SS Ride Strawberry Peak Loop

[dstepper]

This is at Kips suggestion.

MTBR Forum Single Speed ride on April Fools day...I suppose that you could fool us and bring a geared bike..I don't care what you ride.

Strawberry Peak Loop is among the top rides in So-Cal. The discription below is a outdated, the trail was repaired after Ron wrote this review...but still has major exposure. Different than San Juan exposure...narrow and in places there are no bushes to stop ya if you screw up.

Ride starts near Clear Creek Fire Station (junction of Highway 2 and Angeles Crest Highway) it is a 15-16 mile loop with about 3,500 ft climb.
[URL="http://www.ronbigelow.com/Outings/Trails/strawberry/strawberry.htm"]http://www.ronbigelow.com/Outings/Trails/strawberry/strawberry.htm
[/URL]

 

[EndoMaster]

The thought of exposure for my inexperienced self scares me. Is it really as precarious as it sounds? Did I just use precarious in a sentence?

 

[dstepper]

As long as you don't stare at the exposure it is not bad.

Rule #3 in mountain biking: look at where you want to go, not at the things you are trying to miss. Don't ask me what #s 1 & 2 are...because I just made that up.

 

[Pho'dUp]

I keep wanting to go up there and then I think of this video.

http://www.nrmbc.org/Movies/Featured/milescrash-500k.mpg

This is at Strawberry Peak right?

 

[ECOdork]

I keep wanting to go up there and then I think of this video.

http://www.nrmbc.org/Movies/Featured/milescrash-500k.mpg

This is at Strawberry Peak right?

YIKES! 8-[
And you're right, not even the cactus or poison oak of San Juan to catch your fall there!

 

[EndoMaster]

YIKES! 8-[
And you're right, not even the cactus or poison oak of San Juan to catch your fall there!

That's the exact video that popped into my head when I read this post but I couldn't find it.

 

[Pho'dUp]

Here's the whole story in case you don't know. One lucky dude.

http://www.mountainbikebill.com/MilesCrash.htm

 

[Von-Skipp]

Hmmmm maybe I'll pass on this ride

Cliff riding is one of my worst fears in mountain biking!

 

[ShinKen]

Hmmmm maybe I'll pass on this ride

Cliff riding is one of my worst fears in mountain biking!

U can always walk your bike like the first dude did!! I know the spot and I freaking walked the thing!! no shame if u want to keep your bike in one piece!! :bang:

but danngg just saw the vid!! whoahh dat dood really is one lucky monkey!! :bang:

 

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

I was at Strawberry Peak not too long ago, a lot of the cliffside riding is not as bad as it looks in the video, there are containment walls all over the place now. it's a ride that used to be for experts only but now intermediate ridsers can go and ride there.

I will have to say, if something looks crazy, i'll walk it!! better safe than sorry!!!!

 

[singleSSpeedster]

like Armando said, the exposure is not THAT bad. the trail used to be much more narrow, but it has been widened quite abit (2-3 ft wide in most of the sections with exposure). there were some parts of the ride that used to be a one ft wide before the "repairs"!!!

a intermediate ride could ride this trail. i don't think they would be over their head, you just gotta remember to walk sections that freak you out.

the first half of the ride, the exposure is on the left side, the second half, before getting to red box, the exposure is on the right....this stuff kinda plays mind games with me (so i walk alot of the second half).

also, that video of Miles' fall is at carrizo gorge, down near san diego....NOT strawberry!!!

strawberry is an epic ride that every intermediate/expert mtb'er must ride (wether a local or an out-of-towner)...even if you walk a few times. walking would also gives you a chance to take in the spectacular views!!!

and, if my elbow (hyperextension during the vq) and my wrist (hurt it in a fall yesterday) heal quicky....i will be out there.

man, that climb to the saddle is a b!tch, thouvh....but we should ride up to josephine!!! afterall, it's the only big climb of the day.

 

[MTBMaven]

Dean,

Thanks for posting this ride over here. I added it to the calendar on this forum this morning. My calendar post on MTBR got all screw up.

This trail is not that technical for those that are nervous. We took a first time rider on it once and he did great. Unless you suffer from a debilitating fear of heights you will be fine. There is really only one section of true exposure on narrow trail and you can easily walk the 50 yards. The trail itself has only a few obstacles. The only real technical section of the entire trail is the "waterfall" from Red Box to Switzer. I have yet to clear this section of trail, though I desperately what to one day.

The Waterfall is one of the last remaining sections of trail that I cannot seem to be able to ride on the trails I ride frequently. I finally rode the other section that has plagued me for some time. The short steep three step switchback on Sunset Ridge right near the end of the singletrack. I finally cleaned that thing this past Monday. Wow that was exciting.

 

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

The Waterfall is one of the last remaining sections of trail that I cannot seem to be able to ride on the trails I ride frequently. I finally rode the other section that has plagued me for some time. The short steep three step switchback on Sunset Ridge right near the end of the singletrack. I finally cleaned that thing this past Monday. Wow that was exciting.

thw waterfall section & the the 3 steps are some tough sections to clear.

congrats, on those 3 steps, it's no joke!! :clap:

i'm hoping to clear the waterfall section next time around, i'm figuring it's all about momemtum, but we'll see if i clear it \\/ or endo#-o !


BTW , Welcome to STR!!

 

[MTBMaven]

congrats, on those 3 steps, it's no joke!! :clap:

i'm hoping to clear the waterfall section next time around, i'm figuring it's all about momemtum, but we'll see if i clear it \\/ or endo#-o !


BTW , Welcome to STR!!

Thanks, good luck, and thanks! I think you are right about the momentum. Next time I ride it with my 575 I just need to keep the speed up, stay back on the seat, and relax.

Do you think you will be able to make the April Fools ride?

 

[Pain Freak]

My son doesn't want to go to the skate park on Saturday and if he doesn't change his mind back, I'll probably join you for Strawberry, but I'm not ready to go up on the ss just yet.

 

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

I'll definitely try to go up there for the ride, so where exactly are we meeting?? @ Switzers down at the picnic area parking lot??

 

[MTBMaven]

Meeting at Clear Creek Ranger Station, at the junction of Angeles Crest and Angeles Forest Highways. The ride starts at 9:00 AM. Hope you can make it. I hope the weather starts cooperating by then.

 

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

Meeting Spot

Meeting at Clear Creek Ranger Station, at the junction of Angeles Crest and Angeles Forest Highways. The ride starts at 9:00 AM. Hope you can make it. I hope the weather starts cooperating by then.

thanx :bang:

 

[gurp13]

This trail is on my list of places to go. But.... I have a good excuse. As I'm the drama director and my school musical is closing that night, I will not be able to go. I'll be up late the night before doing a show and there's no way I'm getting up early to ride, 16 miles of technical trail, and then doing another show that night. Besides, what if I get banged up? I'd kill one of my students if they said they were going on a knarly mountain bike ride during a show run like that!

'Sides, Armondo, am I even up for a ride like that? I survived my tick incident and didn't feel bad after Turnbull. But, I also kinda pussed on several hills.

As for walking, ha! Ask Armondo. I will always walk instead of trying something that looks too difficult. F8ck falling and getting all banged up. Especially with my clipless pedals. The only thing worse than going over at speed and scraping up your legs is stalling out, not unclipping and slamming your hip into the ground. I did that three times in one ride about 8 weeks ago and I can still feel a little tenderness if I press on my hip. That sh1t's no joke! Falling sucks!!! I get on the bike to ride, not fall down and bleed. I can prove my manhood in other ways, like changing diapers, eating the chili in the kung pao chicken, and spending three hours a day with a high school drama club.

Yeah, try that beeotch. You think trail exposure is bad?

 

[FoShizzle]

I am so in if my "boss" gives me clearance....sounds like a blast!