From: Robert H. Sydnor
Date: Sun, Oct 16, 2011
Here are several photographs of Gorman Ranch Road that I took in April 2011.
Click once on each photo to see the detailed caption. Using the slide-bar on the aerial photograph (on right side of GoogleEarth), enlarge the aerial photograph to the detailed view of Gorman Ranch Road. These photos are not on the official Western States Trail, so I never took the time to upload them onto GoogleEarth, thinking that they would be marginal in value.
But suddenly, on the day before Tevis, they became highly relevant, so this small album was useful to the 176 Tevis riders. Thanks to Chuck Stalley, Tevis Ride Manager; and to Tevis Vice President Greg Kimler for making the prudent decision to utilize the Gorman Ranch Road.
My photos are meant to convey the impression that this is a well-maintained official Placer County Road that is full-width (no brush, no pit-falls, no water-bars, no chance of getting lost). Therefore, horses could easily pass each other (coming and going) at the turn-around point at Mosquito Ridge Road (the paved highway). But it is steep with 1,800 feet of vertical relief descending from Chickenhawk, and then climbing back to Chickenhawk. This totals 3,600 feet of total relief.
Many local AERC riders use Gorman Ranch Road for springtime conditioning for their horses, since it can be ridden in marginal weather, and is generally (but not always) below the winter snow-line. Staging can be done from either Michigan Bluff, or Foresthill.
Note that on weekends, there is very fast traffic (specifically: high-speed motorcycles) on Mosquito Ridge Road, so it is not recommended for crossing by horses on the double-blind curve. AERC riders need to be mindful of traffic safety issues along Mosquito Ridge Road.
Respectfully submitted, Robert H. Sydnor, AERC Trail Master & Tevis Trail Maintenance Crew
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