[EBasil]

Got my stitches out, my leash prospectively loosened, and my plans to finally ride SART back on track. I've read the reviews on SoCal, MTBR, Mt.Bike Bill and YetiRider's joints.

Never been there, though.

Who's got tips, directions, locations for water, smart/cool alternate routes, or current trail conditions? It looks shady in YetiRider's vids, and exposed in Bill's. It's gonna be hot this weekend: how bad up there?

 

[donkey]

Yup...

....I've been up there 5 or 6 times in the last 2 months or soo. I do most of my long rides up in that area.

Heres my advice:
Park at the Middle Control pullout on 38, just past the mini mart.
Ride down to the mini mart and up the fire road behind it.
Keep your eyes on the right for the second sign that says SART. Enter the singletrack here.
Ride this for a while, until it dead ends at middle control road.
Go left(downhill) on middle control.
Keep eyes on right for SART sign, it pops up in a mile or so. Go right.
Follow trail, stay right at fork(there is only one fork).
When you get tired, turn around and ride back to middle control, climb MC back up to car.

If you stay on SART up to the South Fork campground it is a 30-32 mile loop, can't remember specifically.

If you are looking for a longer loop, let me know. There are a couple of good 50-60 mile loops on the trail as well

As for water, the only clean water on the trail is available at south fork campground.

Trail conditions are always good on the SART.

It shouldn't be too hot up there either.

There is a good chance I may be riding up there this weekend. I'd be riding a ti 29er SS....if you see me say hey.

Let me know if you have other Q's.

B

Got my stitches out, my leash prospectively loosened, and my plans to finally ride SART back on track. I've read the reviews on SoCal, MTBR, Mt.Bike Bill and YetiRider's joints.

Never been there, though.

Who's got tips, directions, locations for water, smart/cool alternate routes, or current trail conditions? It looks shady in YetiRider's vids, and exposed in Bill's. It's gonna be hot this weekend: how bad up there?

 

[mtbski]

If you are looking for a longer loop, let me know. There are a couple of good 50-60 mile loops on the trail as well

I'll be heading up there sometime next month, still working out the schedule. Sart is great! Any info on your 50-60 mile loops. I know riders that have detoured at Glass rd and then ridden up busted up Fire Roads to Big bear and I think that was a death ride of unbelievable proportions. I'll have to check with them and maps first before going out there.

 

[donkey]

Yeah...

....For fifty miles up on the Sart I usually do the following:

Park at mountain home village and climb the loch leven fire road to the mini mart. Pick up the trail behind the mini mart as I said above. I stick to the plan that I listed above until the first fork. I take the right fork, which takes me on a 9(or so) mile climb up around jenks lake, hits a sweet singletrack descent, then drops you off at south fork. Then I ride the SART back to middle control, up that, then down loch leven to the car. If I remember correctly that's exactly 50.

TrevorinSoCal has some other loops up there worked out that are pretty long, you might want to drop him a line....he knows the area better than I.

Havefun,

B

If you are looking for a longer loop, let me know. There are a couple of good 50-60 mile loops on the trail as well

I'll be heading up there sometime next month, still working out the schedule. Sart is great! Any info on your 50-60 mile loops. I know riders that have detoured at Glass rd and then ridden up busted up Fire Roads to Big bear and I think that was a death ride of unbelievable proportions. I'll have to check with them and maps first before going out there.

 

[mtbski]

Thanks!

I think your route is a great starting point for a longer option. I'll double check my sources and check back with you if I need further info.

 

[EBasil]

Those long loops you guys describe would be awesome, and brutal!

We set ourselves up for a shuttle, from South Fork down to Mill Creek Ranger station. From South Fork to Angelus Oaks was just a constant grin factor ride: so smooth and flowing and then the climb up Middle Control was shaded and smooth! What a great way to gain altitude! In addition to a cold box full of drinks at the general store, there's also a free spigot right there in the parking lot, near the road next to a tree.

From Angelus Oaks, we went up the dirt road, then took the singletrack back to Middle Control, back up then the dirt road climb all the way to the SART toward Mentone. That second climb was pretty sunny and cooked two of our riders.

The next section of singletrack SART was outstanding: steeper than above, full of loose rock and exposure but not truly technical. Unfortunately, one of us went off the edge and tumbled about 40' down, dislocating a shoulder in the process. After we parted out his bike, killed and buried him, we continued ... or, maybe I waived down a cool 4x4 driver that hauled him back up to the general store for us, whichever. Anyway, we cut the ride short and skipped the section of SART from the fire tower into Mentone by taking the fire road all the way to 38 and then blazing down to the ranger station. It was darn hot down that low, so refilling the 3-liter camelbak at the general store was a good call!

2+ hour drive from Diego, but we'll come up there again when things cool off, or sooner if we stick to the parts above the general store.

 

[mtbbill]

....For fifty miles up on the Sart I usually do the following:

Park at mountain home village and climb the loch leven fire road to the mini mart. Pick up the trail behind the mini mart as I said above. I stick to the plan that I listed above until the first fork. I take the right fork, which takes me on a 9(or so) mile climb up around jenks lake, hits a sweet singletrack descent, then drops you off at south fork. Then I ride the SART back to middle control, up that, then down loch leven to the car. If I remember correctly that's exactly 50.

TrevorinSoCal has some other loops up there worked out that are pretty long, you might want to drop him a line....he knows the area better than I.

Havefun,

B

The long loops sound awesome! Singletrack with open views, plenty of climbing, and a hot summer day...sounds like to all the ingredients for a death march if simmered just right Maybe not a mid-august ride, but early fall could be really nice.

 

[bm_stark]

Those long loops you guys describe would be awesome, and brutal!

We set ourselves up for a shuttle, from South Fork down to Mill Creek Ranger station. From South Fork to Angelus Oaks was just a constant grin factor ride: so smooth and flowing and then the climb up Middle Control was shaded and smooth! What a great way to gain altitude! In addition to a cold box full of drinks at the general store, there's also a free spigot right there in the parking lot, near the road next to a tree.

From Angelus Oaks, we went up the dirt road, then took the singletrack back to Middle Control, back up then the dirt road climb all the way to the SART toward Mentone. That second climb was pretty sunny and cooked two of our riders.

The next section of singletrack SART was outstanding: steeper than above, full of loose rock and exposure but not truly technical. Unfortunately, one of us went off the edge and tumbled about 40' down, dislocating a shoulder in the process. After we parted out his bike, killed and buried him, we continued ... or, maybe I waived down a cool 4x4 driver that hauled him back up to the general store for us, whichever. Anyway, we cut the ride short and skipped the section of SART from the fire tower into Mentone by taking the fire road all the way to 38 and then blazing down to the ranger station. It was darn hot down that low, so refilling the 3-liter camelbak at the general store was a good call!

2+ hour drive from Diego, but we'll come up there again when things cool off, or sooner if we stick to the parts above the general store.

of all the ways to ride SART, I think the section from the second drop in from the fireroad in Angelus Oaks down to Mentone is the most brutal. That climb to the fire tower this time of year is a butt kicker (my computer showed 115).

I think the most fun ride is from Loch Leven, to AO, down the second drop in to middle control, back to AO, then back down to Loch Leven. Not too far or brutal, but still plenty of fun.

 

[EBasil]

115f in open sun sounds really...great. Like a hammer on the thumb.

Our buddies that have done that last section have been regaling us with stories of what we missed when we bailed early to retrieve our casualties at the General Store.

 

[mtbski]

SART-Going this weekend

I'm doing SART this weekend. Questions: Is the spigot at South Fork campground working? Is there any flowing streams to pump/filter water from?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[EBasil]

I'm doing SART this weekend. Questions: Is the spigot at South Fork campground working? Is there any flowing streams to pump/filter water from?

Thanks for the feedback.

I don't have recent knowledge about the spigot, but there are several hose bibs on the different cabins there. There's also water across the street at the campground.

Finally, if you walk/ride east on SART past the cabins at South Fork, the trail gets within a few feet of the running stream. Purify if you do that. Beaver Fever sucks.

 

[donkey]

Yup...

I'm doing SART this weekend. Questions: Is the spigot at South Fork campground working? Is there any flowing streams to pump/filter water from?

Thanks for the feedback.

I was up there last weekend and rode all sections of SART as well as the headwaters/lost creek trail. The trail has been maintained recently, all of the fallen trees have been cleared...woohoo. The spigots at the south fork campground are working, and the creeks are all flowing well enough to filter or purify out of.

Hope that helps,

Brian

 

[mtbski]

Sart

Thanks for the info.