dstepper
(R.I.P.) Over the hill
RR: Exploration Trail, Arrowbear, CA.
Exploration Trail - San Bernardino National Forest, nearest town – Arrowbear, CA. Starting elevation about 6,100ft, highest 7400+ft.
I have drove by this trail dozens of times on my way to Big Bear. I have dismissed it because it was near or part of the Children’s Demonstration Forest and I thought that it was going to be some type of easy or paved interruptive trail. I was wrong it is a JEWEL.
I parked just off Highway 18 were Keller Peak Road meets the Highway 18. The lower trailhead is a couple hundred feet off the Highway. I climbed up Keller Peak Road for about 4 miles to the upper trailhead. It was a very easy climb (1200-1400ft) that took me about 45 minutes.
The trail is decomposed granite so it is sandy in places, it reminds me of the Mt. Hilyer boulder area on the Chilao ride. For the most part, this is not a fast downhill…the trail is tight and weaves in-out and up-down and around rocks…you cannot get up much speed because you don’t see were the trail is going next. You got to carry some speed on the whoop-de-doos or you will not make it up the other side…it is too steep and loose to pedal up. This is a very fun somewhat technical trail. You can tell that the people that maintain and built this trail, built it for hiking. They have armored the waterbars with granite, but instead of using larger rocks they have used very narrow granite rocks buried in the dirt standing up on end. I was being careful to un-weight my back tire but still pinched flatted once. I blame that on not riding the rigid bike enough and getting lazy on the bark-a-lounger. Someone rides this trail because I saw weathered braking ruts, but no other bike tires prints. This trail probably get lots of weekend hikers.
Exploration Trail - San Bernardino National Forest, nearest town – Arrowbear, CA. Starting elevation about 6,100ft, highest 7400+ft.
I have drove by this trail dozens of times on my way to Big Bear. I have dismissed it because it was near or part of the Children’s Demonstration Forest and I thought that it was going to be some type of easy or paved interruptive trail. I was wrong it is a JEWEL.
I parked just off Highway 18 were Keller Peak Road meets the Highway 18. The lower trailhead is a couple hundred feet off the Highway. I climbed up Keller Peak Road for about 4 miles to the upper trailhead. It was a very easy climb (1200-1400ft) that took me about 45 minutes.
The trail is decomposed granite so it is sandy in places, it reminds me of the Mt. Hilyer boulder area on the Chilao ride. For the most part, this is not a fast downhill…the trail is tight and weaves in-out and up-down and around rocks…you cannot get up much speed because you don’t see were the trail is going next. You got to carry some speed on the whoop-de-doos or you will not make it up the other side…it is too steep and loose to pedal up. This is a very fun somewhat technical trail. You can tell that the people that maintain and built this trail, built it for hiking. They have armored the waterbars with granite, but instead of using larger rocks they have used very narrow granite rocks buried in the dirt standing up on end. I was being careful to un-weight my back tire but still pinched flatted once. I blame that on not riding the rigid bike enough and getting lazy on the bark-a-lounger. Someone rides this trail because I saw weathered braking ruts, but no other bike tires prints. This trail probably get lots of weekend hikers.
