"The Los Padres 300" - Southern / Central California

[ec_duz_it]

I am fine tuning the route of this ride and need to ride the sections that I have not yet ridden.  More TBA in Fall of 2013.

[MattL]

This route looks awesome.  I have solo backpacked in the Los Padres where I had an encounter with a pack of wild horses one night.  Beautiful.

Your start date puts you awfully close to the Stagecoach 400, assuming they run it about the same time next year.  Have any thoughts on a less conflicting date?

[trebor]

I've been looking at this same area thinking of routes (I'm in Burbank). Even trying to figure a way to get the ANF and the Santa Monica's involved for a giant loop... I was thinking that with some creativity something in the 500-600 mile range can be patched together.

I've done some overnighters in the ANF and the Santa Monica's but not LP. I look forward to exploring what you've created!

[ec_duz_it]

Matt- It all depends on the snow levels, which is why I proposed 2 separate dates. This year we had some late winter storms in April, and I had to postpone my Big Pine Mountain trip 2 weeks (see my other thread about 2-3 day routes for Southern/ Central California). These storms were pretty unusual, but it they can happen.   I would suggest getting a pool of people who are seriously interested in this route by early 2013, and then setting a date that works for most people.  If we have another drought year and there is no snow, this route could even be done in January (it could have been done this year in January since we had absolutely no snow then).

Rob- I am totally open to making this route longer if you can route something out that would connect over to Gorman (maybe coming over from the ANF through Castiac lake area and Libre mountain??)  Send me a route :-)

[Roland Sturm]

Excellent route and great to have it. Los Padres has so much potential and a loop would be ideal, as Rob has suggested. But it may not be possible without getting stuck on really dangerous and unpleasant road stretches (e.g. CA 33) and you may already have the best long-distance ride that can be mapped. I haven't been able to loop things too well, so only have been out there on a few overnighters that stay in one area and can be looped. The main impediment that I see for a loop is that 33 may be the only way to get across the Pine Mountain range because there are wilderness areas on both sides. Only the stretch between Ozena Fire Station and Ojai is the problem.

I've done only small parts of your route and only in the first half.
1) The hungry valley area at your start is pretty by itself, but there is heavy ATV use that spoils it for me. Too much noise, too much traffic on the trails, which get extremely torn up and sandy. I've done something similar to your first 2 days as an overnight, but wouldn't go back by itself (fine as part of a long distance ride).
2) Mt Pinos is great, so even though it seems like backtracking on a side spur (is your route up the road and down the single track?), always worth doing. I would go up the single track as well, not difficult to ride to the top even with a packed bike (I've done it) and it is a lovely trail. Road is fine, too, of course, for an easier climb. I think the last time I was there was mid-May 2011. All 3 campgrounds were still closed then (and no water, restrooms locked), although plenty of surface water. Even in May, it can drop into freezing.
3) And just when it gets pleasant on the top of the mountains, it gets awfully hot in the Carizzo Plains. I did an overnight loop through the Carizzo Plains first week in May 2011, a month earlier would have been much better. Was extremely hot, dry, and all the flowers were already gone. Before April may be ideal here. Interesting exhibit of the San Andreas fault. Nice views from the primitive campground (I had it all to myself). No water available. Riding is a bit boring, flat sandy dirtroad.  

[ec_duz_it]

1) The hungry valley area at your start is pretty by itself, but there is heavy ATV use that spoils it for me. I agree, if you don't like the ATV's you could start at the bottom of Alamo mountain instead where the road crosses with Piru Creek. Too much noise, too much traffic on the trails, which get extremely torn up and sandy. I've done much of your first suggested day on an overnight, but wouldn't go back by itself (fine as part of a long distance ride).

2) Mt Pinos is great, so even though it seems like backtracking (is your route up the road and down the single track?), Ideally, I was thinking going up to mt. pinos via Forest Route 9N04, but the Ranger said this would be trespassing. I am going to attempt this way at some point as a day trip when I have time to see if the Owners are cool or not and let you pass. always worth doing. I would go up the single track as well (sure this would be another option, which I would add the que sheet), not difficult to ride to the top even with a packed bike (I've done it) and it is a lovely trail. Road is fine, too, of course, for an easier climb. I think the last time I was there was mid-May 2011. All 3 campgrounds were still closed then (and no water , restrooms locked), although plenty of surface water (there is a pretty reliable water source in the drainage near Mt. Pinos campground in the spring time). Even in May, it can drop into freezing (sure it can).

3) And just when it gets pleasant on the top of the mountains, it gets awfully hot in the Carizzo Plains (I was thinking about the same thing, so Ideally an early April start date would be ideal, if its not a big snow year. That way you would get to see the amazing flower displays in Carizzo. Another option would be to skip Carizzo, and go onto the Sierra Madre Ridge after Quatal Canyon). I did an overnight loop through the Carizzo Plains first week in May 2011, a month earlier would have been much better. Was extremely hot, dry, and all the flowers were already gone. Before April may be ideal here (flowers typically peak first week of April). Interesting exhibit of the San Andreas fault. Nice views from the primitive campground (I had it all to myself). No water available. Riding is a bit boring (yes, but I was trying to make a 300 miles out of it), flat sandy dirtroad.