Best climb back to TOS
- Thread starter nj6964
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JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
If you are not going up yellow, try it. It is longer than the Cannonball switchbacks, but has more ups and downs. Cannonball is mainly just up. White is hike a bike in some parts.
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
It all depends on what your pace is, what distance/time you want.
For me, the Cannonball switchbacks are something I do climbing. As a change of pace I do climb back up Yellow too.
I suggest using the trailforks app. Here is the map for this discussion:
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/map/?activitytype=1&z=13.9&lat=41.03805&lon=-74.26472
Starting at TOS, I take H-Trail bypass down towards the lake and connect to Yellow.
I then go around the lake (Lake Shore Dr.) and up to the ruins on the fire road (Foxcroft Rd), boring.
At the end is the ruins of the Van Slyke Estate:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/van-slyke-castle-ruins-2
Go around to the back of the ruins where it overlooks the lake, from there, ride up the steps, go around the ruins and look left, get on the trail that goes past the swimming pool and leads to the water tower. I think it is the White trail.
Past the water tower you will follow the White trail down to the gas line. Instead of following the White back down towards the lake, cut across the gas line. There is a single track drop that will lead you to Blue. Drop on this unmarked trail and go left on Blue where it intersects.
Blue in this direction will lead you back to the gas line where it intersects with Orange.
Go right on the gas line and look for Blue on the left side, about 200 feet.
Take Blue back towards the lake, it is a wide not often used fire road.
Before you hit the lake, keep an eye for the Cannonball trail on the left, it is single track.
Take Cannonball trail off of Blue and follow it. It will cross the Foxcroft Rd you already climbed, but then goes into single track again. You will cross and small stream and hit the Cannonball switchbacks. Climb to the top, cross the road and keep following Cannonball trail blaze. It will run into the Red/White diver down trail blaze. That will lead you back to the TOS.
This loop is about 5 miles.
If you want longer, there is the Orange Training Loop which is 10 miles.
https://www.strava.com/segments/7770671?filter=overall
That adds Orange to something similar to what I just described and comes back around from the south part of the lake.
If you want 13 miles, start at Pool Hollow and go up from Yellow to Cannonball until you hit the lake and start there.
BTW, not to discourage you or others, but I believe that High Mountain has better flow and is only 5-10 minutes away.
@Mtbdog can probably give you better information on that trail system, as I have only scratched the surface and have enjoyed what little I know about it.
Hopefully this helps with Ramapo.
Pete
For me, the Cannonball switchbacks are something I do climbing. As a change of pace I do climb back up Yellow too.
I suggest using the trailforks app. Here is the map for this discussion:
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/map/?activitytype=1&z=13.9&lat=41.03805&lon=-74.26472
Starting at TOS, I take H-Trail bypass down towards the lake and connect to Yellow.
I then go around the lake (Lake Shore Dr.) and up to the ruins on the fire road (Foxcroft Rd), boring.
At the end is the ruins of the Van Slyke Estate:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/van-slyke-castle-ruins-2
Go around to the back of the ruins where it overlooks the lake, from there, ride up the steps, go around the ruins and look left, get on the trail that goes past the swimming pool and leads to the water tower. I think it is the White trail.
Past the water tower you will follow the White trail down to the gas line. Instead of following the White back down towards the lake, cut across the gas line. There is a single track drop that will lead you to Blue. Drop on this unmarked trail and go left on Blue where it intersects.
Blue in this direction will lead you back to the gas line where it intersects with Orange.
Go right on the gas line and look for Blue on the left side, about 200 feet.
Take Blue back towards the lake, it is a wide not often used fire road.
Before you hit the lake, keep an eye for the Cannonball trail on the left, it is single track.
Take Cannonball trail off of Blue and follow it. It will cross the Foxcroft Rd you already climbed, but then goes into single track again. You will cross and small stream and hit the Cannonball switchbacks. Climb to the top, cross the road and keep following Cannonball trail blaze. It will run into the Red/White diver down trail blaze. That will lead you back to the TOS.
This loop is about 5 miles.
If you want longer, there is the Orange Training Loop which is 10 miles.
https://www.strava.com/segments/7770671?filter=overall
That adds Orange to something similar to what I just described and comes back around from the south part of the lake.
If you want 13 miles, start at Pool Hollow and go up from Yellow to Cannonball until you hit the lake and start there.
BTW, not to discourage you or others, but I believe that High Mountain has better flow and is only 5-10 minutes away.
@Mtbdog can probably give you better information on that trail system, as I have only scratched the surface and have enjoyed what little I know about it.
Hopefully this helps with Ramapo.
Pete
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
BTW, hopefully this was not too wordy or detailed.
TL;DR I like to climb Cball, but sometimes do Yellow.
TL;DR I like to climb Cball, but sometimes do Yellow.
@JerseyPete How do you compare the difficulty/technicality of HM to Ramapo trails?
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
I would say they are close in difficulty and tech. I know very little of HM, mainly the trails that start by the circle in Franklin Lakes. It seems smoother than some of the raw, jagged rock, rutted out parts of Ramapo. Also HM seems to have more single track trails without the need to connect via a fire road. There is not much in Ramapo where it doesn't connect through the road around the lake or up to the ruins (you can but there are hike a bike parts). If you ride HM or JH, you would be fine at Ramapo. Likewise, if you ride Ramapo you would handle most other parks.
To be clearer about my previous post on getting back to TOS, I rarely ride Cannonball down from TOS. I do climb up it to better myself, but if you want something different, then climb back up Yellow.
And the H Trail bypass and Yellow are my preferred way of getting from TOS down to the lake. There are some very nice short sections of the bypass that flow.
To be clearer about my previous post on getting back to TOS, I rarely ride Cannonball down from TOS. I do climb up it to better myself, but if you want something different, then climb back up Yellow.
And the H Trail bypass and Yellow are my preferred way of getting from TOS down to the lake. There are some very nice short sections of the bypass that flow.
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
Yep, the H Trail bypass and Yellow are more enjoyable to ride down than Cannonball. And I go up Cannonball to make it a loop.
This description is almost 5 miles.
Srs great job sharing the intel there.
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
What you just described has been my normal ride for years, but in the past year cannonball from the 287 bridge to the lake has been a mess from quads.
There's about 5 parking spots on pool hollow. If you're going with a group, park at the boat launch off west Oakland ave, 1/2 mile north.
This was a great write up and description of the trails/loop out here.
nj6964
Member
I went out today after work for a quick ride. I intended to go down cannonball and up yellow. Halfway down what I thought was cannonball I was shot out into a wide fire road. I checked my map and I had been on white. I had taken the wrong “C” sign at a prior fire road crossing. I made do and continued not towards ruins and down towards the lake. Nice views up at the top but a lot of white was really intense and made me hike a lot, even some of the downhill half.
Made it down to intersection with cball (confirmed on my map this time) and started to back up, short on time after so much hiking. Hats off to JerseyPete if you can climb cannonball cleanly, that trail is almost one uphill rugged rock garden, especially the switchback. I rode as much as I could eventually made it to the top, last section near the top was a fun downhill. I could see cannonball downhill fun but climbing is something wicked for me. Lesson learned: check the map more often.
Made it down to intersection with cball (confirmed on my map this time) and started to back up, short on time after so much hiking. Hats off to JerseyPete if you can climb cannonball cleanly, that trail is almost one uphill rugged rock garden, especially the switchback. I rode as much as I could eventually made it to the top, last section near the top was a fun downhill. I could see cannonball downhill fun but climbing is something wicked for me. Lesson learned: check the map more often.
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
nj6964
Member
Thanks Pete, glad I’m not the only one walking. Funny you mention it, I was using trailforks, I started on the correct trail then crossed a fire road and went down a trail with a “C” sign. I guess there are multiple “C” trails? After looking on Maprika it looks like cannonball sorta splits before the first fire road crossing, I must’ve went right instead of left and took me in the wrong direction. Also the Maprika and trailforks definitely look different in the area by orange and blue. Sorry for the rambling folks.
JerseyPete
Well-Known Member
There is one Cannonball, but when you start from TOS, you take the Red/White diver down looking blazes and run into it. Go to the left and it leads to switchbacks, go to the right and it will lead you to Ringwood after you cross Skyline Dr. That is a good ride too. The White trail you went down is the hiking part of it and is not bike friendly at all. It does lead to the ruins and the Foxcroft rd.
sundaydoug
Well-Known Member
I must be one of the few that takes the road from the lake back up to TOS. That's usually how I end my rides at Ramapo, rip it off like a bandaid and just slug it out up that hill.
Wanaque Ridge (Orange) Trail is an absolute blast riding north to south. For some reason I don't think that trail gets all that much love. If you know the good lines in that direction you've got some of the most fun, fast, chunky downhills in the whole area.
FWIW here's my go-to after work loop at Ramapo:
Start at TOS
Down yellow all the way to the lake (super fun)
Pedal around lake, up the castle driveway all the way to the pump station above the castle (long pedal, not so fun, tech climb near the very top)
White trail down from pump station (super fun, chunky), then cross pipeline into unmarked trail that brings you further down to intersect with McEvoy (Blue blaze)
Left on Blue, follow that down to where it intersects Orange and make a hairpin right-hand turn onto Orange (Wanaque Ridge Trail)
Follow Orange up and down the ridge line (best part, super fun) until it merges with the Indian Trail (Red triangle blaze IIRC)
Follow this to the road that goes around the lake, then back up the road to TOS.
I like to ride this loop because it nicely separates the pedaling/climbing sections from the fun downhill stuff. If I don't have a whole lot of time I'll skip pedaling up to the castle and just head straight over to the Wanaque Ridge trail from the lake.
Wanaque Ridge (Orange) Trail is an absolute blast riding north to south. For some reason I don't think that trail gets all that much love. If you know the good lines in that direction you've got some of the most fun, fast, chunky downhills in the whole area.
FWIW here's my go-to after work loop at Ramapo:
Start at TOS
Down yellow all the way to the lake (super fun)
Pedal around lake, up the castle driveway all the way to the pump station above the castle (long pedal, not so fun, tech climb near the very top)
White trail down from pump station (super fun, chunky), then cross pipeline into unmarked trail that brings you further down to intersect with McEvoy (Blue blaze)
Left on Blue, follow that down to where it intersects Orange and make a hairpin right-hand turn onto Orange (Wanaque Ridge Trail)
Follow Orange up and down the ridge line (best part, super fun) until it merges with the Indian Trail (Red triangle blaze IIRC)
Follow this to the road that goes around the lake, then back up the road to TOS.
I like to ride this loop because it nicely separates the pedaling/climbing sections from the fun downhill stuff. If I don't have a whole lot of time I'll skip pedaling up to the castle and just head straight over to the Wanaque Ridge trail from the lake.
@sundaydoug do you know how many miles that comes out to?
sundaydoug
Well-Known Member
I don't have exact mileage, but if I had to guess I'd say that full loop is 9ish miles. If you skip the castle climb it's maybe 7.5-8ish. What's nice for an after work ride is that it's not all singletrack, it's about a 65/35 mix of singletrack and fireroad so you can spin a bit. I might hit Ramapo after work tomorrow, if that happens I'll GPS that loop