FR31 s(u) by Bicycle - Velo

FR31 s(u)-1

FR31 leaves Mount Shasta City as part of the Old Mc Cloud Road, an abandoned road that now makes a great mountain bike ride. When it intersects Ski Park Hwy, FR31 now follows a path a little further up the slope of Mount Shasta, north of the old Mc Cloud Road. My map also shows the Old Mc Cloud Road, descending to the village with that name, but I could not find it.

1.(3490ft,mile00.0)START-END WEST: jct I5-Ca89, just south of Mt Shasta City
2.(4470ft,mile05.1)profile turns left up Ski Park Highway on top of Snowman's Hill
3.(5240ft,mile08.9)route stays right onto FR31
4.(5620ft,mile13.0)TOP: point of highest elevation
5.(4970ft,mile17.9)START-END EAST: profile goes down "Winding Way" on right
6.(3310ft,26.2mile)START-END EAST ALT: jct Ca89 - Pilgrim Creek Rd

another profile of this summit is on page FR19: Deer Mtn Rd s(u)

From West. The profile starts just south of Mt Shasta City and goes up Snowman's Hill s(u). You could start much lower still. The description starts higher where FR31 crosses Ski Park Hwy, continuing west on FR31. The old pavement on this road becomes increasingly spotty, until it finally completely disappears. Clear cut logging areas become increasingly common, as you approach the east side of the mountain. Riding this made me look at the nearby Everitt Memorial Highway differently. Before I saw it as passing through a representative landscape. Now I see it as a very carefully selected peace of land, along which care has been taken to leave everything in immediate eye's range in its natural condition. Riding this road shows how uncommon this condition actually is.

The summit point is not really noticeable on a bike. For me it was still a joy to ride this road, because it follows every contour of the land, winding north and south along every drainage. Its general eastward course seems almost to happen by accident. And the occasional incredible backdrop to the north didn't hurt either.

From East. (described donwards). More clear cut areas. Still, I never met an actual logging truck. - At the jct with FR19, the profile descends back down to Ca89, in order to show a big approach on this side. My own ride continued around Mount Shasta - turn left towards FR19 s(u)-2