Ride Report Condor Peak Trail, San Gabriel Mts.

Parked at Delta Flats, climbed Yerba Buena Fireroad, to Mendenhall Fireroad over to Condor Peak trail.

Per my GPS:
22.33 miles
4932 ft of climbing.

Thanks to all that joined me and this will be “The I hate Dean Ride” I am sure all will be forgiven by tomorrow AM. Jose likes punishment so he liked the ride, Burner kept flipping me off after each hike-a-bike…and coudos to those two for SSing it. Stjunkie is happy because he picked the route and called us even for me taking him up Star Pass in South Lake Tahoe.

Big exposure and it makes many of us nervous...not a trail to hammer out the down hills although that did not seem to bother Dell, and Nick. I was in the back all day but I hear Dell, Craig and Nick rode strong all day. Liz and friend; good ride. Lynn and Vic thanks for hanging with me and my bum arm.

I posted the GPS profile look at mile 5.5 to mile 6 a 1000 ft hike-a- bike on Yerba Buena Trail was the longest and steepest of the day but it seemed like we did another 5-6 of them. This trail is now off my short list but I would not rule out doing it again…not soon.

Dean

 

Awesome day! Although it won't be on the table anytime soon (read: ever?)...climbs SUCKED.

Thanks for getting it together Dean. And good to see a few old faces.


p.s. call me the sucker for being talked into this and Star Lake

 

all in good fun Dean. the day was brutal, and enjoyable.

I think we all had enough HABbage for awhile.

Hey Maxwell, we found your next Push-a-Kona route.

 

I know, and yes enough HAB for awhile. But look at it this way, we have earned some shuttle days.

Couple more pics.

Dean

 

Gee, I'm really really bummed I missed this ride...

 

Yeah, I say this will be my only time doing this trail. Probably not good judgement on my part riding every other week and then signing up for a ride such as this one. I was literally in pain as soon as we started to hit the snow. Little did I know that the worse was still to come. Once the HABs started they seemed never ending one after another. All I kept telling myself through out the ride was "don't look up...don't look up"...
Thanks Dean and Scott for putting this together. Great seeing everyone again and great meeting all the new faces, all awesome riders. Jose and Matt you guys rock on your single speeds. Here are my pics:
Jose on the fire road climb:clap:

First HAB waiting for us right along that peak in the background.

Yerba Buena Trail - Matt and Liz on the first HAB

Condor Peak on the left

Me:wave:clueless as to what's ahead

Liz and Scott



on the snow - fire road after Yerba Buena


Dean

some spots seem like they almost had a foot of snow...

regroup

more HAB's - this one was actually doable

Scott

don't look up rotest:

Matt

...and down we go on a looooong downhill st. Here are Liz and Burner

Scott

Lynn and Dean

saw moss on a few spots towards the end...

 

And all I did today was a wedding... but it was for two of my mountain biking friends, so I'm pretty happy about that...

 

thanks Dean and scott for the ride!! all i have to say is that. THIS WAS THE MOST HICKE A GUUATT EVER I HAVE EVER DONE!! OMFREAKING GOD!! that was no joke!!!:?:#-o

still a good ride thanks guys!!! I had a good time!!:bang::beer::clap::wave:


Dean those are some sweet pics thanks much!~!! U 2 VIC!!!

 

Man I was bummed when I had to turn around part way into this ride because of a knee problem. When everyone returned to the cars and were talking about all the hab and how brutal it was I wasn't so bummed. Now that I've seen these pics I think I really missed out!
Still it was good riding with you guys the little that I did.

 

I'm not going to say good ride. I enjoyed riding with some great people but the HAB was downright brutal. More than West Horsethief or Bell Ridge. For a few of us we got to tack on a another ~ 4 miles, 300' by finishing the ride with the climb out instead of taking the side trail down. I think I wore out my granny ring on this ride. The downhill was downright sketchy. Normally exposure and narrow trails don't freak me out but I really dialed it back going down Condor. Blowing a turn or sliding off that trail would not be good.

OK I'm making it sound worse than it was.

Great riding with everyone. I'll post a couple pics later.

C

 

I went on a road ride. It's called a brevet. (French for randoneering). I ended up doing 140 miles and did less climbing then you guys did.

I've never did this route you guys did, but have looked at it a number of times on the maps, now I'm glad I've never done it. I guess not everything in the San Gabs are great rides?

The trail looks completely gone in those pics. Lots of exposure too?

What was the total ride time?

Miles 5 to 6 look really punishing. Looks like you climbed 1,000" in one mile?

 

Condor Peak is an awesome ride. I have not done the Yerba Buena trail, we did a point-to-point starting on Mendenhall Ridge. I love the views and exposure of Condor Peak. It is a real gem of a SoCal trail. Hats off to all the organizations who were involved with keeping Senator Boxer's Wilderness Hertitage Act from passing which would have cut our access to that trail.

 

Vic, I am glad you got a picture of that section of trail that Liz and Burner are. After coming down it, then looking back up it I am have never have rode it down. Maybe the shetchyest section of trail that I have rode. Have walked shetchyer.

Bill, I also liked Condor Peak Trail...at first we where going to use your route. But the ride keep getting bigger and working out a point to point would not work. So we looped it. The one section of Yerba Buena Trail that climbed 1000ft in a have a mile did most of us in...every HAB after that was just torture.

Going up Yerba Buena Trail will not be a option for much longer as that trail is nearly overgrown in places. I hope the moto guys keep riding it and keep it open.

Dean

 

Tim, I was sorry that you had to turn around, I hate sending some back alone but at that point it was easy to find your way back off the Mountain. You turning around was a good call on your part, if it was acting up there at would have become a real problem later in the ride.

Dean

 

For me
6.19 hrs riding
1.27 stopped
Others had more more waiting time as I was the slowest rider. Made it out with maybe 30 minutes daylight left. We were chasing the sun at the end of the ride. I know these adventures with Scott and did bring a light.

Mike you would have liked the ride, yes the trail could use some love but the problem areas were slides for above covering the trail. Only a few places did the trail drop away. Outsides of the HABs not many really bad spots that needed walking. We do need a better route to access Condor Peak...Yerba Buena takes too much out of me.

Dean

Dean

 

Wow, what a day! I knew going into it that this day was all about survival, my goal - finishing the ride.
I will agree with everyone, that HAB SUCKED!
We have done parts of these trails in the past but this was the loop from HELL! That being said, the views were amazing! It was such a clear day and it was really nice to see a different perspective from this section of the San Gabriels. With all the other dramatic elements of the ride the snow got short changed. I was surprised to see so much snow was on the back side of the trail. For a while there the combination of the dark dirt and the snow looked like Oreo cookie crumbs. Then again I'm sure I was very hungry at that point too!
We had a great group out there and although we all agree it will be a while (if ever) before some of us revisit that loop I think everyone would agree it was an awesome day.
Although I knew what I was getting into Dean + Scott plus a long day with lots o elevation gain in the San Gabs, one would think I'd learn after all this time :-k
It by far exceeded my expectations all the way around but I achieved my goal, I survived! Probably the biggest elevation gain I've ever done in one ride.
Kudos to Mat and Jose, SSing this one! Can you say legs of steel!
Thanks to all of you for sharing the pain with me.
Hope you all are home resting today!

 

I'll never have to wonder!

When Ken asked me if I was going to do this, I said yes because if I didn't,I would always wonder. Wonder no more. My opinion on this ride was that it was a fantastic back country epic! Every one of us should be proud that we finished this healthy and uninjured! Except for my yucca sticker poke in the shin which is killing me! You guys did great. Chin up!! I have no regrets and actually had a good time. I could see some people suffering bad. Poor Burner was having some leg cramps and Matt was out of water so I shared some of mine. Otherwise,the words for the day were challenging and epic! Thanks for the great company!!

the single speed boys


13 head off into the unknown


A very long climb


show me how it's done Scott

Vic hangs his head in failure




first saddle

our 2nd trail on the left


yeah, you say that now!







got scissors??

Jose gives 100&%
















the trail winds along

Finally!


How do you really feel?


Ken AKA Professor Chaos was killing the climbs

 

Nice pics dstepper! Looks like a pretty hardcore AM trail! :bang:

 

Here's some more pics

Another hideous HAB



a 30 ft. downhill followed by a 1/2 mile HAB


I know Jose had fun cause he was always smiling


suffering bad







The ocean


Scott rocks



Burners face vs. Steppie's face


finally some downhill




more down. down is gooood

the trail cut in the side




looks flat? No. It's straight down on an 8 inch trail


burner feeling edgy


a little oasis


sun is getting low

final tally 25 miles no short cuts here





gotta replenish the energy stores!

 

Funny, I was thinking about Star Pass as we were crawling up mile 5, I felt like one of the climbers on Everest walk a few feet rest, walk a few more feet rest again...I don't know about you guys but I'd take Star Pass over this one hands down!