from on top Choke Cherry, if you were looking down Choke, then behind you and to the left over your left shoulder just a few hundred feet away is a full circle bowl nice and deep and steep, very nice bowl.
going down choke cherry and turning left, following the trail around the brush line, you will get to deadhorse. keep going beyond that and end up at the end of the line at devils dune.

but the best route to devils IMO not for the meek at heart is to cut across the big dunes from choke to get to devils.
there are so many bowls at st. a's that you can't count them all. no place in north america has so many, it is a place of worship, a dune mecca. on the 7th day God didn't rest at all man, he made st. a's and then said "Let's go Ride!"

 

We rode in so many places its hard to beleive we didnt hit some of the big bowls! O well there is always "THE FUTURE" just gives us a reason to go back!

 

Great input everyone. I just want to make sure when I get there I am not stuck on some hill [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img]

 

Amen Roost!

Dragon you will be fine, its all about the tires and gearing, 22" belong on the DS not 20", and the 14T front is what you need, especially when you take the big HP hit for the altitude. tuning matters too, you will richen up quite a bit from the altitude, DS's don't have a problem with running really bad although there is power to gain by rejtting correctly.

 

there are so many bowls at st. a's that you can't count them all. no place in north america has so many, it is a place of worship, a dune mecca. on the 7th day God didn't rest at all man, he made st. a's and then said "Let's go Ride!"

amen to that brotha! Folks that haven't been don't know what there missing- it is a place of worship[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

More videos on All About Sand!

But, not of stock bikes.

Still fun to watch.

I agree, the newer DS's seem to be better suited to the hills (stock vs. stock). I like the older swingarm once you add power though!

22" 8 or 9 paddle haulers are the best choice for climbing.

There is a hill at Sand Mt. NV that kicked my butt a certain time of the year when the sand was just right and before I did any mods. Since then no problem.

 

Can't wait to go to the "Big House" in July (8-14). . . any chance you'll make it up and hook up with us? Should have the family's. . . would be cool to see Mrs. Echo and all the little Echo's.

 

Best said High Tower

Set yourself up with the right gearing (14 or 15 tooth on the front) and 22" paddels on the rear.
Make sure to get a good set of paddels - no cheapies
Make sure your jetting is spot on - it makes a hugh differeance in higher elavations
The first couple of times I was there a few years ago I tryed without paddels and crap gearing.
- could not make it

Weather and the condition of the sand makes a hugh differance as well - We were there last may and it rained for a few days. Choke was very hard to climb the sand was so wet. It took me 4 or 5 times to make it once. I can usually pull the hill in 3rd gear when the sand is dry !!!

I will also be there in June and would love to hook up with a few of you for a ride !!!


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I appriciate everyone's feedback on this. It is hard when you are trying to go somewhere you have never been, and all you hear is how amazing these big hills are. I don't like not making it to the top, and would have killed myself in the attempt to not lose [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

Can't wait to ride there!!

 

There is a risk if you dont make some of the steeper dune climbs, but as long as you dont panic and think about what you will do before hand, you will be just fine. One of my riding buddies brothers (dosnt ride all that much, but bought a new 06 yfz with paddles for the trip) was climbing devils dune and missed a shift. He pretty much freaked out 3/4 of the way up and hopped off! Needless to say the yfz started rolling (on its tires) backwards down the hill. He got SUPER lucky, all the way down devils dune without a single lateral roll! The bars kept going side to side and it was carving backwards down the dune. OF COURSE his brother was filming BUT was filming a couple of us drag up the hill not his brother (a good memory and a lesson learned by him!).

Ride hard, but most importantly ride safe! O and take lots of pictures for those of us who cannot frequent the dunes [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]