2014 California Sierra Trail Race

[jackinmd]

Figured I'd start a thread to talk about the California Sierra Trail Race, which I'm planning on doing this summer and am getting more and more stoked about as time goes on. I really have to do some homework before I start asking questions, but suffice it to say that this thing looks awesome. Mostly singletrack, less HAB than CTR, although still tons of climbing, and the altitude's a little easier on us lowlanders than Colorado.

Just to confirm - Start date is Friday 7/18?

I like that it's a big loop, that makes logistics a bit easier for an out-of-towner like me. Biggest hurdle is finding a place to keep my bike box during the race - maybe I can persuade a local bike shop to keep it in a back corner?

Who else is in?

[ec_duz_it]

I am probably in. I was just in Tahoe this past weekend ice-boarding at Heavenly.  I also snow-shoed up Tallac Mountain (a lot more rewarding than snowboarding on man made snow).   Its pretty dry up there.  Most of the route is rideable right now.  Just took this photo this past Sunday (almost at the summit of Tallac looking east towards South Lake Tahoe).  Looks more like June than January.  

[Sean Allan]

Figured I'd start a thread to talk about the California Sierra Trail Race, which I'm planning on doing this summer and am getting more and more stoked about as time goes on. I really have to do some homework before I start asking questions, but suffice it to say that this thing looks awesome. Mostly singletrack, less HAB than CTR, although still tons of climbing, and the altitude's a little easier on us lowlanders than Colorado.

Just to confirm - Start date is Friday 7/18?

I like that it's a big loop, that makes logistics a bit easier for an out-of-towner like me. Biggest hurdle is finding a place to keep my bike box during the race - maybe I can persuade a local bike shop to keep it in a back corner?

Who else is in?

Auburn Bike Works will keep your box for you no problem, just let them know you're doing the race. Auburn Bike Company would likely do the same, they are just down the street from the start.

7-18 is correct, likely a 6 or 7 am start. If for some reason we get a ton of late season snow which is unlikely since this is the driest winter on record for Ca.( nearly 50 days without rain or snow....) I may push the date out, but I really don't see that happening.

[Couloirman]

Is this route doable in late November/early December most seasons? I will be out in california for some interviews anyway and am hoping to put together a 4-5 day bikepacking ride while I am out there

[worntreads]

Couloirman, you should also look into doing the TNCA route, maybe start in Camptonville to avoid the snow.
http://transnorthcalifornia.blogspot.com/
There's great single track right before Camptonville, so you can maybe find a BnB or camp out near town, hit the single track for a day, spend another night in Camptonville then do Lake Oroville single track around the lake to Oroville, where again you can probably set up camp outside of or something. Take two days to conquer Goat Mountain (there's a nice campground near the top, but be bear aware!) then drop down to Ukiah, camp along Lake Mendocino then do the fun stuff in the coastal mountains to lovely Mendocino (great tourist town).

Orrrrr you can just do stuff around the Bay, Marin has a ton of stuff, the East Bay has a fair amount of scenic fire road (Diablo+Black Diamonds being the highlights) and then the Peninsula has some scenic stuff, but a lot of road riding to connect it. Then there is near San Jose Henry Coe which you can string together for a few days. So you've got options, enjoy it.

[B_Bock]

Is this route doable in late November/early December most seasons? I will be out in california for some interviews anyway and am hoping to put together a 4-5 day bikepacking ride while I am out there

Normaly most of the route would be covered in snow. Who knows, if the drought continues it could be clear. Cold nights, with temps in the 20's and 30's. Also, from French meadows to loon lake and beyond has been burned out due to the recent King fire. I agree with worntreads the TNCA route would be a better bet. Another option is this route check it out on face book https://www.facebook.com/thecommuteride

[Sean Allan]

Depends on what you want in the way of terrain, challenge, mileage and logistics. I would say nothing above 6000' would be open at that time. If your looking to hammer out miles without a whole lot of technical riding or much pushing I would say that the TNCA is definitely the way to go, it's a great way to see a lot of different topography. Keep in mind it's a lot of road, both paved and dirt. I've ridden every inch of the trail on that route and except for inevitably getting lost in the Woodlands, depending on your speed your looking at no more than 8-10 hours of total singletrack. Depending on weather, it could be very foggy across the Sacramento Valley as well, not a good thing. There's also the slight problem of being 300 miles away from your car, a factor many seem to overlook on point to points when you don't live there or have a support system in place.

The CSTR route is really in limbo right now, Blake is correct that a large area of the route burned for the second year in a row. You likely wouldn't be able to get that far up anyways( above 6000') unless it is really dry again this year. Only one 10 mile section of trail was affected, but that area is still closed and may be until they can salvage log along the side of the roads to make them safe for travel.  All the lower elevation stuff is in really good shape right now with our recent rains, might be a different story in a month though.

If you're jonesing for trail and you can give me an idea of what your looking for,  I could likely put together a 2-300 mile route of mostly singletrack here in the lower to mid foothills. It would be lots of climbing and some pushing if that floats your boat. Lots of rain changes everything of course. If the snow is below 7000' at that time I could give you a GPX of a route from Auburn out to Downieville, through Nevada City and back to Auburn, about 330 miles and 3-4 days worth of good trail and not much pavement.

You could always just take a 3-4 day trip up the coast from SF on the coast highway( HWY1), it can be beautiful and pretty empty that time of year. I used to ride out to Mendocino from home every Thanksgiving, they were some great trips with great weather for the most part. Lots of quiet back roads and dirt connections along the coast.   

[worntreads]

I don't think you have ridden the TNCA, it is a lot of rugged double track and a hefty amount of single track. Sure there are fire roads and paved roads to connect things, but there is a lot, plus a lot of room for bonus material.

[Sean Allan]

Believe me, I wasn't disrespecting the route, I like it.  And yes, I've likely ridden nearly the whole route at some point, but also know that it would seem much harder looping it all together in one shot. I was just trying to point out( badly I guess) the difference between the routes as they are nearly opposites in terms of trail mileage. That was my intention in finding out what the OP was looking for since he was originally asking about the CSTR.

[sashax]

The CSTR route is really in limbo right now, Blake is correct that a large area of the route burned for the second year in a row.

Sean, does that mean you're thinking it may not go next year? Or just that for the next few months it'd be hard to fit it together?

After doing a couple easier trips (e.g. Oregon Outback), I'm actually thinking about trying this one. I love the Tahoe area, and am excited to try to string together all that stuff. (Obviously, 9ish months out it easy to plan...)

[Sean Allan]

I'd love for it to continue, but it's going to take a ton of work to reroute it away from the burn area if it's really screwed up, and looking at the infrared maps it looks like it burned pretty hot down along the Rubicon. This is on top of rerouting it three times the first year. It seems as though it's been cursed from the beginning. If it stays on it's basic course I will have to possibly do a bunch of trailwork to open up some remote trails just outside the burn area. I'm hoping to be able to get in there in the coming weeks after we get another rain or two.

 It's been a labor of love for me, but it hasn't been real well accepted so far. I hate to think that most riders are more interested in riding gravel and dirt roads instead of world class singletrack, but given the numbers at some of the other races compared to this route it would seem that this is the case. I'm super happy people are getting out and finding adventure by bike regardless of what event it is, but the truth of the matter is I can't continue to devote as much time as it takes to make it a competitive event for 2 or 3 people to show up to race it.

The GPX will always be there for those that just want to ride it. I'll put something together regardless that will allow that aspect of the route to continue, if only for myself as I ride this loop or variations of it all the time.

I'm sure it will continue at least through next year and I'll see how well it is received and go from there.

Perhaps when Aaron Johnson is done with his video of the route there will be more interest.

[ayayron]

Yep video will come eventually! It's really a hidden gem of a route, more people need to experience it.

Sean, is it only the trail along the Rubicon that burned? Between Hell Hole res and the 11 Pines bridge? Could you just bypass that and take the road from French Meadows (currently the return route from the Rubicon)? You'd miss a little singletrack by doing that but the majority of the route would be intact. Or did a larger section burn? Hopefully not all the way up to Loon Lake, although that whole section is road too....

[sashax]

Well, it seems like one of those routes you have to work your way up to. Not a beginner's route at all. Now that I've done a couple 3-4 day trips, though, I'm an expert, so I'm in.

No, seriously, if this is a make-or-break year for this race, I'll move it from the bucket list to the top of the to-do list. It scares the crap out of me, but (partially because of that) I really wanna do it. Just let us know when you have a sense of the date.

[B_Bock]

Sean, You know how I feel about this route. I hope that we can have this race on the calender for next year. Yes it's tough, yes it has a shit load of climbing, yes it has mile after mile of killer single track. What more would someone want from a Bikepacking race/ride.
I think the draw to many of the routes that have a large percentage of gravel and dirt roads is that many of the riders view these routes as a shake down for the TDR. I enjoy it all as long as I'm on my bike. I hope to be on the start line next year at Raley's. I know all of us that have experienced the CSTR are thankful for all the passion you have put into it.
Blake
Now back to the Giants game. Go Giants!

[jackinmd]

I know all of us that have experienced the CSTR are thankful for all the passion you have put into it.

I certainly am - the CSTR was an experience of a lifetime for me.

[Sean Allan]

Sean, You know how I feel about this route. I hope that we can have this race on the calender for next year. Yes it's tough, yes it has a shit load of climbing, yes it has mile after mile of killer single track. What more would someone want from a Bikepacking race/ride.
I think the draw to many of the routes that have a large percentage of gravel and dirt roads is that many of the riders view these routes as a shake down for the TDR. I enjoy it all as long as I'm on my bike. I hope to be on the start line next year at Raley's. I know all of us that have experienced the CSTR are thankful for all the passion you have put into it.
Blake
Now back to the Giants game. Go Giants!

Thanks Blake, I appreciate all the words of support from everyone.  If it weren't for the state trying to burn itself up every year this wouldn't be so bad.

  I've got maps spread out and I'm thinking of a singletrack reroute around all of the Hunters Trail and the paved section heading out towards Loon Lake.. I really am at the limit of the amount of road I want to throw in there and doing this reroute would result in a true cherry stem loop. It may involve some pushing though......

I'm thinking Friday, July 17th, 2015 for those of you thinking about doing the route as a group.

[aaron w]

Some route photos from early september...  not sure how to properly size pics!

[trebor]

Sean - this route is a monster. I loved it. I will return to it. You've got a tip-top course here and the work you put in is not to go without appreciation.

You, as a rider, are also a monster. You've built a route that suits your talent and abilities well. What does that mean? Well, there is a limited audience that wants to (and maybe even can) complete this route. But I think that's absolutely OK. "Wheat from the chaff" isn't a bad thing.

[blurltd]

I'd like to do this route but unsure if I can make it to the start line with work commitments. How can I get my hands on a GPX file so I can do this on my own time? Sean please PM me if I can get a link to the file.

Thanks!

[Sean Allan]

Everything you need should be on the website. http://californiasierratrailrace.com/The_Route.php

The section of the route between French Meadows and Loon Lake heading towards Lake Tahoe is the area that burned this year and will need to be rerouted, so keep that in mind.

Let me know if you need anything else. You should be able to use the current route for planning until I get the reroute figured out.