When my company folded, I had a chance to ride the N Umpqua at last. However, since it was a last minute type thing I couldn’t coordinate a partner so had some shuttle logistics. I rode all but the Tioga segment over 3 days:
Day 1 (8/8/06):
My wife drove down to meet me the night before at Toketee Lake Campground and so I got a car shuttle this day. She was almost out of gas so she just dropped me on the Windigo Road. This is an easy gravel road down to the Lemolo segment. Lemolo was enjoyable, very narrow, gently rolling, narrow single track. I’d rate this Intermediate.
Dread and Terror was the next segment and I would rate this Advanced+. I give the plus not because it’s ever crazy technical, but the difficulty is increased by it’s being narrow, overgrown, and steep dropoffs. I did a couple of side flips off the trail when I tried to dab during a tricky spot and my foot went through the vegetation and just kept going so I somersaulted down the hillside. I chose good places to do this and only went a couple body lengths but in the wrong place this could be very dangerous. D&T also gets bonus points for the hornet’s nest I pissed off (3 stings).
Last segment of Day 1 was Hot Springs; short and straightforward, Intermediate. The eastmost bridge (near the Hot Springs) is out so I just rode FS 3401 down the next mile or so and picked the trail back up. The river is crossable there (we did it the night before to check out the springs — fun!) but it’s on a narrow log and I wouldn’t want to carry the bike across. Just before the Hot Springs I saw the only people of the day, camped across from the springs.
Day 2 (8/9/06):
Logistics: I dropped and locked my bike at the Toketee turnoff, drove down to Horseshoe Bend and left my car. Hitched back (got a ride in 10 minutes) to Toketee, rode back to the campground, changed, and then rode out to the trail.
Deer Leap segment was first and might be the best segment of the whole trail. Very enjoyable rolling terrain, intermediate difficulty, very quiet. You get up high above the river and really get a feel for the terrain; very nice.
Jessie Wright segment was next: very fun; I’d call it advanced for some rocky bits and a big steep climb. The transition at Soda Springs TH isn’t marked at first — turn R when you come onto the road and just ride the road downriver for a mile and a half.
Marsters segment: nice, intermediate; fun way to end the day. When you come out at Highway 138 looking for Marsters TH, turn upriver on the highway to cross the river — this is very clear on the FS brochure, obscured on the Treadmaps. I ran into my first cyclists of the day on the tail end of this segment. Western Spirit was running a guided group down this trail and someone flatted. They all seemed nice.
Day 3 (8/10/06):
This day I was feeling tired and didn’t want to hitch, so I decided to do Panther and Mott as a loop. I dropped my car at the Steamboat turnoff (midway) and rode up 138 to the Panther TH. 138 doesn’t have much shoulder but it doesn’t have much traffic either (9 cars passed me in 4.5 miles on the highway), so not bad for the only pavement of the trip. Panther segment was a nice moderate bit with some steep ups but highly rideable. I was the only one on the trail, but when I took a scenery/bio-break and chilled, the Western Spirit group started to catch up with me. I didn’t want to wait for 15 riders to pass, so I jumped in after the first group of 4 or 5. Riders get spaced out nicely so it was still pleasant.
Mott segment was enjoyable (and organized groups aren’t allowed to ride this bit); moderate — I cleaned the entire first half of it (rare for me) and only had to walk a couple short bits in the second half. When I got to 138 I went upriver to Bogus Creek CG and then took the Riverview Trail back to the car. This makes a nice loop; Riverview is a pleasant ride and even has some single-track-ish parts.
Overall:
Great ride! I’ll have to go back do the Tioga segment to be complete but it was fun riding. I’d say that McKenzie is a superior trail for packing more variety, more views, etc, but is also shorter and more travelled — other than that organized group, I saw *no one* anywhere on the trails, hikers or bikers, pretty cool.
Poison oak: lots of it on the lower segments, especially Panther/Mott, probably Tioga too. Maps: Treadmaps was useless; the trail is clearly signed, so the only navigational help needed is at the trailheads, and the Treadmaps map obscured these with a big TH symbol, whereas the free NFS brochure had blowup pix to make clear where to turn. Shuttling: I only hitched one day but it sure was quick; I bet it’s generally no problem.
Do it!