Southern California Muni Ride: Mt Pinos 7/31/2011

Namlak · 2011-06-29, 03:04 AM

I'm planning a muni ride on one of my all-time favorite trails (for a mountain bike - this is my first time on the muni!).

The plan is to meet at the Mt. Pinos Nordic base (elevation 8200ft), climb the 2 miles to the summit of Mt. Pinos (8800ft), then descend the same two miles back to the base PLUS the additional 7 miles of the McGill trail to the bottom at 6000ft!

There isn't much technical on this singletrack, most of it being smooth cross-country ski trail through the forest, though there are some sections at the top where rut-crossing and line-choosing will be the rule. Given the high altitude and the significant descent, it should be plenty fun and a great workout! I'd think a brake would be mandatory!

If you want to do the descent but not the climb, you can meet us as we descend back down to the Nordic Base and then descend McGill with us. Your guess is as good as mine as to when that will be - probably an hour or so after we start.

Here's a good write-up on the trail:
http://www.mountainbikebill.com/mtpinos.htm

Date: Sunday, 7/31/2011
Time: Meet at 9am
Place: Mt. Pinos Nordic Base

http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=34...sz=18&t=h&z=18

We'll meet at 9am, sort out the shuttling logistics, then ride! I'll have a van to help shuttle a pile of muni's or riders should the need manifest itself!

ADMINS: If this is not the right forum for this post, feel free to move it. I saw ride announcements in News and Announcements but can't post there.

About me: I'm an avid mountain biker, riding with the Over the Bars Mountain Bike Club (otbmbc.com) for the last 7 years and only learned to ride a unicycle about 7 months ago and then some fellow mtb'rs got me hooked on muni and I can't stay off the thing!

lobbybopster · 2011-06-29, 05:50 AM

Oh, I need a ride some place off the loop.

deadbeatpope · 2011-06-29, 06:52 PM

I need to start hitting the loop.

Namlak · 2011-06-30, 03:18 PM

What's "the loop"?

deadbeatpope · 2011-06-30, 05:56 PM

Fullerton Loop

http://www.efgh.com/bike/fullertonloop.htm

Namlak · 2011-07-02, 12:23 AM

Ah, yes, I've heard of the Fully Loop. I'm in Northridge so I don't get down there much at all.

Drakerry · 2011-07-12, 08:43 PM

I would like to know how many people are attending because it is an hour and a half drive to get there. I am 13 years old unicycling for 2 years and very what to unicycle with a group of people. So if several people will be attending this event I would love to come and have fun riding!

JBAB · 2011-07-15, 11:24 PM

Any possibility of doing it in the evening? The earliest I could make it would be at 4. If after 4p.m I could and would be there. What size wheel are you using. Is this mainly like an unused dirt road, or a real singletrack. How about exposure on the side of the singletrack if it is singletrack. Is it doable on a 29'er?

Namlak · 2011-07-19, 05:03 PM

Sorry, it's a fairly long drive for most and a long ride, too. Starting at 4 would might take it into the dark!

I have a Nimbus 24" Muni w/165 cranks (I climb everything I can).

The climb from the ski station to the top is 2 miles and a few hundred feet of elevation, pretty much like most fireroads.

The big descent (McGill Trail) is 7 miles of mostly smooth, buffed singletrack. Not a lot of technical elements like rocks, etc but some hairpins, off camber, etc. I've been MTBing it for years, this is my first attempt on a unicycle of any type.

The climb might be tough on a 29'r (and depends on your cranks) but I think the descent would be great - I think I'll be pedaling my legs off on the 24" on the way down. I'd say a brake will be mandatory as we'll be dropping a few thousand feet in elevation over 9 miles! Worst case on the climb, you have to walk some of it but it's only 2 miles and the rest of us will be wheezing at 8000+ elevation anyways ;^)

Namlak · 2011-07-19, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drakerry

I would like to know how many people are attending because it is an hour and a half drive to get there. I am 13 years old unicycling for 2 years and very what to unicycle with a group of people. So if several people will be attending this event I would love to come and have fun riding!

I'd offer to give you a lift but I'll be going up there on Saturday morning and doing astronomy stuff on Saturday night.

What city are you in? We've got a few muni-ists in my mountain bike club (Over The Bars Mountain Bike club - otbmbc.com). If you're near us in the Valley, maybe we can hook up for rides.

As far as how many people will be attending this ride, you can never bet on who will show but I think it will be three at minimum who are friends of mine plus whoever else on here joins us.

Namlak · 2011-07-19, 08:05 PM

Additional driving directions from the freeway:

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Fr...p=1&sz=16&z=12

Basically, get off I-5 at Frazier Park and go West until you run out of road and end up at a parking lot full of cars and telescopes

The only intersection that can throw you is at 12.2 miles from the freeway - just stay left and go up the mountain and you're good.

Namlak · 2011-08-01, 05:23 AM

The ride was epic - only a couple of my local friends showed up but we had an awesome ride - 2 miles climbing to bag the peak (8831 feet!) followed by 9 miles of descent. We were all worked by the end! As far as we know, we are the only ones who have ever unicycled this well-known trail.

Two of us (myself included) were on 24/165 and the other guy on 26/150. It was a lot of pedaling but nobody minded riding through the beautiful pine forest!

Bagging the peak:

Dane M · 2011-08-01, 06:08 AM

aww bummer I didn't know about it! Looks like a lot of fun though! Thanks for sharing the pics!

View Poll Results: I'm planning on attending this ride
100% probability	1	12.50%
75% probability	1	12.50%
50% probability	2	25.00%
< 50% probability	4	50.00%
Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll

2011-06-29, 03:04 AM	#1
Namlak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northridge, CA Age: 43 Posts: 92	Southern California Muni Ride: Mt Pinos 7/31/2011 I'm planning a muni ride on one of my all-time favorite trails (for a mountain bike - this is my first time on the muni!). The plan is to meet at the Mt. Pinos Nordic base (elevation 8200ft), climb the 2 miles to the summit of Mt. Pinos (8800ft), then descend the same two miles back to the base PLUS the additional *7 miles* of the McGill trail to the bottom at 6000ft! There isn't much technical on this singletrack, most of it being smooth cross-country ski trail through the forest, though there are some sections at the top where rut-crossing and line-choosing will be the rule. Given the high altitude and the significant descent, it should be plenty fun and a great workout! I'd think a brake would be mandatory! If you want to do the descent but not the climb, you can meet us as we descend back down to the Nordic Base and then descend McGill with us. Your guess is as good as mine as to when that will be - probably an hour or so after we start. Here's a good write-up on the trail: http://www.mountainbikebill.com/mtpinos.htm Date: Sunday, 7/31/2011 Time: Meet at 9am Place: Mt. Pinos Nordic Base http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=34...sz=18&t=h&z=18 We'll meet at 9am, sort out the shuttling logistics, then ride! I'll have a van to help shuttle a pile of muni's or riders should the need manifest itself! ADMINS: If this is not the right forum for this post, feel free to move it. I saw ride announcements in News and Announcements but can't post there. About me: I'm an avid mountain biker, riding with the Over the Bars Mountain Bike Club (otbmbc.com) for the last 7 years and only learned to ride a unicycle about 7 months ago and then some fellow mtb'rs got me hooked on muni and I can't stay off the thing! Last edited by Namlak; 2011-06-29 at 03:11 AM.

2011-06-29, 05:50 AM	#2
lobbybopster Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: California Age: 57 Posts: 275	Two hours away! Oh, I need a ride some place off the loop.

2011-06-29, 06:52 PM	#3
deadbeatpope Some call me Kevin Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Lakewood, CA Age: 41 Posts: 920	I need to start hitting the loop. __________________ ---------------------------------------------- Art is a misspelled rat. "The unicyclist is the purest form of rebel"

2011-06-30, 05:56 PM	#5
deadbeatpope Some call me Kevin Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Lakewood, CA Age: 41 Posts: 920	Fullerton Loop http://www.efgh.com/bike/fullertonloop.htm __________________ ---------------------------------------------- Art is a misspelled rat. "The unicyclist is the purest form of rebel"

2011-06-30, 03:18 PM	#4
Namlak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northridge, CA Age: 43 Posts: 92	What's "the loop"?

2011-07-02, 12:23 AM	#6
Namlak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northridge, CA Age: 43 Posts: 92	Ah, yes, I've heard of the Fully Loop. I'm in Northridge so I don't get down there much at all.

2011-07-12, 08:43 PM	#7
Drakerry Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 1	Attendance I would like to know how many people are attending because it is an hour and a half drive to get there. I am 13 years old unicycling for 2 years and very what to unicycle with a group of people. So if several people will be attending this event I would love to come and have fun riding!

2011-07-15, 11:24 PM	#8
JBAB Registered User Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 69	Any possibility of doing it in the evening? The earliest I could make it would be at 4. If after 4p.m I could and would be there. What size wheel are you using. Is this mainly like an unused dirt road, or a real singletrack. How about exposure on the side of the singletrack if it is singletrack. Is it doable on a 29'er?

2011-07-19, 05:03 PM	#9
Namlak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northridge, CA Age: 43 Posts: 92	Sorry, it's a fairly long drive for most and a long ride, too. Starting at 4 would might take it into the dark! I have a Nimbus 24" Muni w/165 cranks (I climb everything I can). The climb from the ski station to the top is 2 miles and a few hundred feet of elevation, pretty much like most fireroads. The big descent (McGill Trail) is 7 miles of mostly smooth, buffed singletrack. Not a lot of technical elements like rocks, etc but some hairpins, off camber, etc. I've been MTBing it for years, this is my first attempt on a unicycle of any type. The climb might be tough on a 29'r (and depends on your cranks) but I think the descent would be great - I think I'll be pedaling my legs off on the 24" on the way down. I'd say a brake will be mandatory as we'll be dropping a few thousand feet in elevation over 9 miles! Worst case on the climb, you have to walk some of it but it's only 2 miles and the rest of us will be wheezing at 8000+ elevation anyways ;^) Last edited by Namlak; 2011-07-19 at 05:12 PM.

2011-07-19, 08:05 PM	#11
Namlak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northridge, CA Age: 43 Posts: 92	Additional driving directions from the freeway: http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Fr...p=1&sz=16&z=12 Basically, get off I-5 at Frazier Park and go West until you run out of road and end up at a parking lot full of cars and telescopes The only intersection that can throw you is at 12.2 miles from the freeway - just stay left and go up the mountain and you're good. Last edited by Namlak; 2011-07-19 at 08:07 PM.

2011-08-01, 05:23 AM	#12
Namlak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northridge, CA Age: 43 Posts: 92	The ride was epic - only a couple of my local friends showed up but we had an awesome ride - 2 miles climbing to bag the peak (8831 feet!) followed by 9 miles of descent. We were all worked by the end! As far as we know, we are the only ones who have ever unicycled this well-known trail. Two of us (myself included) were on 24/165 and the other guy on 26/150. It was a lot of pedaling but nobody minded riding through the beautiful pine forest! Bagging the peak:

2011-08-01, 06:08 AM	#13
Dane M Muni Crash Test Dummy Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: US - Santa Barbara, CA Age: 23 Posts: 2,552	aww bummer I didn't know about it! Looks like a lot of fun though! Thanks for sharing the pics! __________________ It's not as steep as it looks, just go! www.DaneMehlPhotography.com www.YouTube.com/DaneUni

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