Northstar DH #2

When covered with a fresh blanket of white snow, Northstar at Tahoe is fittingly referred to as Flatstar. But once the snow melts and the lifts are converted for bike access, the Northstar morphs into a gnarly DH playground with hordes of big rocks lurking beneath a deep layer of their famed moondust.

SF DIRTLAB missed the first Northstar DH race on July 1st due to our trip to BC (poor us), but were there to mash through the rocks at Race #2. DIRTLABBERs Mitch Monroe, Jonathan Clark, and our newest member Shon Stark were there to represent and try to tackle the tough course.

The Expert course would take us down Upper Karpiel to Middle DogBone (the slabs) to Lower Karpiel to Vietnam and finishing on the Daytona Berms. Even with some fun new trails on the other side of the mountain, we still raced the toughest trails on the hill. I always use to be a little intimidated just riding these trails, trying to thread the needle through rock sections without losing a limb. This time it's against the clock at full speed, top to bottom, lungs searing, hands barely hanging on the grips, reflexes slowing after minutes of exertion. If your not feelin it, this is not a course you want to race down.

The top section of Karpiel in a word is loose. A series of loose bermed turns winds down the mountain, with a couple log drops shortcutting the apexes of a couple switchback turns and some mean rocks sprinkled in for good measure. After hitting the little gapper at the bottom of the upper section the Dogbone slabs slow you down enough for the really rough stuff. After rolling the large slabs of rock, it's almost all rock garden all the way to the finish. A series of steep rock chutes where it's best to slow down and enter in control, find your line and then let go of the brakes, spits you out of the trees and under the lift line. A very rocky straightaway covered in deep moondust sets you up for a little rock drop and the Daytona Berms. This last section is a lot better, still loose, but with little roller jumps at the entrance of each berm, that encourage you to flick the rear end into each turn and a showtime finishline booter to show off your sweet jumping skills.

At the end of the race, Shon Stark won the Expert 18-26 class with a time of 4:13:3, Mitch Monroe was the first loser in Expert 27-34, ending up 2nd even with a crash at the bottom of the Vietnam rock chute and Jonathan Clark suffering a front flat.