[lewke]

Will be in South Lake Tahoe June 6th weekend, need a trail recomendation, will have a beginner with me, thinking 10-15 miles.

Last time we did the Flume, Mt Rose to Spooner is a possibility but was hoping to do a ride close to our cabin.

Read a little about Powerline, could that be linked with something else to increase the mileage a little?

And I'll be riding Downieville Sunday on my way home.

Thanx in advance.

 

[nutballchamp]

You can do an out and back from Big Meadow to PCT. Very nice trail but harder than Powerline.

You can add the Corral loop to Powerline. There is a nice flat singletrack that starts to the left of the end of Corral. This is a good way to avoid the sandy motor bike section of Powerline. This ends at Columbine street which you can ride up to Marshall and take a right. Take a right on High Meadow to get to Powerline.

 

[tahoetic]

You could ride the pony express trail from Echo Summit to Strawberry. Park one car at the strawberry lodge and the other at the old echo summit ski resort.

Fun trail and you can have a beer at the Strawberry Lodge bar. 3 hour ride.

 

[nutballchamp]

You could ride the pony express trail from Echo Summit to Strawberry. Park one car at the strawberry lodge and the other at the old echo summit ski resort.

Fun trail and you can have a beer at the Strawberry Lodge bar. 3 hour ride.

How much Hwy 50 riding is this? I haven't figure out where the trail continues from Sierra. Seems to dead end at the start of Sayles.

 

[Brah]

Yeah, I've been looking for PonyExp trail info too

but not finding much that's definitive online.

Got any links?

Thanks in advance

 

[TahoeBC]

I vote Tahoetic leads a ride this summer!

This section could be used as a base for some pretty big epics, like South lake to Kirkwood, point to point and a few other interesting loops.

Brah, here is some info from a thread last year
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=267322&highlight=pony+express

 

[tahoetic]

The trail starts at the old Echo Summit Ski Resort. You follow the PCT next to hwy 50 for about 3 minutes. The first left has a trail marker that says XP. You go up a small hill and then descend with Lake Audrain on your left.

You run into Scout Peak Road, follow that for about ten minutes. You will see a XP trail sign on the right, follow that. About 40 mins. later you will cross Sierra at Tahoe Road. Ten minutes later you will get to Bryan Road. The XP trail will end there. Continue down Bryan Road (dirt) past the West Bowl lift structure.

You will see the XP trail sign on your right. Drop down that, over the bridge in Sayles Canyon.

Just before you get to Lovers Leap you can choose to take the trail down into the canyon or up and over LL. If you chose to go down the last quarter mile before the Strawberry Lodge is an old wagon trail. It turns to pure rock.

The best way to go is up and over Lovers Leap. There is a really nice downhill just past LL. Ken at Wattabikes in Meyers knows this area also. He rides it all the way to Silver Fork. I don't know why there are not any maps of this area. A contractor built the section between Scout Peak road and Sierra a few years back. You can ride the Hawley Grade on the way back. Wife walking the waterfall section.

Most people shuttle this ride by leaving one car at the Strawberry Lodge and the other at Echo Summit. Sometimes we will add in the Sayles Canyon Trail by riding up Sugar and Spice or Corkscrew run to the back side of Sierra. Nice techy rock sections on that trail.

 

[nutballchamp]

I 2nd a Tahoetic ride! Thanks for the beta. Watch out for the Rattlesnakes at the leap!! I see them almost every time I climb there early season.

 

[Brah]

Excellent!

The trail starts at the old Echo Summit Ski Resort.

Thanks for all of the beta and great photos! Yeah, I'll 3rd a request for the Tahoetic ride experience. I'll probably check this out next month.

 

[otbp_nocal]

Wow. I didn't know about this route. Looks nice and adventurous! I'm down like James Brown to hit it. If anyone's looking for a partner, lemmeknow... I'll do the same if I get a date on the calendar. I can ride weekdays too (with some planning).

Great info. Thanks!

 

[nutballchamp]

I'm going to check this out as soon as the snow melts. I've ridden the trail up to Lake Audrain but not past.

 

[tahoetic]

Sorry to high jack your thread but where is your cabin. Maybe I could suggest something closer to you. And thanks guys, the trail should be good to go in June.

 

[lewke]

Highland Woods

So the Powerline trail you recommended in another thread would work out fine, drive to trail head, ride trail, then ride to cabin, pick up car after.

That Pony Express trail looks like it would be worth hitting too.

Other suggestions welcome too, gotta keep my options open as I've only ridden Northstar and the Flume.

One last thing, trying to keep this ride around 3 hours, since we want to go to the casino to bet and watch the Preakness at 3pm.

 

[cantonkiddo]

The trail starts at the old Echo Summit Ski Resort. You follow the PCT next to hwy 50 for about 3 minutes. The first left has a trail marker that says XP. You go up a small hill and then descend with Lake Audrain on your left.
...
Most people shuttle this ride by leaving one car at the Strawberry Lodge and the other at Echo Summit. Sometimes we will add in the Sayles Canyon Trail by riding up Sugar and Spice or Corkscrew run to the back side of Sierra. Nice techy rock sections on that trail.

Wow awesome looking ride....which one is this called? Pony Express --> Echo Summit --> Strawberry? Is there anything that's more of a loop for people who won't have two cars?

 

[fourarm]

Two cars not needed

Wow awesome looking ride....which one is this called? Pony Express --> Echo Summit --> Strawberry? Is there anything that's more of a loop for people who won't have two cars?

The climb up 50 isn't so bad. Just park at Strawberry and ride up. I recommend the LL motorcycle trail at the end of the ride, great views from the top...and then you can burn off 1000ft in 6-7 minutes getting back to the road.

 

[lewke]

Thanks for all your recommendations.

We rode Powerline in a loop from our cabin, now I know a good loop from homebase.

Saw tons of peole shuttling corral, wanted to ride it but were under a time constraint.