Marin, I thought the Ojai Rim ride was a great loop, so I added the route (with options and waypoints) to the TDLP website in the "other bikepacking routes" section. http://tourdelospadres.weebly.com/other-bikepacking-routes.html  

This would make for a great 1 or 2 day training ride.

You definitely want to water up big time at the Stagecoach Station store.  6 liters recommended after leaving the store if you are camping up on Nordhoff Ridge. I took 5 liters, but we ending up melting a little bit of snow to make up 1 more liter to get through the 2nd day.  

The great thing about this loop is there is almost zero highway riding.  There is even a bike path that keeps you off the highway for the last  7 miles or so.  There is very little hike a bike and zero bushwacking, but the Hines Peak option is a stash your bike and hike up affair once you get to the wilderness boundary.  Have fun!  

[Everyone please voice their opinion on their preference for the start date (March 25 or April 1st) on this thread by NEXT TUESDAY MARCH 1ST.]

Hi Rachel, you had a solid ride last year. Glad to hear you want to come back this year. With your preference for the April 1st start date, it seems like there might be a majority that prefer an April 1st start date. 

So here is what I will do. Everyone please voice their opinion on their preference for the start date (March 25 or April 1st) on this thread by NEXT TUESDAY MARCH 1ST. I will tally up the votes and lock in the final date by March 2nd. 

I don't want to piss off anyone who was planning on the March 25th date, so it is only fair to give a week for everyone to voice their opinion. 

Also on another note--- after talking with a few riders that have done the route the last two years, I have decided to eliminate the majority of the Santa Barbara front country trails from the "proper" route. I don't necessarily agree with the criticism that section has received over the last 2 years, but I try to look at the route as objectively as possible and listen to everyone's opinion. Sometimes less is more. Here is the final 2016 "proper" route:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12237792   I would expect about a 75% finish rate with this revised route, rather than the 50% finish rate we have seen the last two years. 

Good ride this weekend with Micheal. The 85 degree temps are still holding.  It got pretty hot this weekend.  Here is the "snow" at 6,500 feet, which we melted and used as a water source.  The backcountry is looking pretty clear and dry.

The March 25 date still stands with the caveat that it could be changed to April 1st if a strong winter storm rolls through. Lets let mother nature decide. The weather has been very unpredictable this winter. It is going to be 85 to 90 degrees today over most of So Cal.

   Mike has an infectiously good attitude, and he is a very strong rider. Hopefully he comes back for a 3rd time this year.

Dave, not to fear.  We have a mini heat wave coming that will melt a lot of this soon.  Highs in the high 70's by Tuesday. 

But if we get another big storm towards the end of the month, you might want to consider doing the "tour" route instead.

On another subject, if anyone that lives local wants to get out and get some training, I am going to be riding this loop next Saturday near Ojai.  Long term weather report looks great. Feel free to join.  It can be done as a one day ride or a 1.5 day bikepack.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/7056603

Mud is likely if it rains during or right before starting. In 2014, two guys that ITT'd left on a day that it was snowing and raining.  They were slowed down big time on day 1 due to snow, and on day 2 due to mud.  But 1 week later after good weather, conditions for the group was just fine.  4 days or more of no precipitation before starting is ideal.  

Looking at this years route, the sections have the highest potential for mud that I know of are around miles 60, 64, 100 (near Soda Lake), and miles 110-125 or so.  I have heard miles around 185-190 can get pretty muddy too.  The only section I have personally experienced in the mud is the Carrizo Plain.  Touch base here a few days before you embark.  

Gregg, yes it is going to be vastly different this year. There is likely going to be some snow riding/ hiking. The start date has been set for March 25 since last Autumn or so.  I believe that is more or less spring break for a lot of the universities and colleges, etc. around here. That is also Easter weekend.  If a big winter storm is hitting that weekend (which is probably about a 50-50 chance), the start date will be postponed until April 1st. The death mud sections of the Carrizo Plain need at least 2-3 days of no precipitation to be rideable.  

Stagecoach 400 start date has changed from early February to March 11.  10 or 11 days of recovery time is not much recovery time if you are planning on doing both. I guess the question is how many people out there plan to do both?  

For end of February this year, it is very likely you will need a bivy or other type of shelter, but if the weather forecast is good, you might be able to get away without a shelter.  Last year I did not use any shelter (but the weather was perfect and very dry).  Keep checking the weather as things get close.

There are two big dry stretches:

1) Ventucopa to Gilliam Spring (miles 45 to 129). The Selby Campground water spigots are midway during this dry stretch at mile 108, but those spigots are a man made water source (a water tank that is refilled by the BLM), so they can dry out from time to time. Although I have never seen the spigots dry at Selby, it is recommended that you do not count on those spigots having water. 5 Liters of water between Ventucopa to Gilliam Spring is recommended (then you won't have to do the out and back ride to get to the Selby Campground spigots anyways).  

2) Miranda Pine Spring to Chokecherry Spring (miles 145 to 189).  There are some "maybe" sources of water between these two water sources (see cue sheets and blogs), but they are definitely not "for sure".  Probably 4 to 5 liters would be recommended here as well.  

In other sections, carrying 2-3 liters will be fine.  

I would try to avoid these sections at night (although plenty of experienced riders have done these sections during night in the past) miles 112 to 134, miles 214-234, and miles 241-270.


  

Leave your bike along the fireroad(the road itself is not wilderness). Then the hike up to the summit of Big Pine is about a half mile. There is tin can register at the top where you can sign your name in.

I would expect more snow, rain and mud and less dust. But the water sources that were stagnant last year should be flowing much better.

Here are final 2016 routes and updated info:  http://tourdelospadres.weebly.com/ride--route-info.html

The starting date could potentially move to April 1, but I have only heard 2 opinions regarding that.  Starting on April fools day could be asking for trouble too!   

The starting point is at the store in Lake of the Woods instead of Frazier Park, so that those wishing to camp out the night before can easily do so at Chuchupate Campground on Frazier Mountain (that campground will be closed to cars until May, but will be an easy ride up to the day before and it is legal to bikepack up to it). There will be no late starts this year due to the shuttle breaking down!!!  

The initial climb and descent of Mt. Pinos is very abbreviated this year due to expected snow (only about half way up and down). If there is too much snow on Mt. Pinos to even ride that section, there is a chance that the starting point could change to mile 29 or so at Toad Springs Campground.  

Other changes from 2015 are:

-The on-foot hike up to the summit of Big Pine mountain was added (the summit is wilderness, but well worth the short walk up).

-Minor change in the Santa Barbara front country (makes that section slightly easier).  

I would like to emphasize that the "Proper" route is real mountain biking. There are long stretches of dirt road, but there are also some really technical singletrack sections that require adept mountain biking skills. There is also more walking on the "Proper" route. Those expecting not very technical dirt road riding and no walk-a-bike, should definitely do the "Tour" route first. The tour route is also a great route if you are short on time and only have 2 days or so. Don't try to surf big waves before you learn how to swim, would be my analogy.  

I will be riding the route again this year.  I think conditions on the trail this year will be vastly different and more interesting than the last two years.

Roons, it is your call where you start for your ITT.  For late February of this year, Toad Springs Campground is a likely scenario for you. If you start there due to snow, yet finish the remainder of the route, you will still be counted as a finisher. Just get on the Trackleaders 2015 map (that route is close enough). Here is a very simple website that will give you pretty good updates on current snow conditions: http://www.frazmtn.com/fmcoc/snowcond.htm

The start date could potentially be revised. There is nothing sacred about 3/25/16. If anyone else has any input on the start date, now would be the time to speak up.  

The thinking with the 3/25/16 start date was to ride through the Carrizo Plain during the peak of wildflower season which is mid March to early April. I know the last two years the Carrizo has looked like a desolate wasteland due to the drought, but with enough rain this winter, it might just look like this once again:

I have not finalized a 2016 route yet, mainly due to the unpredictability of El Nino this year. It is pretty stormy along the route today! http://www.frazmtn.com/mount_abel_cam/

Here is what I am thinking at this point and I will try to post a GPX file that reflects these thoughts by later this week:

-None of the scouting riding I did last week will be included. 

-Start at a campground instead of in Frazier Park. 

-There will likely be too much snow on Mt. Pinos, particularly towards the summit. The summit of Pinos will not be included this year.   

-The hike to the summit of Big Pine Mountain will be included. Yes, its an on-foot hike, but it is worth doing. There will be snow there too probably. 

-Possibly having a different ending point, but I don't think that is in the cards this year. I was hoping the Franklin Trail in Carpinteria would be open by now, but phase 3 of that trail is still not complete.  http://franklintrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Franklin_Map-Kiosk.pdf   Maybe this trail will be completed by 2017.   

The new website for Tour de los Padres is www.tourdelospadres.weebly.com

It is exciting to see this list grow every year!  

A little bit of scouting for 2016 yesterday for an alternate starting point.  The first half of the ride was a "maybe". The 2nd half was a "hell no".  Still an excellent day outside though.  

I am thinking the weather will determine where the starting point is this year.  With El Nino, there is a good chance the Mt. Pinos section of the ride might have to be skipped in 2016.  There is already snow and more on the way this coming week.  

Friday, March 25, 2016.  All info here: http://tourdelospadres.weebly.com/ride--route-info.html

Thanks, I would like to have a go on the AZT in late winter if the weather and my work load permits. 

I had some ideas in regard to the original question.  Here are a few California options for the winter months:

You could check out Jilleos Santa Cruz mountains loop route. It was posted on this thread.  I rode about 45 miles of it through Santa Cruz earlier this year and the section I did was excellent. A good amount of pavement but also some great singletrack to make up for it:   http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/routes/santa-cruz-mountains-in-january/

Here is my favorite 'quicky' route in the Los Padres NF. It is really only a 1 day ride, but if you leave in the mid afternoon on day #1, it will work out well as a 1-1/2 day trip.  Camping near the hot springs is a must in the winter.  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5753687   If you don't like technical rocky descents, take this option at the end:  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5753886

Henry Coe State Park.  I have never ridden here. I hear the climbs are tough, but it almost never snows there: http://coepark.net/pineridgeassociation/activities/mountain-biking/bikepacking

Hey Scott, how doable do you think the AZT 300 would be in mid to late February?  It seems like it should be possible right?  Maybe not with El Nino coming though...

Just saw this photo on FB. New multi use trail going in along Mil Potrero Hwy in Pine Mountain Club, which will mean less pavement and more dirt for 2016