387 mi · 15,600 ft of climbing · high point 8,753 ft · start/finish downtown Napa (First St & Main St)
Ridden Jul 28, 2026 · High Sierra
The ride
Highway 12 does most of the work getting out of here: Jameson Canyon, Suisun City and across the Delta to Lodi, then on through Lockeford and Wallace into Calaveras County. CA-49 takes you up to the Fourth Crossing area, and CA-4 climbs from Vallecito through Avery and Arnold.
Past Arnold, CA-4 keeps climbing through the big timber and then gets narrow, steep and wonderful, with no center line in places, over Ebbetts Pass. That's the route's high point at 8,753 ft. The east side drops into Alpine County to Markleeville. CA-89 and CA-88 take you north past Sorensens and back west over Carson Pass by Kit Carson.
Mormon Emigrant Trail is the way down, a long quiet road through the forest to Sly Park Road and Highway 50 at Camino. From there it's 50 and I-80 home through Sacramento. About 387 mi and ~15,600 ft of climbing, so it's a full day and an early start. Fuel up in Arnold: from there over Ebbetts to Markleeville is about 50 mi of mountain with nothing. Ebbetts Pass closes for the winter, usually from the first big snow until late spring, so check Caltrans before you go. Carson Pass and Mormon Emigrant Trail see winter closures too.
[Steve: add your full write-up here]
Key roads and highlights
CA-12 across the Delta to Lodi and Lockeford
CA-49 at Fourth Crossing
CA-4 through Vallecito, Avery, Arnold
Ebbetts Pass, high point ~8,753 ft
Markleeville
CA-89 / CA-88 past Sorensens
Carson Pass (Kit Carson)
Mormon Emigrant Trail
Sly Park Road to US-50 at Camino
Home via US-50 and I-80
Gallery
Ride photos coming soon
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