California Backcountry Discovery Trail

[Derek24]

Hey Derek, thanks. I'm in Monte Rio. Nice to meet someone else on the forums from west county. I think there are a few trails throughout the state marked as CBDT. We didn't go through Cow Mountain but interesting to hear that the the CBDT system goes through there as well. I haven't seen a map that shows the whole system.

You probably couldn't do the trail now, more because of snow than than rain. We tried to take Forest Road M1 from Upper Lake to the Eel River Workstation last spring but it was closed due to snow. Barring that, most of the trail is pretty mild.

Ahh yeah I have seen you then driving down river road and around SR, actually I've seen you in the Trader Joes parking lot lol! I hear you on the snow, hull mt is up there around 6,000 ft so I'm sure. Ether way it looks fun. I really want to do Mendocino Pass Rd out of Covelo, looks like a nice expo road with some trails off of the road. Look up Anthony Peak, somewhere around 6,500ft with a look out tower on top and you can drive up to it from Mendocino pass rd.

 

[skinzluch]

Ahh yeah I have seen you then driving down river road and around SR, actually I've seen you in the Trader Joes parking lot lol! I hear you on the snow, hull mt is up there around 6,000 ft so I'm sure. Ether way it looks fun. I really want to do Mendocino Pass Rd out of Covelo, looks like a nice expo road with some trails off of the road. Look up Anthony Peak, somewhere around 6,500ft with a look out tower on top and you can drive up to it from Mendocino pass rd.

Ha, that's funny. That means I've probably see you around too!

We took Mendocino Pass Rd. on our trip but we didn't go to Anthony Peak. I have been to a couple of fire lookouts though. They're great places to visit.

I checked out your build thread. Nice job on your truck! I think it's pretty cool that you installed your own lockers. I just got a set of lockers for my truck and your thread has me wondering if that's a job I could take on.

 

[Derek24]

Ha, that's funny. That means I've probably see you around too!

We took Mendocino Pass Rd. on our trip but we didn't go to Anthony Peak. I have been to a couple of fire lookouts though. They're great places to visit.

I checked out your build thread. Nice job on your truck! I think it's pretty cool that you installed your own lockers. I just got a set of lockers for my truck and your thread has me wondering if that's a job I could take on.

Yeah small world! I installed a powertrax myself because I didn't have to set my gears or anything like that since the locker just replaced my spider gears. With the ARB I removed the 3rd and took it into a shop so they could set up the gears right. One day ill learn to set up gears as I hate bringing my truck to anyone, if something breaks at least I know what's wrong if I installed it. Most of the work you can do yourself to save you money!

 

[piffey263]

Thanks for sharing, hmm interesting I drive threw upper lake 5 days a week. I haven't had a chance to go up those roads, just cow mountain so far. I been wanting too though, guess I better hurry up, considering I live there.

 

[twblanset]

I'm really looking forward to the next parts.

 

[skinzluch]

Thanks for sharing, hmm interesting I drive threw upper lake 5 days a week. I haven't had a chance to go up those roads, just cow mountain so far. I been wanting too though, guess I better hurry up, considering I live there.

Yeah, check out Elk Mountain Rd. from Upper Lake to Lake Pillsbury. Lake Pillsbury is beautiful. It's an easy road but gets a little rougher if you keep going on to Hull Mountain. Also check out County Road M6 from Potter Valley to Lake Pillsbury. I think it's closed in winter but it has huge potholes that fill up with water if you can catch it in the fall before it closes.

 

[skinzluch]

I'm really looking forward to the next parts.

Thanks. Going to post it in a sec...

 

[skinzluch]

CBDT, Part 3: What's Up Watt's Lake?

Hey guys, here are some highlights from day three of our trip up the CBDT, which took us from the Mendocino National Forest up to what we thought was going to be our campsite on the banks of the Van Deusen river in the Six Rivers National Forest. You can see the full post at West County Explorers Club, including route map, trip notes and campsite locations. Part 3 here

 

[skinzluch]

CBDT, Part 1 Video

And here's a quick little video we shot on day 1 at Lake Pillsbury in which we eat turkey jerky and my girlfriend decides I'm talking too much. We also spot a herd of elk.

Btw, I say the CBDT runs "all the way through" the Six Rivers National Forest. I was high on turkey jerky. It doesn't. I runs up into the Six Rivers N. F. but not through it.

 

[skinzluch]

CBDT, Part 2 Video

Here's some video of our second day on the trail where we run into a hang glider port and a dog with a skin condition.

 

[rho]

Neat trip! The wife and I are up in the Santa Rosa area a couple times a year, this trip looks like a fun couple day distraction.

 

[skinzluch]

Neat trip! The wife and I are up in the Santa Rosa area a couple times a year, this trip looks like a fun couple day distraction.

Yeah, it's a nice trip. It took us about a week to do the whole trip, a little more than 200 miles. You can certainly do parts of it in a couple of days. Lake Pillsbury is beautiful. Lots of wildlife. Also you could do a quick loop through Deer Valley from Upper Lake. That's a good day or two trip. You can also see High Glade Fire Lookout on that loop. Sometimes Forest Service staff even invite you up to see the view.

Here's a post about that trip with a map and some campsite recommendations.

 

[rho]

Yeah, it's a nice trip. It took us about a week to do the whole trip, a little more than 200 miles. You can certainly do parts of it in a couple of days. Lake Pillsbury is beautiful. Lots of wildlife. Also you could do a quick loop through Deer Valley from Upper Lake. That's a good day or two trip. You can also see High Glade Fire Lookout on that loop. Sometimes Forest Service staff even invite you up to see the view.

Here's a post about that trip with a map and some campsite recommendations.

Thanks for the recommendation! Looks like a fun day trip.

 

[skinzluch]

Hey Guys, Here are some highlights from Part 4 of our Trip up the CBDT. We ended up at Ruth Lake, a really nice place up in the Six Rivers National Forest. We stopped and did a little target shooting on the way there. See the full post on West County Explorers Club for route map and campsite locations.

 

[skinzluch]

After spending a couple of days at Ruth Lake in the Six Rivers National Forest, we continued along the California Backcountry Discovery Trail and found one of the nicest remote campsites of the trip. This is an easy trail you can do with any stock SUV.

See the highlights below or see the whole post, complete with maps and video here.