Mountain Biking Summer Camps - Shaffer's High Sierra Summer Camps

"Our 11 year old daughter really enjoyed the variety of activities and the opportunity to challenge herself with some new skills. She also made some good friends. Her counselors were really great." - Caryn Lesko (parent), Oakland, CA

Mountain Biking

The mountain biking program at Shaffer’s High Sierra Camp has turned into one of our “signature” activities. And it’s no wonder, with the Camp located in the heart of some of the most epic rides in the United States. (Plus, we think we have some pretty amazing staff!)

You can enjoy our mountain biking program as either a regular camper or, if you're staying at least 2 weeks, can't get enough riding and want to improve your technique, through our Mountain Bike Program Track. So whether you're interested in going on just a couple rides, or you can't get enough riding, there's a program for you!

The Mountain Bike Program Track.

Here’s how our Mountain Bike Program Track works.

The first week is dedicated to getting your legs. You’ll learn mountain bike riding techniques for a variety of conditions, from dirt roads to steep single track, from sandy conditions to rocky and technical courses. You’ll also learn trail etiquette, how ride with respect for nature and other people. And you’ll learn some basic maintenance and emergency repair. But let’s not forget the riding! You’ll start out with easy trails so you can get used to the altitude and the bike, and we get a chance to see how you do. You’ll then progress to intermediate trails, which are longer, steeper, and may have some short uphill stretches.

The second week we ride, and ride, and ride! You’ll cover many of the epics, including Butcher Creek Trail (used for the famous Downieville Downhill Classic race), Pauly Creek, Chimney Rock, and Stampede Reservoir. These are longer trails, up to 14 miles (22 kilometers) of mostly single-track, and some with descents of up to 4,000 feet (1400 meters)! You’ll see amazing country and be treated to one of the best swimming holes we know of, complete with its own natural waterfall slide!

But even if you're not able to attend for 2 or more weeks, or you just want to go on a couple of rides, that's no problem. You'll be able to go on all the rides that lead up to the epics, plus you'll have the opportunity to ride the Butcher Creek Trail (assuming you're up for it!). Space is limited, however, and preference is given to those enrolled in the Mountain Bike Program Track.

The Camp provides all the equipment you will need. However, if you would like to bring your own equipment your are welcome to do so.

Program Philosophy.

Mountain biking perhaps best illustrates the Camp's Challenge-by-Choice philosophy. You can choose to ride less demanding trails, or progress to more challenging rides all the way up to our most challenging ride. It's entirely up to you. You will get all the encouragement and guidance you need without being forced or compelled to go on a ride. We're just happy to have you join us!

Skills Development.

Even if you're not enrolled in the Mountain Bike Program Track, you'll start out with a clinic for a quick review of the basics, including bike inspection, gear changing, braking, seat adjustment, and safe-riding rules. On the trail, you'll also cover more advanced riding techniques, such as seat adjustment for maximum power when going up hill or for maintaining balance when descending steep trails, body positioning for balance, braking on steep trails, threading rock studded technical trails, "reading" a trail and riding different terrain, and passing/getting passed on trails. Riding etiquette with an eye to minimizing trail impact is another important component of the program.

Trails.

The Camp, situated in the Tahoe National Forest near the Sierra Buttes, is in the midst of terrific mountain biking terrain, with lots of great trails from introductory to black diamond. Here is a description of a few of our trails:

Lincoln Valley.

Your first ride will be in Lincoln Valley where the Camp is located. It is a gently sloping valley that is heavily forested and has a couple of streams. It provides a great warm up to help you get used to the elevation (approximately 6,500 feet or 2,100 meters). The trails are generally fire roads and old logging roads.

Mills Peak.

This is another easy ride of about 8 miles (13 kilometers) round trip. The first 2 miles are along a flat dirt road through a peaceful pine forest. The second 2 miles climbs slowly, gaining about 500 feet (150 meters) in elevation, until you reach the Forest Service lookout, with spectacular views of the valley below. Generally, the Ranger opens the lookout and gives us a brief but very interesting tour. We then hop back on the bikes and return along the same trail.

Bassetts Trail I.

One of our favorite intermediate rides is what we call the Bassetts Trail. The shuttle will drop you off on an old fire road a couple miles west of Deadman's Peak. The ride starts off flat followed by about a mile (2 kilometers) of gentle uphill followed by about 8 miles (13 kilometers) of downhill until you reach Bassetts Station. At one point, you'll have a panoramic view of the Sierra Buttes.

Bassetts Trail II.

This ride starts at the same place as Bassetts Trail I, but part way down you take a cut-off and follow a different trail to the end. The last half of this ride is a little steeper and a little more technical than Bassetts Trail I. It's a nice step up in the progression of trails. You'll have scenic views as you descend about 1,200 feet (400 meters) over 6 miles (10 kilometer) as you ride back to Camp.

Butcher Creek Trail.

This is our preeminent ride. It follows the same trail that the pros ride on the world famous Downieville Downhill Classic mountain bike race. You have to earn this one by demonstrating sufficient skill and the ability to follow directions. The shuttle will drop you off on Packer Saddle, at about 7,200 feet (2,400 meters), on the shoulder of the Sierra Buttes. You'll then descend approximately 4,000 vertical feet (1,400 meters) over 14 miles (22 kilometers), most of which is single track trail. Over the entire trail, there is less than 1/4 mile (1/2 kilometer) of uphill. You'll ride along beautiful rivers and through splendid forests. The trail ends in Downieville, a delightful old Gold Rush town that missed becoming California's state capitol by one vote in the 1800s, where the shuttle will pick you up.

These are just a few of the many potential trails, and we're constantly exploring new and unknown routes.

Quote of the Day:

"The greatest weakness of most humans is their hesitancy to tell others how much they love them while they're still alive." – O.A. Battista

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Because we're small with just 70 campers allowed to enroll at any one time, we do fill. So make your reservation risk-free today! If your plans change before May 15th, you can get a full refund. And if you enroll after May 15th, you may still cancel and receive a refund if you notify the Camp within 7 days of your enrollment, or the start of camp for your child, whichever comes first. And you are always covered by our Fun Guarantee!

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Operated under a Special-Use Permit on land under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. We provide services, accommodations, and privileges regardless of race, color, creed, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, or national origin. Persons are employed on an equal basis to operate, maintain, or construct facilities for public use.