Ride Report Just Outstanding Trail Kernville

So I have been off the Mountain Bike for a year and half or so and had just been fooling around with 4x4's and expensive road bikes with Pain Freak. One of my best friends was planning his bachelor party on the Kern River so we wanted to plan a 2.5 day action packed adventure. We would start off Friday evening from Redlands taking Jawbone Trail to Lake Isabella from Ridgecrest which was 53 miles of 4x4 offroad goodness. Saturday we planned to do Sherman 4x4 trail, Fish the Kern River all afternoon, and Sunday wake up and shuttle Just Oustanding before the ride home. So I pulled the trigger on a Specialized Stumpjumper Expert EVO 29er from The Path a few weeks ago and havent really looked back since in preparation for the trip. There were 9 of us total who embarked in very capable Long Travel 4x4 desert/trail rigs.
None of us had ever ridden this area before and only went off of what a few people told us. Just Outstanding was awesome and very fast. The elevation and 2 days of little sleep really took its toll. The dirt was wet and tacky for the upper portion and The first 6 miles had some of the best flow to them of anything I've ever ridden. Beautiful Manzanitas, deep dark forest, and it opened up to great views of the valley. The fire road climb we took wasn't too bad except it was a lung burner towards the end. The Wagy Ridge fire road descent was alot of fun and hadn't been maintained in YEARS. Fast flowing bermed corners from flooding and tons of rocks from slides all along a steep fire road that had just gotten rain. No dust, fast, and just alot of fun. We wanted to to the Dutch Flats segment, but we had a brand new rider with us and were worried about getting home at a decent hour. I thoroughly recommend the trail and I'd probably not pay the shuttle fees for this one next time as its very close to town and as long as you have 2 vehicles you should be good. Here's the few photos we took of each day. I decided to put all of them up as the area is too nice not to share. Enjoy!

Loading up in Redlands


Pit stop off Jawbone


Camp off the Kern River


Start of Sherman 4x4


















New Pet my buddy Roy found coming down!



Fishin'!


Just Outstanding










I guess we shouldn't have made him go 20 miles his first time on a Mountain Bike!
He passed out at the Kern River Brewing Co. lol

 

Yup, that's JO. I would swear I spotted your trucks out there...

 

I am going to Kern tomorrow for the weekend as was wondering could lead me to a trail map for Just Outstanding. I am trying to see if it is close enough to the cabin we are staying at. Any locals wanna ride?

 

I will be up there tomorrow, maybe doing just outstanding but more than likely Cannell Meadow. If you are talking about the cabins near the Greenhorn Grill you can ride to the Just Outstanding. Buddy owns a cabin near there and have left from his cabin and hit the Unal Trail that can be looped with JO or Portuguese Pass. You can also take JO back up to the top and back to your cabin.

 

I will be staying in RiverKern which is up the river a bit... seems a bit far to just ride out from there. Any other great trails you can recommend? Whiskey Flat seems a bit of tough route for me as I will most likely be riding alone and hung over.

 

JO is such an epic trail...i'd try and find a group or someone to ride it with for sure since you are going to be at Kern anyway. And since yer looking to be a little left over...nothing like an ice cold Just Outstanding IPA or three. :bang:

 

From River Kern to JO and back would be an adventure in itself. You can actually ride go up the bull run trail which takes you to the top of Greenhorn near the USFS station and then to Unal to JO. Whiskey Flat trail just plain sucks, it is more of an actual hike than a ride. If you do it leave the bike at home. My buddy is up at Camp James and I will be up there in the morning and we will figure out what he has not done and go from there. From River Kern You go to Sherman Pass and do some of the trails up there.

 

Contact Mountain and River Adventures in Kernville. They may have a shuttle van going to JO on a weekend. Don't have their # but they have a good website. You can try Shuttle Bob; he'll ride up with you in your car to drop you off at the top and drive your car down to the bottom for around $40-$50 which is a bit more than MRA if you're riding solo. Here's his number; 76o-tutu3-tu8won5. You'll need 2 sets of car keys for Shuttle Bob. If you have a kindly spouse and you kiss up a little, he/she may drop you off at the top and either pick you up at the bottom or make you pedal back to Kernville like mine does! It's an easy 8 miles or so but it will be hot!

JO is above Wofford Heights off Hwy 155 just south of the Alta Sierra Ski area. The best map is The Kern River Sierra Outdoor Recreation Topo Map which is on sale at MRA, James Store in Kernville and most other stores up there. It's real detailed and has trails all over the area.

I'm not a great climber so I wouldn't loop JO from anywhere or climb back up it by choice! Portuguese Pass and Unal would be a good double loop up where it's cool but Whiskey Flat would be too hot! Whatever you work out the trails are great up there and you'll have a great time!

 

Bottom of Cannell is rideable from town, and, IIRC, the Rincon starts just a little ways north of Riverkern. IMO, riding from town this time of year would suck! Heat, bugs, and poor trail selection. You'd be better off packing up and driving up to Sherman Pass or Quaking Aspen.

 

It will be in the mid to low 80's this weekend. Plus the afternoon breeze up there should make it a perfect day for riding.

 

It is only 60 degrees at the forest service station on the top of greenhorn. Great riding weather.