Riding & Racing | Mountain Valley Living Magazine

Trek The Trails To Susanville

By Melissa Wynn

Anyone can drive in to Susanville but those with an adventurous spirit tend to arrive by bike or on foot having hiked or biked out of the wilderness and into this community where the mountains and the Great basin meet. Susanville Ranch Park tends to be the arrival point for our many outdoor enthusiasts. This scenic park offers 25 miles of non-motorized, multi use trails perfect for everyone from the casual, strolling dog walker to the extreme mountain biking fanatic.

Trail users will find gentle grades around the meadows and up Paiute Creek Canyon, with more challenging climbs on Coyote Bluff and on the Horse Trail in the southern portion of the park. Miles of narrow, challenging single track trails join the Canyon Trail and Coyote Bluff Trail. Hikers will find easy climbing and dramatic views, while more advanced mountain bikers will delight in the undulating and meandering loops. The southern trails are very popular with dog walkers with two creeks and wide open areas.

The 14 miles of trails in the northern portion of the park offer a thrilling experience for hard core trail users with challenging climbs, banked turns, several loop options, and stunning views. There are no creeks or streams in this area, so be prepared if you bring your dog or horse. Please respect the neighbors and stay on or near the trails.

Once you’ve arrived, relax and enjoy the pace of small town living. Susanville may not be a big city but there is plenty to do and see. Diamond Mountain Casino is an excellent stop to try your luck and win a bundle. Not a gambler? No problem. A new hotel and two full service restaurants over flowing with tempting dining choices are reason enough to drop by. Bring the kids and catch a movie at Sierra Theater and Uptown Cinemas. Friendly small town shops and boutiques line the upper end of Main Street offering delights for all. In a single block you find hunting supplies and fine collectibles at Elegant Iris and The Men’s Den, anything you ever wanted to read at Margie’s Book Nook and sell your scrap gold or pick up a special gift at Leslie’s Jewelry. Susanville is dotted with shopping and dining treasures end to end. Trek the trails then pedal through and enjoy the hospitality of Susanville.

http://susanvilleranchpark.com

Share Mountain Valley Living with your friends:

Equestrian Dream Homes

There is no better place than the Sierra for equestrians to call home. Endless spaces near or bordering National Forests open miles of trails and wilderness for riding. From rugged mountain areas to creek side meadows, its all right here. Don’t just imagine you and your horses calling these majestic mountains home, visit our realtors and be our neighbor!

Share Mountain Valley Living with your friends:

Dirt Biking at Fort Sage & Honey Lake Motocross Park

Some would call the best part of living up in the mountains is just being able to ride your dirt bike in so many places. Because of its diverse terrain, spectacular views, easy access, and the opportunity to even see some wild horses, riding Fort Sage ranks among the best in outdoor adventures we’ve covered so far. From beginner to expert rider, there is no shortage of terrain.

The Fort Sage Special Recreation Management Area is in the high desert region of northeastern California, about 45 miles north of Reno, Nevada and consists of approximately 22,000 acres of public land. Vehicle use within the recreation area is limited to designated roads and trails. Within the area is the well known ‘widow maker’ hill and “The Land of David’ for a step back in time and open space.

The Bureau of Land Management has designated the approximately 90 miles of routes within the recreation area to be used for motorcycle, ATV and 4wd use depending on the width of the trail. The routes traverse a wide variety of terrain including flat, sandy, high desert sagebrush country and rocky, steep canyons and gulches.

In addition to off highway vehicle use, the Fort Sage Mountains are utilized by hikers, horseback riders, rock climbers, hunters and wildlife photographers.The area boasts many unusual weathered granite boulders, volcanic outcrops, expansive desert vistas and good opportunities for viewing wildlife and wild horses. No potable water is available within the recreation area.

The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Eagle Lake Field Office. For more information you can call or stop in their office: 2950 Riverside Drive
Susanville, CA 96130 • Phone: (530) 257-0456

Situated in scenic Lassen County, Honey Lake Motocross Park is a new addition to the Motocross tracks of Northern California.

This rockin’ facility is situated in Milford, California 55 miles north of Reno, Nevada and 35 miles south of Susanville, California. The elevation ranges from 4100 to 4600 feet, depending on where you are on the track! The entrance is directly off of Hwy 395.

Honey Lake Motocross Park sits on a gentle hillside with scattered pines and oak trees. The main track is approximately 1 mile in length and is one of the most challenging Motocross tracks found throughout the United States.

One of the features on this track that is certain to become synonymous with the facility is “MX395.” MX395 is one of the longest uphills in Motocross, consisting of a verticle rise of 400 feet. The overall elevation change from the 40 bike start area to the top of MX395 is 500 feet!

Novice and Mini Bike classes use a portion of “MX395″ before heading down a seperate downhill section designed for their skill level. For the young 50cc riders Honey Lake Motocross Park provides their very own track, complete with backwards falling gate and a great design.

Local competitive rider Ross Neely rides this awesome track often. On May 16, Neely competed in a W.O.R.K.S. race at Honey Lake Motocross Park . He took second place in the Pro 2 event, and 12th overall within the Pro 1 and Pro 2 class combined. Justin Soule who placed 2nd in Virginia City, NV took 4th place in the Pro 1 class at Honey Lake. Good luck to our local rider Ross Neely!

See ya at the races!

448-450 Hwy 395 | Milford, CA 96121

(530) 827-2639 | Fax: (530) 827-2158

e-mail: honeylakemx@gmail.com

Ross Neely Family

Share Mountain Valley Living with your friends:

A Wild Ride... Butte Meadows Hillsliders

A Wild Ride With The

BUTTE MEADOWS HILLSLIDERS

By Eileen Majors

Ever wonder what goes on in the wild back roads of Nor Cal when the snow piles up? I contacted Tim Adkins, President of the Butte Meadows Hillsliders, just one of the snowmobile clubs in the mountains of northern California, to find out. This adventurous group has a great time riding in the Jonesville Snow Park and they take a great deal of time to make sure others can do so as well.

The Butte Meadows Hillsliders are the guys who groom the trails for Jonesville Snow Park where the group also built a warming hut for snowmobilers to stop in and enjoy. The place is equipped with a wood stove, tables and benches and two barbecues folks can use. The building was built by the club with grant funds on US Forest Service property, then given back to the forest service, who manages the land. The club takes care of the warming hut where Adkins told me it is not uncommon to see 50 sleds out front.

The club grooms over 70 miles of snowmobile trails in the Jonesville Snowmobile Area of the Lassen National Forest. The grooming season begins when the gate on Humboldt Road at the Jonesville Snowmobile Park (N 40^06.845 & W 121^28.700) ((4970′)) closes. All roads and trails above the gate, extending to HWY 89 and all areas above Snag Lake, are then closed to wheeled traffic until Spring when the gate is re-opened. These areas are groomed each winter by volunteer groomers for snowmobile use. It should be noted… a SnoPark permit is NOT required to use this area.

The club has a groomer of their own and also operates the county’s groomer as part of a contract agreement. I forgot to ask which was more fun, riding or grooming! The photos of groomers grooming looked to be a wild ride in itself.

The club welcomes new members. Dues are $30 per individual or $35 per family. To join, visit their website at hillsliders.com. You can print out the membership form and mail it with your check. Also at their website you can click on current weather conditions at the exact location of the warming hut. You can also access the CalTrans road reports. Each year the Hillsliders also host a sanctioned snowmobile poker run. This year’s event takes place on January 30, 2010.

The Jonesville Snow Park can be accessed through Humboldt Road which is off Highway 32 near Forest Ranch. Take Humboldt Rd. and travel past the Bambi Inn and The Outpost. The US Forest Service ranger stations have snowmobile trail maps as do the groomers you may meet on the trail.

Share Mountain Valley Living with your friends: