Elkins Flat, Nor. Cal. April 12-14 2002

[MR.WR]

When I was up at MoonRock several folks asked about a Elkins Flat weekend ride. We should be able to get up there providing we don't have any late winter stroms. As of now, the area is under snow.

Looking at the D36 website the weekend of April 12-14 looks to be open with no planed events.

What do you all think??????

There is camping at the Elkins Flat staging area and for those that wish to camp in a campground PiPi Valley campground is close by.

If you would like to get trail maps of the Elkins Flat and Gold Note / Pipi ridng area give the Amador Ranger District office a call and they will mail you the maps.

Get the skinny here!

26820 Silver Drive
Pioneer, CA 95666
209-295-4251
TTY 209-295-5996
FAX 209-295-5998
Office Hours: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday - Friday
(Extended Summer Hours: Mon.-Sat.)

If you would like to camp in a camp ground that is very close to the Elkins Flat staging area check out this link. http://www.reserveusa.com/nrrs/ca/pipi/#areas
http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/eldorado/fi...ers/river01.htm

Here are directions to Elkins Flat staging area.
From the San Francisco Bay Area, take 580 East to 205, and then follow 205 until it turns into I-5 North.
Stay in the right lane on I-5 and exit on 120 East.
Exit Highway 120 and go north at Highway 99.
Exit Highway 99 and go east at Highway 88.
Follow Highway 88 to and through the town of Jackson.
Go left at Omo Ranch Road.
Take the very next right on PIPI road.
Follow PIPI road to and past PIPI Valley campground.
The next camping area past PIPI Valley campground is Elkins Flat.

Here is a link to view the Pipi / Gold Note trail net work. This side of the mountain is has some really nice trails. There is a trail that connects Elkins Flat to Gold Note side. http://www.4wdriver.com/regions/reg...ca-goldnote.gif


This should be enough info to get things started......

Rick

 

[Jonala]

OK, but no dust?:p

 

[fremontguy]

Cool, tax time ride. Put me down for at least Sunday. The bike got pretty spoiled in Stricks warm garage, now we'll have to rough it:confused:

 

[Karna&Justin]

We might be able to make it

I'd say at this point there is a good possibility that we will be there (depending on if the grandparents feel up to having our son for two weekends in a row:eek: ) If we can work on these arrangements we will definately try and make it!

Karna&Justin

 

[FireLily]

Thanks for the info, MR.WR!
Buddy and I should be able to make it.
We haven't been to Elkin Flat before, so can you tell me more about the riding area?
Mini

 

[Jonala]

Originally posted by FireLily
We haven't been to Elkin Flat before, so can you tell me more about the riding area?

Woods, woods,woods, and lots of singletrack, April should give us great traction. It is about 45 minutes west of Kirkwood. Great riding, campsite at the staging area is primative, in a grove of Pines. :) Trails are easy to intermediate. Unless you are trying to keep up with Rick.

 

[thumbs]

I just might have to move up north if I keep making all of these Nor. Cal./Reno rides. I'm a definite maybe. My birthday is that weekend (not that I care but my friends/family do for some reason) and I'm not sure if need to be somewhere else.

 

[angry jim]

Swwweeeeeeetttt!
:aj:

 

[dirt bike dave]

Good plan, Rick! I'll try to make and am really looking forward to riding up there with some moisture on the ground.

 

[MR.WR]

Thumbs...Come on up! You could be roosting in the woods.....or blowing out candles! :p Which do you prefer???

Rick

 

[The Tortoise]

I'll be there with my two kids (6 & 8). We rode the area last Thanksgiving after first rain and it was perfect. Kids did trail 25 with no problem

Dave (Dirt Bike Dave) I thought you were in Bakersfield. I'll be in your neck of the woods on March 30, 31 and April 1. We are riding at Spangler Hills. For everyone this is 100 miles east of Bakersfield near Jawbone Cyn. I'll put notice on boards soon

doug

 

[NVR FNSH]

Dirt Bike Dave is in Oakland, Dirty Dave (Husky rider at Reno) lives in Manteca.

Spangler Hills for a weekend? That's a heck of a drive from Lafayette.

Brian

 

[The Tortoise]

Brian,

Dirt Bike Dave moved from Oakland to Bakersfield. Also enjoy Spangler Hills and tie into Newport Beach. 6 hour drive is not bad to go for fun. We are having a trip to Penny Pines this weekend, Sat. Kali and Kevin, Buddy and Minin plus others are going. Send me you Email and I will send info to you.

doug
spamoore@attbi.com

 

[NVR FNSH]

I thought Dave bought a place in Oakland..... my bad.

I may be able to make to Penny Pines for a day. I'll have to play it by ear.

My email is brian4wd@hotmail.com

6 hours to Spangler Hills? Damn, you drive a lot faster than me. Takes me about 5.5 hours to get to the west side of Bfield from Santa Rosa.

Brian

 

[sigar]

Alright, this ride sounds good to me. I've missed the last two. Count me and a buddy in. An another note where else is there to ride in the Central Valley area? I've been riding for a couple years, and so far I've been to Club Moto, Hangtown, Carnegie, Sand Hill, R-Speed and Elkins Flat. Can anyone recommend some more riding areas preferably close to Stockton. Any type of riding will do, MX, woods, trails; I love it all. Thanks. By the way I heard Sand Hill Ranch has a new MX track, anyone ridden it yet?

 

[Jonala]

Sigar,

You are in luck, http://www.offroadrider.com/wher/ccal.html

That site does not show Deer Creek / Longbarn area, with is off of H 108.

http://frontpage.tulsaconnect.com/m...tp://www.off-road.com/~calridng/allsites.html[/url]

 

[sigar]

Thanks Jonola

 

[Karna&Justin]

Sigar,

We live in Turlock (approx. 45 minutes South 99 from you). Deer Creek is a great place to ride for tight trails. It is actually off of Highway 108 just past Sonora (You can enter the bottem through Twain Harte or the top near Longbarn). You aren't too far from the Auburn riding areas such as Georgetown (Rock Creek) and Foresthill. There are a couple other areas that you didn't mention but they are hardly worth the drive for you. Hope you find this information useful.

Karna

 

[The Tortoise]

Places of Note in California:

This is from a Email I sent some riders I ride with

The trails I know of:
Elkins Flat - Intermediate terrain. Two long loops (18 and 26 miles). Good easy woods riding with some tight woods experiences. Kid friendly (near Pioneer off 88 on way to Kirkwood) (aprox 134 miles from home)
Georgetown - Intermediate terrain. I have been on only two trails. Both were fun and easy. Nice tight woods. Kid friendly (near Auburn) (aprox 132 miles from home)
Foresthills - Beginner, Intermediate, Adv. I have been on most of the trails. Fast wide rocky with lots of jumps. Some single track. woods Kid friendly (near Auburn) (aprox 132 miles from home)
Washington - New. I need to ride. Rodney Smith rides here I hear. I have trail maps and will be exploring. I have talked to a person to guide me he runs a staging area for RV's. (near Grass Valley)
Downieville - Intermediate to Adv. I have Mtn Biked this area a lot. Lots of trails. Rocky and smooth single track in the woods. Stay off divide two. Big cliff to fall off. ( I don't think kid friendly. I will explore on motorcycle first. There are areas that are easy. Like dirt roads to lakes to swim in. The single track is full of Mtn Bikes. OHV legal area though. We can ride for miles into back country. The single track can have some nice climbs to it. I'll let you know when I go) (aprox 172 miles from home)
Moonrocks - Beginner, Intermediate, Adv. Good desert riding with mountains. I prefer Spangler Hills (Ridgecrest)a tad more. However they have fun single track out of sand and rocks with banked turns all over. Also goat type single track. Open desert too. Bolder drops also (24 miles north of Reno) (232 miles from home)
Stonyford - Beginner, Intermediate, Adv. My only experience with the place is intermediate to advanced. I'm told Davis Flat and Potatoes Hill areas are good for kids. Some of the single track is friendly. This place has a wide variety. You have hill climbs (opening climb out of Little Stony Staging area is 1.8 miles long and is just up. For an Idea Carnegie is 2 miles long. This is like you put Carnegie sideways and had to climb. The hill out of Little Stony OHV Staging will wear you out). So you got hill climbs, dirt roads that are challenging (some are adv riding), single track, smooth dirt roads and easy. Basically a salad of all kinds of riding. I haven't decided if it is kid friendly yet. I need to take my kids and explore out of Davis Flat. Woods and open areas(132 miles to Little Stony)
Penny Pines - Beginner, Intermediate. Fun and easy riding. Single track and wide single track. Lots of woods. Just fun easy riding in the woods. Kid friendly (172 miles from home by way of Ukiah) (This ride takes me 3 hours to stage)
Clear Creek - Beginner, Intermediate, Adv. I haven't been yet. Wade and Les want to take me there. It is 3 hours from my house where as Stony is 2.5 hours away. Everyone who has been to Stony says they like Stony better. I intend to check it out soon and will report to you. (south of Hollister by about 1 hour). I'm told so so woods and open areas
Spangler Hills - Beginner, Intermediate, Adv. One of my favorite riding spots. Thanks Wade. Fun desert with good ground to ride on. Hills, Flats, single track, across desert, go go go. Everyone in my family enjoys this place a winner. (near Ridgecrest, 6 hours from home). The scenery is nice too. (We will be here on March 30, 31 and April 1. The kids are off for one week. We were thinking of going to Arizona and Utah but I'm burnt on a lot of driving. This may change though. If we go here for 3 days we then go to Newport Beach for 4 days. Makes for a fun trip).
El Mirage Lake - South of Spangler Hills by about 60 miles. Same terrain except smaller and also has large flat dry lake bed. They fence this place in. However, I found some holes to go through. Nice bathrooms here.
Lucerne Valley - South of El Mirage Lake about 40 miles. Huge area with all kinds of terrrian. Lava rocks, sand, rocks, real soft sand (no fun). This place I wasn't real impressed with. Hard riding. Lots of adv terrain. There is beginner and intermediate too. This is were everyone rides desert. Spangler Hills is fun so why bother. The kids and I were challenged here. Don't get me wrong, some of the riding is easy here. But easy to get into difficult situations quick. More experience is necessary for me

Let me state this. I have been to many other desert spots like Barstow, Jawbone cyn, Phelan, Sunrise motorcycle park, etc. All are fun. With Moonrocks only being 210 miles (3.5hrs) to Reno and another 25 min north for riding we should ride this spot with Dave Strick showing us the area. The intermediate trail I was on was fun. The single track through hills I took my kids on was fun. The ground is consistent in sand. Spangler Hills has sand and rocky dirt and more open terrain. Moonrocks more mountains (big mountains). We need to explore this area.

I hope this helps

doug

 

[NVR FNSH]

Nice write up Doug. I'm very interested in the Washington area - let me know when/where if you're taking tag alongs. A college buddy of mine lives in Grass Valley - I think he's the pres or vp of Nevada County Woods Riders - and can probably shed some light on the area.

I've ridden Downieville with Dave Wood's class and it was the most technical stuff I've ridden. I haven't ridden Clear Creek or Kennedy Meadows so take it FWIW. I skipped Second Divide as I was pretty much wiped out and opted for the easiet way home - that whole "last run' of the day thing, you know.

Brian

 

[ProjectBoy]

Sounds Great!

Im totally up for the ride! My riding buddy Dean with the KDX 220 hurt his wrist but says he'll be readyto ridel by then. Our other buddy Mark just traded in his RM125 for a new DRZ and i know he will be up for it. We were just up at the Deer Creek area and there is minimal if no snow there. I cant imagine that Elkins has much more considering all the warm days we've been having. I had a great time last year with everyone. The switchbaks go on for days and the good trails link into to better trails from what i remember. Barring a huge storm, count us in !:aj:

 

[Strick]

I can't believe this weekend actually fits my racing AND work schedule. I'll talk with Bobby and maybe a couple of other locals. Count on at least 4 Reno guys, if I have to tie and gag them!

No dust right? Let me put it this way. If there is dust -- NO CHAIR (Mr. WR)!

 

[MR.WR]

Strick,

Will Barry be making the trip???

Rick

 

[Dirty Dave]

Dirty Dave and OFO Racing crew is/are :confused: (I can never remember that) in...Hopefully get there on friday. I have a project that "has" to be out by that Friday "or else!" I may have to tell them "or else this:moon: "
All evidence of the Moon Rocks ride have faded back to lily white(make that pasty white). I hope no one looks down on me for not replacing the front fender yet...I can't bear to lose the DRN stickers (can you say 'cheap skate'?)
Hey Project Boy... haven't heard of you and crew since the last Elkin's Flat. It'll be nice to see you guys again. See y'all there

 

[NVR FNSH]

Ok, Dave - you've been working on the jetting of that bike haven't you? Or have you grafted an electric starter on it yet?

Looking forward to seeing everybody again.

Brian