Downieville (August 2002)



IMG_4105.JPG (77572 bytes)View from the shuttle at Sierra City, looking up at Sierra Buttes...
IMG_4106.JPG (38760 bytes)Sierra Buttes from Gold Lake Rd just after Bassetts IMG_4107.JPG (39667 bytes)Looking towards Downieville
IMG_4108.JPG (57068 bytes)Packer Saddle, where the shuttle drops you off at the top of Gold Valley Rd IMG_4109.JPG (79071 bytes)Pedalling towards the top of Pauley Creek
IMG_4270-72sm.jpg (72210 bytes)View from Packer Saddle looking East (the shuttle just brought you up from down there)...
IMG_4112.JPG (90061 bytes)Pauley Creek trail
IMG_4113.JPG (101650 bytes)One of several bridges crossing Pauley Creek IMG_4115-16.jpg (183327 bytes)
IMG_4118.JPG (101006 bytes)Pauley Creek IMG_4123.JPG (103386 bytes)The Big Boulder trail follows the high ridge in the background, ~4000' higher up than Pauley Creek trail
IMG_4125.JPG (98012 bytes)Another bridge...
IMG_4129.JPG (99944 bytes)Strange tree at the intersection of Pauley Creek trail and Upper Butcher Ranch trail
IMG_4132a.jpg (96748 bytes) IMG_4130a.jpg (88090 bytes)
IMG_4133.JPG (98201 bytes)In late August, the trail was pretty dusty, with big rocks thrown in.

These are a couple of the switchbacks on Lower Butcher Ranch trail, leading to the bridge.

IMG_4137.JPG (108842 bytes)
IMG_4138a.jpg (90416 bytes)This is steeper than it looks... IMG_4139a.jpg (96391 bytes)And this part of the trail is narrow enough to fall off of if you aren’t paying attention...
IMG_4141.JPG (90597 bytes) IMG_4149.JPG (104768 bytes)...and yet another bridge. This is an excellent place to stop to cool off before climbing the trail up to the Second/Third Divide Trail split.
IMG_4150a.jpg (116468 bytes)The trail splits:
Right goes to Third Divide (a climb up to an easy sweeping downhill singletrack).
Left goes to Second Divide, a wild mostly downhill with some scarey drop-off-to- the-creek sections of narrow trail.
IMG_4151a.jpg (107918 bytes)
IMG_4153.JPG (93573 bytes)Interesting trail feature preventing you falling over the edge. Second Divide trail IMG_4155a.jpg (126391 bytes)BIG tree
IMG_4159-64.jpg (322751 bytes)One of the most alarming sections on Second Divide. You come down a steep rocky section and around a corner (left). If you screw up, you plunge 100' into the creek.
IMG_4165a.jpg (98851 bytes)Second Divide...

elsie@foothill.net
26 March 2003