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Los Angeles Riding info-Ride Report
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Author:  ajdonner [ Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Los Angeles Riding info-Ride Report
Was gonna post on MTBR; but the site isn't loading right now.

I am visiting my cousin in West Hollywood Sat evening/Sun and want to ride beforehand. My brief search leads me to the Mt Wilson/El Prieto area. The El Prieto lollipop looks pretty cool and gets good ratings on mtbproject. Other options welcome. Not terribly interested in paying to shuttle; being a weekend and the potential for lots of traffic on the trails.

Also, will the trails be ok following this weeks' rain by Sat. Looks like that area is forecast to get much less rain than us...

Edit: Rode from the Windsor Blvd Trailhead, up Fern Truck Trail, then up Brown Mtn TT to the Ken Burton junction (7.5 miles, ~1700 ft), then back down to the FTT/BMTT junction and on to El Prieto Canyon Trail.

Trailhead was packed. People were parking on the street ~0.3 mile from the parking lot; but I scored the second spot from the TH! Given the number/expanse of trails they never felt crowded.

Trail was pavement till about the FTT/El Prieto jxn. Above that the FTT and BMTT reminded me a bit of San Juan. Old DG fire road turned singletrack, overgrown with chaparral, criss crossing a ridge on FTT then after a short climb from the jxn, of the two, more rolling on BMTT with some exposure. Chilly in the shade, sweating in the sun; wonderful riding weather.

Chatted briefly with an ultrarunner at the top who was out for an easy 15 mile run... And took this series of pics stitched into a pano.

Image

Bombing down BMTT to the top of El Prieto was fun, mindless weeeeee. El Prieto was a super fun 1.5-2 miles of tight, techy switchbacks, rock gardens, some annoying grade reversals (not an issue if one 'knows' the trail, or if one had bothered to add air to their dropper post...).
Author:  k2rider [ Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Los Angeles Riding info
I was just there last weekend. The dirt should be epic this weekend after the rains. It's very much needed.

I personally ONLY go up there to shuttle. There's way too much DH available to be spinning ways for hours on a climb. We took (2) runs, (1) Darkside and (1) Frontside and got in over 10K of DH. If you did the Enduro day, you can get double that sometimes on 5-6 separate drops/trails. Even just doing the Frontside from Eaton Saddle for $20, you'll get 5K on 14 miles of some bad ass trails....Mt Lowe to Middle Merrill to Sunset Ridge to El Prieto.
Author:  ajdonner [ Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Los Angeles Riding info
What’s the level of other trail users you’ve experienced during shuttle runs on weekends?

Noble is awesome as one rarely comes upon many others not mtbing down. SJT can be annoying on the weekend (Chiquito is more like Noble).
Author:  evdog [ Wed Nov 20, 2019 1:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Los Angeles Riding info
I've probably ridden up there more times without a shuttle than with. The riding is great either way. You'll see some hikers on any of the trails but most seem to go up Lower and Middle Merrill to Inspiration Point or up the Gabrielino from JPL. Trails out of Chantry Flat are busy too. Like any trail system you'll see more hikers closer to trailheads. Quite a few of the bike trails are further away or don't go to hiker destinations and see less people.

A few good non-shuttle rides:
-up Fern TT to Brown Mtn to Ken Burton to Gabrielino. KB has tricky switchbacks and lots of exposure
- up Fern, Mt Lowe RR to Inspiration Pt then down Middle Merrill, Sunset, El Prieto (shorter options too)
- can climb up Lower/Middle Merrill to Inspiration Pt then finish route above but expect lots of hikers. I would not descend Lower Merrill
- from Chantry go up Upper Winter Cr, down Lower. Or Winter to Zion and down Sturtevant
- up the hill do Strawberry Peak loop including Gabrielino
- a but further up do Mt Hillyer / Silver Moccasin
Author:  k2rider [ Wed Nov 20, 2019 8:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Los Angeles Riding info
ajdonner wrote:
What’s the level of other trail users you’ve experienced during shuttle runs on weekends?

Noble is awesome as one rarely comes upon many others not mtbing down. SJT can be annoying on the weekend (Chiquito is more like Noble).


If you stay off of the Darkside runs (many mentioned by evdog), you'll see few hikers OR riders based on our experience. Last Saturday, we did a Darkside run from the Observatory and rode the Rim Trail (1 hiker at the TH) to Sturtevant which took us to Chantry Flats. On the last 2 miles of Sturtevant, we ran across a backpacking club head up for the weekend. There was easily 150 hikers all spread out but every single one of them move aside so we could pass by safely. That being said, we had to slow down considerably of course. Last year on a perfect weather day, I bet we can across 200+ hikers going up Winter Creek....IT WAS CRAZY and a nearly constant flow of hikers but all but 2-3 moved aside for us.

Compare that to the Frontside (Eaton Saddle drop) and once you get a mile from the parking lot, you MIGHT run across some other riders but even that's not a guarantee. Worst case scenario, the van drops 14 people at once. Get out in front before you hit Mount Lowe and you're home free. If you do the full Enduro Tour, we've run across hikers up top on Mt Hillyer a couple times but zero on all the other drops. The only people out there will be teh others in your shuttle van.
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