![\"SanGabs-29MAY14-MtHilyer-05\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mountainbikebill.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/SanGabs-29MAY14-MtHilyer-05.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe did a modified shuttle\/point-to-point ride on this day.\u00a0 We meet up off of Windsor Street in Altadena near NASA\u2019s JPL and left a truck there where the ride was going to finish up.\u00a0\u00a0 We then went up HWY 2 and rode in the Chilao Flats\u00a0area where we got in some riding on Mount Hilyer and the Silver Moccasin <\/a>Trails as well as couple other bits.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The weather was great and the riding was just as nice but the damage from the Station Fire really did a number on this area.<\/p>\n After knocking out a nice loop in that area, we got back in the truck and road over to Eaton Saddle on Mount Wilson Road.\u00a0 From there we hopped on the old Mt Lowe Road where we did a bit of fire road climbing. This is really cool section of fire road that even includes a tunnel.<\/p>\n After about a mile on the fire road we turned off onto the Mt Lowe single track.\u00a0 There were some challenging rocky bits on this climb that took us up to around 5,540 feet as the trail were around the eastern flank of the mountain.\u00a0 This would be the highest evaluation we would see for the rest of the day as the truck was down at around 1200 feet.\u00a0 Meaning we were in for some killer descending.<\/p>\n The Mount Lowe trail was tight and fast with some rocky bits to keep you on your toes.\u00a0 There was some exposure on this trail as well but mostly the kind that is going to leave a mark versus the assuredly kill you kind.<\/p>\n The Mt Lowe trail\u00a0 eventually dumped us back out onto the Mt Lowe road where we quickly turned off onto the Sam Merrill Trail.\u00a0\u00a0 Oh My what an awesome bit of trail this was.\u00a0 I particularly enjoyed the opening section that has been spared by the first that was wonderfully wooded with tight single track on the rocky hillside.\u00a0\u00a0 Laughter could be heard through the woods during our transit through here.<\/p>\n The trail eventually dumps you back out into open scrub brush and views all the way down into the LA basin are to be had.\u00a0\u00a0 You can also see quite a bit of the trail that lay ahead.<\/p>\n The section down to Echo Mountain has plenty of technical goodness, tight switch backs and some exposure spots that could ruin your day or year.<\/p>\n Once we got down to Echo Mountain, we climbed\u00a0the Echo Mountain Trail back over to the lower parts of Mt Lowe road.\u00a0 This trail follows along the old track bed of the Mt Lowe Railway which operated between 1893 to 1936.\u00a0 The cement foundations for trestles are still in place.<\/p>\n Just a 100 yards or so down the old road from where the Echo Mountain trail comes out is the top of the Sunset Ridge\u00a0trail.<\/p>\n More downhill goodness ensued for about the next 3.3 miles (with a short road interconnect) where the trail comes out in the Millard campground.\u00a0 After the campground there was about a mile of fire road climbing to keep you honest.\u00a0\u00a0 From there we hooked with the El Prieto trail.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n