[nutballchamp]

I was at Bear Valley last weekend and there are some really nice trails there! Very similar to Tahoe. I did just about all the singletrack from the guidebook except Bee Gultch. Would love to hook up with some locals sometime to show me more trails and an epic singletrack route. How far does the Tahoe-Yosemite trail go? Osborne Ridge and Granite slabs were my fav trails.

 

[xls]

Did you find any online info on trails in Bear Valley? I'm wondering about length, technical and aerobic difficulty. Which guide book are you referring to?
So many questions... Thanks for posting those pictures, it looks beautiful.

 

[RJG]

The guidebook is available at the sports store, I think it is called Bear Valley Adventures or something like that. As far as length and dificulty there is quite a variety for different abilities. My girlfriend is beginner/intermediate and loves the trail that goes up to Lake Alpine and around. We also road down the Granite Slabs and she had no problem. I think that there are more trails around Spicer Reservoir and I believe there is some sort of epic downhill trail that goes practically to Arnold that can be shuttled. I know there are some folks on this board that have dicussed this before, try a search.
Rick

 

[Rick O'Shay]

The sign you saw for the Tahoe-Yosemite trail is at the bottom of the Bee Gulch trail. That's the only section of it I've been on.

I get up there about once a month and know the trails pretty well but there are people who post here that know the trails a lot better than me. (there are quite a few trails in the BV area that are not in the book) There's also a lot of fun 4wd and fire roads you can ride as well as some singletrack near Union resorvoir. You can get more trail info at the Forest Service building on Highway 4 in Hathaway Pines.

Last summer I shot some helmet cam video in BV. Go to Vimeo and search for "Rick O'Shay".

 

[nutballchamp]

The sign you saw for the Tahoe-Yosemite trail is at the bottom of the Bee Gulch trail. That's the only section of it I've been on.

After climbing up from BV towards Alpine lake, I took the sidetrack on the left just after the campsite and Osborne. I crossed the hwy and descended more ST until I got to the Tahoe-Yosemite sign. So that was Bee Gulch? I saw a Bee Gulch sign near the top of Mt. Reba but just went down the road instead.

I thought the ratings in the guide book were pretty soft but still really fun and the people at BV Adventure were super friendly.

 

[Empty_Beer]

I love the BV! I'll be camping at Utica Res. this Fri-Sun, and planning on hitting quite a bit of the goods. Ogre showed me BV --> Alpine connector --> Reba --> Bee Gulch --> Cape Horn --> Lake Alpine --> Slickrock --> Wolfsboro a couple years ago, and I look forward to revisiting. Strong riders welcome to join up, and locals welcome to dish out more goods

Uncle Stinky: Any connector trail from Summit back to Union rideable yet?

 

[MNiskanen]

There is a group of us that ride Bear Valley pretty religiously. The trails you mentioned....Cape Horn, Bee Gulch, Granite Slabs, South Lake Alpine are unbelievable. Some of the other really good trails are Illusive, Lodgepole, Upper and Lower Rings, Upper and Lower Tamarack are just as good, if not better. For a good climbing/downhill route...I recommend climbing from the Adventure Store up to the top of Cape Horn via Bear Valley/Alpine Trail, Bee Gulch, and then Cape Horn. Come back down and cross the Highway at the bottom of South Lake Alpine over to Lodgepole, which is located off the entrance road into the Bear Valley Ski Resort. Lodgepole will drop you into Granite Slab, which will drop you into the Adventure Store Parking Lot. If shuttling is your thing, you can ride from the top of Cape Horn all the way to Uttica or Spicer Reservoir. It gets pretty technical on the Slick Rock Trail, which is heavily used for 4x4 enthusiasts.

Talk to Jody at the Adventure Store. Super cool guy and he may fill you in on some "secret" trails.

Bear Valley = hidden mountain bike gem of the Sierras.

 

[dw22107]

You can make your way all the way back from Bear Valley to Arnold or Dorrington, Camp Connell by riding fire roads. Not sure about single track back. You can ride out the back of the ski area and hook up with Corrall Hollow And Bear Trap Basin fireroads then to ohv trail 4-C which takes you along the ridge above highway 4. There are a few bail out routes which will put you back on highway 4 or you can work your way down to Dorrington or come out in white Pines in Arnold. Not much water along the route. Long day.

 

[nutballchamp]

Thanks for the beta! I'll be heading up there again once I get back from Oregon next week.

 

[fred-da-trog]

...I recommend climbing from the Adventure Store up to the top of Cape Horn via Bear Valley/Alpine Trail, Bee Gulch, and then Cape Horn. Come back down and cross the Highway at the bottom of South Lake Alpine over to Lodgepole, which is located off the entrance road into the Bear Valley Ski Resort. Lodgepole will drop you into Granite Slab, which will drop you into the Adventure Store Parking Lot. ........Bear Valley = hidden mountain bike gem of the Sierras.

MNiskanen, you climb Bee Gulch? And then work your way over the highway to Cape Horn? Could you share that route?

I agree about BV, the hidden gem of the Sierras.

 

[fred-da-trog]

After climbing up from BV towards Alpine lake, I took the sidetrack on the left just after the campsite and Osborne. I crossed the hwy and descended more ST until I got to the Tahoe-Yosemite sign. So that was Bee Gulch? I saw a Bee Gulch sign near the top of Mt. Reba but just went down the road instead.

I thought the ratings in the guide book were pretty soft but still really fun and the people at BV Adventure were super friendly.

Near the top of Real Reba, opposite side of hill from Bee Gulch and very well hidden, is Upper Ring trailhead. I spent a morning looking for it, couldn't find it so I found where Upper and Lower Ring crossed the road into the ski area and climbed Upper to the top. I'm not sure it was worth it, but Lower Ring pegs the fun meter.

 

[MNiskanen]

MNiskanen, you climb Bee Gulch? And then work your way over the highway to Cape Horn? Could you share that route?

I agree about BV, the hidden gem of the Sierras.

Fred da trog - Sure, I could share that route. We start at the Adventure Store, climb up the Bear Valley/Lake Alpine Trail, then go through the campground to Bee Gulch, cross the highway to Cape Horn, and climb up to the top of Cape Horn. Back down Cape Horn, South Lake Alpine, through the campground, cross the highway and hit Lodgepole, then Granite Slab, then Upper Tamarack (we usually leave a car a Upper Tamarack...). I don't have any maps or gps to share, but if you use the BV Trail Guide, you can figure it out.

Two weeks ago we did illusive which starts at the top of the Bear Valley ski resort, and connected to Upper Tamarack....the fun meter was sky high.

Also agree on Lower Rings........great great trail. Jody and the guys have been doing some work on the trail...it's in primo shape.

If you like punishment and technical stuff.....Slick Rock can be fun.

 

[MNiskanen]

Thanks for the beta! I'll be heading up there again once I get back from Oregon next week.

nutballchamp.......PM me if you'd like. We have a group that ride Bear Valley every other weekend or so. Let me know the dates when you will be there and maybe we can all link and show you everything BV has to offer.

 

[Empty_Beer]

I saved these maps last time they were posted...

 

[fred-da-trog]

......... I don't have any maps or gps to share, but if you use the BV Trail Guide, you can figure it out. ........

I ridden everything you described lots of times. I've only heard of a connector from Bee Gulch to Cape Horn. My guide book is about 6 years old with my handwritten notes and no trails or roads showing anything beyond Bee Gulch or Lake Alpine. I haven't been on Elusive in 4 years.

I'm going to take a few days next week to fix my trail guide.

 

[xls]

Wow that Grizzly challenge looks great! I just saw there is one this year: Linky.

 

[Uncle Stinky]

Just got back from Bear a couple of hours ago.

Hey Empty Beer Those maps look familiar to me

The guys from Arnold fixed up the Wolfboro trail a couple of weeks ago but it already has some dead fall. The trail is in better shape than it has been it years. I saw a big rattle snake on the trail for the first time ever.

I have yet not have time to ride or work on the Summit Lake trail. I did fix up an old logging road a bit to make a better loop out of the Wolfboro Trail.

The biggest problem at Bear is that most places where it is legal to ride is that motor cycles and quads can go on the same trails. They have really torn up some of the old classics (Illusive) so many of the local trails are on the down low.

Fred, I heard that they fixed up the Upper Ring trail a bit but I have not ridden it since then.

I should be up on the weekend of the 7th and 8th if anyone is riding then.

BE careful out there From last year on another unknown trail

 

[fred-da-trog]

I'll be up there Mon-Wed. I'll have to check out Upper. Thanks Unc'.

 

[Uncle Stinky]

Fred pm if you want a couple of other short trails.

 

[Rick O'Shay]

I'll be up there the 7th and 8th too. I'll get in touch with you a few days before.

That picture of you is just dying to be Photoshopped into something.