Buxton and Lake Mountain Thread

We rode Cascades yesterday from the Gate to the bottom. I was with my kids and some friends with their kids, aged 10, 10, 11, 11 and 12. All pretty good riders for their age (well, maybe except for me, at my age I probably should be a lot faster by now but meh).
We had a blast! Everyone loved the trail. The only part that the kids all bottled was about 25m of really steep rocky berms, and they didn't hit the jumps. They rode all the rest.
We stopped quite a lot as we weren't in a rush and it took us 3.5 hours. I've ridden the whole first section down to the gate before, and I remembered it being pretty exhausting, so was glad we started from the Gate as I think it would have been too much for the kids otherwise.
It was just a fantastic day. Definitely will be back again.
Thanks to the trail builders, and whoever had the vision to make this happen!
 
petertronica said:
We rode Cascades yesterday from the Gate to the bottom. I was with my kids and some friends with their kids, aged 10, 10, 11, 11 and 12. All pretty good riders for their age (well, maybe except for me, at my age I probably should be a lot faster by now but meh).
We had a blast! Everyone loved the trail. The only part that the kids all bottled was about 25m of really steep rocky berms, and they didn't hit the jumps. They rode all the rest.
We stopped quite a lot as we weren't in a rush and it took us 3.5 hours. I've ridden the whole first section down to the gate before, and I remembered it being pretty exhausting, so was glad we started from the Gate as I think it would have been too much for the kids otherwise.
It was just a fantastic day. Definitely will be back again.
Thanks to the trail builders, and whoever had the vision to make this happen!
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I was up there yesterday too. 8am shuttle. Trail was in perfect condition, just enough moisture so it wasn't dusty. So good to ride it again.
 
I'm keen to get a Cascades run in before the new year, just how brutal is the initial climb to the summit?
For reference a current Youies loop of up Rockwell, down Lactic, back up Rockwell, down Cresseys, up Cresseys fire-road, down Cresseys (or Trav's) - leaves me gasping and needing a nice break.
 
mike14 said:
I'm keen to get a Cascades run in before the new year, just how brutal is the initial climb to the summit?
For reference a current Youies loop of up Rockwell, down Lactic, back up Rockwell, down Cresseys, up Cresseys fire-road, down Cresseys (or Trav's) - leaves me gasping and needing a nice break.
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It's not so much the first climb to the summit - that one is reasonably easy. It's the combination of all the climbs. There is about 4 reasonably substantial climbs over the length of the trail. It is about 600m vertical by the end which isn't ridiculous but would be a bit more than what you've just described at the Youies. You also get tired from the descents too so, as noted by @Calvin27 it's worth taking some good food, lots of water and factoring in a few breaks.
 
yuley95 said:
It's not so much the first climb to the summit - that one is reasonably easy. It's the combination of all the climbs. There is about 4 reasonably substantial climbs over the length of the trail. It is about 600m vertical by the end which isn't ridiculous but would be a bit more than what you've just described at the Youies. You also get tired from the descents too so, as noted by @Calvin27 it's worth taking some good food, lots of water and factoring in a few breaks.
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I actually find the first climb for the lower section the most tedious. There's a few false starts In there that make you think the fast fun stuff is about to start and then you switch back around into more climbing..as said, the first time is the worst, once you know, you know. I wouldn't pass up going out there because a little bit of climbing, afterall your legs aren't painted on... :p
 
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How long would it take to ride cascades from the drop off point to the bottom with no stops?
 
CHEWY said:
How long would it take to ride cascades from the drop off point to the bottom with no stops?
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Depends if you are world champ level or newbie/unfit casual. I think strava says I can do it in 2:45, but I'm not the fittest bloke out there nor the fastest descender. I've never done it nonstop but @Chriso_29er has done a double before in a day so I rekon he was sending it and stopping not much.
 
CHEWY said:
How long would it take to ride cascades from the drop off point to the bottom with no stops?
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I've only ridden it once, Strava says 2:20 moving time (3:20 elapsed including waiting for @Mattyp on the climbs :p) for the 34km including climb to summit. Reckon 2:00 would be pretty achievable.
 
CHEWY said:
How long would it take to ride cascades from the drop off point to the bottom with no stops?
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I’m not the fittest and am pretty gassed by the end of it. Takes me 2:40 to do the whole thing including the summit. Some people skip the summit and drop in a bit lower
 
This was from Saturday, some short breaks after each "stage" maybe a couple breathers after a climb too.
I have a weird mate who has done it with no breaks in 1:57.
383774
 
@CHEWY
Found the segment, looks like sub 2hr with no break would be possible if I could find 3 seconds lol. But confirms I didn't do it non stop, who could with the awesome views at the top! haha.

My bro got me by 2 seconds lol, time for a rematch.

383777
 
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Does anyone know how Cascades holds up after some rain? Does the clay stick to everything and become unrideable (like Narby) or is it more like Buxton (wet but rideable). Tia!
 
Planning a visit to Buxton and Cascades in Feb and getting my head around it all, hence the little grave dig.
Does Cascades warrant a full face (contemplating purchasing a Leatt Enduro convertible) or is there too much climbing involved? I don't go hard or hit jumps as now an old fart but am also not keen on paying a dentist so they can buy another Yeti.
 
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