Big Bear Ride Report

Socaltrailrider · Jan 3, 2012

Here's a ride report from this summer in Big Bear. I love it up there. Staged at the base of Gold Mountain and hit Gold Mountain, John Bull, White Mountain and Redonda Ridge. Fun ride with perfect weather.

View from the staging area

Where we were heading

No more pics of Gold Mountain, didn't want to stop so we could get past the pack of jeeps that left while we were gearing up

Now we're on John Bull

There's a few rocks on this trail

Done with John Bull. Cool mountain meadow

Socaltrailrider · Jan 3, 2012

Quick ride down the fire road to White Mountain. Here's where we're going

Me taking a quick break on White Mountain. I thought black was supposed to be slimming....

Obligatory bike on vista shot

Andy lost his kick stand on the Idyllwild ride a few months ago. His obligatory bike on vista shot had to include him to hold the bike up

Where we're headed. You can see the trail to the left of the peak

Ready to hit Redonda. Lots of traffic on this trail today. Had to stop in the middle and give some quick steel to a rider who put a hole through his clutch cover on a rock. I never pass up a chance to gain some trail Karma.

Socaltrailrider · Jan 3, 2012

Quick break at the top of the climb, if you've ridden Redonda Ridge from Big Pine Flats, you know what climb I'm talking about

Andy took a digger coming down the hill. Of course it was right where I was stopped helping the group of guys patch up the clutch cover so he had an audience! lol

Deep water crossing, okay, maybe not so deep but a water crossing nontheless

Lunch at the Green Valley Lake Malt Shop.

We were running short on time so we just slabbed it back to the truck.

ossi · Jan 4, 2012

If I buy a plated bike can I go? :ride:

Travace · Jan 4, 2012

this summer i will need some guidage up there. im plated now so i can go to BB i just never been so know little to nothing about the area.

Socaltrailrider · Jan 4, 2012

I'll post up in the spring when the snow melts and I start riding up there again. Happy to show you guys around. It's my main summer riding spot, so I know it pretty well. It's the main reason that I'll always have a plated bike in my garage. Palmer even made it up there for a ride with us last summer.

Weathergeek · Jan 4, 2012

Good stuff, great pics and your bike looks just like mine with a trials tire, oversized tank, rear pack and same model but with mine being a year or two older.

PALMER84ONE · Jan 4, 2012

Looks like you followed our ride this past summer but had to slab the last part. I love it up there and need to do that loop again this summer.. Thanks for sharing.

James · Jan 4, 2012

That's some epic country, I really like the fact that there's some green on those hillsides. :lol:

BTW this Andy wouldn't be SBR Andy would it?

530ktm · Jan 4, 2012

Nice RR. I have ridden up there a few times as well as take my Jeep up those trails. Those are a bitch on a bike in certain spots. :devil:

Sun · Jan 8, 2012

So pretty up there! I have never been up there to ride and I really want to go. Some of those trails look a little tuff though :shocked:

Is there enough intermediate trails up there that connect for a full day's ride? Or do you have to take some black diamonds to make that happen? The tuff thing for me riding stuff like John Bull is keeping my eyes far enough ahead to choose the right line, all the while staying on the gas while dodging the boulders directly under me. I often hit a rock and then boinage starts and I lose my momentum, line and confidence. Picking up my heavy bike all day wastes me. Yet I dont get better or stronger if I dont ride it. It is almost shocking that I havent been up there yet, or Kennedy Meadows! It looks like such a great place to ride.
Enough of "my" experience. Thanks for sharing yours! Great reporting and good karma points for you

Socaltrailrider · Jan 8, 2012

Sun:
So pretty up there! I have never been up there to ride and I really want to go. Some of those trails look a little tuff though Is there enough intermediate trails up there that connect for a full day's ride? Or do you have to take some black diamonds to make that happen? The tuff thing for me riding stuff like John Bull is keeping my eyes far enough ahead to choose the right line, all the while staying on the gas while dodging the boulders directly under me. I often hit a rock and then boinage starts and I lose my momentum, line and confidence. Picking up my heavy bike all day wastes me. Yet I dont get better or stronger if I dont ride it. It is almost shocking that I havent been up there yet, or Kennedy Meadows! It looks like such a great place to ride.
Enough of "my" experience. Thanks for sharing yours! Great reporting and good karma points for you

Yep, you can definitely put together some less technical loops. Those 4 trails are probably the hardest up there. You can do loops that don't hit any of them or mix a couple of them in. I have a few good loops up there. The caveat is that you need to be plated for a lot of it. Other than Redonda, all of the trails in this report are dual sport only. There's some fun stuff closer to Arrowhead and Silverwood that is green/red sticker access. If you have a plate, you're more than welcoms to join us when the snow melts.

Sun · Jan 8, 2012

Socaltrailrider:
Yep, you can definitely put together some less technical loops. Those 4 trails are probably the hardest up there. You can do loops that don't hit any of them or mix a couple of them in. I have a few good loops up there. The caveat is that you need to be plated for a lot of it. Other than Redonda, all of the trails in this report are dual sport only. There's some fun stuff closer to Arrowhead and Silverwood that is green/red sticker access. If you have a plate, you're more than welcoms to join us when the snow melts.

No plate here, it least not on my dirt bike. I wish I had a plated dirt bike :cry:

I like many need a bike for EVERY application. Well hopefully I can check that Arrowhead Silverwood area out sometime. I hope SRAD is gonna show me someday

chopnwood · Jan 8, 2012

I'm liking the John Bull Trail! :ride:

Socaltrailrider:
Here's a ride report from this summer in Big Bear. I love it up there. Staged at the base of Gold Mountain and hit Gold Mountain, John Bull, White Mountain and Redonda Ridge. Fun ride with perfect weather.

View from the staging area

Where we were heading

No more pics of Gold Mountain, didn't want to stop so we could get past the pack of jeeps that left while we were gearing up

Now we're on John Bull

There's a few rocks on this trail

Done with John Bull. Cool mountain meadow

530ktm · Jan 9, 2012

Sun:
So pretty up there! I have never been up there to ride and I really want to go. Some of those trails look a little tuff though Is there enough intermediate trails up there that connect for a full day's ride? Or do you have to take some black diamonds to make that happen? The tuff thing for me riding stuff like John Bull is keeping my eyes far enough ahead to choose the right line, all the while staying on the gas while dodging the boulders directly under me. I often hit a rock and then boinage starts and I lose my momentum, line and confidence. Picking up my heavy bike all day wastes me. Yet I dont get better or stronger if I dont ride it. It is almost shocking that I havent been up there yet, or Kennedy Meadows! It looks like such a great place to ride.
Enough of "my" experience. Thanks for sharing yours! Great reporting and good karma points for you

Sun, in my opinion those types of trails suck on a bike. They are sometimes trying in my Jeep and I have watched bikes trying to run these and it doesn't seem like any of them are enjoying themselves at that time. I much prefer trails that you can ride with some speed and not worry about the boulder fields.