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Start time is 9 am. Go to the Lemurian website for registration info.
Directions: From Redding take Highway 299W towards Eureka. About 1.5 miles past the historic town of Shasta turn left on JFK Memorial Drive. JFK is at the top of the hill, there is a nice view of Whiskeytown Lake and a big visitor center, you can't miss it. Follow JFK Drive across the dam, then follow the signs to the Brandy Cr Marina, not Brandy Cr Beach. Allow 25 minutes drive time from downtown Redding.
Long Course description: (helps to look at the long course map from the website while referencing this description)
From the start/finish area at Brandy Creek Marina riders depart up the paved road and hang a right up Brandy Creek Road. The riders should thin out a bit along this fairly laid-back climb.
Soon comes the left turn up to Panther Gap. Here's where the fun beings. It's very steep and the road is covered with walnut- to baseball-sized rocks. This is a sufferfest. It reminds me of the climb from Sierra City in the Downieville race. That goes for about a mile to the Panther Gap/Monarch Mountain divide, where it's another left up a steep section to the top of a trail called the Gas Can. The surface is better for this climb, but it's still steep.
From the top of the Gas Can, the first downhill is fast and loose with some off camber turns. Towards the bottom is a rutted section that is very rideable assuming you've choosen the correct line.
Then it's back onto the paved road which descends a bit farther and crosses Whiskeytown Dam. This is a good place to get your wits about you and get a nice rhythm going for the rest of the course.
Down in Peltier Valley, you do a short flat single track, cross a big dirt parking lot and start the race's second climb on the Mt. Shasta Mine Loop. This climb is only about .5 miles long, but takes 7-10 minutes because its steep. The payoff is a great new trail that's not without a few rock gardens.
The next few miles are a combination of rolling dirt roads and single track. The fairly flat Canal Trail will be a relief.
There's a rest stop at the bridge over Clear Creek, then get ready to climb again. The Satan's Crack climb is the beginning of a huge climb to the top of the Couch, which is probably where the race will be won and lost. The very top of the Couch is steep and covered with slick pine needles. Traction is at a premium here.
The Couch descent is steep & technical. Its full of big rain ruts and slick mud. And most likely you'll be pretty spent when you get there. And don't underestimate the final downhill on the Ice Box either. There's at least one tricky rock garden there as well as a couple of small climbs, so save a little energy.
I
Directions: From Redding take Highway 299W towards Eureka. About 1.5 miles past the historic town of Shasta turn left on JFK Memorial Drive. JFK is at the top of the hill, there is a nice view of Whiskeytown Lake and a big visitor center, you can't miss it. Follow JFK Drive across the dam, then follow the signs to the Brandy Cr Marina, not Brandy Cr Beach. Allow 25 minutes drive time from downtown Redding.
Long Course description: (helps to look at the long course map from the website while referencing this description)
From the start/finish area at Brandy Creek Marina riders depart up the paved road and hang a right up Brandy Creek Road. The riders should thin out a bit along this fairly laid-back climb.
Soon comes the left turn up to Panther Gap. Here's where the fun beings. It's very steep and the road is covered with walnut- to baseball-sized rocks. This is a sufferfest. It reminds me of the climb from Sierra City in the Downieville race. That goes for about a mile to the Panther Gap/Monarch Mountain divide, where it's another left up a steep section to the top of a trail called the Gas Can. The surface is better for this climb, but it's still steep.
From the top of the Gas Can, the first downhill is fast and loose with some off camber turns. Towards the bottom is a rutted section that is very rideable assuming you've choosen the correct line.
Then it's back onto the paved road which descends a bit farther and crosses Whiskeytown Dam. This is a good place to get your wits about you and get a nice rhythm going for the rest of the course.
Down in Peltier Valley, you do a short flat single track, cross a big dirt parking lot and start the race's second climb on the Mt. Shasta Mine Loop. This climb is only about .5 miles long, but takes 7-10 minutes because its steep. The payoff is a great new trail that's not without a few rock gardens.
The next few miles are a combination of rolling dirt roads and single track. The fairly flat Canal Trail will be a relief.
There's a rest stop at the bridge over Clear Creek, then get ready to climb again. The Satan's Crack climb is the beginning of a huge climb to the top of the Couch, which is probably where the race will be won and lost. The very top of the Couch is steep and covered with slick pine needles. Traction is at a premium here.
The Couch descent is steep & technical. Its full of big rain ruts and slick mud. And most likely you'll be pretty spent when you get there. And don't underestimate the final downhill on the Ice Box either. There's at least one tricky rock garden there as well as a couple of small climbs, so save a little energy.
I
