Downieville run? Deer lake, Snake lake?

I am going to be in the Downieville area from June 5th to the 12th. If anyone is interested in doing a little trail run let me know. Snake Lake is rated difficult while Deer lake is moderate. Im up for both just let me know

Here is a little video of the area
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbBL_F286Fk?fs=1

 

do NOT fuckin run snake lake unless youre on 33s minimum, locked front and rear, and id reccomend sliders as well ... ive crashed my mtn bike back there more times than i can count, and ive seen a full size blazer get stuck between that one boulder and tree going up the hill

Deers easy until you get to the ridge, its doable in a stock honda civic

furthermore with all the snow weve gotten this year i doubt youll be able to run much of that at all by june unless it gets hella hot between now and then

 

I'm down as long as the snow is melted by then.

Okay bud calm down lifted with 33's and sliders and one locker is a must but it can be done without a front locker and where the front lockers are needed a little cable helps out a lot . And honestly at Tacoma is not a full size blazer so I don't think we have that problem. But good looking out

 

I need to get my Eibachs/5100s and sliders installed

 

Yeah that's a good idea the sliders are a must. where are you installing everything.

 

Was planning on doing it at my buddys shop. And I made a call to the forest service up in downieville and the lady said to expect snow up there until the beginning of may...

 

Well Snake/Gold lake is a little bit lower elevation than some of the stuff I hit, but I was up wheeling on July 4th weekend last year and couldnt get all the way through my trails due to snow, mainly in the shady areas. But weve got a shit ton more snow this year comparatively. I'd expect to see snow through June, even if its only a little bit and in the shady patches. I wouldnt worry too much about it tho but I'd pack some extra items just in case.

PS...i want my fuggin locker !!

 

while snake itsself may be low elev, getting there will be tough, 93 doesnt get plowed past packer lake generally ... and youll be hittin snow coming in from the gold lake ohv staging area esp if we get more snow

im not trying to talk shit or clown anyones rigs but the snake trail is insane even if you arent in an fs blazer, especially coming off the ridge, ive been camping with my family in the area every summer since i was born, and other than light wheeling with my dad ive been mountain biking and riding atvs in the gold valley area (where these trails are) since 01.

 

you reccomend any other trails in that area?

 

Yeah I don't know what your take is on a hard trail but it looks like fun to me when I think hard and crazy I think the Rubicon or Fordyce trail. Blue I'm in if you want to hit it Sliders will be good if you don't want any body damage And a rear locker will be a must.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aet1j0vl7x4&feature=related

 

1:11 and 3:40 onward in that video is what im talking about, it doesnt look as hard in the video as it really is

most everything else in the gold valley isnt too bad execpt the drop in on pauley creek if you come in from the 93 side. And if you can get out toward the plumas side that stuffs decent too

If you head south from packer saddle, the sierra buttes lookout and trails down to sierra city arent bad either ... most of my experience on these trails are either mtn bike, atv, or a 59 willys cj5 locked 33s 4" lift.

 

Oh don't get me wrong it looks pretty hard in some spots sliders are a must but I'm willing to give it a go that dodge did it I know I can do it. But if there is snow on the ground I don't think it would be doable.

 

This is what I am afraid of. The lady I talked to on the phone told me to call sometime in May to get a better estimate on snow conditions

 

Well we can always run Deer Lake trail if there still is snow it would be cool to scope out the area for other trail runs.

 

for sure I need to hurry up and get my shit installed! And where did you guys decide you are going May 1st?

 

we are still up in the air were thinking up Ice House road somewhere but we really don't know.

 

That video gives a pretty good look at the terrain from a ifs perspective. Looks like a really fun trail, but that hill climb starting at 3:11 looks pretty gnarly

 

Yeah I know it looks fun if we can't hit it on this run I will be hitting this trail this summer for sure.

 

with the snow unless its super hot between now and then .... heres some pics from last year, june 26. 2010

haskell peak road (on the other side of gold lake hwy, lower elevation)



deer lake trail turnoff is literally right behind the truck in this picture


backside heading to snake lake trail, still on the paved portion of 93


butcher ranch ohv trail, we were goin thru drifts for the first 4 miles of the ride!

 

hmm and we got a shit ton of snow this year