[borabora]

I am an aging but fit XC rider on a 100mm travel hard tail and I frequently ride up the Aptos Creek fire road to the entrance of Demo. I would like to start tacking on Demo loops without killing myself. (I mostly ride solo during the week.)

What would be the easiest loop to tack on that returns me back to the top of the fire road? What would be the approximate mileage and climbing of this loop. Also what would be the shortest loop that I can tack on (assuming that one is different from easiest)?

My technical abilities are limited. I ride Wilder and UCSC without a problem but I know that Demo is in a different league.

There have been some discussions on the topic but not sure what trails are currently open and how much things have changed. So, I'd appreciate any sage advice. Thanks.

Oh, I know there is a campground near the trails. Is there potable water available anywhere?

 

[IAmHolland]

My technical abilities are limited. I ride Wilder and UCSC without a problem but I know that Demo is in a different league.

I don't understand this logic. Have you ridden all of UC?

Corral to lot, and then back up the road to Nisene, is the easiest and shortest loop.

There have been some discussions on the topic but not sure what trails are currently open and how much things have changed. So, I'd appreciate any sage advice. Thanks.

Oh, I know there is a campground near the trails. Is there potable water available anywhere?

Standard trails are open, the trail in construction is not. No potable water that I know of.

 

[JL de Jong]

The easiest and shortest loop would be to continue on Aptos Creek fire road until Buzzard Lagoon road, where you turn right. After about 1/3 of mile you make a sharp right onto a single track (Cussacks) and take that back to Aptos Creek to turn left for your return to Nisene. About 1/10 mile past the gate on Aptos Creek fire road you can turn right for another short single track section. Have you ever taken Bacon down from the Ridge trail intersection instead of the fire road?

 

[modbog]

sounds like you want "roads." you've got sulphur springs, the bottom or corral, and tractor.

option a: quickest/shortest loop would be down sulphur up corral. but going back up ridge the wrong way sucks monkey nuts. and corral is pretty steep.

option b: less steep and longer would be down sulphur or tractor and back out hihn's mill to the road. plus side you don't have to dodge downhill traffic on ridge/corral, downside you have some actual road to ride (the same road that 99% of folks parking in the lot ride up so it's not as bad as it might sound)

no one climbs braille or sawpit.

water? uh.. not that i know of. maybe camp loma? i dunno.

tl;dr. if you're on the babylon side bring water and more travel.

 

[dirtvert]

The easiest route would be...in your car.

Seriously! I would just drive there for your first ride, drop Ridge, check out Corral and Braille, and maybe Sawpit if you want to add in some mileage. Then you'll know what you're getting into for a big Nisene loop.

 

[borabora]

Ok, thanks for the replies so far. Definitely helps me make up my mind. I'll probably try Corral and Hihnes to the lot and then back to the top of of Rosalita. That should be about 2k' climbing and less than 10 miles...?

I have gone to Buzzard Lagoon and Cussack but not Bacon -- I'll check it out on a map.

The reason why I do this is because sometimes I like grinding up Aptos Creek for the exercise and view. So I find myself up at Demo and feel like I should ride some more. If Demo were the destination, I'd drive there. For me it would just be a bonus.

I haven't ridden all of UCSC -- has anybody? While I don't stick to it consistently, I prefer uhh "sanctioned" trails.

 

[Axe]

Just do a Ridge - Sawpit - Mills loop and walk the sections that you are not comfortable riding - there will be only a few of those. Majority of it is nice, fun and interesting, no need to stay away.

 

[cmdrpiffle]

Yeah, there's water. At the Camp Loma camp....go down the dirt driveway (may have a wire across the road), by the water tank...there is a concrete water fountain there that runs year round.

Cheers!

 

[rox]

please stop talking about c**cks and b**n

 

[borabora]

Yeah, there's water. At the Camp Loma camp....go down the dirt driveway (may have a wire across the road), by the water tank...there is a concrete water fountain there that runs year round.

Cheers!

Thank You. That's great. If I can refill then I tackle just about anything.

 

[IAmHolland]

I haven't ridden all of UCSC -- has anybody? While I don't stick to it consistently, I prefer uhh "sanctioned" trails.

I asked to see where you've been. Demo isn't any harder, similar to the chutes to 9. It's just longer and more features. I can't jump so I don't do the features. Corral is not very steep, and it's short. Sawpit is more technical than Corral, but more XC like, and it's also the longest trail with a climb. Braille is more like the UC chutes.

Use brakes and you'll be fine.

Some aforementioned trails are not legit.

 

[GoGoGordo]

please stop talking about c**cks and b**n

HA!
Too late.
Tsk Tsk.

 

[borabora]

I asked to see where you've been. Demo isn't any harder, similar to the chutes to 9. It's just longer and more features. I can't jump so I don't do the features. Corral is not very steep, and it's short. Sawpit is more technical than Corral, but more XC like, and it's also the longest trail with a climb. Braille is more like the UC chutes.

Use brakes and you'll be fine.

Some aforementioned trails are not legit.

Ok, thanks. That's reassuring. I am just trying to explore some new territory without being an idiot. Terrain is only part of it. Remoteness, distance to my car in Soquel, and availability of water are also factors. Now that I know that I can access water I am significantly more willing to explore.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

 

[JL de Jong]

Official State Park Brochure

The official Nisene Marks state park map has Cusacks trail listed:

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/666/files/TheForestNiseneMarksWebBroch2012.pdf

 

[modbog]

but he wants to ride a bike and that is a hiking trail :nono: