Day 3: Loyalton to Downieville, Yuba pass

May 13, 2021

Today's awesome ride has 3 distinct segments:
   17 miles in the Sierra Valley
   6 mile climb to Yuba pass
   25 mile descent to Downieville

CA 49 circles around the south perimeter of the Sierra Valley. Mostly in the flat valley, but occasionally climbing small hills. It has continuous views of the Sierra Nevada range that I will cross today. Fortunately the mountains aren't as high as they are farther south near Carson City.

Irrigated weeds. I cross these mountains today.

I saw many interesting barns today. This one was the best. The Sierra Valley is one of only two farm valleys I will see on this tour. I won't see farms again until the last day of the tour.

I stopped for a few minutes in Sierraville, where CA 49 joins busier CA 89 for 8 miles. I passed through Sierraville twice before when biking CA 89, the Sierra Cascades bike route.

The other major town in the Sierra Valley.

The Globe Hotel still seems to be closed because of the pandemic. Before the tour I inquired about staying at the Globe Hotel and soaking at Sierra Hot Springs, but they weren't taking reservations and didn't have a firm opening date. The hot springs appeared to be closed when I passed by the turnoff.

Globe Hotel is owned by the same group that owns nearby Sierra Hot Spring.

From Sierraville I pedaled north on CA 89/49 to the village of Sattley, on the edge of the pine forest. In Sattley I turned left onto CA 49 and immediately began climbing through pine forest.

My first stop on the big ascent was at the vista point 700 feet above the Sierra Valley. The view is rather obstructed by "view blockers".

To the south I could see the town of Sierraville and big snow-capped mountains in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe.

Sierra Valley telephoto view from the real camera. Looking south towards higher Sierra Nevada peaks.

The 1600 foot climb to Yuba pass is easy because the maximum grade is only 5%. CA 49 must be one of the earliest roads across the Sierra Nevada, built when horse drawn wagons or early cars couldn't handle steeper grades.

Wide view of a switchback curve. The road is a steady 5% grade.

As usual there isn't much of a view at the pass. Just trees, a sign, and a road.

2nd highest pass of the trip. Crest of the Sierra Nevada range.

I had never seen this before. Jim Fitch says it's a fungus-eating parasite plant called Sarcodes.

During the upper part of the descent I had many partial views of snowy pinnacles to the south. The view got gradually better and I finally got a relatively unobstructed view. Tall rocky peaks are all around, but I can almost never see them because of the trees.

Awesome snowy pinnacles during the descent.

CA 49 joins a stream at 6200 feet elevation, the upper reaches of the North Fork Yuba river.

CA 49 joins the tiny North Fork Yuba river.

I took a long stop at a roadside waterfall next to an "Elevation 5000 feet" sign. The spring-fed waterfall is quite nice, water gushes out of the ground on the side of the road.

Big Springs waterfall. Time exposure with the real camera.

North Fork Yuba river. Now below 5000 feet elevation.

Shortly after the waterfall I rolled into the first gold mining town of the tour, Sierra City. It's quite charming, lived up to expectations. It's a popular tourist town for good reason.

Miners built houses on every available patch of land.

Sierra City, the first gold mining town on the tour.

Most visitors on this corridor come from the low valleys to the west. To them, this is the end of the Gold Rush country. For me, it's the beginning of the Gold Rush country. Sierra City is the first of many gold rush towns that I will see during this tour.

Sierra City is 4150 feet elevation, higher than most gold mining towns.

This photo of the masonic lodge shows how Sierra City is in a deep canyon.

Sierra City's population peaked at 3000 in the 1850's. Now the population is 220.

The ride from Sierra City to Downieville was very fast. Continuous downstream. The highway never climbs high above the river.

I entered Downieville on a 1-lane bridge across the Downie river. That explains why I didn't see trucks today!

CA 49 crosses the Downie river on this one lane bridge. Excellent oversize vehicle filter.

Downieville is squeezed into a narrow steep canyon. It's hard to imagine how the town once had space for more than 5000 people.

Downieville had a population of 5000 in 1851. Now the year-round population is 158.

Downieville is located at the fork of two major streams, the Downie river and North Fork Yuba river, elevation 2966 feet.

Downieville is at the confluence of the Downie river (left) and North Fork Yuba river (right).

My lodge is across the river from the main part of town, with an awesome view of the Downie river.

I enjoyed the view from my balcony. The river view is great and it only takes 5 minutes to walk to town across the one lane bridge.

Of course a riverfront room in a popular tourist town isn't cheap. My room at Riverside Mountain Lodge cost $145, with no breakfast.

What a day! A scenic high desert valley, a forested mountain climb, and a 25 mile descent with river views and two gold rush towns.

High temperature was 82F/28C in the shady canyon. I'm sure it was much warmer in the Sacramento valley. The temperature has warmed to about normal.

Distance: 52.4 miles (84 km)
Ascent/Descent: +2150/-3998 feet (+655/-1219 m)
Average Speed: 9.2 mph (14.7 km/h)

Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 150 miles (241 km)

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