Black Mountain (RB) Ride Route Request

[quaestionis]

Does anyone have a Motionbased or similar map of their route of Black Mountain Rancho Bernardo they can post?

I wanted to ride there tomorrow morning, but don't know what the best route/loop is. I'm familiar with some of the trails on the north side (Canyon Rim, Miners Loop) but don't know anything about the south side trails or what the best overall route would be. I'm looking for something in the 2-2.5 hour range.

By the way, I've been to MTB Bill's site, which is a great resource for all things MTB, but I'm having a little trouble interpreting his map.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Solo]

I like to ride the loop counterclockwise starting at Maler and riding up the main fireroad. It's pretty hit and miss your first time there because only the East Side Cutover is signed. I also prefer riding Miners counterclockwise. Bill's map and ride description are probably your best bet.

Here's a Google Earth pic that may help too.

Happy exploring!!

[atomrat]

We also rider Miner's Ridge Loop counter clockwise. The stair steps are a good challenge, we try to make all of them. Keep going to the spot where you can go towards the top, take the left to continue on the loop. Shortly after the big rock garden, there is a trail that goes to the right.

We take it over to the service road. Make the right going up. We go to the top. Then on the North side, we head back down to the loop again. This will bring you back to the spot where you made the left.

You get to hit the rock garden again, worth it. Fly down the hill. Watch for the rock drop off, it is about 2 feet.

I am not sure how busy it is on weekends. We do this from work several times a week. I will try to make a map.

[Solo]

Just remembered I had this .gdb file if you can use it.

[quaestionis]

Originally Posted by atomrat

We also rider Miner's Ridge Loop counter clockwise. The stair steps are a good challenge, we try to make all of them. Keep going to the spot where you can go towards the top, take the left to continue on the loop. Shortly after the big rock garden, there is a trail that goes to the right.

We take it over to the service road. Make the right going up. We go to the top. Then on the North side, we head back down to the loop again. This will bring you back to the spot where you made the left.

You get to hit the rock garden again, worth it. Fly down the hill. Watch for the rock drop off, it is about 2 feet.

I am not sure how busy it is on weekends. We do this from work several times a week. I will try to make a map.

I think I can picture this. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Solo

I like to ride the loop counterclockwise starting at Maler and riding up the main fireroad. It's pretty hit and miss your first time there because only the East Side Cutover is signed. I also prefer riding Miners counterclockwise. Bill's map and ride description are probably your best bet.

Here's a Google Earth pic that may help too.

Happy exploring!!

This picture helps quite a bit. So you go down deraileur, across the meadow, and then back up the steep loose fireroad back to Miner's?

I'm going to try this route or a variant thereof tomorrow. When are you off the DL and back on the bike? I've been putting in some extra miles, trying to get to a point where I can hang on one of your Black Mountain --> Santa Luz --> LPQ rides...

[Solo]

Well, how did it go?

I hope to be fully off the DL in a few more weeks but it sounds like I may be the one trying to hang with you!

[quaestionis]

Originally Posted by Solo

Well, how did it go?

I hope to be fully off the DL in a few more weeks but it sounds like I may be the one trying to hang with you!

I ended up wussing out on Black Mountain and doing the Santa Luz loop with a buddy instead. (He didn't feel like doing the climbing required for Black Mountain, and I wasn't going to drag him...)

I still want to do a full Black Mountain ride, and will probably wait until I can ride with someone (like you) who knows the best routes to take.

And you won't have to worry about hanging with me, trust me. As evidence, I will hereby confess my need to HAB up the second steep service road climb at the midway point of the Santa Luz loop. That thing is very steep, and I only made it about 1/3 of the way up. If memory serves, you described cleaning it with no problems...

So you have nothing to worry about.

[Solo]

Originally Posted by quaestionis

And you won't have to worry about hanging with me, trust me. As evidence, I will hereby confess my need to HAB up the second steep service road climb at the midway point of the Santa Luz loop. That thing is very steep, and I only made it about 1/3 of the way up. If memory serves, you described cleaning it with no problems...

So you have nothing to worry about.

Ah yes, you mean this one? The last third is brutal. I hate fire roads.

[quaestionis]

Originally Posted by Solo

Ah yes, you mean this one? The last third is brutal. I hate fire roads.

That's the one. I hate that thing.

Funny though, it doesn't look that bad in the picture. But from ground level...