Wilder Ranch | Santa Cruz, CA

[@giuliom8520]

My kinda ride! Mountain biking is the best invention of the 20th century! What a great way to explore the outdoors! It makes so much amazing terrain available to us.

[@jcee2259]

Beg to differ, Because I use street-legal dirt motorcycles. Amid temperate rain forest on sub-alpine byways, To go faster than a chasing cougar or bear. Wear bells and carry 10 ounce aerosol Pepper Bear Spray. And I'll keep looking for your buttons and zippers when I find fresh critter scat

[@marktechsci]

Nice video. The camera position and transitions are week done as is the editing. I’ve been here once and will bring my GF back soon so this is a good refresher. Thanks and have a thumbs up.

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

Thanks. Enjoy the ride!

[@Leon4x4]

Great job finding and posting these rides.

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

Thanks!

[@jontg429]

Riding this park when doing my demo ride from the Santa Cruz factory, cannot wait, thanks for posting!

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

Try the singletrack loop on mtbproject for a good sampling of fun: www.mtbproject.com/trail/7019596/wilder-ranch-singletrack-loops. Also, keep your eyes open for Bobcats and even mountain lions. I had two close encounters with bobcats on my visit, which was an extra treat!

[@mattanders8939]

Another awesome production and ride 👍 keep it up!

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

Thanks! This one took a while. Had to chop down 4 hours of footage. More coming soon!

[@NobodyEpic131]

Just went there today and had a blast such a different set of trails then what I got used to riding in Nevada

[@nateums]

your vids are awesome dude! subbed

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

Thanks!

[@timswift3206]

Cool video. I rode Wilder Ridge Loop last Friday. The western part of it is totally overgrown with weeds over 6 feet high so I would avoid it and take the Zane Gray Cutoff. Overall it's a spectacular place with great views, but some of the trails need maintenance. Most of the singletrack trails are pretty hard packed with ruts, so there's not too many easy rides

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

I went with Zane Gray for the same reason. It seems like the west end is forever overgrown. Also, Zane Gray offers a good contrast of more desert style riding.

[@timswift3206]

@@outofshapemountainbikersne4243 I just got in a day a riding at Wilder in at the tail end of a business trip to San Jose. Loved Santa Cruz. I'm a New England guy and we typically don't have the really long ascents/descents, more constant up/downs

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

@@timswift3206 Its a really fun area. I hope to get back there soon.

[@juandelgado9071]

How long is the ride ?

[@timswift3206]

@@juandelgado9071 it's a big area you could probably ride all day and not hit the same trail

[@Coolchris158]

Awesome video I ride there all the time and you definitely got the good stuff. I know its an old video, but it sounds like you have some break rub.

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

That ride was at the end of a long trip filled with failures, including a destroyed front week and the start of an epic seat post creak. Brake rub was the least of my problems. Also, I sold that bike a year ago... after I fixed all those problems of course. :)

[@mtbjuky]

to hit all these trails, whats the best order to minimize climbing and max the descents?

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

The order in which they appear in the video is my best advice. That said, I've only been there twice so I'm not expert. I chose the recommended route off of MTB project and it seemed good.

[@vp3093]

what would you say is the most difficult downhill in the park?

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

Difficulty isn't something I would generally associate with Wilder Ranch. That said, I had trouble in a few spots on Enchanted Loop, but that had more to do with my state of mind at the end of a long road trip, where everything that could go wrong did, than the difficulty of the trails there. So, I'd probably go with Enchanted Loop as "most difficult" based on the few bits of tech that may intimidate advanced beginners.

[@8664antonio]

nice.

[@gamehaus]

Great job! What is your name on Strava so I can follow you there?

[@JimsonMTB]

Hey thanks for the video, pretty far but id go there someday...

[@angyebueno]

What’s your camera? Love how stable it is!

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

It's a Hero 4 Black mounted on a Evo SS Gimbal. Still no good substitute for a gimbal.

[@AmadeColenbrander]

I cant believe you didn't hit the log, my mom could ride that.

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

I guess your mom's more experienced at riding logs than I am. :)

[@AmadeColenbrander]

@@outofshapemountainbikersne4243 stay on the grind💯💯 u gonna be better than my mom in no time

[@willpennstrom6033]

@@outofshapemountainbikersne4243 Lmao fucking roasted him bro

[@tylervik5060]

Do you have the Strava for this ride? Thx

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

I don't but I followed almost this exact loop on MTB project: www.mtbproject.com/trail/7019596/wilder-ranch-singletrack-loops. Because it was so hot on the day I was there, I skipped the first loop due to lack of shade, which starts to appear about 3 miles in from the entrance. You generally have to get into the valleys for relief in the summer.

[@JAFO.]

I'm too out of shape to watch the whole video. What bike were you riding?

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

The fast forward button demands a lot of energy! :) I was on my Sentinel here and wound up using it for everything on the cost during this trip. Any 120-140 bike is a great match for this zone. It's not too chunky here and there is a lot of up and down, so a big enduro bike will feel like a slug.

[@JAFO.]

@@outofshapemountainbikersne4243 I saw it around Enchanted or the other deeper woods segment with a drop off you looked back at.

[@gregwebster8784]

Does look sorta boring, so I'll take my xc bike and let off the brakes.

[@outofshapemountainbikersne4243]

If you are looking for chunkier, steeper, techy thrills, then Wilder Ranch is going to come up short. That said, I felt right at home with my Sentinel and was only bored with the early road climbs.