern skyline from pirates to grand view is pretty chillax... I would think that would be a good intro... plus lots of bail out options, and you could shuttle up depending on his ability... I know it's not super high elevation, but that would be something to consider as well....
     
  3. Luis

    Luis iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Sylmar
    Name:
    Luis
    Current Bike:
    La Diabla
    From the Snow Summit parking lot go west and look for Towne Trail. Take that west until fireroad 2N08 then climb up until you get to 2N10 Skyline Rd. A quick left gets you to 1E01 where you make a short right. This is where Skyline ST, Grand View point and Seven Oaks all meet.
    Ride skyline east bound from here all the way to the eastern trailhead. Cross the road and look for Fern trail. Descend all the way to the dirt road make a left. This is Bristlecone and it takes you back to the Snow Summit parking lot :)
     
    Redman, Cyclotourist, UPSed and 7 others like this.
  4. mtbMike

    mtbMike iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    PRESCOTT!!!
    Name:
    Mike
    Current Bike:
    Ibis HD5, Ripley & Mojo 4
    You could also buy ONE trip up the lift and then ride Skyline over to Pine Knot and then ride the road back to Summit. That will generally be enough for any non-rider
     
  5. rossage

    rossage iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    East Sacramento
    Name:
    Ross Lawson
    Current Bike:
    Highball
    What Luis said....

    Towne trail heads west out of Snow Summit. Use it as an out and back or to connect to other trails like Pine Knot or even 2N10.
     
  6. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Anybody with the slightest experience on dirt might enjoy "Going Green" at Snow Summit. It's a loooong, but fairly easy DH trail - lift accessed.
     
  7. SoCal_Rider

    SoCal_Rider Member

    Location:
    Temecula/Murrieta
    Name:
    Ryan
    I’d agree it all depends on their fitness level. I rode up to Skyline from Summit via Fern last weekend. It’s not going to be easy for someone that’s not fit. It’s at 8000 ft of elevation.

    To get someone stoked on biking and to have fun, Skypark would be my first choice. A chairlift to the top of Snow Summit and then Skyline for a few miles and then Going Green down would be second.

    In Big Bear, on the other side of the lake, is Woodland Trail. It’s ok for a beginner. It’ll probably be crowded with hikers though.

    In Fawnskin, Hanna Flat Trail is another beginner go to. I’ll drive beginners to the Hanna campground or make intermediates ride up the dirt road.

    Exploration Trail near Arrowbear is another good intermediate choice.
     
  8. sir crashalot

    sir crashalot iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    laguna beach
    Name:
    gary fishman
    Current Bike:
    2018 banshee rune
    Hannah flats/grays peak would be a fun and fairly safe route. or skyline/pineknot.
     
  9. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    This is exactly the route I did last time I was up there solo... But if the guy doesn't have the fitness, you might kill him with this full route. If he has zero dirt experience, take him as far up the fire road as possible, and turn around when he's near death.
     
  10. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I'd totally cheat and take the lift up as well. Then ride Skyline over to Pine Knot. Go down three, or turn around and ride Skyline back to Fern if he's doing good. That would be the goal, but maybe too much.
     
  11. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Ooh oooh, I know. After reading all of these suggestions and knowing just how difficult riding a mt bike uphill at high altitude is for a beginner, do the following:

    One ride chairlift ticket. Find Skyline and head west. Turn around when it feels right to do so - no farther than the Grandview, Pine Knot, 7 Oaks intersection - but probably much earlier than that. Newbs tire quickly, and it's a little more uphill back to SS. Ride Skyline back to Snow Summit. Descend Going Green.

    If that doesn't get the dude stoked on riding, he best just stay in the bar watching fishing on TV.
     
  12. mtbfan

    mtbfan Member

    Name:
    Sylvia
    Gray's Peak might still be closed. We had planned that again, but because of the Bald Eagles nesting, they closed that part for now. It might be another couple of weeks after the eagle takes its first flight since he will come back to the nest for a couple of weeks afterwards. You can call the Discovery center at Fawnskin. With that said, I would suggest driving up Club View Drive all the way to the top and park at the trailhead. You can ride up the FireRoad toward Summit or take Skyline which goes along the fire road. You can climb up Pirates which is a fairly easy climb now that they did some reroutes, or you can pick up Skyline to go a little further and then come back the way you came. The Fire Road climbing will give you nice views. Any climb from the bottom will be hard.
     
  13. evdog

    evdog iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    San diego
    Name:
    Evan S
    A pretty easy loop that should not be too difficult is drive up a little ways, climb up Plantation. Take 2N10 west until the next intersection and pick up Skyline there. Its a bit harder there still but the next section Wet Dream (now called Forest Dream) is fun. The trail is pretty nice with a few short hard sections back to 2N10 either at bottom of Plantation or keep going to 2N17.

    A partial clockwise Skyline loop from the east end to Grandview and down Pineknot might also be a good ride. The best parts of Skyline heading west without the hard stuff. Or do an out and back on Hanna Flat if Gray's is still closed.
     
  14. Sasquatch9billion

    Sasquatch9billion iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    trinidad j. mendez
    Thank you guys for all of the recommendations!!!
    We ended-up going up pine knot and hitting a little bit of skyline from the intersection at grand view before heading back down and to the cabin.
    A day after we arrived, we also found out my buddy Uly ( center in photo #2) was in town and he was able to join us for the ride!
    As you can see from the photos, my buddy Ben enjoyed his first ride.

    2C3399A5-6CAA-491F-B886-51BF681834FF.jpeg

    C05F61E5-922B-4541-9F03-67200EA9874C.jpeg
     
    CBone, herzalot, Luis and 7 others like this.
  15. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Hopefully another convert! I know where he can get a new bike at!
     
    Sasquatch9billion likes this.
  16. Sasquatch9billion

    Sasquatch9billion iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    trinidad j. mendez
    Watcha got? He's looking for a HT 27.5" trail bike. You selling the Chameleon?
     
    Cyclotourist likes this.
  17. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    Just the bikes FS here
    Not mine, but the Ibis and Evil @scottay has posted right now.... get em while you can!
     
    Sasquatch9billion likes this.
  18. Sasquatch9billion

    Sasquatch9billion iMTB Rockstah

    Name:
    trinidad j. mendez
    I saw both of those and wished I was taller. Dudes is about my size too.
     
    Cyclotourist and Luis like this.
  19. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
  20. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Too bad about the weather...
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?