Mountain Biking in Downieville

Downieville is an old mining town left behind after the gold rush passed through the Sierra mountains in the 1850s. These days the forests surrounding the town are better known for holding some of the country’s best mountain biking trails.

Mountain Biking in Downieville typically involves getting taxied to the top of Packer Lake Saddle and then riding the 20 miles back downhill to town just about as quickly as you dare. We got to do that on Sunday, but on Saturday we did some cross-country mountain biking instead, thanks to some great advice from Greg at Downieville Outfitters.

Saturday: Cross Country (GPS) (Photos)

We started out on the south shore of  Gold Lake. The plan was to follow a trail up to a ridge. A couple of wrong turns put us on a steeper ascent than planned, but once on the ridge we found some sweet single-track north and downhill. At the end of the ridge the jagged peak of Mount Elwell loomed four-hundred feet above us, and we got to it via a rock trail that switched back and forth up the mountain.

The ride down the other side of Mount Elwell was just incredible! The terrain changed quickly, from a dusty red trail through the woods to bright sunlight over grapefruit-sized rubble. We zig-zagged down the hill, each bike kicking up a big cloud of dust, especially on the corners where we had to use our breaks. Every mile or so we would stop to re-group, high-five and continue.

I learned that to go downhill like this, you must relax, point your bike and weight in the right direction and trust that you will roll right over the terrain (or, even better, fly right over it). Eventually we got to the bottom, all covered in dust and sweat, high on adrenaline.

Best of all was that we didn’t pass a single person on the entire descent.

Sunday: Down hill (GPS)

The next day we got a ride from Greg up to Packer Lake Saddle and headed downhill. I’d done this ride before, but I’m not sure what trails we took — I think Pauley Creek and then Third, Second and First Divide. Whatever it was, it was downhill fun that seemed to never end. The forest there is beautiful, with the trail winding along a ledge high over the river and then heading away from the river inland through open bright forest.

Sunday beat me up, though: a mile in to the ride a bee or something got inside my facemask and stung me on the lip; then I managed to hit a rock just wrong and went over my handlebars. The knee and elbow guards took the brunt of it, but my ankle was exposed and got hit hard. A great ride all the same!

Camping on the North Yuba

We stayed at a great campsite perched above the North Yuba river. It was very ideal, with a fireplace and plenty of flat ground for our tents. The best part was the river. I usually stay well awat from cold water, or gingerly put my toes in and then go up to my knees and then make an excuse to go no further. But I decided to just jump in and the water was just right. Cold, but refreshing, and there was no rush to get out. Sometimes you just have to jump in!