RR: San Sevaine fireroad and singletrack Grand Tour

[gurp13]

While everyone else was either Poker Riding or racing at Southridge NORBA, I decided to head out and visit an old friend... San Sevaine Canyon.

I rode the 5 or so miles up to Duncan Canyon Road in Fontana (it parallels the 15 Fwy) and hopped onto the fireroad. It's a Southern California Edison maintenance road, but I've asked local Rangers and they say it's okay to ride. The fireroad is pretty well maintained for the most part and an easy ride, if a bit steep at times for less fit individuals. I'd say it's a moderate to easy ride. The fireroad ascends and curves around the foothills, paralleling the 15 for a little while. You can see the gas station at Sierra and Lytle Creek Road below. Then, the road turns westerly and parallels Lytle Creek Road. Not as much climbing here. There's a point where the road was washed out by the rains last year. It hasn't been repaired but you can hike-a-bike across easily enough.

So far, the ride is about 8.5 miles (3 or so on dirt). You meet up with San Sevaine Fireroad at a gate and head up up up! This road climbs for about five miles or so until you reach the saddle. Many of you know about this area, I'm sure. From the saddle, you can head further west toward Cucamonga Canyon (and with very little prodding Pain Freak will tell a story much like #54 on this page...) and the Joe Eliot campground (no relation to the lead singer of Def Leppard, I'm told.).

After reaching the saddle, I rode a bit, say, 3 miles, up the road. This is the farthest I've personally ridden from this side. The road was in good shape, but I eventually found Forestry signs stating "Road Closed Ahead" and Mike has told me that rangers don't advise riding all the way through. I intend to try one day, though. (Coming Pain Freak?)

I made it to the Cell Towers at the top. What a view!!! You know those lights you can see on the top of the hills at night? It's these towers.


Here's a shot of the Valley below. I think the elevation is around 6500 feet. I think the hills in the distance are Southridge, Fontana.


It was a beautiful day. The clouds were rolling up off the mountainsides. The air was cool but the sun was hot.


This is another stunning shot (well, it looked stunning in person, not as much on the screen) from the fireroad as it follows the ridge, looking down at the 210 Fwy and Rancho Cucamonga.


Much of the earlier portions on the road were surrounded by desert chapparal but the upper portions have pine trees and stuff like that. Nice.



This is a view of the road just beyond the Saddle. I'm on my way back now to the singletrack.


This is what the beginning of the "singletrack" of San Sevaine Canyon looks like. This shot looks back after passing the gate and going about 50 feet. It's not really singletrack but is so overgrown that it might as well be.


From the same spot, but looking down the trail now. Adventure beckons!


As you can see here, too, much of the start of the trail is overgrown fireroad... singletrack by default.


But, much of the rest of the trail is indistinguishable from actual singletrack... because it is! Reminds me a little of Bell Ridge in places.


Looking at the trail I've just come down. There's some "exposure" in places. You'd fall about 15 feet or so, which isn't bad but some of those rocks are pointy! The area still bears the scars of the '03 fire as this tree shows.


Where'd the trail go?


Something that makes this trail interesting is that the hillsides are babyhead factories. These suckers will throw you off the bike if you're unlucky. And they hide in the grass.


Somebody left a perfectly good Stumpjumper just lying in the trail. I threw away my piece of sh*t Turner and rode that cool red bike home.


Anyway, total mileage for the day was 28 miles, 12 of which were on pavement getting to and from the trailhead. The singletrack itself is about 3.5 miles, maybe 4. Interestingly, I rode it last year in July or August. It was hot and I was not as fit. It was tough as hell and I couldn't imagine wanting to ride it again. I even thought of it as unrideable in a way. However, yesterday I had a great time. The climbing seemed easier and the ride down was fun. Next time I hope some other peeps want to go. You can bomb down the fireroad or the singletrack. It seems that no one uses this trail! Every time I've been up there I was the only person I saw the whole time.

[Waldo]

Wow - looks like you had the ideal day up there. That looks like my kind of ride (except maybe with a few less babyheads). If you want some company next time, hit me up.

[gurp13]

If I had a complaint, it would have been that it was maybe a little cool for my tastes. Otherwise, yeah, it was a good ride.

I want to put together a ride. I've been thinking about where to meet and what the actual route would be. That's one reason I keep riding up there and Cucamonga Cyn... to find a good ride. Personally, I like the exploration but others might not. Right now I'm thinking that parking at the park in Hunter's Ridge (off Cherry Ave) and then taking Bridle Path/Duncan Cyn up to get on the fireroad and then up to the campground then backtracking down to the saddle and down the singletrack. Might be fun.

[Pain Freak]

Why don't we just climb the singletrack to the fireroad, they continue on the fireroad till it becomes either to dangerous or something else stops us or till we get tired and then can just turn around and head back?

[Innes]

I've never been up there. I'll have to check it out some time. It's a shame you didn't wait until today. After all the wind last night, I'd bet the views are even better.

[gurp13]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Why don't we just climb the singletrack to the fireroad, they continue on the fireroad till it becomes either to dangerous or something else stops us or till we get tired and then can just turn around and head back?

We could do that, too. I guess it's shorter, but harder to ride. Some parts you'd have to walk since it's uphill. And, being overgrown, it's no fun to walk through. At least on the fireroad you're actually riding. Plus, just to get to the singletrack you'd have to ride the pavement through the Panorama homes which is steep as hell!

Anyway, I'm down for either. I enjoy riding the fireroad, averaged about 5 miles an hour on it. It's not too steep and it's probably only three miles longer.

Originally Posted by Innes

I've never been up there. I'll have to check it out some time. It's a shame you didn't wait until today. After all the wind last night, I'd bet the views are even better.

But, it's also windier up there today, too. I try to avoid riding in the wind if I can. But, yeah, I was just looking up there a few minutes ago and the air is crystalline!

I think everyone should ride up there at least once, just to say you did.

[NumbCheck]

Hi Gurp,

My wife and I ride on Duncan Canyon Rd most weekends. We are not the climbers you are, but we do it for a bit of fun. Some times we get on the trail off of Lytle Creek road across from the guy who sells firewood and go towards San Sevaine and head down there. We have also ridden it up the trailhead at San Sevaine and then ride around Duncan towards Hunters Ridge for a fun ride. We live only two miles from the San Servaine trailhead. Are there any more fun trails this close?

Chad

[gurp13]

Originally Posted by NumbCheck

Hi Gurp,

My wife and I ride on Duncan Canyon Rd most weekends. We are not the climbers you are, but we do it for a bit of fun. Some times we get on the trail off of Lytle Creek road across from the guy who sells firewood and go towards San Sevaine and head down there. We have also ridden it up the trailhead at San Sevaine and then ride around Duncan towards Hunters Ridge for a fun ride. We live only two miles from the San Servaine trailhead. Are there any more fun trails this close?

Chad

I think the trail across from the guy who sells firewood (OMG, I've been calling that Duncan Cyn and it's not, it's Lytle Creek road!!!) is the fireroad that I began on yesterday. That fireroad runs parallel to a flood control channel. If you hop on it right there you go north on it and it curves to the left then forks. If you go left there (south) you'll head toward Hunter's Ridge (Foxborough Dr). It's fun, but short. But, if you head right at the fork, you'll start climbing and it goes around the foothills to the Lytle Creek side and that's the way I went yesterday.

The next closest area for a fun trail would either be Claremont Wilderness Park at the top of Mills. It gets heavy use and is pretty buff fireroad. You might also try Cucamonga Canyon which is near the top of Sapphire and at the end of Skyline. It's pretty steep at first but if you put up with it for about a mile or so you'll come to a fork and if you take the left side you'll get a little downhill then some interesting trail in the canyon. Going right and up the hill will get your blood pumping and put hair on your chest.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by gurp13

It's pretty steep at first but if you put up with it for about a mile or so you'll come to a fork and if you take the left side you'll get a little downhill then some interesting trail in the canyon.

If you stay on that left fork it will eventually take you over to Mt. Badly Road.

Dean

[NumbCheck]

Thanks,
We already ride CWP and Marshal Canyon. Didn't know if any others were around.

Chad

[gurp13]

Originally Posted by NumbCheck

Thanks,
We already ride CWP and Marshal Canyon. Didn't know if any others were around.

Chad

I *did* mention Cucamonga Cyn. Give it a try. At least for a change of pace.