Mountain Geist Biking Adventures

MountainGeist offers a wide variety of bike adventures including mountain biking, road biking and even gravel tours.  We offer half-day to full-day tours from the gold country foothills to High Sierra Passes of the famous Death Ride!

We offer mountain biking for all abilities from beginner rides along the edge of reservoirs to advanced trails in the High Sierra.  We all also offer backroad gravel tours traversing vineyards and pastures in the beautiful foothills of the Gold Country.

We have designed our tours for bike riding enthusiasts that have their own gear, but options exist for rentals in some locations – call to inquire.

CALL TO BOOK NOW!

EXPERIENCE

Biking Tours & Mountain Biking Adventures

ACTIVITY

Mountain Biking, Road Biking, Gravel Road Tours

DESTINATION

Gold Country Foothills to the High Sierra

SEASON

Year-Round

DURATION

Half to Full-Day

CHALLENGE

Easy to Advanced

SOLITUDE

Less Traveled

PRICE

From $75 PP

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Expert Biking Guide

Guide will carry limited repair equipment

First Aid kit carried by guide trained in wilderness first aid

Water at trailhead (bottle/s)

Light trail snacks – may contain nuts

Bag Lunch (on full day experiences only)

USFS permits and guiding fees (does not include park entrance fees)

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Biking Equipment (some locations offer rental options)

Guide Gratuities

Transportation to/from trailhead (we will caravan from a central meeting location)

Personal Park Entry Fees (where appropriate and driving separately)

Please call for equipment rental options for specialized gear (bikes, boats, paddleboards, etc.)

WHAT TO BRING

Highly Recommended

Participants will need to bring their own bike

Helmet (required), eye protection, biking gloves

Spare inner-tube and patch kit

Water container - at least 1 liter

Appropriate biking apparel with pockets or small daypack for snacks / extra insulation

Sunscreen (SPF 30+) and SPF rated lip balm

Additional top insulating layer of clothing (e.g microfleece or ‘puffy’)

Wind/Water resistant jacket (top shell)

WHAT TO BRING

Optional

Camera

Sunglasses

Additional trail snacks (especially those with dietary restrictions or allergies)

Personal medication

Bug spray

Bike lamp, headlamp or small flashlight

Wind/Water resistant pant shell (weather dependent)

Nitty Gritty Details

Scheduled Days of Experience

Bike Tour and Mountain Biking Adventures are offered year-round as weather allows during weekends and holidays.  Call to book.  Private experiences may be booked during the week days with prior arrangement.

Meeting Time and Place

Upon booking, you will be provided an exact time and meeting location which will can be tailored up or down the highway 4 corridor to accommodate our guests.

Transportation

All transport to and from the trailhead will be in your personal vehicle.  The group will caravan together from the meeting location to the trailhead.

Challenge, Terrain and Duration

The challenge level of this experience is from Beginner to Advanced depending on the location and specific bike trail. We offer mountain biking for all abilities from gently rolling single tracks along the edge of reservoirs to exciting adventures on advanced trails throughout the Sierra National Forest.  We all also offer backroad gravel tours traversing vineyards and pastures in the beautiful foothills of the Gold Country.  The experience can be modified in trail length, duration and elevation to fit the abilities of the group.  From those wanting an exciting, fitness-centered, fast-paced ride or others wanting a family friendly adventure for all ages, we can customize the experience for each group. The elevation of the trailheads range from 1,300 feet to over 7,000 feet.

Solitude

Less-Traveled – While you may see a few others sharing the trails and views, you will have the trail to yourself for much of the experience.  In some locations, such as established recreational areas, you may tend to see a few more outdoorists sharing the trail.

Group Size

You may expect anywhere from three to eight other ‘adventurers’ on your shared experience. Private experiences are also available for an upgrade.

Minimum Age

Generally, we encourage each participant to consider their ability in meeting the “challenge” level outlined in each experience rather than adhering to strict age limits.  While we recommend a minimum age of 12 on biking experiences, we would consider younger ages with relevant biking experience.  Keep in mind each of our experiences will involve hill climbing to some degree as we are in the mountains.

Trip Packet

Shortly before the scheduled day of the experience, a trip packet will be sent to the contact email who booked the experience.  You will be provided trip details, trailhead information, weather forecast update, and reminders on what to pack and what to expect.  You will also receive a liability waiver and a few other items to fill out prior to the day of the experience which will be returned via email or delivered in person to the guide at the meeting location.

Security

As with parking in any remote location, we encourage you to leave any valuables at home and lock anything remaining of value in your trunk or out of site.  Due to wildlife considerations, we discourage leaving food or scented items in your vehicle.  There are generally no bear boxes at the trailheads where we will be parking, so leave what you don’t need on the ride at your home, hotel or rental.

Park Entry Fees

Some experiences may take place within parks or recreational areas that require a personal entry fee.  When traveling in your separate personal vehicle following the guide, you will be responsible for any park entry fees where appropriate.  Most trailheads in the Stanislaus National Forest do not require an entry fee or collect parking fees during non-winter seasons.

Lodging

Need recommendations for lodging before or after your experience?  Don’t hesitate to call us and we can help provide information.

Terrain Profile

You will start at a trailhead elevation of TBD feet with terrain variations less than +/- TBD feet throughout the ride.

Pricing Details

This experience is open to the public and single participants will join a larger group.

Pricing per person (PP) based on number of people in booking party (not total group size).

Discounts provided to parties booking with 2 or more people.

“Solo” pricing option available on experiences that do not book multiple participants (it does not refer to a private experience).

Non-refundable deposit required upon booking.  $25 per person for open trips or 20% of the total price for private trips.

Private group experience upgrade fee of $200 per group.

Full-Day and Multi-Sport Upgrades are available

Call for details about private groups, corporate events and custom experiences

Cancellation Policy

Refunds offered up to 48-hours in advance of all day or half-day trips (7-days in advance of all multi-day trips) less the non-refundable deposit unless cancelled by MountainGeist in which a full refund or credit will be offered.

Single-participant, non-private experiences (public experiences that only book a single participant), will have the option to either upgrade to a “solo” price experience or cancel 48-hours in advance with a full refund.  The “solo” option may be designated at time of booking as well.

Pricing Based on Half-Day

SOLO OPTION

$170

1 PERSON

$95 / PP

2-3 PEOPLE

$85 / PP

4+ PEOPLE

$75 / PP

UNDER 12

15% Discount

TRIPS OFFERED: Mountain Biking

NEW MELONES LAKE: Glory Hole Easy to Moderate
NEW MELONES LAKE: Tuttle Town Easy to Moderate
NEW MELONES LAKE: Shell Road with optional hike to Peoria Mtn Moderate to Advanced
ARNOLD AREA: Arnold Rim Trail TBD
ARNOLD AREA:Dorrington to White Pines - downhill TBD
BEAR VALLEY (rental options): Lake Alpine Loop TBD
BEAR VALLEY (rental options): Rings Loop - from 207 to town TBD
BEAR VALLEY (rental options): Bloods Ridge Loop TBD
BEAR VALLEY (rental options): Cape Horn downhill TBD
BEAR VALLEY (rental options): Slick Rock TBD

TRIPS OFFERED: Road Biking

MURPHYS AREA: Six Mile Rd via Ironstone - gravel tour TBD
MURPHYS AREA: San Domingo - one-way or loop TBD
MURPHYS AREA: Country Road Loops - Sheep Ranch / Mtn Ranch / Calaveritas TBD
HIGH COUNTRY (DEATH RIDE) TOURS: Bear Valley to Markeeville Advanced
HIGH COUNTRY (DEATH RIDE) TOURS: Bear Valley Advanced