Ride Series: Big Basin, California

BIG BASIN, CALIFORNIA

Join us for the second ride in our series, a 3-day bikexploring adventure through California’s coastal redwood forests that connects four of the Bay Area’s most iconic State Parks.

DATES
June 1 – 3, 2018

START LOCATION
Big Basin, California

ORGANIZERS
Whitney Ford-Terry and Molly Sugar

DISTANCE
72 miles

ELEVATION
Ascend 8,885 ft / Descend -8,896 ft

ROAD CONDITIONS
39% Fire roads and rail trails. 17% Singletrack. 44% Scenic Byways (paved/low traffic)

AVERAGE MILEAGE PER DAY
24 miles

DISTANCES BETWEEN FOOD RESUPPLY
No standard resupply on the route. Bring enough food for 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches and plenty of SNACKS

DISTANCES BETWEEN WATER RESUPPLY
Refill opportunities once each day.

SUGGESTED WATER CARRYING CAPACITY
2-4 liters

SUGGESTED TIRE WIDTH SIZE
42mm to 3in

Each ride is limited to 13 people identifying as women/trans/femme/non-binary who must RSVP prior to the event.

These rides are free of charge and are unsupported. That means each participant is responsible for carrying their own gear, food, water, and appropriate supplies to safely navigate and complete the ride. There is no sag or support vehicle. Have questions on what to bring? Check out the WTF Ride Series Bikexploring Check-List.

Riders are also responsible for their own transportation to and from the ride start. The startpoint for this ride is also accessible by bike and train/bus from most Bay Area cities.

Once you RSVP we will send you another e-mail confirming your expected participation in this ride and a link to a Google group where we will follow up with more details about the ride!

This three-day ramble through California’s coastal redwood forests connects some of the Bay Area’s most iconic State Parks and recreation areas. The 75-mile loop begins and ends in California’s oldest State Park, Big Basin Redwoods. The establishment of Big Basin in 1927 marked the beginning of the preservation and conservation movement in California.

From Big Basin we’ll climb Gazos Creek Trail northwest through dense redwood forests toward Butano State Park. There we’ll take a lap through the park on gravel fire roads and experience scenic views of Monterey Bay from atop the coastal mountains. After leaving Butano we’ll continue along scenic byways and rail trails toward Portola State Park where we’ll begin our climb up to Russian Ridge. From there we’ll ride the spine of Skyline Ridge toward the Saratoga Gap before descending back down to Big Basin.

This deep forest ramble traverses a variety of surfaces and includes ~8,885 ft of elevation gain, so bring your climbing legs. But don’t worry, what goes up must come down. After the climb you’ll enjoy some stunning descents through a gauntlet of ferns and redwoods. While there is no resupply on route there will be visitor centers and fill stations each day. Riders should expect to carry all their food for the 3 day ride. Limited snacks and ice cream can be found at the visitor center in Portola, and there will opportunities to refill water once each day. Riders may also choose to bring a lightweight water filter for creeks and streams on route.

If you plan on riding to (or from) the ride, you’re in luck! Big Basin is only a day or two ride from just about anywhere in the Bay Area or Santa Cruz so there are plenty of options to extend your adventure. Feel free to contact us for more information on getting to and from the route by bike, bus, and train.

Photos by Chris Corona