July 29 - August 6

Led by Bill Oetinger

Tour is sold out. Click here to join the waitlist.

The tour roster is limited to 50 participants (including support staff). Entrants are logged in chronological order. A wait list will be kept for those who register after the initial roster is full. 

Tour fee: $475. Deposit: $50 payable thru PayPal. Balance due on March 30. Discount for shuttle drivers: $60 (approximately 1/7th of entry fee).

A preview book, with maps, profiles, route slips, RideWithGPS map links, descriptive copy, and many photos, is available to download here. 

This is a camping tour and follows our usual format of having trucks haul all personal and club camp supplies and luggage between each stage, with sags supporting the riders along each stage. It is a cooperative tour, in that all participants will share in the chores, from loading the trucks to keeping the camp organized to assisting with meal prep and clean-up. For more information on how we organize our tours, click here for a four-page tour primer.

This is not a loop route, so we will need a few volunteers to move our car pool fleet from start to finish. We will do this during Stage 2. Shuttle drivers will have their entry fees discounted by approximately 1/7th of their fee (equal to one lost stage out of seven). This will be explained in more detail in the full preview book.

Nine days, seven stages, 350-470 miles, 20,000’-28,000'

The Shasta-Plumas Tour explores Shasta and Plumas Counties (SE of Mt Shasta and N of Lake Tahoe). It has been laid out primarily for moderate riders, but most stages include optional loops or out-&-backs that can bulk up the stages for more ambitious riders. However, even the longest, hardest stages are not all that difficult. This is not a leg-breaking, epic challenge. 

Friday, July 28

Volunteer tour prep day: shopping, outfitting the trucks and vans, loading gear. Not a required day, but it’s how we get the tour on the road. If you can help a little...

Saturday, July 29

Meet at warehouse and car pool approximately 4.5 hours to tour start at McArthur-Burney Falls State Park. Camp for two nights in state park. Showers at the park.

Sunday, July 30

Stage 1: Fall River Loops

60-64-71-82 miles, 2500’-3700’ 

The best part of the Fall River Century, with little loops added to progressively bulk the miles.

Monday, July 31

Stage 2: Burney Falls SP to Summit Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park

55-60 miles, 4700’-5000’ 

South along Hwy 89 and a few side roads to the national park. Once in the park, do about half of the climb to Lassen summit. Beautiful campground on lake. No showers: use our portable shower or take a dip in the lake.

Tuesday, August 1

Stage 3: Summit Lake to Lake Almanor

49-59-76 miles, 2800’-4100’

Up over Lassen summit and downhill toward Lake Almanor. The 59-mile route adds little Mineral summit and is well worth the extra effort. An out-&-back near the finish accounts for the longest option. Camp in North Shore Campground near Chester. Showers.

Wednesday, August 2

Stage 4: Lake Almanor to Taylorsville, Indian Valley

38-49-64 miles, 1100’-2700’

Along the east shore of Lake Almanor and down into Indian Valley, a lovely, tranquil region. 49-mile route adds one very worthwhile loop in Indian Valley; the longest route adds two out-&-backs. Stay two nights at Taylorsville Regional Park. Showers.

Thursday, August 3

Stage 5: Antelope Lake Loop

54 miles, 3500’

The only day without longer or shorter options. Ride up to Antelope Lake, circle the lake, and ride back downhill to camp.

Friday, August 4

Stage 6: Taylorsville to Portola

47-52-64 miles, 3600’-5300’

South on Hwys 89 and 89/70 toward Portola with some side road detours. Stay two nights at a resort west of town (showers and swimming pool). 52-mile option adds an easy loop in Indian Valley at the start. Longest loop adds a rather hilly out-&-back near the finish.

Saturday, August 5

Stage 7: Portola Loops

45-70 miles, 1900’-4600’

Heads into Portola on Hwy 70 and then descends to Hwy 89. Short route takes 89 south while longer route tackles the hilly Gold Lake loop: spectacular high Sierra scenery with two big summits to conquer. Routes rejoin in Sierra Valley for a flat run back to Portola and camp.

Sunday, August 6

Return to Santa Rosa in the morning—approximately a 4.5-hour drive—and, if your schedule permits, help with cleaning up and sorting out all the club equipment we have used on the tour. (It’s voluntary, but it has to get done.)