Three Guys v. Three Bears

Three bears in reverse (from the top of Shanes) has some truly difficult, steep and loose climbing sections. I've only ridden 3 bears from that direction once, but definitely NOT on a singlespeed.

I agree with EP, Three Bears is a lot tougher from Shanes to Rocky Canyon Road than it is the other way. The rocky section that you're talking about is tough - real tough. I can likely ride any individual section, but stringing them together to get all the way up is something that I'm yet to do.

Try heading up Rocky Canyon and back around on Three Bears and it's challenging, but completely ridable.

Not to sound like a trail snob or nuttin', but damn...I just don't like going up Shaw/Rocky Canyon...maybe all those bad memories of Cycle Idaho .

I did like the views while on Three Bears though. Rocky Canyon looks so far down from up top.

It's good to hear that those of you who ride consistently have a tough time with Three Bears from the top of Shane's. I've done it a couple of times and thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. Very difficult climb -- I just can't do it without stopping a couple of times. I'm just waiting for the day a mountain lion stalks me up those rocks -- I would be easy pickin's! Paranoid? I guess. It makes me ride harder.

I like that feeling....my heart pounding in my chest like it is gonna pop out...I got that feeling chasing Cinnoman Monkey on a climb...

It is the puke-like feeling that don't like so much...nor do I like the "I'm about to shart myself" - feeling.

Yeah man. It's losing control of my bodily functions that really gets me down. I hate it when I can't keep anything in anymore. Like this one time at band camp...

Climbing 3Bears, what a rush. I finally cleared the rock section only to fall victim to a momentarty lapse in concentration above it where I lost control of my bodily functions.

The dogs always sniff the bike when I lose control...

Speaking of Three Bears...

Have any of you ridden the new trail that connects Three Bears to Trail 6? It gives a nice bailout point for anyone that climbs Trail 5, and then starts up Trail 6 (and decided that climbing 6 is not what they really had in mind).

I rode it from Three Bears to the Trail 6 intersection (just to see where it connected), but then turned around and went back the way I'd come.

laffeaux said:

Speaking of Three Bears...

Have any of you ridden the new trail that connects Three Bears to Trail 6? It gives a nice bailout point for anyone that climbs Trail 5, and then starts up Trail 6 (and decided that climbing 6 is not what they really had in mind).

I rode it from Three Bears to the Trail 6 intersection (just to see where it connected), but then turned around and went back the way I'd come.

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It's a nice option and makes a nice addition after riding Orchard Gulch to Five Mile Gulch. But definately ride it from 3Bears to 6 to 5. It's a steep roll down to Curlew Creek from the 6 junction. I haven't lost control of my bodily function on that one yet.

I rode (poached) it a few times from the top of 3 bears to the junction with 6 a few times before it was officially opened recently. The one time I did ride up 3 bears from the top of Shanes, I then rode up to 6 from the top of 3 bears, down 6 to 5, down 5, back up to Shane's and out to the Central Ridge. That's a gut, lung, and colon busting ride. However, trail 6 (to the new 3B junction) is a hike-a-bike upill if you ride it from the 5/6 junction, so riding down 6 from the new 3 bears/6 junction is the best way to ride it.

I rode it over to #5. If you go, be prepared for a steep and fast descent from the #6/Curlews intersection and a climb up to #5 that is on loose sand and rocks. I bottomed out the Bullit on the descent, and was glad I had 2.5 for the descent and the climb.

Earthpig said:

However, trail 6 (to the new 3B junction) is a hike-a-bike upill if you ride it from the 5/6 junction, so riding down 6 from the new 3 bears/6 junction is the best way to ride it.

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That likely is a better loop.

I've ridden up Trail 6 from the lower 5/6 juction a few times - however each time I do it, I say that I'm never doing it again. I have to push the bike up the first climb, but after that it's mostly rideable, but not much fun.

I guess I am a freak, which y'all knew anyway. I rode the Bullit on that RC to 3B to 5/6 to CR ride.

I got a bunch of weird looks when I hit Bucks 'cause I was wearing 661 elbow pads...it must be the same looks Ian gets

Visicypher said:

I guess I am a freak, which y'all knew anyway. I rode the Bullit on that RC to 3B to 5/6 to CR ride.

I got a bunch of weird looks when I hit Bucks 'cause I was wearing 661 elbow pads...it must be the same looks Ian gets

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Speaking of freaks, I had my 1x1 on the ridge the other day and I met some guy at the top of Hard Guy who asked me if I was the singlespeeder his mechanic had told him about. Then he asked me if he could touch my bike. I felt so violated.

And then yesterday I was riding my cross bike up Hulls and I ran (almost literally) into a couple baggyboyz who asked me if I was lost. Sheesh, some people's kids...

You should have told the guy it would cost him a dollar to touch....

It's in the soil. That isn't soil, that's...

I have been up there on the SS, but it was in early early spring/winter. The later it gets the worse, arghhh I mean harder that climb is. The long and short of it is there is no short...

Good job and good night, Seattle.