Vital Takes on the Lost Sierra - Miles and Miles of Epic Trails Near Downieville

Downieville is a name familiar to mountain bikers all over the world. Best known as home to the Downieville Classic, it is also a tourist destination for those wanting to experience the famous Downieville Downhill, a 15-mile-long 5,000-foot vertical drop through some wild terrain. Mountain bikers come from far and wide to the small town, grab a shuttle to the top and ride the most famous and trafficked trails on tap.
However, Downieville is just one town in the Lost Sierra, located in Northern California, and even this lone spot has much more to offer than its most beloved run. When each of the communities in the Lost Sierra is taken into account, you have a concentration of trails not easily matched.
Much of the terrain found in the Lost Sierra and specifically, Downieville, can be a challenge to access. Hearty souls can load packs and take it on the chin for hours on end in the name of striking it rich with lesser-known and ridden trails. Even those rugged individuals consider it a pilgrimage and view these rides as an accomplishment more than an act of fun. Shuttle services in the area can get you to a number of spots, but straying off the beaten path is still arduous.
It was to this end that Santa Cruz Bicycles made the calculated launch of its first e-bike, the Heckler, in this very region. Its message and branding were clear - use this e-bike to access trails not otherwise ridden. Vital staffers have often made the trip to the Lost Sierra and hold a deep affinity for the region. With our long-term test Heckler still in the garage, we hatched a plan in conjunction with Santa Cruz and Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS). The idea was straightforward - let's explore the trails in the Downieville and Quincy area on e-bikes. Let's see what kind of adventure we can unearth, and let's share that information with our readership in the hopes they are inspired to come here and make the most of what is on tap.
In 72 hours we rode an unbelievable amount of trails and found our way into regions of the Lost Sierra that few people do. Our intent with this feature was to show more riders the potential of this region and how we used an e-bike to access it. No matter the tool (or toy) you use, we hope you find the time and inspiration to get out and ride.
There would not have been a video without the impressive efforts of our three filmers - Brian, Caleb, and Logan. Each filmer rode every mile that we did and lugged along their 50-pound camera bags to boot.
To learn more about the Lost Sierra and the great work that Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship are doing, head to their site. Stay up to date with Connected Communities and better still, get out there and ride!