Help on My Loop

[goldsbar]

First time riding at Wildcat this year (maybe 10 total over last 3 years). Conditions were great but I'm looking for some help on my loop. I'll describe how I go and would appreciate any alternatives on what I consider the not so good parts.

*Start at corner of Meridan and Green Pond Rd.
*Blue Beach Glen to Meridan Rd. This trail is great but I like it better in the other direction as more of the singletrack is downhill.
*1/2ish mile on Meridan Rd, make left onto unmarked trail. Either climb the trail along the stream to the dam or take the right for alternate near the beginning and wind up on the gas line (or back by the brook higher up). This trail is "OK". Both alternates feel very much like a grind but it's not like I'm getting some great downhill (or any downhill) at the end. I like what I described as the right fork to the gas line reverse as a downhill.
*Go accross dam and make immediate quick uphill left. Great singletrack for 1/4 mile turns into OK fire road. Eventually take to I believe Upper Hibernia Rd. Take rail bed to further down same road.
*Orange trail to hawks nest - really good.
*White trail - really good single track heaven in parts, long hike a bike sections in other parts. Mixed bag. I see a yellow trail on the map where the white crosses a dirt road but don't recall it in person.
*Orange trail (by Green Pond Rd) - another gem that looks like it's seen lots of maintenace recently. Didn't do the whole thing - just the part where the unridable white intersects. Old map indicates it stops shortly thereafter.
*Green Pond Road back to car. Last year I tried to take the trails back but ended up in horrible mud pits.

I see people are working on Beach Glen and one of the Oranges so wondering if any more links have been created.

 

[joeschaar]

live close by but never ridden here

I live close by but I have never ridden here.

I ride my road bike past it once in a while but I have never seen anyone riding here. I have heard of people doing night rides here but I'm not sure if those were "allowed".

Last year, I hiked orange up to Hawk watch and white back to the fire road. Orange looked fine but white became a mess quickly.

I'll watch this thread and maybe give it a try.

Do I need a long travel bike or will normal XC travel (100mm) be fine?

Any chance of someone leading a ride during the day?

 

[trailhead]

The Beach Glen Trail extends to the bat cave parking lot. After you come down the mountain on the orange, along the brook and pop out at the Bat cave parking area, proceed out the lot and down the side road. You will see the light Blue blazes again which will take you over the tailings and back to your car on Meriden.

wildcat at jorba dot org

First time riding at Wildcat this year (maybe 10 total over last 3 years). Conditions were great but I'm looking for some help on my loop. I'll describe how I go and would appreciate any alternatives on what I consider the not so good parts.

*Start at corner of Meridan and Green Pond Rd.
*Blue Beach Glen to Meridan Rd. This trail is great but I like it better in the other direction as more of the singletrack is downhill.
*1/2ish mile on Meridan Rd, make left onto unmarked trail. Either climb the trail along the stream to the dam or take the right for alternate near the beginning and wind up on the gas line (or back by the brook higher up). This trail is "OK". Both alternates feel very much like a grind but it's not like I'm getting some great downhill (or any downhill) at the end. I like what I described as the right fork to the gas line reverse as a downhill.
*Go accross dam and make immediate quick uphill left. Great singletrack for 1/4 mile turns into OK fire road. Eventually take to I believe Upper Hibernia Rd. Take rail bed to further down same road.
*Orange trail to hawks nest - really good.
*White trail - really good single track heaven in parts, long hike a bike sections in other parts. Mixed bag. I see a yellow trail on the map where the white crosses a dirt road but don't recall it in person.
*Orange trail (by Green Pond Rd) - another gem that looks like it's seen lots of maintenace recently. Didn't do the whole thing - just the part where the unridable white intersects. Old map indicates it stops shortly thereafter.
*Green Pond Road back to car. Last year I tried to take the trails back but ended up in horrible mud pits.

I see people are working on Beach Glen and one of the Oranges so wondering if any more links have been created.

 

[graveyardman67]

Well... Have GPS?
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/33401473
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/28186126

There are a couple of really nice short runs that are very hard to find. For examlpe:
"*Go accross dam and make immediate quick uphill left. Great singletrack for 1/4 mile turns into OK fire road. Eventually take to I believe Upper Hibernia Rd. Take rail bed to further down same road."

After you cross the dried up (at this point) stream bed and start up on the doubletrack you will see a white blaze that runs thru a major uphill rock gardern on your left. Don't turn left. Continue up the next pitch, it turns left then right, just about at the top of the steepest part there is single track path on your left (almost a 180 turn) that heads into the Mt Laurel. This trail connects at the top of the white rock garden. THis section begins a very technical climb and DH. You will another stream bed at the end of the DH. Turn right and head out to Up Hibernia rd. White continues to the left and some more fun ST.

I keep meaning to setup a group ride. The weekend of Aug 21/22 may be good. I can easily put together a 10, 15 or 20 mile loop.

 

[goldsbar]

Thanks for the GPS files. That longer route has some serious distance. I never knew there were trails to the north of Upper Hybernia wrapping east then south to Snake Hill after crossing Green Pond. How's the terrain on that side?

I learned last week that the two oranges connect via a fire road. A connection via singletrack would be an incredible downhill from the hawk watch all the way down to Green Pond. I can only dream...

I notice not many people ride the white four bridges from hawk watch to the "lower" orange. The yellow off white was really nice singletrack (less uber technical than white) but seems 1 wet year away from being overgrown. It's all challenging on the singlespeed - plenty of walking.

 

[graveyardman67]

You want distance
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18335281

I don't recommend this. The white on the North side of the res is pretty much un-rideable for a stretch (if you can even find it).

To get from the HW to GP is not as downhill as it may seem. And where it is... it's really down.

 

[goldsbar]

For those interested that don't know the place, I found a loop I really like based on some of that GPS data (trust me, this can save you days of crappy riding):

Starting at Meriden Rd/Greenpond Rd corner:
*Follow original directions above until you cross the dam and make the quick left onto the quick but sharp uphill singletrack.
*As Graveyardman describes, look for a very faint trail (looks like a deer path for the first few feet and then gets much more defined, you'll never find it with fresh leaves down) after the white trail intersection. Take this to bypass the first part of the white trail until it becomes the white trail again.
*Right on red trail. Left once you reach the dirt road.
*Take the dirt road or the orange sort of up to the hawk watch
*Left onto white back down to the Red - awesome downhill and nice challenging slightly downhill rock garden.
*Right on Red to follow your old tracks and left onto the road but don't make the left up orange or the road hawkwatch. Instead, stay semi straight through a gate onto fireroad.
*Right onto white (can be hard to see crossing if you're going fast) singletrack
*Things eventually get confusing when it turns into fireroad but you want to stay left and pass the cemetery.
*Right onto orange to Greenpond road. Take the blue or road back to car.

This route has some crap but also has some of the most technical but doable singletrack per mile you'll find in the state. GPS is extremely helpful as this area gets confusing fast.

 

[PonchoTempest]

Does anyone know of a good loop connecting the hawk watch overlook with the beech glen trail? I'm only have about an hour to ride after work before dark.

I usually park at what I presume is the bat-cave ( across from where Texas smoke used to be) and ride either orange or blue individually.

Any way to connect the two without going all the way up to split rock road or walking those washed out fire roads that go straight up the mountain?

 

[graveyardman67]

Does anyone know of a good loop connecting the hawk watch overlook with the beech glen trail? I'm only have about an hour to ride after work before dark.

I usually park at what I presume is the bat-cave ( across from where Texas smoke used to be) and ride either orange or blue individually.

Any way to connect the two without going all the way up to split rock road or walking those washed out fire roads that go straight up the mountain?

If you take Beach Glen from Bat Cave out to the road then up the stream (Righter Mine trail) you can make a left about 1/2 of the way up to the dam. This left is a stream crossing that is a bit rough these days. This old jeep road crosses over blue and intersects white. IF you go left on white you will come to the white - red intersection. You can go red to Solar Pond and then yellow to orange back to bat cave. This would probably be about 7 to 8 miles so depending how you move an hour is do-able.

 

[PonchoTempest]

Thanks for the route, I'll have to try it this week

 

[Blair]

You want distance
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/18335281

I don't recommend this. The white on the North side of the res is pretty much un-rideable for a stretch (if you can even find it).

To get from the HW to GP is not as downhill as it may seem. And where it is... it's really down.

I thought I saw this awhile back and took me 10 minutes to find your link. How is the loop around splitrock res? is that charlotteburg rd a fire road? Is it accessible from smokerise? it looks like you get close to some of the streets, maybe 100 to 500 feet away.

 

[trailhead]

Smokerise is a gated community, so not a starting point unless you live there.
Loop around splitrock includes the dam at the south end, Charlottesburg Rd to the east, Timberbrook to the North and half way down the west, then into Farny via Durham Road to close the west side. The dirt roads have some massive puddles, so not so nice after heavy rains. Dry or frozen not too bad. A good route for when the single track is too muddy.

 

[Blair]

ok so mostly dirt roads around splitrock res, and as far as smokerise access? it looks to be 200ft from S glen road or andrew rd at the closest point.

 

[trailhead]

There is another ungated development...not sure of the name.
It's better to park at splitrock dam and start your ride from there.

The loop in post #11 is more like an eco challenge than a ride.
You gotta consider who posted that when looking at time and average speed.

 

[graveyardman67]

The loop in post #11 is more like an eco challenge than a ride.
You gotta consider who posted that when looking at time and average speed.

Thanks for the props.

I would NOT recommend the originally referenced link, major hike-a-bike. This loop, however, is completely ride-able.
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/619959096
It does come complete with several of the gnarliest rock gardens around. It also runs through the Superfund site along Lake Denmark road, which some people may find less than inviting.
Leave yourself ample time to do this. As Trailhead mentioned, I am really familiar with the trails and terrain. The pace indicated would likely challenge any of the best riders around.

 

[Blair]

Thanks, I was thinking some fire roads could allow some Cx riding, but would try mtb first. I also despise rock gardens.

 

[Norm]

Thanks for the props.

I would NOT recommend the originally referenced link, major hike-a-bike. This loop, however, is completely ride-able.
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/619959096
It does come complete with several of the gnarliest rock gardens around. It also runs through the Superfund site along Lake Denmark road, which some people may find less than inviting.
Leave yourself ample time to do this. As Trailhead mentioned, I am really familiar with the trails and terrain. The pace indicated would likely challenge any of the best riders around.

Yes, I believe post #11 involved us bushwhacking and being 100% lost, other than generally pointing and saying things like, "well we know that way is east...I think?"

Good times, but not for the faint of heart.