Just curious if anyone goes down Hihn's to Sulphur rather than taking the road around to Ridge? Is it shorter, longer, or a wash?
Anyone go down Hihn's Mill?
jmallory
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I used to think starting off down Hihn's was the kook route.
But then...
Did it for the first time a few weeks ago--and I liked it! I was tired of doing the old road-fireroad approach, and the section of Ridge that it cuts out isn't that great. It does save a little time getting to the other trails (except for Corral, of course). Give it a shot.
But then...
Did it for the first time a few weeks ago--and I liked it! I was tired of doing the old road-fireroad approach, and the section of Ridge that it cuts out isn't that great. It does save a little time getting to the other trails (except for Corral, of course). Give it a shot.
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Dude, that's the best part of Ridge IMO.
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Yeah, I've gone Hihn's to Sulphur before - it saves some time to get to Braille or Sawpit or Flow. Most often I'll go up the road to the top of Ridge, though. Come to think of it, if you wanted to do multiple laps on Braille, Sawpit, Flow and don't care about Ridge, it's probably a better option.
Dude! The best part of Ridge is between Braille and Sawpit. You can look it up!
But Ridge isn't the reason I go to Demo.
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We ran into these real nice ladies that were weekly regulars at demo on our first trip up last year. We've been up a few times since and again just a week and a half ago. We saw them leaving the parking lot! They had mentioned that a lot of local regulars, them included, do just that...go down Hihn's and up Suffer Springs. We love Ridge Tr but I think next time we run up we'll bypass the long climb up and try the Sulpher Sprgs route. Maybe I'll have enough left over for several trips down the fun stuff!
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Was out there today after dropping flow I had to return to the car to make a repair, then did a second loop starting down ridge from Nicene, both times riding back to the car I could not believe the number of folks going down Hihn's, I wrote it off to out of towners not knowing the best way (I did meet lots of folks in town for the Sea Otter). Did have me thinking about this very question and bam there was a new thread on it weird!
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1st time I went to Demo many years ago I was solo and didn't do any research except printed out a map online and had only heard about Braille as the standout trail, so looking at the map it just made sense to take the route down Hihns & up Suffer - from then on I just went that way and wondered why people were riding the road, until one day I rode with a group and realized that most people go around - I still usually take Hihns if I'm solo but like to take the more gradual route and chat when with a group
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It's been almost 2 weeks but we were "taken" to Cusak's by a local guy. We were unfamiliar. It was absolute SUCK and I was pissed that we rode it in the condition it was in. Running water, insane mud. It's disturbing to see a trail get ridden and braided like was happening. So, unless things have changed drastically in the last week and a half...which I know they can, I'd avoid it. Nothing like riding the rest of the day at Demo with muddy socks and shoes.
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Cusack's Trail.. it's been a long while, but is that the singletrack that you get on by passing the usual right turn onto Aptos, and stay on Buzzards for a little bit, then Cusack's is on the right? Then it takes you back up to Aptos?
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That's the one.
Yes, that's the trail. Strictly speaking, it's not legal (because it's officially part of the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, where bikes are banned above the steel bridge). I've never heard of anyone getting ticketed on it, though.
And yes, please don't ride it when it's wet. Unfortunately, it gets used by motorbikes as well (*definitely* not legal...)
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Yeah I'd wondered about that. Then again, it seems like it would see few, if any, hikers. That's quite the long haul up from the bottom of FoNM.
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Cussacks is a natural creek where it will collect water and run it down the trail. So give I'd say another month before that has a chance of drying. By then, it will be full of oak.
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