[RobG]

I saw this killer pic in Bike magazine that showed a rider on some granite slabs stating it was "Donner". Any ideas where this may be or some area riding info would be appreciated.

Thanks...

 

[wg]

My guess would be off the old summit road near the summit.

 

[merlin]

here is pic from a road ride in that area, is this what was in the magazine?

 

[kidwoo]

My guess would be off the old summit road near the summit.

Ding Ding Ding!!!!

Good eye

Good eye.

And if you don't know what summit he's talking about, it's Donner Pass just west of Truckee. Should be ridable by august this year.

 

[Mr.P]

Should be ridable by august this year.

Doh!!!! The deep snow melt is killin me! I hope it is ridable before then.

Seems like fun to go tinkering around on the granite. Are there areas up there that one can put together a little adventure ride?

I've ridden Hole in the Ground and that is like a 3 day high Sierra backpack in a half day ride. What a treat!

Mr. P

 

[kidwoo]

I've ridden Hole in the Ground and that is like a 3 day high Sierra backpack in a half day ride.

And a baseball bat on your rims.

Come summer time check out the new Donner Lake rim trail that circumnavigates the lake. It's worthy.

 

[zorg]

And a baseball bat on your rims.

Come summer time check out the new Donner Lake rim trail that circumnavigates the lake. It's worthy.

Please do tell more. Got a buddy with a cabin on the north shore of lake Donner. Is there a cool trail in the area?

 

[wg]

Here's a write up I did from last year

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=34652&highlight=donner

Some fire road some exploration. The views were incredible. I may be heading up over the 4th again and stay thru for the MTBR gathering. It'd be fun to go riding up there with someone who knows the trails.

 

[zorg]

Here's a write up I did from last year

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=34652&highlight=donner

Some fire road some exploration. The views were incredible. I may be heading up over the 4th again and stay thru for the MTBR gathering. It'd be fun to go riding up there with someone who knows the trails.

Wg, thanks for the write up. Looks pretty neat. We sometimes go to Tahoe Donner on the 4th. If we do again this year, I'll make sure to get directions to the trails around Donner.

 

[Mr.P]

Thanks for the post about Donner, wg. I'm always looking for new treats within an hour.

I am curious about you riding on the railroad tracks, isn't it cut into the cliffy mountain there, and if a train comes can you get off? Aren't there also snow sheds for the train tracks?

Thanks,

Mr. P

 

[kidwoo]

Here's a write up I did from last year

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=34652&highlight=donner

Some fire road some exploration. The views were incredible. I may be heading up over the 4th again and stay thru for the MTBR gathering. It'd be fun to go riding up there with someone who knows the trails.

Haha...there's more trail there now.

The back of the ski area you saw was actually northstar and the one you thought was boreal is actually the back of Sugarbowl. Have you ever ridden the JP trail just on the other side of that ridge that overlooks donner lake? It's a fun short little trip that's fun to throw in if you're in the area.

Let me know if/when you're back up here. There's a true loop you can do now. I usually ride hole in the ground and then do the donner loop. Makes for a fun (and scenic) day.

 

[wg]

The spot where I ended up on the tracks didn't really have a trail. It was riding the train rail bed rocks for a ways. Lots of room for trains to go by though. There are some snow sheds. The one's I passed had enough space on the outside to ride. I wouldn't want to chance riding through the tunnel. That track is way to busy.

 

[wg]

Sounds like a plan next time I head up.
Thanks

 

[kapusta]

Thanks for the post about Donner, wg. I'm always looking for new treats within an hour.

I am curious about you riding on the railroad tracks, isn't it cut into the cliffy mountain there, and if a train comes can you get off? Aren't there also snow sheds for the train tracks?

Thanks,

Mr. P

I am not sure which sheds you are refering to, but the ones on the side of Donner summit that you see off the pass have no tracks. You can start at Sugar Bowl and go through a series of train tunnels and sheds for quite a ways. I believe the tunnels are the ones used for the first intercontinental railroad. Eventually you meet up with the new tracks, and those are not as much fun to ride along.

Kapusta

 

[kapusta]

Doh!!!! The deep snow melt is killin me! I hope it is ridable before then.

Seems like fun to go tinkering around on the granite. Are there areas up there that one can put together a little adventure ride?

I've ridden Hole in the Ground and that is like a 3 day high Sierra backpack in a half day ride. What a treat!

Mr. P

Yes, Hole in the Ground is my favorite ride so far sinse I moved out here last summer.

And yes, you can link up some very fun and highly technical loops that are almost all granite slickrock-like terrain. I have linked together a 3 or 4 mile loop at the top of the pass on the Donner Ski Ranch side of the road that is a blast. I was surprised to see that picture in Bike. I live at the top of the pass, and I never see any other people on mountain bikes up here (a million road bikes, but no almost no one riding the granite terrain). My friend and I have actually shot some pictures there as well (better than that one) and thought of sending them to magazines.

Kapusta

 

[biggz]

Speaking of lake donner..

The beginning of a great day... 1/10/05 7:24am

 

[Mr.P]

Thanks to all the posters for the all the info on riding around Donner! Great Donner Pic!

I'll have to pay it a visit this summer when it's time for an exploring ride, I never would have thought of riding there. Riding around on the granite sounds like a blast.

Mr. P