Ride Report Sequoia National Forest

Riders: Scott (Stjukie), Jeff (Jfsh), (Mat Burner)

Trail: Summit Trail near Jordan Peak, just above Quaking Aspen Campground

Sunday AM, after one more run down Camp Nelson Trail the crowd of 17 had thinned to 4 so…time to go find new dirt to ride. Jeff was familiar with the lower parts of Summit Trail and Scott and I had explored the trail further up near Jordan Peak. With shared knowledge we were able to put the sections together and get a bunch of excellent single track all down to Quaking Aspen. The trail is very sandy on the climbs due to the free range cows and horses, but the climbs are short. The trail seems to connect one meadow after another and is a bummer that you cannot stop long because the mosquitoes show up in mass. We have more Summit Trail to explore past Jordan Peak turn off and after getting home there are some other out and back options before you get to the wilderness boundary.

I enjoy reading GP Pilot’s reviews of the Lost Gabs. But sadly that is the condition of much of the historical trails in So-Cal. The Forest Service gave up doing trail work 20 years ago on the trails we explored. I have no solutions, Arizona, Colorado, Northern California seem to be able to keep their trails open. I would rather share the trails with the motos than to lose the trails to neglect.

Request: Would one of fellow riders post up a pic of that Wood Fern Groto we rode thru, mine came out blury...it was amazing.

Dean

 

Looks really nice up there, and a little cooler than the local mountains were this weekend. Did anyone get a GPS track?

Thanks Dean for sharing.

 

Yes I have a tracklog, and I made a Topo Map of the route and sent it to Jeff. We just touched the surface out there he wants to do some more exploring. Sierras Trail Builders out of Visalia trimed back all the White Thorn on the lower sections giving a great start on rehabbing the trail.

Steve, the gpx file and map files are to big to post here, PM me your e-mail address.

Dean

 

Great pics Dean. As usual the pics don't do the place any justice. This area is awesome. It was not easy going but it was worth it. It will take some real work to get this trail in good shape. I will post some pics when I get home from work. I love this type of exploratory riding.

 

My Pics

First of all, huge thanks to Jfsh who drove his truck, trailer, and all our bikes to the top.

SO glad we did this ride, made the weekend so worth it!

on to the pics...

Started at White Meadow, not too shabby


Dean


Skirting a lush meadow


Jeff (and Scott too) went under the "Pain Freak" tree


Aspen filled flowering meadow


Dean's fern forest... pics don't come anywhere near doing this section justice... one of the most beautiful sections of trail I've ever seen.


and on the way home... the bulls knew Scott was in the car and were giving him the stink eye.

 

Thanks for the RR. It's some awesome country... I did a little riding a bit more north out of the town of Three Rivers.. I swore I would go back and ride from the town to the trees someday (10mi. climb). Just for the record.. here is the route I did http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=6528

 

Is this the area you are talking about?


I really liked that trail even with all of the deadfall. I love having to use "the force" to figure out which way to go.

 

:-s saaay..isn't some of that the trail Scott took me on last year and made me lost? Some of it? hmm....

 

That's the spot! Your pic shows how lush it is.

 

Bill nice picture, that is the section, I have never seen wood ferns like that except in Nor=Cal and Oregon.

They tell me that the curling new shoots are eatable. Miners lettuce I have tried.

Dean

Yep...

 

You know...I was thinking...weren't we all on the same trip??? Why another RR?? Then I realized...oh right...this would be the Turner write up....I understand now.

 

Yep us Turner riders are "core" and ride when all the others have gone home.
:steppie:

 

Yeh well...we go home at a decent hour and get our rest to keep our jobs....it's hard to ride a bike that doesn't run a lot of "buy one get one free" coupons. (snicker)

...oh and like Shannon said...it was a lot of work cooking for all you camp tramps. It was definitely fun tho

 

Ah....

Define "core," Dean.

:bang:

(sweet photos, though guys)

 

:bang:

First in camp, last to leave. First on the trail in the Am last off at night = Core


Dean

 

plus we got another Nelson trail run in after they left.

(I was home by 10, asleep by 11, and kept my job just fine this morning)

 

That's not "core" Dean; that's SLOW.....

 

Okay, okay.. c'mon. Let's set the record straight. Easy for ya'll to be 'core' when your camp tramps.. :lol:

 

Ouch!

 

Ok, ok, ok....

I take back my previous comment(s)...this is totally not my style to talk $h_t on other riders...I'll leave that to others on this site.

Happy Birthday, Dean; to the others; it was great meeting and riding with you all...great food...great trails...good times.