| To the road
Highway 108, a gem of biking, hiking, camping and fishing in the High Sierra, has become more with the addition of mountain biking with lift and disc golf at the venerable Dodge Ridge Resort just a few miles to above Pinecrest Lake.
As a 27-year-old National Ski Patroller at Dodge Ridge (now an alumnus), he has long traveled Hwy 108, all the way to the Pinecrest and Sonora Pass area. In 1852, 75 pioneers in 13-mule wagons set out from Ohio and Indiana, headed west for California gold and the promise of a better life, beginning the rugged route of the sonora hill
Today, it is one of the highest passes in the state, and the area just west of the pass is a summer and fall mecca for anglers, hikers, bikers and high mountain admirers.
Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort opened the mountain to mountain biking with chairlift access on August 13, making it one of only two lift-serviced mountain biking resorts in the Central Sierra (along with Bear Valley ) between China Peak near Fresno and Northstar in Lake Tahoe.
Dodge Ridge riders descend from the top of Motherlode Chairlift 3 at 7,400 feet and traverse the mountain with nearly five miles of lower beginner/intermediate freeride rollers and benches; Trail crews are also working on additional technical and intermediate freeride trails that will open shortly, with approximately nine miles planned for this season (DodgeRidge.com/Mountain for updates).
Tracy’s Hayden Price and Douglas Lowe were both near the front of the line at 9am
“We’ve been longtime skiers and passholders here, but now we look forward to using the area during the summer and fall for both mountain biking and disc golf.” price said I watched them load mountain bikes into one of the saddle bike racks during the six minute ride up to 7400 feet.
The bike park will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through the end of October (weather permitting), said Jeff Hauff, a spokesman for the resort. The November bike will be assessed based on conditions at the time.
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Single-day lift tickets are $49 for ages 13 and up, $39 for children 12 and under. Mountain Bike Season Passes are $199 and $139 respectively, with Mountain Bike Season Pass discounts available to holders for the 2022-23 Dodge Ridge Winter Season. Rental packages are also available with full suspension bikes, along with helmets, knee and elbow pads.
Mountain biking adds to the summer fun at Dodge Ridge, as does disc golf with chairlift access, picnicking and hiking, along with yoga classes and bounce houses for kids. The resort’s new Base Camp Bar & Grill menu pairs with free live music every Saturday and Sunday, including a full slate of free summer backyard games including cornhole, ping pong, foosball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, giant Jenga and more.
Pinecrest is a self-contained resort area, on the shores of Pinecrest Lake, with Dodge Ridge Resort just three miles above the lake. At nearly 6000 feet, the lake features a cool mountain climate and attracts tourists, campers and cabin owners throughout the summer and fall. The area offers a good family-friendly restaurant, the Steam Donkey, and lodging options at both Pinecrest Lake Resort and Pinecrest Chalet. Two large camps can fill up quickly during the summer, so book early for the best selection.
Other hiking and cycling routes divide the area; stop by the Stanislaus Ranger Station, corner of Hwy 108 and Pinecrest Road for tips (or use the AllTrails phone app). A favorite is a rail trail following the old Sugar Pine Railroad and S. Fork Tuolumne River from nearby Strawberry West five miles to Lyons Lake (no lift service, you’ll have to rely on the power of legs).
Heading up the mountain range, you’ll find almost a dozen campsites along the fork of the Stanislaus River. Our favorite is reached via the Clark’s Fork Road turnoff; the Clark’s Fork Campground on the river of the same name offers 80 campsites in two loops, with the river next to it and cool nights at almost 7000 feet. The Clark’s Fork Road is a few miles north in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, offering a variety of hiking trails and fishing options nearby.
For more information: Dodge Ridge Resort, dodgeridge.com; for restaurants, Steam Donkey Restaurant, 209.965.3117, Strawberry Inn (both restaurant and lodging), 209.965.3662. For lodging: Pinecrest Lake Resort, 209.965.3411, Pinecrest Chalet, 209.965.3276; Kennedy Meadows Resort, 209.965.3900; campsite, Stanislaus National Forest, fs.usda.gov/stanislaus/(209) 965.3434.
Contact Tim Viall at tviall@msn.com. Have a good trip to the Sierra.
