[Internal14]

So there's a group of us going to D-ville this Sunday. Going to do the dh first then want to go back up and do a longer more xc-ish ride.

Was thinking of going upo Pauley Crk. and down Big Boulder..then out second divide.

I don't remember how the climb up Pauley will be.
Is this recommended at all or should we just stay up on the foreroad and drop into Big Boulder and skip Pauley altogether?


Thanks!

 

[singlespeed.org]

The climb up to Big Boulder steep and longish, but doable (at least for XC types). Definitely loose in spots, so some challenge to climb. The group I go with does this route just about every year.

But it is not clear for me from your post if you are going up Pauley Creek from the intersection with Butcher Ranch, or going up on another shuttle and dropping down through the baby heads to the climb to Big Boulder? We do the latter. Never tried climbing either Pauley Creek or Butcher Ranch. Be kind of like salmon swimming upstream, with all the shuttlers coming at you.

 

[Internal14]

I guess maybe a better question is....

Is it worth it to skip Butcher and head up to the top of Pauley and come down it, or Big Boulder? Or should we head down Butcher and up Pauley and down Big Boulder?
It sure sounds good to me, on paper, to do the bigger loop ride, but maybe not.:madman:
I wouldn't be frettign so much except that I have a group of seven 'counting' on me to figuer this shiznit out.

Thanks!:cornut:

 

[Ebo]

I would skip Butcher on the 2nd run and do Big Boulder. Riding up Pauley Crk is doable, but not too easy and you still have to climb up to BB from the top of the Pauley Crk trail. IMO, I would do Pauley and then BB, but only because I like to stay away from the crowds on Butcher. Have fun.

 

[singlespeed.org]

I looked at the map and can see what you are talking about (up Pauly). Never considered it. Not sure it would be that much fun.

Better is more what Ebo is recommending. Do Butcher Rand down to 2nd divide to 1st divide on one run. This would only be a couple of hours, so easily leave time for a second run (if you start early enough). On that run, do either Pauly or Big Boulder and go down 3rd, and again to 1st divide.

They got shuttles - might as well take advantage of them...

 

[29erchico]

My 2 cents: This time of year riding up Butcher or even Pauley is rather nutty as there are plenty of shuttleheads just plain ripping down those trails. Worse on the weekends.

I did a three early season rides up all those trails a while back. But it was early season and shuttling involved over an hour of snow walking at that time. That, coupled with the fact that these rides were all midweek, it's no surprise that I saw no one else out there.

Sure, you have a right to ride up any of those trails. That does not mean it is a good idea to do so.

Have fun out there!

29erchico

 

[DMFT]

Agree w/29erchico....

Though doable, not recommended.
Especially since quite a bit of the bottom half of Pauly Creek Trail is only a few weeks old now. It might be too loose to climb.
Just an FYI....

 

[Internal14]

Thanks!

I think we'll do Butcher to Third to First on the first run.
Second run will go up to Big Boulder and thne onto 2nd. Divide on out to First Divide and back into town for some much needed brewskies and beer.

Any problems with that idea? I want to keep the first one 'short' so I can sucker a few of the others into a slightly harder ride the second run without them bailing out on me after having a hardish first run..:skep:

Thanks for all the pointers.

 

[Melt]

sickest xc ride i ever did at dville was led by "big boulder" (i think thats his s/n ... guy with homer simpson and the gun in the avatar) ..... we went up deer lake fire road to somethin else to some lake down the canyon then over to where pauley creek starts, and you go up some jeep trail toward smith lake and down big boulder ... then third divide to first ... took all day but it was SO much fun .... definitley looking forward to attemping it sometime this year .... the annual family summer vacation is august 2 - 13 and i get to go from 3 - 13 and not just the weekends this time so im stoked!

Best was we did it in like NOVEMBER! it was like 30 degrees when we got there but at packer saddle it was like 60 already.

 

[29erchico]

I think we'll do Butcher to Third to First on the first run.
Second run will go up to Big Boulder and thne onto 2nd. Divide on out to First Divide and back into town for some much needed brewskies and beer.

Any problems with that idea? I want to keep the first one 'short' so I can sucker a few of the others into a slightly harder ride the second run without them bailing out on me after having a hardish first run..:skep:

Thanks for all the pointers.

I just say keep doing second divide optional on your second run. 3rd divide is going to look really inviting when you pop out onto it at the bottom of BB. The BB-2nd run qualifies as an all day ride for many folk just by itself. I don't think I'd want the karma of leading a bunch of tired riders down 2nd divide. 2nd takes much longer than 3nd divide and has lots of exposure in places, not a big issue if you are fresh and skilled, but for a bunch of tired riders...

29erchico