Mt. Shasta Gateway Trail System Offers Stellar Riding
I met up with a customer in Mt. Shasta for the off-road maiden voyage of his new Easy Motion Neo Jumper 650B. Bill showed me their local treasure, the Gateway Trail which, as its name implies is a gateway to the forest and numerous other trails right at the edge of town. The trailhead parking lot is on the right side, less than a mile out of town, on the Everett Memorial Highway, which is the road up Mt. Shasta herself. With the dangerously dry winter this year, the trail is open far sooner than it would be otherwise.
Its a classic mountain bike trail with everything you’d expect along the way. Challenging rock gardens test your technical skills. Wide open vistas of the surrounding peaks give way to shaded traverses through thick trees with soft a soft needle base under your wheels. Well formed banked curves keep your speed up on the downhill runs and short steep stretches challenge your climbing prowess.
My new riding partner Bill, is thrilled at the difference that his electric bike makes in regards to the Gateway Trail specifically and all his riding in general. We reached what has been up ’til now his usual turnaround point in record time with plenty of power (human and electric) to spare. This allowed us to ride further on and explore areas that have been out of his reach until now. The bike performed superbly and its no exaggeration to say that it is revolutionizing his overall cycling experience. Now that we have a sense of what the electric bikes are capable of in terms of battery capacity/distance in relation to the trail system, our next ride will take us even further into the heart of the network for an even grander adventure.
So, if you’re ready for a change of scenery but don’t want to drive too far, the Gateway Trail system of Mt. Shasta deserves your consideration. Whether you’re looking to put your new electric bike or a traditional “acoustic” non-electric bike through its paces, this network of trails is guaranteed to satisfy. This is classic single track mountain bike riding at its best! Bill tells me that a milder trail that circumnavigates nearby Lake Siskiyou is another not-to-be-missed local option as well. I’ll be sure to explore that as soon as possible.
Here’s a link to a map of the Gateway Trail system. Enjoy planning your next off-road electric bike adventure!
