Ride Report 6 hour, 6000 feet HAB, 3 hour down, chunk!! (Part 1 & 2)

Looks like the 6 hour climb was way worth it! AWESOME!

 

Good job, grasshoppers!

I don't think that many of us will be sampling that particualr trail... too bad... looked fun!

 

Yowsa. That looks like a an amazing day. You guys rule. Can I come next time? :wave:I don't have any of that stuff in my pack and don't know anyone who knows the trail either. I'd be toast.

Is there absolutely no rideable sections on the way up or is it just not worth the extra effort, so you're better off to take off the pedals to save the shins?

Where exactly is this? Outside of Palm Springs I gather.

It does sound like a tempting heli-drop ride.

 

miniscule amount would be rideable on the up. (you are constantly lifting your bike 1 foot over rocks). let me tell you, HAB without the pedals is soooo much easier then with them, really frees you up. lucky for me that HAB verses riding uphill makes zero difference to me, i dont mind it at all (in a sick way, i probably actually prefer it to riding up!!)

 

dude, i will NEVER turn down your invite to do that again!! that looks friggin awesome!

from the way you made it sound i knew i would have had nothing for santa barbara and suicide on sunday, damn.

 

Great TR Tom. Very impressive!

 

DFT...If you go for the top again let me know. I could ride the tram up, bust out the 12 mile RT hike and meet you with water and food. I could also bring a video camera for some last will inetrviews before the drop to the valley!! There is no way I am going to try that thing to the top, but I would definitely do some support crew for you guys. I live at the base of the trailhead and I always look at it from across the goat trails and think "G-sus! DFT is a monster!" If anyone is looking at the pictures...you have no idea of the scale and the grade until you are looking up it.

+1,000,000,000

 

Simply File That under Epic...Wow!

Thanks for sharing...boy do I feel humble.

 

Yea! You can make it next time Rob!

You know what is the best idea? Mobilize our forces and get the politicians off their butts and legalize Wilderness areas in the U.S. I don't know how many times I've had to turn around in Colorado when I encounterd Wilderness on my bike!!

This particular trail is very legal for bikes (probably because they don't think a biker would be crazy enough to ride it.) And there is a tram (A TRAM!!) at the base of the mountain that takes you up to 8000 feet. BUT, the top of the mountain is politically dedicated wilderness, so NO BIKES.

Lift Access!! Those are not telephone lines, that is the tram support.



That's what the hikers are doing on this trail, they are hiking up and taking the tram down. Imagine if there was a legal way to take the tram up with your bike. It could become the greatest descent in the west.

So, no need for a heli drop, we just need a bill introduced by Boxer or Feinstein. But since Boxer has been pushing for more wilderness designation since her tenure began in 1992, and hence more off limits to bikes, I don't see that happening from our senators in the near future.

 

Firstly: I'm impressed! Awesome expedition and a great RR!:clap:
Secondly: Are you guys aware that there are mental health care professionals who may be able to assist you with your obvious sanity issues?

 

Wow, that's a ride of epic proportions. HAB'ing with gear and heavy bikes ain't no joke. Especially over such steep rugged terrain. That's some serious "vert" brah's. Very cool, Toms and company!

(I can't believe you're still using those 1978 power grips. Pretty funny shit!)

 

I should've weighed my bag Joe, but I would guess it surpassed the weight of my bike at the beginning of the HAB. (or came awfully close)

And the Power Grips? Ask DFT about Whistler. :lol:

 

that would be the greatest descent in the US. take the tram up, climb another 2000 to the peak, then have a 10,000 foot singeltrack descent in only like 17-18 miles!! (whitney would be up there also

yep, i'm a lifetime powergrip user!

 

Dan, it is VERY similar to Tunnel in chunk with more switchbacks. I always describe Tunnel as unrelenting on the body, I don't even know how to describe this. (unrelenting X 5??) I've also HABed up Tunnel just to do it. Much preferable than riding up Gibraltar, ugghh!

 

My thoughts

Wow, what a hike/ride. The HAB was much easier than I thought it would be and the ride down was way more difficult than I thought it would be. It was completely opposite of what I expected.

At 3000’ I was feeling like superman. I said to myself at this rate I could probably make it to 8000’ (our destination was 6250'). At 4000’ I was still feeling really good but started to feel a few aches and pains here and there. At 5000’ we meet a really steep section and things were not so easy any more. I was taking a breather with Tom 500’ later and my 100oz bladder went dry (I was packing 170oz). So much for thinking I could make it to 8000’. The sign that recommended 1-1/2 gallons of water for this trail is pretty accurate. We got to our destination, a place called flat rock at 6250’, 8 miles, in 7 hours. I was starting to feel some fatigue but after some lunch and a power nap I was reenergized.

The way down was very demanding. DT’s description of Iron Mountain on steroids was dead nuts on. It had a pretty good pattern of chunk, chunk, steep, chunk, switchback, chunk, chunk, steep, chunk, switchback over and over again. After 3000’ of this my hands, thighs, and ankles were begging for mercy and we were only half way down. We bounced like ping pong balls the rest of the way down dreading each switch back our bodies had no energy for. We should have taken more breaks on the way down to stay energized but for the most part we hammered all the way down and it still took us 2.5 hours to get down. We were all smoked at the finish.

DT had the clean of the day. He cleaned a very tight and chunky switchback that had serious exposure. If you missed you had to deal with at least a 30’ fall. We only had a few minor mechanicals. Tom’s derailleur brushed a rock and had to be adjusted. I ran over a cactus and started to loose air but stan’s sealed everything back up, got to love tubeless on a ride like this. I also lost my compression knob to my fork.

It was defiantly a DT adventure. I had a great time and it was cool to push your limits. I was glad I did it and felt rewarded at the end of what we had done. It was a good time. However, it was my first and probably my last time of doing it. The trail just doesn’t have any flow. As soon as you got going you were quickly met by a balancing act switchback. 6000’ of stop and go is not my pint of beer. It was good but once is enough.

 

OK, count me in! (I think..... ....my bike weighs closer to 40 lbs!)

So this San Jacinto and the tram takes you to the top but the top is in Designated wilderness area? Any way to dissemble the bikes and pack them on the tram?

 

note, this trail was somewhat more overgrown than in years past. if it was completely clear, it would add lots and lots of flow and make it easier. i talked to a hiker guy that hikes it alot, he wants to clear it also, so i will help out one long day. terry will agree, there is TONS of flow if some sections were less bushy (ie, as MJ say, think tunnel, but alot more intense. even as is, i freakin love it (shocker!)

 

Maybe one more

If you brush it back I will do it again. I would also want to go to 8000’. Two gallons of water should get use there.

 

Wow! I am impressed!!

 

Epic! :bang:

I've hiked that area. Can't imagine taking a 35 pound anchor with me! :clap:
Tiring just LOOKING at the pictures!