Northern California Backcountry Discovery Route—The Land of Lookouts
It’s the end of September. At an elevation of 8,000 feet, I arrive in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Having been raised in the mountains, I’m no stranger to thin air, but after a year of living in Arkansas, I struggle to catch my breath and acclimate to this alpine climate. I quickly realize this would be the case for the next 12 days on the Northern California BDR (CABDR-N) Documentary Filming Expedition. Little did I know, my breath would be taken away in more ways than one.
Following our team briefings prior to this trip, I knew to expect a variety of terrain, from highdesert hills to alpine tundra. This is what would make the CABDR-N so special. The Sierra boasts an immense diversity of riding terrain, dirt composition, and narrow paved roads, and more than a dozen impressive fire lookout towers dotting the landscape like lighthouses of the mountains.
Our team gathers and, after a night’s stay in the beautiful Tamarack Lodge nestled between the towering peaks surrounding the Twin Lakes, we set north. We can’t help feeling like intrepid pioneers braving whatever the rugged Sierra Nevada has to to offer.
Motorcycle & Gear
Helmet: Touratech Aventuro Carbon
Jacket & Pants: Mosko Moto Surveyor combo, Rak rain jacket Gloves: Klim Badlands Aero Pro Short
Boots: Gaerne SG12
Luggage: Mosko Moto Backcountry panniers, Hood tank bag
Meandering north through primitive two-track in the high desert, we make our way past Mono Lake and into Bodie State Historic Park for a private tour down the streets of this pristine ghost town. Imagining the brave souls who once inhabited it, we stroll through town like astronauts on a foreign planet and relish the history of days long past before setting off into the sunset on blissful sagebrush two-track.
The mountains really begin as we leave our night’s stay in Bridgeport. The group splits to ride the optional expert section to the top of Mount Patterson. At 11,673 feet, the summit of this climb is nothing short of stunning. With 360-degree panoramas amidst rock colors reminiscent of the surface of the moon, we catch our breath after a difficult ascent and begin the ride back down. The final stretch through the Sweetwater Loop would prove a challenge to our crew with deep sand and embedded rocks. Yet, I enjoyed every minute of this desert landscape, for soon we would say goodbye to it and cross the western side of the Sierra.
Blazing through countless narrow paved switchbacks over Ebbetts Pass, we arrive in Bear Valley after dark, as is often typical on expeditions like this. Amidst the mountains, we settle in for a restful night in glamping tents, stoking our wood-fired stoves to keep warm as the temperature continues to drop.