2025 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa

Ben Hur drops through this little valley - plus those patches & potholes, since repaved

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Here's the plan for our morning ride: Connecting a series of north-south roads along the base of the range.

When we ride through Coarsegold I wave at @CBXRider ;)

Next year I'm planning a tour based out of North Fork (center-right on this map) & we'll re-visit this region. Lots of twisty roads hovering around the 4-5000 ft level.


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There’s an off the beaten path to Shaver Lake too. It gives an alternate view of the mountains vs hiway 168. Good road

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and no traffic.
 
Ben Hur Rd used to be super goaty - you could see the potholes from space. Then a few years ago it was repaved.

Amazing pavement, super smooth and twisty.

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I spoke to the old lady that owns that place. Her late husband built it. I had stopped for a break one day and she drove out in a golf cart to check her mail. She owns about a hundred acres there. It’s in need of a repaint. And those rock fences! Think of the labor it took to gather them from the fields and then create a rock wall that’s miles long. They’re all over too.
 
Tim, at the far eastern edge of Huntington lake there are two more lakes to the east bout 20 miles or so. Ever been? I’m wondering if the road’s paved all the way.
 
Tim, at the far eastern edge of Huntington lake there are two more lakes to the east bout 20 miles or so. Ever been? I’m wondering if the road’s paved all the way.

Terry I think you're referring to Kaiser Pass which starts at Lakeshore at the end of Highway 168.
I've based tours at Lakeshore a few years back, but we never rode up Kaiser Pass as it's a dead end.
You can ride up to Portal Forebay Reservoir in the Sierra Range via a paved road, but Kaiser Pass also goes single-lane-mountain-road up to Florence Lake (el 7300 ft) and is a dead end if you want to stay on paved road. Also paved to the second lake.
It's very remote, very rough, and middle of nowhere ride. Kaiser Pass is goaty but doable. I've never ridden it but your Kawasaki would love this ride. Amazing views I'm told & not too far from you. ;)

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Terry I think your referring to Kaiser Pass which starts at Lakeshore at the end of Highway 168.
I've based tours at Lakeshore a few years back, but we never rode up Kaiser Pass as it's a dead end.
You can ride up to Portal Forebay Reservoir in the Sierra Range via a paved road, but Kaiser Pass also goes single-lane-mountain-road up to Florence Lake (el 7300 ft) and is a dead end if you want to stay on paved road. Also paved to the second lake.
It's very remote, very rough, and middle of nowhere ride. Kaiser Pass is goaty but doable. I've never ridden it but your Kawasaki would love this ride. Amazing views I'm told & not too far from you. ;)

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That must be it. The sign says two more lakes 21 miles further east. I figured that as much as you like goat trails you might’ve been on this one. :D I see the mileage estimate of nearly two hours to go 31 miles. I’m not sure that even the Kawasaki would like that. 168 is pretty much a dead end too in winter. Circling Huntington Lake is a nice ride in the summer but riding past the NW lake’s edge can be all the way back to 168 and Shaver lake. Some surprising sights heading west back to 168 from the NW side of the lake though.
 
Circling Huntington Lake is a nice ride in the summer but riding past the NW lake’s edge can be all the way back to 168 and Shaver lake. Some surprising sights heading west back to 168 from the NW side of the lake though.

Done the full loop around Huntington Lake?
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This pavement is in great shape and pops back out to the main road at Shaver Lake. Done this a couple of times with the tour group.

And what a view! :D

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This is Highway 168 in April.
Took the crew up to see the snow & Shaver Lake in the distance. Highway 168 is a real nice mountain road, and fast curves.

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Headed up to 5000 ft up and over Bald Mountain above Auberry

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Wee bit of snow at 5000 ft

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We're on the very edge of the snow line, wildfire came through here a few years ago

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Some homes are being rebuilt after the wildfire, and some are still raw foundations, echos of homes that were here

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Sierra Range in the distance from the top of Bald Mountain - see the foundation?

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