Pendola Gonzo Loop Ride -

Gallery

Hike Details

• Length : 6 miles to Murrieta Divide; 6.7 miles from the divide to Monte Arrido; 10 miles from Monte Arrido to Pendola Ranger Station; 3.1 miles from there back to your car.
• Gain : 1,600’ to Murrieta Divide; 4,000’ to Monte Arido; some short ups and downs on the jeepway; the climb from the divide to Monte Arrido is tough.
• Difficulty : Gonzo; the elevation gain from the former Juncal Campground area to the top of Monte Arrido is more than 4,000’ and the overall gain in the 6,000' range.
• Path : Dirt road all of the way, some of it very steep to Monte Arrido. A fire break road with lots of ups and downs to the Ranger Station.

Access / Getting There

Things to Know

Expectations for Riding the Santa Barbara Area Trails
Country trails are multi-use trails and as such are used by several thousand users each week. If you are riding downhill on these trails, expect to encounter them on your way. Your cooperation will help make everyone's experience a safe and pleasant one.

Ten things every mountain biker who rides the front country trails is expected to do:

1. Have a bike bell so other trail users know you are approaching.

2. Keep your speed down; practice riding techniques that minimize impacts.

3. Good braking means never having to skid. Do not lock up your brakes.

4. Approach switchbacks with caution and brake well before you reach them.

5. Stay on the designated tread. The front country trails are multi-use, not a race course.

6. Ride with other trail users in mind and enhance rather than interfere with their enjoyment.

7. Always assume there is another trail user around each corner.

8. Yield the right-of-way to uphill trail users. Stop and dismount if necessary to allow them to pass.

9. When approaching equestrians, dismount and ask them what they want you to do.

10. Be courteous. Smile and say something friendly to everyone you encounter.

Background

Trip Log

On The Trail

On The Bike

This is the ultimate day loop trip. The route follows the upper Santa Ynez River for six miles, taking you from Juncal Camp­ground past Jameson Reservoir to Murrieta Divide. This is the easy part of the trip. If you’ve ridden to the divide before and you found it pushed you to your limits, the rest of the ride isn’t for you. The good news, however, is that it an easy ride back down to the divide if you get this far and find the riding too difficult.

At the divide, turn left (north). From here the road leads sharply uphill across the flanks of Old Man Mountain to Monte Arido. You’ll push a lot of this if you aren’t in top shape because it is very steep and loose in places. Beyond Old Man Mountain the gradient does ease off, though by that time you will have extremely tired legs and any kind of climbing will be hard.

Though difficult, the 7.5-mile “hell ride” from Murrieta Divide to the top of Monte Arido provides spectacular scenery, including views of the Channel Islands, the southern Sierra Nevadas, and most of the Santa Barbara and Ventura County back country. The last time I rode this there was snow on top of the high peaks and bear tracks (both mother and cub) that had to have been made that day, because the snow had fallen just the night before.

The Pendola Jeep Trail is a half-mile north of the top of Monte Arido and is easy to spot. It leads left down into a canyon, then eventually along a long ridge that winds up and down for ten miles to Pendola Ranger Station. From there, turn left on Pendola Road. It is three miles back to Juncal Campground and your car.

A last note: Use good sense on the way up. If you don’t think you can make it all the way, turn back. It’s all downhill on the return trip. Even from the top of Monte Arido it shouldn’t take you more than an hour and a half to get back to your car the way you came. Once you’re on the Pendola Jeepway, however, you are committed to completing the loop.

On The Run

On The Walk