RR: Quaking Aspen Weekend

[dstepper]

Quaking Aspen is an excellent campground very quite and you can take rides in three directions from camp. My total GPS readings from the weekend was 46.9 miles 5567 ft of climbing and 9hrs and 32 minutes of saddle time…not bad for two days of riding at 7,000 tom 9,000 foot elevation. 35 miles / 3500 foot elevation the first and the rest where on Sunday.


Saturday morning Scott, Lynn and I rode Camp Nelson Trail, very nice…big tress some tech but not to bad. After lunch we decided to go for a quick ride down Freeman Creek…well it did not turn out that way. We went all the way down past George Bush tree to the pavement. Then we decided to look for a Fireroad climb back out. Many miles later we commit to a dirt climb that looked like it would take us to Highway 190 near Dome Rock. Well we took a wrong turn and ended up climbing a very old an abandoned logging road that keep taking further away from where we wanted to be. Right at nightfall we finally made it to the pavement with something like 10 miles of pavement to get back to camp. Scott went ahead to get my truck and Lynn and I kept riding to keep warm. With just a couple of miles left Scott came in the truck and we got back to camp like at 9:30pm. Good thing is that there is little traffic up there, maybe three cars passed us in the two hours we where riding the highway.


Sundays ride was only 2,000 ft and 14 miles but it was tough, not so much because I was tried just a hard long ride in very tech terrain peaking out at over 9,000ft. Big thanks to Sunday’s guides: Jeff and Gino. Billy it was good meeting and riding with you. And I am so sorry I forgot the names of the two guys from Costa Mesa that joined Scott, Tin and I.


Some pics form three different rides on 5 or so different trails.

[foofighter]

Great RR and that's beautiful country there

[mottmcfly]

Amazing pictures and a great RR. Must have been neat to ride through a living tree!


Mott

[OMR]

The last time we rode down to the Bush tree (really, really fun going down) we rode back up as we could n't how to make a loop without a lot of pavement riding. The Jordan Peak (fire lookout) Trail is also a blast coming back... but understand a lot of logging has changed some of the trail now. Good RR & pics as always.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by OMR

The last time we rode down to the Bush tree (really, really fun going down) we rode back up as we could n't how to make a loop without a lot of pavement riding.

The problem was we found to many ways to make the loop and could not decide what fireroad may work the best. I think Scott was right and we should have tried the fireraod from Lower Peppermint Campground...but there is so little info on the conditions of the trails it is really a gamble if they are still ridiable. The USGS maps are from 1972. The locals Jeff and Gino do not know of a route back up...basicly they told us that there is not a way. I want to go back and check out the water slide on Peppermint Creek and try the fireroad climb we missed going up near Dome Rock.

Last year Scott rode a single track to the North getting to Summit Trail, near Golden Trout Wilderness area...then to Quacking Aspen...Billy told us that the trail was a mess with deadfall to we did the Lewis and Clark thing.

[sheclimbs]

I headed up early on Friday since I had to take off early Sunday morning.

I arrived at the camp ground around 3 pm so I decided to hike up to the Needles lookout to check out the view until the boys arrived.

The trail to the lookout is a really fun rolling singletrack. If you roll from the campground it’s a 2.5 mile mild but really pretty fire road climb up to the ST.

There are some beautiful views along the way. The trail is mild with a few technical sections and a bit of exposure.

The last ¾’s of a mile is a steep technical climb up to several hundred steps to the lookout.

One of the cool things about this particular lookout is the woman who volunteers as the ranger there rides her bike in and out everyday. She’s been stationed here for 20 years!

The lookout sits on top of a dramatic rock formation called the Needles.

The Needles would prove to be a significant land mark for the rest of the trip…

Saturday morning we did the wonderful Camp Nelson Trail. A 6 or so mile downhill along side the creek through some impressive sequoia groves. As Dean mentioned there was enough technical areas to keep it interesting.

Scott was in top form knocking off a beautiful jump about ½ way down. Probably the biggest air I’ve seen him take. I missed his first go but the second one was near perfect. I think we captured one of the takes on video.

After regrouping at camp we headed off on our Freeman Creek Adventure or as I like to call it
THE 3 HOUR TOUR…

The beginning of the trail seemed to wind down and down and down…when we got to the George Bush Tree Dean said we’d dropped about 2000 feet in 4 miles.
None of us really wanted to climb back out so off we went to explore our options

We ended up riding a lot of pavement, which I was really enjoying, the views were spectacular but at some point several miles down the road we looked back and saw the Needles lookout – which was a mere 5 miles from out campsite – get further and further away…we probably made about 2 or 3 wrong decisions turning down options one, two and three and ended up taking what may have been the furthest possible route back up an abandoned logging road. At this point I was completely out of water. I had also gotten a little carried away and was really pushing it on the payment – the closet roadie in me loves to climb pavement. But I paid for it coming up that treacherous, loose and rocky fireroad.

We did meet our goal of getting back up to the pavement by dark. (Barely) At which point Dean and I sent the Junkie back on a reconnaissance mission for the truck. Dean and I kept rolling just to keep warm. No more water, no more food and no jacket. I know better.
I think we maintained our momentum because we knew eventually Scott would pick us up. Looking back it was pretty exciting riding in the pitch dark on the road. There was no moon to guide us. Just the small flashlight that Dean had attached to his helmet so the approaching cars might see us!

Seems liked we end up having a “caught” in the dark adventure every year.

Not sure how Dean and Scott managed to rally for Bear Creek on Sunday that sounded like one tough ride. When I got home from work last night I got a much needed 10 hours of sleep!

This is a beautiful area to camp and ride. I’m surprised more people don’t take the time to explore up there.

Thanks to my two favorite travel companions, the expedition junkies for yet another fab weekend!

jfsh, sorry I missed you this time around, I had to cut out early and get back to work. I hear you did your usual "let's see how much I can torture Scott and Dean ride"!!!

[OMR]

Very nice and complete RR with pics, young female grasshopper. A pleasure to read.

[dstepper]

Nice pics Lynn...always nice to have you along on our treks! I did want to get out to the lookout..o'well there is always next time.

Dean

[Chaos]

Great pix you guys! Thanks for the reports.

[Kiehacker]

I was great meeting and riding with you guys on Sat/sunday.

I am into heading back up there almost anytime.

It felt good to "step it up"....but I sure do hurt today.

Cheers
Geno

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by Kiehacker

I was great meeting and riding with you guys on Sat/sunday.

I am into heading back up there almost anytime.

It felt good to "step it up"....but I sure do hurt today.

Cheers
Geno

Geno thanks for the guide services, maybe it is not the "step it up" that hurts but those biffs you took....I should of got a picture of that gash on your leg. I ride allot of areas and Quaking Aspen is way up there on the fun factor...you guys are lucky to have that in your backyard. I hope it stays the hidden gem it is.

[Ladd Jasper]

Thanks for the great photos and words, guys. Looks like good times were had by all. Been hiking in that area several times but have yet to take the bike with me. As always, next time!

Originally Posted by sheclimbs

One of the cool things about this particular lookout is the woman who volunteers as the ranger there rides her bike in and out everyday. She’s been stationed here for 20 years!

I met that volunteer last time out there--great fun to talk with. She showed me an old Sierra MTB guidebook that mentions the Needles Lookout trail and, to paraphrase, says that if you go up to the lookout, the nice volunteer will probably give you some candy. Well, for the record, she's never had any idea what the author was talking about, and has grown quite tired over the years of strangers coming around looking for handouts! So knock it off!

[ka0t1c07]

I thought this ride is going to be next weekend so on Saturday night, I went to a lounge and had a couple of Hines. Got home at 3 AM and check the forums and found out this ride is going on. Got my shitz ready. Got my 45 minutes of shut eyes. Then went on a 3.5-4 hour journey to Quaking Aspen Campground. If it wasn't for the 100+mph down the I-99, I woulda miss the gang. Yes, the damn mountain drive is forever. Its so twisted.

The climb up Summit something is a long rocky technical climb. The reward is the spectacular view when u get up there. There were long logs to ride on, many jumps to test your skills. log rolls, Sequoia log wall ride to the top and a drop off thing. I don't even know what to call it. I had fun on the double "L" shaped log until I went over the bar but still went back for seconds.

This trail pretty much had it all. The down hill part of the trail is like a bike park. Very steep at some point and very technical. Although some part of the trail can use some rain. Dean had his arm and shin guards on which is the first I've seen. The local knew what this trail have in store so they all have full face buckets and squishy bikes. Scott got some major air on some of the jumps. There were many falls off the fun stuff. Luckily everyone made it out with no injuries.

Big thanks to everyone who was there. I had a blast. Thanks to Jeff and Geno for being a tour guide. To Jeff again for taking me back to my car. Dean and Scott for setting up a great ride.

Tin
Pictures will be up soon.

[jfsh]

This ride is great. I am getting more comfortable with it each time I do it. Dean and Scott, thanks for getting me up there again. I was totally lame with my camera. Just too busy riding I guess. I did take it out at the end of the ride. The trail comes out near a few cabins and there is a killer bridge across the Tule river. It is made out of a fallen Giant Sequoia. I took a video of Tin riding across it then got two shots of Dean getting his freeride on.

[Kiehacker]

Originally Posted by Ladd Jasper

I met that volunteer last time out there--great fun to talk with. She showed me an old Sierra MTB guidebook that mentions the Needles Lookout trail and, to paraphrase, says that if you go up to the lookout, the nice volunteer will probably give you some candy. Well, for the record, she's never had any idea what the author was talking about, and has grown quite tired over the years of strangers coming around looking for handouts! So knock it off!

I used to climb up at the needles regularly. The lookout ranger, (If its the same one...her name was Margie,) had "cookies for climbers", but she was clear that they were only for climbers and not hikers

Also...not that it matters...She is on FS payroll...not a volunteer.

[Burner]

Originally Posted by sheclimbs

Scott was in top form knocking off a beautiful jump about ½ way down. Probably the biggest air I’ve seen him take. I missed his first go but the second one was near perfect. I think we captured one of the takes on video.

so who has this video?