# Bohlman/Montevina/Old Santa Cruz Hwy Route



## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

Hello-

I'm thinking of climbing up Bohlman and then taking the dirt trail over to Montevina and descending to Lexington Resv. From there I want to climb OSCH (Old Santa Cruz Hwy), but I can't remember if the road is still under construction and I'll have to ride around the whole resv. before I can climb up OSCH. Does anybody know if I can climb OSCH without having to make the loop around?

-Thanks, Todd


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Road's still closed. You gotta ride around.
You could always go up Black instead.


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## Moto'n'PushBiker (Dec 14, 2005)

Sorry to thread-jack...

What's a good loop to get from Saratoga to Hwy1 and back?

I'm looking for the equivalent of Woodside-OLH-84-1-Tunitas-Kings Mtn, but starting further south so that I don't have to drive to the start. A start in Morgan Hill would work too.

Hwy9 - Summit - Soquel Rd and then Mtn Madonna back?


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## johnny99 (Apr 2, 2004)

Moto'n'PushBiker said:


> Sorry to thread-jack...
> 
> What's a good loop to get from Saratoga to Hwy1 and back?



From Los Gatos, you take the bike path to Lexington Reservoir and climb OSCH to Summit. Take Soquel-SJ down to the coast. Head north through Santa Cruz then climb Mountain Charlie or East Zayante back to Summit and Skyline. Return to Saratoga via Hwy 9. Sorry, I'm not familiar with routes farther south than that except for Highland which is closed.


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## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

Highland was open 4 weeks ago when I biked up Eureka Canyon from Aptos and over to Los Gatos. Don't know if there's been any change, but it was not a problem for me.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

Between Pescadero and Santa Cruz, there is only one road that goes to Hwy 1. That road is Bonny Doon. So, go Hwy 9 over the top and down into Boulder Creek. Then you have options.

1. Take Hwy 236 to Jamison (a nasty climb - 2 miles at 10%+), to Empire Grade, then Pine Flat to Bonny Doon, then a very fast descent to the ocean.

2. Go down Hwy 9 from Boulder Creek and take Alba to Empire Grade. Then Pine Flat, then Bonny Doon.

3. Continue down Hwy 9 to Felton, turn right on Felton Empire, cross over Empire Grade at the top to Ice Cream Grade, then Martin, which takes you to Bonny Doon.

All of these options take you to Empire Grade, which you could descend (mostly) into Santa Cruz. Another option is to stay on Hwy 9 all the way into Santa Cruz. The part between Felton and Santa Cruz through Henry Cowell is pretty amazing scenery. 

If you are willing to ride a few miles of of dirt, you could go into Big Basin Park and take Johansen Road to Gazos Creek Road, which hits Hwy 1 near Pigeon Point. I've ridden Gazos Creek Road inside the park (on an MTB), but I've never taken it all the way to the ocean. I've heard it can be done.


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