Treks

[le Voyageur]

This is being posted for ScoutmasterRon, however, if you've got a trek you'd like to share please feel free to post here..

 

This bike ride is fairly tuff due to terrain (mountains,high altitudes, and remoteness in certain areas)...to keep this post from being too expansive it's detailed as a "connect the dots" ride. A current DeLorme's Northern California can be use to fill in the route ....

 

Segment One - Modesto to Coulterville

 

Start - The Fruityard, east of Empire on Yosemite Blvd. UTM 10 689981E 4167687N (see http://www.topozone.com - on the menu bar select UTM coords at Get a Map and key in the above UTM)

 

con.'t east on Yosemite Blvd. (Hwy 132)through Waterford, La Grange and on to Coulterville (jct. 132 and 49)

 

Segment 2 - Coulterville to Yosemite National Park to Lee Vining (Jct 120/395) UTM 11 313676E 4203015N

 

Coulterville - UTM 10 747171E 4177222N

Northeast through town to...

Greeley Hill UTM 10 752978E 4181103N, con't north to..

Highway 120 at Smith Station UTM 10 753750E 4188845N, right turn (east) on 120 to

Yosemite National Park (note - entrance to the park will be noted by a kiosk. From here to the next kiosk on the other side of the park will require at a minimum of 3 days of ride time to cross (40 miles per day). A great campsite is at Lake Tenaya...after exiting the park you'll descind to Lee Vining via the Tioga pass, as a caution and a warning, know that I've reached speeds on this descent as high as 67mph!

 

Segment 3 - Lee Vining to Sonora Jct (108)

North on 395 to 270 (UTM 11 307949E 4227291N....)

East on 270 to Bodie UTM 11 323927E 4231064N (see - http://www.danheller.com/bodie.html )...north to...

Bridgeport UTM 11 305713E 4236455N

(the ride north from Bodie to Bridgeport is suitable only for mountain bikes)

con't 395 north to...

Sonora Junction (108) UTM 11 285840E 4247123N

 

Segment 4 - Sonora Junction to Beardsly

(note, past Pickle Meadow this section drops like a brick through hairpins and blind curves)

From Sonora cycle to 52 (UTM 11 237621E 4234342N) and descend to Beardsley Lake

(same warning as for 108...)

 

 

 

 

 

[le Voyageur]

Bike Trek, part II

 

From Beardsly it's best that I give a detail route discription...there is no such thing as a current map for this section due to logging companys cutting new roads....

 

At Beardsly Lake cross over the dam (camp sites ring the lake, you won't need a reservation, but you'll need a campfire permit)

con't north, 52 will Y off to the left (52 will be an 8+ mile climb on a very narrow rode. Listen for Jake brakes and give the log trucks plenty of room. They won't be expecting riders...)

Near the top, the road will level out a bit and swing more north. Watch the left side for a meadow, you're looking for a rather large and rusty contraption called a steam donkey. Go pass this meadow and take the first left (it'll be a dirt logging road). Con't climbing, this rd will take you to Camp John Mensinger (Greater Yosemite Area Council's camp).

Con't north pass the camp and cycle to where the road ends at an intersection. Take the lower left rd (Ghrols Meadow, not the upper left that keeps on climbing). A note of caution, you'll have to cross two cattle guards. About 9 miles down is a nice waterfall on the right. You won't need to filter the water...it's good to drink as is.

Con't to Skull Creek (you'll cross two small bridges. At Holman's crossing and on the right are two camp grounds, a lower, and an upper directly above the lower. The upper has access to a nice pool that's great for cooling off).

At Holman's crossing turn left (you'll pass a small koral on the right)for an easy climb. This rd will end at another intersection, you'll know that you're nearing this intersection by another, but much larger koral on the right.

At the intersection turn righ, and continue climbing for 1 mile to 4NY13 (I doubt that this marker will be there). You'll need to watch for a dirt rd that diagonals off to the left. If you start doing some serious down hilling, you've missed, go back and try again.

On 4NY13 it'll get a bit rough, but stay the course, you'll soon come to locked Gate 7. Jump the gate (don't worry, the rangers will tell you the same) and welcome to the south grove of Big Trees State Park.

Con't north to another intersection (the park's fire road)...go left.

Shortly you'll be loosing elevation again, and here you need to be wee bit careful as the road has section buried deep with pumice. The worst is at Gate 9 through a downhill hairpin...

At the small stream, and if you need water, the water here needs to be filtered. About 20 feet up, and on the right is the South Grove Trail, park the bikes and take a hike to see some really big tree....

[le Voyageur]

...back on the bikes con't west to the next intersection (about a mile) and turn left, dropping down to Beaver Creek, and crossing over a small wooden bridge. Climb out to the South Grove parking lot, and back onto asphalt.

Ignore the direction arrow (this is a jug handle turn to get traffic turned around) and cycle left for a short climb, followed by a rapid descent to the Stanislaus River. Across the bridge a 3 mile climb and a 2 mile downhill will take you to the kiosk at the Park's entrance. Ask for directions to Hike and Bike A and B (the camping here is pretty good, however a shower will cost .25 cents a minute for hot water, cold water is free).

At the turn to Hike and Bike A and B is a latrine, go east about 25 to 30 yards to the trailhead, theres a lock gate on the right. Go around the gate, and cycle up the hill (dirt). At the T intersection turn right, and ride downhill to Moran rd. Turn right, Highway 4 is a very short distance, go left on 4 and drop down into the town of Arnold....

[le Voyageur]

From Arnold, con't downhill to Avery, and take a right on Sheep Ranch rd. for an easy climb.

When you start downhill, take the first right turn (this will still be Sheep Ranch rd....two warnings; first, Sheep Ranch turns into a one lane road with two way traffic, 2nd, there's a CHP officer who is a real jerk that patrols this area. He has written speeding tickets for rescue crews responding to fires or medical emergencies....)

Sheep Ranch rd ends at the bottom of a hill, the Stop sign may, or may not be there. Turn right for another steep downhill run, then a climb out to the little burg of Sheep Ranch. Water can be had at the fire station.

From Sheep Ranch con't to the next intersection (there's a CDF station on the left), turn left and drop down to Mountain Ranch (there's a small lumber yard on the left as you enter the town, a left turn here will take you to a small supermarket...)

From Mountain Ranch con't west for about a mile or so. You'll see a sign for California Caverns, just follow the signs for the next several miles, you can't get lost (if electing to camp at the caverns, you'll need to make prior arrangements).

From the caverns, double back, and continue about 5 miles west, the road will narrow like Sheep Ranch. The turn you want to make will be on the left, look for a small brown wooden shed that once was a bus stop.

Follow this road to it's end, and turn left to the small village of Calaveritas. Cycle through the town, across the bridge, and up the hill to the stop sign. Turn right, and take a left on Dogtown rd. Dogtown will take you to Altaville, a small town above Angel Camp. Highway 4 will be almost directly across from Dogtown rd.

Take 4 and follow the signs back to Oakdale, (Copperpolis has a small store should you need a break...) Con't south on this same road, past the Hershy Chocolate factory, and you'll end up back at the Fruit Yard....

[Scoutmaster Ron]

Tks very much for this info, It will be very helpful

[le Voyageur]

SR

 

If you would, shoot me an e mail via private message. I need to forward you some hand drawn maps to detail the sections from Beardsly to Altaville. Most maps for these areas are in err...just don't want to see folks getting lost.

 

Some items to touch base on...

 

- Bears in Yosemite and above Beardsly to Big Trees.

 

- Mountain lions, above Beardsly to Big Trees

 

- Hiway 49 is extremly dangerous, very few of the locals will cycle it.

 

- Snow, and ice may be a concern around Pickle Meadow

 

- Road bikes won't be able to handle either fireroads, or jeep trails...

 

- Bodie is an oven in August

 

- An unseen danger in Yosemite are tourist pulling trailers/RV using those outrigger mirrors that extend about 6 feet out from their cars. They've been known to damage cyclist...

[Scoutmaster Ron]

Will do