Ride #4 Devils Punchbowl - Angeles National Forest

Date: April 21, 2012

Location: Devils Punchbowl – Angeles National Forest

Bike: 1999 Specialized Rockhopper Comp

Video - Devils Punchbowl 4-21-2012

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Okay I was really ready for my 4^th Mountain Bike Ride on Saturday after really bad weather the week before had kept me at home. I decided to try a place that I loved to ride 15 years ago when I was into mountain biking and was actually pretty good at it. I decided to give Devils Punchbowl a try. 

Devil's Punchbowl, starting elevation 4,750 feet but the trails into the mountains will take you up to 7000feet, is a tilted sandstone formation in Los Angeles County. It is a county park within the Angeles National Forest on the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, near Littlerock, California. Short trails within the park showcase the geologic features along the Punchbowl and San Andreas Faults. There are connections to major longer trails leading to the high country. Devils Punchbowl is a truly great place to Mountain Bike, there is just about every skill situation here and every ride here you learn something.

 I arrived at the parking lot and was already amazed, the lot was full. When I used to come here there would maybe be one or two cars in the lot. It seems The Punchbowl has become popular. I got my bike together and headed to the trail head I was going to ride which is the Burkhart Trail. This trail will take me up to an intersection where you can either go to Burkhart Pass and Burkhart Saddle or take another trail that will take you to the Devils Chair, I am going to ride to the Devils Chair on this ride.       

I started riding up the trail and had gone about half a mile and was already out of breath.  There was a little overlook of the lower end of Devils Punchbowl here and that was a great excuse to stop and take some pictures. The beginning of the trail is uphill and very sandy and rocky. You will really give your legs a workout here. After taking a few pictures and catching my breath I continued up the trail. This first part of the trail is a single track that connects to a fire road. It was really hot and I stopped a few time to take in some water as I made my way to the fire road.

After about a mile I reached the fire road and was very happy to reach this point. I now would be riding on a fire road which is hard packed, I was glad to not be in that soft sand.  The fire road is hard packed but still an uphill climb. After about another half mile climbing on the Fire Road it was time for a break. There was a nice spot with some shade and some great views to the north west of the Antelope Valley. 

After my short break I was on my way again up the fire road, the scenery was changing and the desert bushes were changing to Pine Trees. After about another mile I was up to the trail split, one trail heads off to Burkhart Pass and the other heads to the Devils Chair which is where I was heading.  

I was making my way up and actually moving pretty good. Then I hit a large and jagged rock which pinched my tire and tube, and pow the tire blew out and was instantly flat. I was not prepared for this situation and even if I patched the tube I did not have pump to inflate the tire… Bummer… Well it was clear my only option was to walk back to the car which was about 4 miles down the trail. I made it back to the car and packed up my bike. Today the trail won but I will be back and I will make it to the Devils chair. So I just headed home.

Devils Chair... I Will Return !

As Always… Have Fun… Don’t Die