Santiago Oaks: Tips for a Beginner?

So I've been biking for several months now, and a couple weeks back went up Mountain Goat to the top and down Chutes Ridgeline for the first time, and had a blast. I survived, but to be honest, barely haha.

I've searched the forums a lot, and have read tidbits on the technical difficulties of the various trails at Santiago Oaks, but have read differing opinions.

My question for all you more advanced riders at Oaks is:
How would you rank the level of difficulty for the various downhill trails there? For example, I've read some people think Hawk or Grasshopper is most technical, vs Barham Ridge or Chutes ridgeline is, etc.

I just wanna map out my next routes there, and perhaps wanna know what I may be able to do, or should perhaps avoid as a beginner. There are so many route options!

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

 

Hawk and a tricky trail just south of Mountain Goat (toward the dam...maybe it's a part of mountain goat?) are the two most technical descents there, in my opinion. Everything else you can make as radical as you want by laying off the brakes. Those two I mentioned require some focus and attention at any speed.

Frankly, those two are the only trails I cannot clean from top to bottom in my skinny-tired, no suspension cyclocross bike. So those 2 get my vote.

Grasshopper only has one rock waterfall section that is advanced, the rest being quite manageable.

Chutes is technical in places, but not as a whole. If you string together all of the features; jumps, log, rocks, etc., then you can bring up the difficulty. But it's not unavoidable difficulty.

 

I think you're talking about 'old goat' or "waterfall", it was the way down before the switchbacks were built, as I was told?

 

It all depends on what lines you choose. There's generally an "A" (advanced) and a "P" (jina) line on the technical trails. Hawk is by far the hardest trail next to Old Mountain Goat. Go explore, who cares if you have to walk your bike, better to study the lines and ride later IMNTBHO.

 

Agreed hawk and waterfalls are probably the most tech. I think if you can make it down the first part of chutes ridge line well then you can ride hawk. The bottom of waterfalls is tricky though so I'd hold off on that one until you get you skills up.

 

Rule #1 Pedal hard up and harder down without hitting the brakes...LOL ...I wish but like everything else your gonna just have keep doing it untill it becomes comfortable. It doesn't matter how fast or slow as long as you go down and you make it, do it enough and it won't be a second thought....then do as rule #1

 

How I'd rank the downhill's at Oaks, from most difficult to least difficult:

Waterfall
Hawk
Big gap in level of difficultly then...
Chutes
Grasshopper
Peralta
Yucca
Barham Ridge
Deer
Cactus

 

Re: MojoCP's comment on G-Hopper, that one waterfall section has a flatter option around it.

 

When you get to the flag pole, make sure you go off the farthest right side of the ledge, it's smallest/gentlest drop there. Not even worth looking at before hand. go as fast as you can off of it.

 

I'd say it goes like this:
1. Old Goat
2. Zips... The true zips that starts halfway down chutes.
3. Waterfall
4. Hawk
5. Then a couple trails on the north end that are steep
6. The sand hill from the power lines to intersection of Weir and Barham.
7. Then chutes and the rest of the above list.

 

Awesome, thanks for the great info everybody! I think all this would be very useful for beginners looking to take a crack at all those trails.

You guys are definitely right too though that its best to just go explore, find the lines you're comfortable with, and you can always avoid the tough sections, go slower, or hike if needed!

 

Tip: regardless of the map, there are not 2 chutes.

Chutes (aka Zips) is the chunky fun one that most people go down. Ladders is the smooth switchback-y one you normally go up. Any other name they gave these is stupid, and should be banished.

 

Isn't Old Goat and Waterfall the same thing? This: http://app.strava.com/segments/764216

 

Should the people who pedal up Zips aka, chutes, be deemed as stupid and banished as well?
Yes, on a quiet weekday morning, considering.

Steve

 

Absolutely not, they should be commended. It's the names that are wrong, not the riders; I just figured being new to the park he wouldn't be climbing chutes.

The park had the opportunity to call it chutes and ladders. As a community, we should be correcting their error.

And that's a solid climb. If you're doing it (or even attempting it), nicely done.

 

great tips. anyone know some fun loops for a beginner like me? im always taking santiago creek to the dam, then up to the flag then down chutes and out. need some more variation and i need to get better at climbing.

 

If you want to come along I might be riding Oaks tomorrow. Up Chutes(switchbacks), Down Cactus, Down Hawk, Up Oaks to the flag pole, down BRaham Ridge, Down Chutes Ridgeline. I can walk you through Hawk if you would like.

 

How many miles? If you can handle a full oaks loop I suggest you make a run on the Weir loop. It's nice right now. This will give some variation. It would put you at around 13-14 miles.

 

Hey 7pt!! I didn't consider the jumps off the flag pole as a trail - that's just for crazy dh'ers in my opinion but that was funny; and Vinhy make sure you don't snake 7pt while he's snapping on his helmet, he gets really pissy and will call you a puppy or pastries...somethin like that :lol:!!

Yes!!

 

Waterfall is not the toughest trail in oaks by a long shot. I ride waterfall with ease and can barely clear some of the other trails. Let me know when you what to see the good trails up there. Also bring beer!