There is vast Muni potential in the Ojai area, with dozens of trails snaking up and down various 8,000 foot peaks. Unfortunately for us (we’re lazy), there are no shuttle possibilities so it’s all up (hiking) and back (riding).
This was only our second trip to Ojai and on a fluke we followed the Pratt Mountain trail that, up high (after perhaps 3 miles of hiking) featured one of the most pristine single tracks we’ve seen–not real technical but gorgeous, flaked by impressive mountainsides and a spectular 50-mile view. There’s about a half mile stretch where the single track hugs the side of a mountain with exposure that takes your breath away. It’s only intermediate riding but a foot left of the trail the mountain drops two thousand feet.
Below, the trail gets technical with long sections of connected ledge drops that you can connect street style with rolling hops. There’s also a thin pipe skinny that flexes like crazy after 30 feet.
Morgan keeps getting better every trip and it’s a gas to have a female along who is starting to burn it up.
For someone who has the time and energy to explore (and hike–the trails are steep and strenuous), Ojai is your place.
Sounds cool, I bet Evan is wishing he didn’t break himself.
I found the pictures in the gallery, it looks pretty awesome. If/when I get a car and my drivers licence I am want to come on some of your rides.
What a blast! It’s supposed to rain hard early this week, so we needed to get a serious MUni fix before the deluge.
Hikers that we passed mentioned they had seen snow at the peak - and before we turned around to ride back down, the temperature noticeably dropped about 15 degrees. The temp at sea level was about 70F.
DUDE, john, why the HELL didnt you tell me about this? pratt is like a stones throw away, a couple hundred feet from my house!! gaaa!!! anyhow, i couldnt have riden anyway.
Didn’t know you were into Muni, Evan, nor did I know you lived in Ojai. If you live near that trail, the bottom mile (with all the ledge drops and rock gardens) is a perfect Muni training ground and if you put a few rides in there a week you’d be a Muni monster in six months or less.
If you want to start riding with the Santa Barbara group (who ride far and wide every Sat. and Sunday), just join the SBUNI.ORG mailing list and you’re good to go.
This last year we’ve gotten into exploring so no telling where we’ll be week to week, but I’m sure we’ll end up back in Ojai soon enough. Perhaps you can direct us to another interesting trail, and join in if you want. You’re always welcome.
yeah id be up for a ride with you guys, im currently out of commission, but once im back riding again id love to ride.
im told that if you take a back rode up and back of noroff peak you can take a pretty good single track all the way down and it meets up with pratt and takes you down to the trailhead.
