Mountain biking the Tahoe Rim Trail from Van Sickle to Star Lake
Vložit
- čas přidán 19. 07. 2016
- This is one of my favorite epic mountain bike rides. Hours of suffering at high elevation with some of the best scenery in the world. This is why we ride.
The route on Strava: / strava
I started the ride at Over the Edge Sports in South Lake tahoe, climbed up Van Sickle trail, hit the Tahoe Rim Trail all the way to Star Lake. From there I descended the Star Lake Trail and then hit Cold Creek and Powerline to finish the big loop.
My video gear: bit.ly/bkxcgear - Sport
best place I have been on a bike. nothing like when fine dust turns to the best of dirt in a thunderstorm and you and your buddies know you have a 30minute dh ahead. truly one of the best things I've ever experienced.
It's magical! Hopefully it'll melt out and not be buried for the next 4 months!
Flume trails are melted out, a lot of the south shore trails are as well. Dirt is awesome right now.
All high elevation will be another three to four weeks, or more depending on exposure.
Shout at me next time you're here if you need a local guide for the north shore stuff.
I did it! Today! But took the shuttle from Over the Edge to Heavenly resort Area. Took a picture of your sticker in the shuttle behind the driver. I have been wanting to ride this since you posted the video and finally did it. Definitely the toughest climb I have have done. But once I I got to Star lake the joy of the downhill was enormous. So fun! The switch backs got me. I walked the rocky part of Cold Creek. But the ride was amazing. Loved your vid. Which made me do this ride. Next on my bucket list is Hole in the Ground. Thanks Brian. I have been a sub since the beginning and love it. Keep riding the best trails in the world. I will be there watching and growing my bucket list.
HELL YES! I just put that sticker on the van on Friday! That climb is a BAD MOFO. I absolutely love hearing this, dude, it's 100% what the channel is about.
I am a Local in South Lake Tahoe. It is fun to see people posting our trails on youtube. I hate going up Van Sickle. My favorite med ride is ArmStrong to star lake and down ColdCreek. I have started on the TRT at Heavenly and Ended at the bottom of Mr. toads. That is a long tough ride and the ends is not easy.
I finally rode Mr. Toad's last summer and it was pretty crazy!
"I'm about to get passed by a trail runner... I will not let that happen" lol hilarious!
Hahahaha, love that part
whenever i come along a runner i always seem to pass them, then they pass me, then i pass them and the cycle continues. mostly only on technical uphill sections though, never downhill
Bodacious! Looks like they've build allot of new trails there in the last 15 years.
I literally said WOW! on that lake footage.
Always love a good narration during a ride... As always, great ride.
Thanks man! It was such a great ride!
Absolutely why i'm excited to be moving back to the west coast.
Awesome!
I've biked Tahoe many times my lungs can't hang over 10 miles. You are a champ!
Haha, it's TOUGH!
Absolutely beautiful
One of the best!
Really enjoying your videos Brian. Lake Tahoe looks amazing. Thankfully, being new to the MTB scene, i have lots more of your videos to binge on. Keep them coming.
Welcome aboard Darren!! Glad you're digging the vids from the "archives"
Brian thankyou for your multitude of such enjoyable rides, but mostly thankyou for such clear wobble free videoing with the right angled view that so many uploads spoil 👌😃👍🍻
Glad you enjoyed it!
Philosopher.
Poet.
Mountainbiker.
😉
Another great video, thx!
Hahah, thanks buddy!
Beautiful trail and scenery! Definitely going to ride this one.
That bike is unbelievably quiet. Must have a derailleur clutch.
Great videos as always. Keep it up brother! Much love.
Thanks, man, I really appreciate the love! The bike was so quiet and I really liked that. Kinda made me feel closer to nature instead of tearing through it.
I was just there too on Vacation last week! Great weather... great video...
Nice! Great trail!
I love that you reply to so many comments
Thanks man!
Beautiful ride! Great trail. Cheers!
Thanks Edd, it's a gem!
Awesome footage dude. Living the dream is what it's all about. Thanks for the inspiration. When you manage to get to Cape Town, South Africa one day, look me up and l'll take you on that 2 cents tour of our awesome local trails. Rock On dude. Cheers
Thanks Noel! I've heard that they're building some good stuff down there!
What an amazing trail!
Glad you enjoyed it too!
love seeing the log bridge that i have helped maintain over the last few years. hmu if you ever come to the south shore again.
That's so cool!
Great ride and sights! Keep it up bruv!
Thanks man, I appreciate it!
Another superb video ! It staggers me how you can still talk while yomping up that trail ! Please Keep up the great work
Haha, thanks man. I'll keep riding if you keep watching!
Awesome you got to ride one of the great epics from my home! I just did the Rose to Toads ride this year that starts at My Rose and goes 62 miles and includes all those tough climbs (monument, star lake, then freel) AND ends with the DH/flow trail Mr Toads. If you're ever back and want a challenge google Rose to Toads!
Haha yeah man I know it well, maybe next year!
WOW!! I need to ride this place. Great riding and video, as usual.
Yes, you've gotta get there, it's a sweet place.
On my list!!
Just got into mtbing, and just ran across your channel after watching Seth's bike hacks. Love your channel man! Would love to ride out west some day! ( I'm in IL. Not as scenic here on our single tracks lol) Something to shoot for someday. Keep up the GREAT work sir!!!
Welcome aboard, dude! Thanks for the kind words.
Solid Ride B........
Wonderful trails Brian, I’m slowly but surely watching as much vids as i can, great content as usual mate, i hit the trails on Sunday after 7 weeks off the bike, boy do i regret pinning it for around 40 miles my ‘taint is folked! 😳
Nice man!!! Hahah, that's a long ride
I climbed up to Star Lake via Cold Creek (which definitely sucked going up lol) but really wanted to do the Armstrong descent to Corral. A lot of hike-a-bike for me on the climb with my Ritchey Timberwolf but the descent was one of the best I've ridden! Definitely recommend checking out Armstrong from Freel Pass next time you're up there! I think it comes out to 23-24 miles or so. The flow track on lower Corral has perfect rhythm (thanks to TAMBA) Hope to see you out there sometime. Keep it up!
I definitely need to check out the full length of Armstrong l the way to Corral. I did a video about my ride from Luther Pass down Armstrong but then I started heading East before corral.
Thanks for all your great rides the perspective on the variety of bike you ride. I wanted to suggest a trip to Socal be added to your riding list. Orange County area in particular. let me know if your interested.
Definitely headed to SoCal soon! Trying to piece together a good itinerary.
love the Channel. I have ridden some of your epic rides. Some others i would suggest are... Dark Hollow in Brian Head Utah. This is an epic downhill shuttle ride that covers about every type of biking terrain you could imagine in one ride. Another trail i Love is Marys Loop of horse thieves cnyn in Luma, Co Just outside of Fruita. Wasatch crest trail in park city/Salt lake City utah is another local go to. Keep posted rad trails!
Oh wow, this is the first time I've heard of Dark Hollow, I thought I'd heard of them all! I've done Horse Thief, so cool, it's in my Kokopelli's video. Wasatch Crest is also a great one, I did it last year before I did the video thing.
Good stuff, Brian, i was up at Starr lake last summer, just after dark, having attempted the Rose to Toads. I'll give it a go next year, but I plan to leave my truck at Spooner, and drive up to the bench, to eliminate that wicked uphill section.
-Paul.
Where is the bench? Trying to learn this area to ride it
Very Rad!!! I think I am going to try and hit hat this summer!!! Live-Life-Loud, Bro!!!!!
Do it!!!
Sweet channel and yet another epic video. Loved it man.
As a suggestion, you should cover some epic rides at Pisgah National Forest, NC
Thanks man! I've been hearing such good things about Asheville, I've got to make it out there eventually.
Beautiful ride, and 3,600 ft elevation gain...wow!
I remember when this Trail was only known by the locals, now its become a tourist location very packed during summer weekends.
cheers awesome video as always you shot keep inspiring the riders and help us wash our eyes with different trails :) keep up and ride
Thanks man, I really love it that you guys are digging these videos! Tell a friend!
used to ride a lot in Israel but i live in the bay area for few years new ..we ride here pretty often around the bay :) and every here and there will drive farther for weekends . if you are around marin or east bay come fly with us :) i saw some body mention jooackin miller park it is a good one in OAKLAND hills you gotta check out ,, for naw cheers keep rolling , be safe
Nice! So many places I still need to check out!
Awesome trail ride Brian, never say die, go for a ride.
Thanks dude!
you have to ride Armstrong and corral! I rode them 3 times a day while I was in Tahoe. rim trail is great lots of hike a bike but the reward is totally worth it and there's sooo much to look at!
Yeah man, so much to do!
awesome trials dude, i went for ride this morning after 10 months due to shoulder injury it feel so good to be back , i can wait to see you new bike , i am thinking to buy a new bike also i may go we the bronson or specialized enduro ....
Thanks Juan! Glad you're back and healed up. I can't wait to GET the new bike!
Thats some amazing scenery. I'd love to get out there. I live below 1000 feet elevation so it would be a heck of an adjustment. I think it would be a pretty great trip to make though, we have jet skis so if I could haul the skis and bikes out there we could have some fun for a while. I'd just have to really talk my wife into the jet skiing part, she's pretty freaked out about how deep that lake is lol! I live in south Texas so it would be a bitch of a drive too.
Hahahaha, it is a little freaky but you can drown in 2 feet or 2,000 feet deep water! Definitely worth making the trip for the amazing riding and scenery!
I love that place . Someday I'll. check it out 👍🏽👍🏽
Do it!!
Love your videos. You should come to South East Idaho we have some pretty awesome trails.
I've been hearing that! Putting it on the list.
Did that plus Flume 3 weeks ago. Loved it.
Flume all the way to Star Lake? JESUS
all day riding for us..... my buddy mapped it out.... 2 guys passed out...lol.
Hahaha, shit, not enough Honey Stingers.
Again, gorgeous video/trail...I'm thinking I'll get there before you get to Texas ;) I can take the wife to Napa as base camp. Last visit to the Bay Area (Tamarancho was the plan), my riding was cut from the trip due to ruptured Achilles just 6 days before travel...not fun travelling 2 days after surgery. Great video.
Napa is a GREAT base camp for riding. I'm only 30 minutes away and there are several great rides within an hour or so like Annadel, Oat Hill Mine, Skyline Park in Napa, Crockett Hills, and Rockville. Get out here!
your commentary is hilarious, "oh i was riding this whole way, just pushing this part" haha nice, cant wait to do this trail, although looking at your footage, could be real difficult on a cross bike with 32mm tires...
Haha thanks man
When you were going thru that wooded area towards the end...I willed myself to be able to take in the scent of pine... :)
I have an old hard tail at the moment with clip ins. My next bike, I only want platforms. I watch your descents and am thinking that with my level of clumsy...it would end really bad for me if I were to bugger up and be attached to the bike. :)
It's a great place to ride!
cranking out videos like hot cakes!
Gotta feed the beast!
over the edge is a cool bike shop I've been to the one in Sedona Arizona if you ever get a chance you should try Sedona. cool trails in awesome scenery
Dude, Sedona is high on the list. Just waiting for the fall and some cooler weather.
Wow, talk about some scary steep edges.
Mt.Rose to tunnel creek is a fun trail.
Great video! Just ordered my first order of honey stingers because of you! New sponsor maybe?!?
Thanks! I love those damn things, they'd be a great sponsor.
This is a great ride. A++ loop. Thank You for the Airplane mode suggestion at 3:03 it's brilliant.!! I always run out of battery on this ride. Please tell me more about GPS lock.? When I google searched it all I could come up with was a GPS Lock for bikes. But How do I lock onto a satellite.
Nice! GPS lock is just a term for when the satellites see you
On your next Tahoe ride you should ride Mr.toads wild ride.
Good call!
I like your ✌video thanks for sharing
👍
Aghhh. The good ole Rim Job Trail onto Van Suckle and around the Dirt Star Trail. 😝
I've been here since 200 subs and damn your channels growing! Could I suggest testing out a norco sight sometime? I've seen your Norco range vid and it was good but the sight is a very effiecent climber but still can bomb the downhills like the range
Thanks for sticking around, man! The Sight sound like a sweet ride, I'll keep my eye out.
Could you make this trail on a hard tail 29'er?
another amazing video.
Thanks G, such a great ride.
I JUST watched that video yesterday! I have seen his name a lot but I figured he was all BMX. Really good personality and interesting to listen to. That's a huge piece of this puzzle. Thanks for the info G!
u follow phil kmetz? If not check out his Walmart huffy DH run. He never got more than 10 to 20k views than he risk his life on that bike and scored 1.6m views on that video.
+g allen Hahaha, yes! It's a great one. When I saw the sign that said "double black diamond" it puckered my ass up real tight.
That was a classic based on Seth hacks. I never will have my own channel but I am just trying to grasp the dynamic of what works and how some of these channels just take off. Some can make a pretty good coin on it. I heard a figure of around 8 cents per 1000 views when it is signed up for advertising. Anyways I am off topic. Hope yours explodes. I love seeing the bikes and trails. You just have to start risking your life or take a fall down one of those cliffs. LOL
theres this trail in mt buller vic called the epic trail its pretty good
Is this doable on a hardtail?
Going to Lake Tahoe to ride next weekend. Any suggestion on trails. My fitness lvl is mostly anything, but my tech skills is intermediate.
The tech stuff is not crazy, you can always walk around stuff. I have 3 Tahoe Rim Trail ride videos on the channel that are my favorites. Shuttle to Spooner Summit and ride down Van Sickle is a really good one. Riding up Van Sickle and down Star Lake is awesome, but many people said they prefer riding up Star Lake trail and down Van Sickle. Talk to the guys at Over the Edge South Lake Tahoe and they can get you setup with a shuttle and a rental bike if you need it. Not enough time to go all into it!
michaelduha try the flume trail. There is a intermediate route, and a advanced rout
you used the Narrow mode o wide mode in your Gopro? or is a effect of stabilizer? when i film from my chest support, my arms look like strange and so long jaja
looked like that demo shop had some trek remedy's... ever thought about doing a test ride on the trek remedy 9.8 (the blue and matte black one)?
+Jordan Galef Good call, man. I'll put it on the list!
Please Hike a Bike with the bike on the down hill ( Cliff side of the trail) dont want to loss you Bud.
Can I ride this trail with a hardtail?
Sure!
What gear ratio did you have?
👍 👍 👍
Thanks Yaron!
You should come to Asheville. Great trails in Bent Creek, Pisgah and DuPont State Forests.
Dude, I'm hearing Asheville in my dreams at this point. Gotta do it!
+BK-XC lemme know! It'd be awesome for you to ride with us!
can u share the trail app please
It's called Trailforks
flowy chunk right? very distracting scenery, that water gushing out of the rocks at 10:17 looked so blue, amazing.
Such an amazing place!
do u give bikes for free
have u been to australia
Not yet
Intense 275C vs the Hightower, what are your thoughts?
+SNS1212 Really enjoyed the hightower, but like I said in my video it's riding on "easy mode" where the trail gets flattened out and you don't feel as much. I like to feel it. But I still loved the hightower! Tracer wins for my taste.
oh, i was wondering if you could test out YT Capra carbon?
The Capra is definitely high on my list. YT is in Reno (about 3 hours away) so I can pick a bike up from them and test it out.
wow awesome! can't wait and thanks!
are you using clip in pedals?
All the time
What bike are u riding
Intense Tracer
Man love your channel. For this type of ride, 120mm travel ok or 180mm travel better?
Thanks dude, glad to have you! I think you would be OK running the short travel on this ride and get the benefit from the easier climbing. There are a few chunky parts throughout the ride but 95% of the time you'll benefit from the shorter travel.
Brialliant. Beautiful trail. You like this trail better than Comfortably Numb in BC?
I do, only because you get some really good flow and some long descents here. Only bits and pieces of that on Comfortably Numb.
Can you do this trail with a fully charged Specialized Turbo Levo?
Dang, I've only ridden an e-bike once and I don't think any kind of calculations I do off the top of my head would really translate. Sorry dude!
So you are saying that it's not possible? Thanks for the answer! GJ!
Is it very technical?? Do you need to be in great shape???
Haha, it's been 8 years, I have no clue!
One question, does strava works fine with planemode?
Yup, it will run in airplane mode just fine. Once you get back to civilization and turn airplane mode off it will sync the ride.
+BK-XC Perfect!!
You should check out some of the riding in alaska. Not too unlike this - Specialized trailhunter has a good video
Definitely want to get up there!!
also try monarch crest in salida co
Planning to ride it in early September!
Thanks for introducing trailforks, didnt know it before but now that i do i love it! I used to use singletracks.com and they just didnt provide enough information, yet provided much innacurate info. Not that i hate singletracks.com, the community/blog stuff is great, just not for finding trails :/
Yeah, I agree 100%!
nice ride!!!
How much water did you bring?
+Brad Lu Thanks man! I brought 3 liters and ran out once I hit Powerline. I think the wind was a blessing (kept me cool) and a curse (made the sound shittier) that day.
Hey Bri what bike is that ? Intense ?
Should be the Intense Tracer but the memory is not 100% clear. Pretty sure I talk about it in the video.
How long did the entire ride take you? with breaks and all.
About 5 hours!
great vid, intense tracer?
Thanks! Yeah, I forgot to mention it during the video. I have an entirely separate video talking about this bike on this same ride right here: czcams.com/video/7s-Su3Ot3YM/video.html
Thanks for the videos man. If you don't mind answering, how is the gimbal holding up after thrashing around for 2 months? And long does a set of batteries last?
Thanks Michael! The gimbal has held up really well. Batteries last about 2.5 hours and it comes with an extra set. Judging by all the bad Amazon reviews I thought it would have broken by now and that I would have to buy a new one about every 4 months. I have ridden it hard and often. I have not crashed into anything or really hurt it, though. It's open to all the elements and it's doing fine. I'm hoping to do a more long term review here soon now that I feel comfortable "endorsing" it.
Thanks! Just made the purchase on ebay!
Nice!
You should do fox creek
What bike is that? Good vid! Subscribed!
Thanks man! It's the Intense Tracer, I have a whole separate video about the bike that is linked in the cards on the video (The little (i) thing that pops up).
Hey that last part is kinda like Allaire State Park meaning that crazy freaking intersections.. yes I said freaking.
Oh wow interesting
Another great video. And on the Tracer! Just out of curiosity, did you order the your new ride before you rode the tracer?
I ordered the new bike AFTER this ride. I filmed this on July 10. The plot thickens!
And thanks for the love!
I suspect you ordered the Tracer. I actually pulled the trigger today and ordered a Pro Build myself. Did you notice much more of your heels hitting that rear triangle the longer you got into the ride?
+Brien Dulaney Awesome, man! Email me a pic when you get it (check my about page). I only felt the heel thing at lower speeds, so it may have just been my position. Also new shoes that may need the toe clip adjusted.
2019 anyone
lake Tahoe in the list ***
Are you still advocating Trail Forks, or something better?
Yep! I use Trailforks and MTB Project interchangeably.
lets see monument tr!
Come to Australia Queensland and go to parklands
Hell yeah
i bet the elevation is not fun there. i ride between 600 & 1400 so its some what easy.
Nice! Bears? Lions?
Haha no wildlife at all!
oh my!
I just mountainbike in the sidewalk😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟