RR: Exploring Lytle Creek and Cucamonga Trails

[thebush]

Matt (mrtawney) has been talking about exploring these trails for a little while and today was the day to do it. Matt and myself set off at 9am to explore this area and it was great to have a beautiful sky and perfect weather. We rode quite a few forest service roads that looked like they haven't seen any bike traffic in a long time. The rains did some fairly extensive damage to some of these trails and the ruts were deep and widespread. We encountered difficulty climbing in the beginning due to the ruts, sand, and plenty of rocks. A handful of times we had to HAB due to lack of traction from poor conditions. We encountered one section of trail where it looked like another good storm might make it impassable. After the initial climb, trail conditions vastly improved and this turned into a great ride

We started out riding up the north side of Lytle Creek and then we dropped into Lytle Creek and took the road back down and took part of the Joe Elliot trail around to drop us back into Cucamonga.

Total Distance: 25mi
Total Elevation Gain: 4200ft

[KBL]

Any singletrack encountered?

2N79 and 3N31 are fire roads, correct?

I've yet to do any MTBing in that area, although I've ridden the desert-facing side of the San Gabriels at Devil's Punchbowl.

Thanks for the RR.

[thebush]

Originally Posted by KBL

Any singletrack encountered?

2N79 and 3N31 are fire roads, correct?

I've yet to do any MTBing in that area, although I've ridden the desert-facing side of the San Gabriels at Devil's Punchbowl.

Thanks for the RR.

Yes, the majority of it is fire roads. Matt told me that back in 2007 there was singletrack on the last section we did on the way out but since then it has been plowed into a fire road. Along the way I spotted maybe 1 - 2 sections down the north side that looked like they were overgrown singletrack, but didn't bother to investigate further. There's always the San Sevaine singletrack but that's horribly overgrown and could use some serious TLC.

[ghixon]

Matt wasn't big ringing it again was he? Did you guy's start in Cucamonga or did you shuttle it?

[dstepper]

Riding that area has always interested me. I have been out there a few times and it is sad that the fires have destroyed most of the forest. About a year ago I rode up Lytle Creek Road, plan was to go through Stockton Flats then climb up to Baldy Notch...have lunch and come back down. I mostly walked from near the shooting range to Stockton Flats because the road is not a road just a wash full of fist to basketball sized boulders. On the climb to Baldy all I could think about was that wash that I was not going to be able to ride out on, so I cut the ride short. But the Stockton Flats area is forested and very pretty....big trees make me happy.

I would be willing to go back out there and attempt to bag Baldy Notch from that side if there is another way to get to Stockton Flats. Or 4-wheel drive it to Stcokton Flats

Note: the pictures are of the road.

Dean

[53-12]

How was the Cucamonga Canyon section? I'd like to head up from that side sometime soon.

Originally Posted by dstepper

I would be willing to go back out there and attempt to bag Baldy Notch from that side if there is another way to get to Stockton Flats. Or 4-wheel drive it to Stcokton Flats

How about Baldy Notch to Stockton Flats and back to the Notch. Almost did that this past Autumn starting from Manker but there was work going on along the road just over the top and rode to Thunder Mtn instead.

[dstepper]

That is a tought. By the time I climb up to the Notch from Manker Flats I am not looking for another huge climb. If I have a choice, I like to start my ride at the bottom and go up.

Please don't mention taking the lift up unless we are continuing on up to Devils Backbone to the summit and taking the Old Village Trail back down.
Dean

[53-12]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Please don't mention taking the lift up unless we are continuing on up to Devils Backbone to the summit and taking the Old Village Trail back down.
Dean

Hopefully I never get to the point where I consider that an option.

[thebush]

Matt wasn't big ringing it again was he? Did you guy's start in Cucamonga or did you shuttle it?

We started in Cucamonga from the parking lot where we did JE from. Sure enough he was big ringing some of it

Riding that area has always interested me. I have been out there a few times and it is sad that the fires have destroyed most of the forest. About a year ago I rode up Lytle Creek Road, plan was to go through Stockton Flats then climb up to Baldy Notch...have lunch and come back down. I mostly walked from near the shooting range to Stockton Flats because the road is not a road just a wash full of fist to basketball sized boulders. On the climb to Baldy all I could think about was that wash that I was not going to be able to ride out on, so I cut the ride short. But the Stockton Flats area is forested and very pretty....big trees make me happy.

I was actually thinking of going past the last range and seeing what kind of trail access there is. After the last range does it clear up because I can drive over that kind of terrain or does it get worse?

[Jslow]

I took middle fork (lytle creek) to ice house canyon... there were plenty of sections that were not rideable because of large amounts of unsettled shale... fun ride, lots of hiking, never do it again.

I'd be down with an expedition on the backside of baldy linking up with anything and riding back to fontana/lytle creek. We could possibly shuttle although my ford focus is kinda hard to fit bikes in.
There is a park at 25th st and mountain that is good to park at for the trip up to baldy... I think the elevation is around 2k then you just get your warm up on to the village? eat.... conntinue to notch and take off down the back... I will have to look at the forest service roads for there... the pics of upper lytle creek made it look unrideable?

[KBL]

"I would be willing to go back out there and attempt to bag Baldy Notch from that side if there is another way to get to Stockton Flats. Or 4-wheel drive it to Stcokton Flats."

Dean,

From my map (Tom Harrison Maps' Angeles High Country Trail Map) it looks as if you could legally bag Baldy itself via Baldy Notch and Mt. Harwood via the Devil's Backbone trail.

Is that right? Are bikes legal on that trail? The Devil's Backbone Trail passes the "Bikes OK" tests of being neither within a Wilderness Area nor being the Pacific Crest Trail.

[dstepper]

Baldy Notch is easy, it is the 10064 ft Mt San Antonio summit that interests me.

I have talked to the Forest Service about biking down the Old Baldy Trail, AKA Village Trail, AKA Bear Canyon Trail. They looked at me like "why". On some of the maps I have looked at the trail seems to skirt the Wilderness area without going into it. Other maps show it as off limits to bikes. The Forest Service people I talked to did not know if bikes where permitted.

Brian (MTMaven) rode from Manker Flats to the Notch up Devils Backbone to the summit then down Village Trail. I have seen other reports of people riding it. I want to ride and was going to do it with Brian, but it didn't work out. He did it on a whim and did not tell me he was going. p***k.

I have rode up to Devils Backbone Trail a number of times...it is going to be a lot of HABing (3.2 miles) to summit.

Dean