West Coast Road Trip

[ilookeddown]

I am going on a road trip for about a month starting the end of next week. My plan is to climb, Mt. bike, and surf. This trip will roughly take me from the Seattle area through Smith, Mt Shasta, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Bishop, JT, and then head over to San Diego and up the cost. If anyone has any suggestions of other climbing areas to visit, classic mt. bike trails or a break that shouldn’t be missed please let me know. I only plan to be in one spot a day or two at the most but I am flexible.

 

I am basically going with no plan and no partner. I hope to pick up a little of both along the way. I will have my Vanagon so I can camp comfortably just about anywhere.

 

Thanks in advance of any and all suggestions.

 

Dave

 

[ivan]

only 1-2 days in yosemite?

[Le Piston]

You might want to check out Castle Crags near Lake Shasta...if you have time. Have fun!

[pink]

id rather stay at one place or two and get totally honed and climb something cool. after three weeks go chase bikinis and surf. you're basically looking at going into a restaurant and ordering the whole left side on the menu just to see the presentation but not tasting one bite.

 

good luck dude,

[pink]

oh, you could always go to the needles and peddle in, two birds with one stone

[Bosterson]

I would give 3-4 days in Yosemite, Bishop, and J-Tree. Two of those are national parks, and if you're going to pay the $20 to get in, get the most for your money. Plus, why would you climb somewhere crappier when you could be in the best climbing spots in the state?

 

Note that there's no water inside J-Tree (unless that's changed in the past few years) so fill up in a convenience store in town before you enter the park.

 

If you're going up the coast and you feel like bouldering and you like sandstone, go to Castle Rock (about 45 min NE of Santa Cruz).

[111]

bike the mckenzie river trail. it is east of eugene 45 min. 27 miles, 2500 ft elevation loss, oldgrowth, trailside hotsprings, waterfalls, technical lava for a few miles, fast winding singletrack. if you are going to smith, you will basically drive right past it on your way back to I5 headed south. only trouble is you need to shuttle it, but I have never had a problem hitchhiking back to the top. McKenzie R Trail is consistently rate in the top 5 best bike trails in the world.

 

This time of year, Lost Rocks on the redwood coast is real nice too.

[froodish]

Depending upon what the weather is like when you get to SoCal, you might consider a stop at Suicide/Tahquitz in addition to JT (or instead of if it's too hot in JT).

[96avs01]

Gotta hit Whoa Nellie Deli (in the Chevron at 120/395 junction on E edge of Yosemite) for lunch/dinner. You can thank me later.