Ca. Sierra Trail Race draft course

[Sean Allan]

   Well here it is, it's a butt load of climbing but it's very rideable stuff. It's comprised of a bunch of rides I've done and have files for, so it's pretty close, but certainly not the finished product.

The climbing was 75,700' before I simplified it, mileage was about the same.

The first 20 or so miles overlap, will that be a problem with folks not knowing if they are coming or going? How can I fix that without changing the course?

I'm thinking 2012, gives me a chance to ride it in it's entirety and get a good track for it.

[6thElement]

I don't think you need to worry about the overlap particularly as it's right near the start and finish of the loop. If you can't work out that you still have 400 miles to ride, something has gone wrong in your planning!

What's the rough breakdown of road, dirt, ST?

I've got lots of loops near me, but anything of that distance would need a lot of road.

[DCrozier]

Hello from Philadelphia,

I have a friend who lives in Truckee.  I was out riding with him this summer.  I would love to give this race a try.  Just my two cents, but try and keep the route away from long stretches of technical terrian.  One of the nicest things about the Tour Divide is that it's mostly ridable.  The challenge is in the distance, not that it's rock garden after rock garden....

I'm a rookie with some of the files available.  Is there a way to open your attachment in a map form so I can see the route?

In your other posting with pics, is that the Cannondale Flash that you're riding?

Thanks.

Darren

[protoceratops]

LOVE


IT

[sherpaxc]

Hello from Philadelphia,

 Just my two cents, but try and keep the route away from long stretches of technical terrian.  One of the nicest things about the Tour Divide is that it's mostly ridable.  The challenge is in the distance, not that it's rock garden after rock garden....









Many of us here would strongly disagree with this statement.  Many times mileage isn't important at all.  It's the funnerific trail during the journey.

[Marshal]

Hi Sean

My appreciation for all the work in pioneering a new route!! And such an intriguing route, all the steep grade climbing and such!

After a quick GPX file review I have a few basic questions--

1) Looks like there are lots of lakes and rivers/creeks with permanent for water for the most part?
2) Looks like the longest stretch between perm water might be the 50 mile leg between Wright Lk and French Med Res?

3) Looks like there are 7 re-supply points with xx.x miles between:  (yes/no?)
Start - Foresthill  26.6 -Tahoma 104.2 -Tahoe City 26.2 -Incline Village 24.7 -Summit Village 42.8 -Strawberry 56.7-Foresthill 106 -Finish 26.6
4) Are their any other (non Lk Tahoe shore line) re-supply points?

Google earth pictures make the Rubicon Trail look like an extended hike-a-bike through large boulders on a trashed out 4x4 road. 
5) What’s it like from a loaded mtn bike point of view?

6) Do many/any of the roads have major traffic?
7) Along the same lines any heavy weekend traffic areas/concerns?

8.) What’s the earliest, snow pack wise, one might ride this route?

9) Picked a race date yet?

[Sean Allan]

  Thanks Guys,

Lets see, in order. 6th element.  I think there's about 210-235 miles of singletrack, including some of the best in the country, if not the world. There will be about 40 miles of pavement and the rest will be forest roads.

Dcrozier, as much as I am in awe of the TD racers and riders, this is nothing like TD, by design. I don't think it's particularly hard, but I'm used to the terrain. There will be some ass kicking sections and some stuff that flows like nothing you've ever been on. Taken in it's totality, it's a monster. Yes it's a carbon Flash, sorry, I'm not real computer savy so I'm not sure how you might be able to open it. You will need a GPS for this race, I'm not busting out a set of cue sheets for it.

Trail717 Thanks for the interest.

 1)Lots of water, it wont be a problem, you WILL need to filter though.

2)There is the Rubicon river between Wrights and French Meadows, plus a couple of really nice springs.
 
3) Good work, yeah those are the main supply points, a couple of slight off route points as well in Meyers. Summit Village and Strawberry are not 24 hour stops, I'll get some info on those types of things as we go forward.

5) The Rubicon jeep trail is a world famous route, it is Moab west. It will be a rough go through there, Cadillac Hill is a mother. But most of the trail is granite slabs off to the side that can be ridden mostly on a non loaded bike, but to tell you truth, I've not done that route loaded. It will pale in comparison to the Ten Mile Range/Sargents Mesa. It's not a soul sucking section by any means, and you can always bum a beer off the 'wheelers . It's also the only way through the Desolation Wilderness.

6) Shouldn't be a problem, 80% of the 40 miles of pavement you'll do you won't see any traffic at all. The sections around Tahoe are the worst and they are pretty tame by most peoples standards. I'm not worried about any of the paved sections as being dangerous or time sensitive.

8.  Most of the Sierra is at 200% of normal snowpack right now. Typically it would be snow free by early July, I have ridden the entire Rim trail in mid July, there is only a couple places that would be a problem even with a late melt off, less than a mile of hiking, no crampons needed

9) I'll need to ride the entire route and get a precise GPX file before I would feel comfortable with a race. The Hwy 50 section to Wrights lake is something that I have not been on in recent years and I'll need some friends local to that area to help me out, but it should be no problem.

 I'll incorporate this route into my CTR training and I should have a nice pre split track by next years CTR. I am having major shoulder surgery here pretty quick, but I should be up and running by the time the snow melts. That GPX file is 90-95% complete. I'll need to do some route notes, water, weird trail splits and such.

 I'm thinking late July or late August 2012.

[zenoiz]

Great idea! Would love to try this some time. I glanced at the route; if you worry about that first 20 mile section breaking the 'loop', you could always start and finish in Foresthill? Of course, then you'll just skip that entire section, and it is a pretty fun and scenic one. Alternatively, how about sticking to the Pony Express route near the end, beyond Kyburz, to Placerville and then cutting north to Auburn to close the loop? I don't know anything about the rideability of this, so I'm just speculating; I think I remember some folks trying to ride the Pony Express route (into Sacramento?).

[sherpaxc]

Where would one fly in to if one were to come and give this thing a go.  My interest is peaked.

[Sean Allan]

You would fly into Sacramento, a major airport with all the stuff. It's about 40 minutes to Auburn from the terminal (just dropped my wife off).

[Sean Allan]

Great idea! Would love to try this some time. I glanced at the route; if you worry about that first 20 mile section breaking the 'loop', you could always start and finish in Foresthill? Of course, then you'll just skip that entire section, and it is a pretty fun and scenic one. Alternatively, how about sticking to the Pony Express route near the end, beyond Kyburz, to Placerville and then cutting north to Auburn to close the loop? I don't know anything about the rideability of this, so I'm just speculating; I think I remember some folks trying to ride the Pony Express route (into Sacramento?).

Good points. the Pony Express route is mostly paved as it gets below Kyburz and it's mostly all pavement to Auburn from Placerville, not nearly as much public land on the El Dorado County side of the race. Plus you'd miss the Western States, one of the best trails anywhere.