Ride Report Winterwonderland on the Barrett-Stoddard

Since the wife and son are in Seattle for the long weekend, and I had no Valentine's obligations, I wanted a little adventure this morning. Drove up Mt. Baldy Road to where the Barrett-Stoddard starts, just outside of Baldy Village. The turnout there had the usual flatlanders who congretate here whenever there is snow, which there was. They don't usually venture very far their cars though, and I didn't have to push my bike very far along this mostly icy portion of road before leaving them behind. A little more pushing got me into Barrett Canyon where the road levels out and runs along a south facing slope, so I was finally able to start riding here. Reached the cabins and then the locked gate without much difficulty, but I knew that pushing through the snow was eventually going to take a toll, and that if it got any deeper I wouldn't be able to make it all the way to Frankish Peak, my goal.

As expected, the closer I got to Stoddard Flat the deeper the snow got, and I ended up pushing my bike more than I would have liked. At Stoddard Flat I searched in vain for the trail to the peak, gave up on trying to find it and kept to the road. Up to this point I had been following in of a few hikers and their dogs, but after peaking out at the Flat and continuing on toward Cucamonga Canyon and Frankish Peak the only tracks in the snow were being made by me - well sort of, there seemed to be a hella lot of rabbits out up there.

Rode on another 3/4 mile and even though the snow was the deepest I had to deal with, the road was heading downhill now and was mostly rideable. Eventually grey clouds began to overwhelm the blue sky and creep down on me along the slopes from higher up. Even though rain wasn't expected down in the valley, you never know what will happen up here so I turned around. I paused briefly though, to enjoy the silence, there wasn't a sound, no motors, no wind, only an occasional bird, pretty rare to find silence like that in our lives these days. Just in the short amount of time I had been riding / hiking much of the snow had melted from the trail, and back at the trailhead, all the daytripers were long gone, moved on higher up towards Baldy I suppose.

The pix:

1-5. Random photos along the Barrett-Stoddard
6. Frankish Peak in the distance, will have to wait for
another weekend
7-9. More randomness
10. So long.

 

Super cool RR. I'll have to get up there soon. This may be a good option in the "after it rains" trails, if the storm is a cold one like this. It is definitely on my list.
Question. You said there was a locked gate. Is this a gate on the trail you rode? And if so is it a "No Tresapassing" gate or one just to keep motorized vehicles off?
Thanks again.

 

Just for motor vehicles. The route is entirely within the National Forest.

 

Great Winter time RR, Fantastic photos also.

 

When you say "pushing your bike", do you mean walking or just having to exert more pedaling torque?

 

hey

hi i have never ridden in snow what does it feel like? does it feel like riding in mud or sand?

 

At that point of the ride, I was walking next to the bike and pushing, the snow there was all compacted and iced over, so I couldn't have ridden it if I tried. Coming back down, though, was fine.

Yes, alot like mud or sand. You wouldn't think so, but you get into more than just a few inches deep you sink in and it starts to grab your wheels. Also the build-up in the tread accumulates which can cause some slipping.

 

Oh by the way, the trail to the peak is more of a hiking trail right before it starts going downhill. Surprised you had trouble finding it. Thinking of doing this tomorrow.

 

wow I'm jealous you got to ride fresh pow pow and didn't see anyone!

Yea I drove up the 15 to apple valley this morning at 6 am and was thinking the whole time there was some choice riding to be done...

glad you got a good one in, I'm sure the feeling will stay with ya for a while...

I'm still searching for that ride that brings peace to my soul.

 

Nice. That snow looks like a blast to ride in!