Mountain Ridge
March 2026

We ran the Mountain Ridge route twice this past week — once on Tuesday with an intermediate group of three riders, and again Saturday with a more advanced pair. Here's what the trail looks like right now.

Surface Conditions

We had some rain late February and the trail is showing it — in a good way. The lower sections that are normally loose and dusty have firmed up nicely. Hardpack with a thin layer of loose gravel on top. Grip is excellent right now, probably the best it's been since November. The usual dust clouds that follow you on the ascent are minimal.

The upper switchbacks (the rocky section around the 600m elevation mark) are unchanged — rain doesn't affect embedded rock. The line through the tightest switchback is the same: wide entry, tight exit, stay on the inside. There's a new loose patch about halfway through the final descent where some rocks have shifted. I've flagged it with a cairn on the left side. Keep your line right of it and you're fine.

What I'm Watching

The creek crossing at km 8 has a little water in it right now. Not deep — maybe 10cm — but it changes the surface from dry rocks to wet rocks, which means slower approach speed and more rear-brake control. I'm prepping every rider for this before we hit it. By mid-March the water will likely be gone.

Vegetation is greening up from the rain, which means the chaparral on the narrower single-track sections is encroaching slightly. Nothing that blocks the trail, but your elbows and knees will brush branches in a few spots. Long sleeves are not optional right now.

Rider Notes

Saturday's group included a rider who'd done our Vineyard Loop twice before and wanted to step up. First time on the Mountain Ridge. He was nervous about the switchbacks but nailed every one of them after we walked through the approach together. His biggest takeaway: "I didn't know standing up on the pegs would make the rocky sections feel so much more stable." That's the thing — you can tell someone about it, but they don't really get it until they feel the difference themselves.

Tuesday's group was solid intermediate. We pushed the pace a bit on the ridge section and one rider found a really clean line through the rock garden that I'm going to start recommending. Sometimes the riders teach you things.

Bottom Line

March is peak season for this trail. The rain firmed up the surface, the temperatures are perfect (18–24°C), and the green hillsides make the views from the ridge even better than usual. If you've been thinking about the Mountain Ridge tour, this is the month to do it.

Recommended bike: Honda CRF 450 or KTM 300 XC-W. See the full trail guide for more on this route.