This trail is about 25 miles long and a couple thousand feet of climbing through beautiful high altitude conifer forests and across several meadows. The high point is at 9400 ft.
Passing many green meadows, thick trees, some gnarly descents, old rocky creek beds, and through a narrow canyon to about 7,500 ft. When you get a beautiful view of Lake Isabella many miles below, you have reached the top of the Cannell Plunge, which then descends 5,000 ft. over the next eight miles. Deep sandy spots, narrow ruts, steep drop-offs and a lot of dust, the Plunge is a very challenging ride.
There were only five of us on this trip, I could not make the big gathering that will ride this coming weekend, maybe next year Ill make the large group ride up here.
Kernville was 100 during the middle of the day, but we starting riding seven thousand feet above that at around 60 degrees.
The top part of the trial seems to of had quite a bit of OHV use this year (Even though the posted signs state the trail is closed for OHV use)
and with all the downed trees they have ripped around the fallen trees into the meadows creating havoc on the upper trail, I was a bit angry at the sight, but admit a few times I also rode the new re-routed trail around the fallen obstacles instead of climbing over, but still beautiful with all the small meadows and greenery
After a while and climbing to that saddle area, the trail gets a little dryer and rockier, so the second DH part is more rocky and can be quite challenging, quite fun in there.
As I was moving through some of the wet meadows, as you approached some sections, hundreds of butterflies and ladybugs flew up in front of me, waving one arm in front of my face in an attempt to swat them away, but still twenty of thirty of them would stick all over me, Id have to stop and spit a few out of my mouth and brush the rest off my jersey and legs
Resting in the shade with the group
Miles and hours later, we hit The Plunge What a sandy-loose-WTF rollercoaster ride, this is the DH section that all the books write about, all I can say is hang on and let the bike ride.
A picture taken by Wherewolf Steve of me plunging;
He also made a video of some of the ride, as well as much better pictures than I ;
http://arnica.csustan.edu/mtbike/
Passing many green meadows, thick trees, some gnarly descents, old rocky creek beds, and through a narrow canyon to about 7,500 ft. When you get a beautiful view of Lake Isabella many miles below, you have reached the top of the Cannell Plunge, which then descends 5,000 ft. over the next eight miles. Deep sandy spots, narrow ruts, steep drop-offs and a lot of dust, the Plunge is a very challenging ride.
There were only five of us on this trip, I could not make the big gathering that will ride this coming weekend, maybe next year Ill make the large group ride up here.
Kernville was 100 during the middle of the day, but we starting riding seven thousand feet above that at around 60 degrees.
The top part of the trial seems to of had quite a bit of OHV use this year (Even though the posted signs state the trail is closed for OHV use)
and with all the downed trees they have ripped around the fallen trees into the meadows creating havoc on the upper trail, I was a bit angry at the sight, but admit a few times I also rode the new re-routed trail around the fallen obstacles instead of climbing over, but still beautiful with all the small meadows and greenery
After a while and climbing to that saddle area, the trail gets a little dryer and rockier, so the second DH part is more rocky and can be quite challenging, quite fun in there.
As I was moving through some of the wet meadows, as you approached some sections, hundreds of butterflies and ladybugs flew up in front of me, waving one arm in front of my face in an attempt to swat them away, but still twenty of thirty of them would stick all over me, Id have to stop and spit a few out of my mouth and brush the rest off my jersey and legs
Resting in the shade with the group
Miles and hours later, we hit The Plunge What a sandy-loose-WTF rollercoaster ride, this is the DH section that all the books write about, all I can say is hang on and let the bike ride.
A picture taken by Wherewolf Steve of me plunging;
He also made a video of some of the ride, as well as much better pictures than I ;
http://arnica.csustan.edu/mtbike/
