rec.bicycles.rides · Public discussion

Sonora Pass open again

Mike Jacoubowsky · 2005-11-17T07:25:30+00:00

If I wasn't going to be elsewhere, I'd be very tempted to do something very rare- a late-November Sonora Pass ride! They just reopened the road and, with clear weather forecast for the next week... I'm sure there's been some other years where the official winter closure came later than this, but I don't remember them. Highways 4, 108 & 120... all open... possibly through the end of the month (based on present forecasts). For the latest info on your favorite trans-Sierra crossing, use this CalTrans page- http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi. For hourly temperatures, you can use this link to navigate the various "DDM" automated weather stations- http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/stamap?s=DDM (the "SPS" location is the of the bridge on the east side of the pass, about a mile from the top, at 8750 ft). Temps today (Wednesday) ranged from 42F at 9am up to 53F at 1pm, then dropping back to 48F by 3pm. Definitely doable. If anyone does decide to get silly, do keep in mind that there is *no* drinking water left in the high-country; all the campsites have had their water turned off, nor is anyone left at Levitt Meadows Pack Station. I'd suggest bringing along some sort of water filter to refill your bottles from one of the streams in the area. For photos from our ride late last month (which we mistakenly thought was about as late in the season as you could do that ride)- http://www.chainreaction.com/sonora2005.htm --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Started by Mike Jacoubowsky · 17 November 2005 · Last activity 29 November 2005 · 8 posts · 753 views

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01 / Original postSonora Pass open againMike Jacoubowsky · 17 Nov 2005 02 / This pagePosts 1–8Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #8steephill · 29 Nov 2005

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Original section: rec.bicycles.rides
Published: 17 November 2005
Last activity: 29 November 2005
Original author: Mike Jacoubowsky
Posts: 8
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 753
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Original post
Mike Jacoubowsky
Archived post

17 November 2005, 07:25 UTC #1

If I wasn't going to be elsewhere, I'd be very tempted to do something very
rare- a late-November Sonora Pass ride! They just reopened the road and,
with clear weather forecast for the next week... I'm sure there's been some
other years where the official winter closure came later than this, but I
don't remember them.
Highways 4, 108 & 120... all open... possibly through the end of the month
(based on present forecasts). For the latest info on your favorite
trans-Sierra crossing, use this CalTrans page-
http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi.
For hourly temperatures, you can use this link to navigate the various "DDM"
automated weather stations- http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/stamap?s=DDM
(the "SPS" location is the of the bridge on the east side of the pass, about
a mile from the top, at 8750 ft). Temps today (Wednesday) ranged from 42F at
9am up to 53F at 1pm, then dropping back to 48F by 3pm. Definitely doable.
If anyone does decide to get silly, do keep in mind that there is *no*
drinking water left in the high-country; all the campsites have had their
water turned off, nor is anyone left at Levitt Meadows Pack Station. I'd
suggest bringing along some sort of water filter to refill your bottles from
one of the streams in the area.
For photos from our ride late last month (which we mistakenly thought was
about as late in the season as you could do that ride)-
http://www.chainreaction.com/sonora2005.htm
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

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Mike Jacoubowsky
Archived post

28 November 2005, 00:58 UTC #2

Well, that was short-lived. With the recent cold weather (which just
happened to coincide precisely with my return from a quick trip to Maui for
a ride up Haleakala), and some rain moving in, looks like it's finally time
for the ski bums to celebrate. Darn.
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

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steephill
Archived post

28 November 2005, 02:08 UTC #3

I'll be riding up Haleakala in less than three weeks so I hope you
didn't use UP all the fun!
Steve
www.steephill.tv

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Human powered
Archived post

28 November 2005, 02:30 UTC #4

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Well, that was short-lived. With the recent cold weather (which just
happened to coincide precisely with my return from a quick trip to Maui
for a ride up Haleakala), and some rain moving in, looks like it's finally
time for the ski bums to celebrate. Darn.
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
Are you planning to put up one of your inspirational pages? I'm interested
in your experience with that ride. How lond did it take to ascend? To
descend? What was the temp and weather like? Did you bring your own bike?

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Mike Jacoubowsky
Archived post

28 November 2005, 20:58 UTC #5

Quoted message said:
Are you planning to put up one of your inspirational pages? I'm
interested in your experience with that ride. How lond did it take to
ascend? To descend? What was the temp and weather like? Did you bring
your own bike?
The page has been started; at this point, just photos and a couple of maps,
no descriptions. If you want to see what it's like right now, it's at
www.ChainReaction.com/haleakala.htm.
Weather couldn't have been much better; 84 & muggy (as always in Hawaii) at
the bottom; once you get to 4000 feet, things are much better. Just don't
take a wrong turn like I did and do an extra 1700ft of climbing. That's what
the maps on our page are for... to make sure others don't do the same
idiotic thing I did.
Yes, brought my own bike. Had to, y'know? Part of the bike is where it's
been, what it's done. So had to take my week-old bike up Haleakala for a
shake-down cruise. Hey, my usual routine is to build it the night before a
ride like that, so I'm getting better!
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"Human powered" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Well, that was short-lived. With the recent cold weather (which just
happened to coincide precisely with my return from a quick trip to Maui
for a ride up Haleakala), and some rain moving in, looks like it's
finally time for the ski bums to celebrate. Darn.
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
Are you planning to put up one of your inspirational pages? I'm
interested in your experience with that ride. How lond did it take to
ascend? To descend? What was the temp and weather like? Did you bring
your own bike?

Report
Mike Jacoubowsky
Archived post

28 November 2005, 20:59 UTC #6

Quoted message said:
I'll be riding up Haleakala in less than three weeks so I hope you
didn't use UP all the fun!
Steve
Have you been up Haleakala before? If not, pay *very* good attention to the
maps I've put up, showing the right (and wrong) way to go. Unless you really
want to add 1700ft to the climb.
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"steephill" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
I'll be riding up Haleakala in less than three weeks so I hope you
didn't use UP all the fun!
Steve
www.steephill.tv

Report
Human powered
Archived post

29 November 2005, 04:02 UTC #7

"Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
Are you planning to put up one of your inspirational pages? I'm
interested in your experience with that ride. How lond did it take to
ascend? To descend? What was the temp and weather like? Did you bring
your own bike?
The page has been started; at this point, just photos and a couple of
maps, no descriptions. If you want to see what it's like right now, it's
at www.ChainReaction.com/haleakala.htm.
Weather couldn't have been much better; 84 & muggy (as always in Hawaii)
at the bottom; once you get to 4000 feet, things are much better. Just
don't take a wrong turn like I did and do an extra 1700ft of climbing.
That's what the maps on our page are for... to make sure others don't do
the same idiotic thing I did.
Yes, brought my own bike. Had to, y'know? Part of the bike is where it's
been, what it's done. So had to take my week-old bike up Haleakala for a
shake-down cruise. Hey, my usual routine is to build it the night before a
ride like that, so I'm getting better!
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
Thanks for that. You mentioned 6 hours to get there, so would you say it's
about a 5 hour ride up if you take the short route? 🙂 How long did it
take to descend?

Report
steephill
Archived post

29 November 2005, 06:13 UTC #8

Quoted message said:
Have you been up Haleakala before?
No I haven't. Thanks for the heads up.
Steve
www.steephill.tv bike travelogue

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