BBBB - Notes & Suggestions for DIY Run Leaders

[Dusty]

If you'd like to put together a run for Big Bear Bronco Bash, I'll add a series of posts to this thread with useful information. In case you missed it please see THIS THREAD for an explanation of the return to DIY Runs for this year's Bash. Anyone or any group who would like to put together a run during BBBB is encouraged to do so, and I guarantee it will be much appreciated by those who are new to off-roading or don't know much about the Big Bear trails. If you do decide to put a run together, we hope you will make a thread for it here on this forum so others can learn about it and join in on your run.



I've been leading runs for many years so I have a lot of information to share. None of this is mandatory to use or implement, but you may find it useful in planning and leading your run. So I'll make a series of posts below with my tips, recommendations and best practices. There really is only one "rule" I do ask that you follow: Please do not stage your run out of the Majestic Moose, our headquarters for BBBB. That will create way too much congestion in the complex. I'll provide a list of suitable run staging areas in one of the posts below.

Here are the topics I'll cover in the following posts. Feel free to skip to any of them for reference, and please don't hesitate to post any questions or comments.

1. Should I Lead a Run?​

2. Choosing a Trail or Collection of Trails For Your Run​

3. Selecting a Day and Staging Time For Your Run​

4. Selecting a Staging Location For Your Run​

5. Using This Forum to Organize & Promote Your Run​

6. Best Practices for Leading Your Run​

7. Some Of My Favorite Run & Route Suggestions​

Note that if you see this thread before I've finished keying in everything you may see some empty posts. Just check back a little later.

 

[Dusty]

SHOULD I LEAD A RUN?

As you've heard, this year all of the runs at BBBB are "DIY", meaning that its up to you to plan your own runs. But we do encourage individuals and groups to plan "open" runs and invite others to join you. Leading a run is a rewarding endeavor. First, you are giving back to the So Cal Broncos community by helping others enjoy the trails. There will be a number of participants for whom off-roading or the Big Bear trails are completely new to them, and these folks especially will be most appreciative of those who volunteer to lead a run and invite them to join in.

So what does it take to lead a run? Well the first thing you need, you already have: A Bronco. It should be in good working order with no known mechanical issues. It should be equipped suitably for the trails you're thinking of tackling on your run. Likewise, your own experience level should be commensurate with the types of trails you are thinking of tackling. Ideally, both your vehicle build and your off-road driving skills should be a level or two above the trails you're leading. While it's great to push yourself and your machine, when leading a trail you should be at least a little over-qualified for the trail you're doing. If you're leading an easy run, you don't really need any mechanical or recovery skills. If you're leading an extreme run, of course both would come in handy.

You should have an OK sense of navigation and using whatever navigation tools you're comfortable with. Phone or tablet, GPS, even printed maps are OK if you know how to use them. Or if it's a trail or area you are already quite experienced with and know your way around. But if you've never been on a particular trail but are handy with your navigation tools, you should be OK leading that run. All of the trails in the Big Bear area are well documented. We have some extensive Trail Info on our own So Cal Broncos website that includes downloadable GPX files. Plus most of the trails are well covered on sites like All Trails and navigation apps like ONX Off-Road and Gaia.

It is recommended to have some sort of radio communications. Here in So Cal Broncos we prefer 2-way race radios, but on your run you are free to use whatever you're familiar with that most of your participants are likely to have. Race/HAM (VHF), GMRS or even CB radios if you're running with a bunch of old schoolers.

Lastly, you should be friendly, fun and eager to help others. You should be patient and able to calmly deal with unforeseen contingencies that may come up.

To sum up, really just about anyone can lead a run. Just choose a trail or route that is suitable to you and your equipment.

 

[Dusty]

CHOOSING A TRAIL OR COLLECTION OF TRAILS FOR YOUR RUN

As mentioned before, the Big Bear area has an extensive trail system that is very well documented. In fact I would bet its one of the most thoroughly documented trail systems in the country. Guide books, online trail guides and websites, GPS apps and YouTube videos cover every corner of every trail in the area. So it's easy to do your research and find just the right trail for you.

Note that you can string together multiple trails into a single route, for your run. See Some Of My Favorite Run & Route Suggestions for a few examples. Just try to be mindful of time constraints and group size. For example, Gold Mountain and John Bull lead right into each other conveniently so it's tempting to string them both together in a single run. But with a large group on a very busy day on two very tough trails, that's a recipe for not getting back to town until after dark. So try to plan something that everyone can enjoy, then get back into town early enough to relax and enjoy their evening.

WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF TRAILS here on the So Cal Broncos website, to assist in your trail selection. They are grouped by difficulty levels:

• Scenic Graded Roads
• Easy
• Moderate
• Difficult
• Extreme

The information on those pages provides brief trail descriptions, a route map with downloadable GPX or KML files, and links to photo galleries from past So Cal Broncos runs on those trails. I suggest using those as your starting point, then following up with deeper research on the internet or youtube to find the perfect trail for you to lead. Remember, biting off more than you can chew is fun, but when you're leading a group you should save that for another time. Choose a trail and route that are a level or two below your and your equipment's limitations, so you can focus on leading your group and maximizing the fun for everyone.

 

[Dusty]

SELECTING A DAY AND STAGING TIME FOR YOUR RUN

Big Bear Bronco Bash runs from Thursday through Sunday. Feel free to lead a run on any of these days. Keep in mind that Saturday is the heaviest day, both for BBBB attendance and for non-BBBB traffic out on the trails. So if you are able to lead a run on one of the earlier days, or on Sunday, that would also be appreciated.

Please note that we have activities happening at the Majestic Moose for several of those days, such as the Friday Night Mexican Potluck and the Saturday Night Bash. This may or may not have bearing on how late you plan to stay out on the trails or whether you'd like to do a night run.

Traditionally we've mostly used 9:00 AM as the staging time for scheduled BBBB runs. But as a run leader in this DIY format, you are of course welcome to choose any staging time you'd like. There are a few things to keep in mind though. One, this is a "Bash", and as such, many of our members will tend to enjoy the evenings until the wee hours, and so they might appreciate a start time that's not the crack of dawn. On the other hand, there is wisdom in trying to beat the crowds to the trail. This can be especially important on Saturday morning. Another consideration is that some might appreciate a shorter afternoon run on the early days of the Bash, so they can hit the trails after getting into town and settling in.

So the bottom line is that it's of course up to you, what day and time to choose for your run. Just keep in mind that there are many options to choose, many factors to consider, and perhaps some under-served time slots for which a run option might be appreciated.

 

[Dusty]

SELECTING A STAGING LOCATION FOR YOUR RUN

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE MAJESTIC MOOSE AS YOUR STAGING/MEETING LOCATION. Here are several of the the locations we've used for staging runs in the past. The "staging location" is where you tell everyone to meet up for the run. Ideally it's in a part of the Big Bear area that is convenient to the trails you're heading toward. In many cases the staging area is close enough to the trailhead that you can air down at staging rather than at the trailhead.

Bear Mountain
The parking lot of Bear Mountain Ski Resort at the corner of Club View Drive and Goldmine Drive. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading to the southeast such as Wildhorse Meadows, Radford Truck Trail and Skyline Drive (from the east).

Boulder Bay Park
The parking lot for Boulder Bay Park on the far-western end of the city of Big Bear Lake. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs heading to the west of Big Bear such as Dishpan Springs and the Lake Arrowhead area trails.

Brownie Lane
The ski area overflow parking lot at the corner of Moonridge Road and Brownie Lane. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading to the southeast such as Wildhorse Meadows, Radford Truck Trail and Skyline Drive (from the east).

Civic Center
The Big Bear Civic Center is located a short distance east of the Majestic Moose on Big Bear Boulevard. Use the WEST entrance and parking area. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading to points west of Big Bear Lake such as Dishpan Springs, or south towards Clark's Grade via Tulip Lane.

Convention Center
Big Bear Lake Convention Center parking lot at the corner of Big Bear Blvd. and Division Drive. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading to the east such as Pioneertown, Heartbreak Ridge and Burns Canyon.

Discover Center
Big Bear Discovery Center parking lot on the north side of the lake. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading into Holcomb Valley.

East Valley Water District
Located at 3111 Greenspot Road in the city of Highland. Google Maps LINK
Only suggested for staging an Overland To Big Bear run.

Fawnskin Fire Station
At the top of the curve of North Shore Drive in downtown Fawnskin. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading toward the northeast, such as Holcomb Creek and White Mountain. Note that this location is very popular and might be crowded with other groups.

Journey Church
Located at Highway 38 and Erwin Ranch Road, southeast of Big Bear City. Use the dirt area next to the paved parking lot. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs heading east such as Heartbreak Ridge, Pioneertown and Sidewinder.

Mile Marker 41
Located at the beginning of Forest Road 2N01 just off Highway 38 at Mile Marker 41. Count down (or up) the mile markers and you'll find it. 2N01 is on the east side of Hwy 38. Be careful and watch for oncoming traffic when you slow down to turn off. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs to the southeast of Big Bear such as Heartbreak Ridge or Pioneertown.

Mormon Church
The north parking lot of the Mormon Church, at the corner of Hwy 18 (E North Shore Dr.) and Paradise Way. DO NOT use this location on Sunday, Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading to the northeast such as Gold Mountain and Horsethief Flats.

North Shore Elementary
The school parking lot at the corner of Stanfield Cutoff and North Shore Drive. DO NOT use this staging area on weekdays when school is in session. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading into Holcomb Valley such as Big & Little John Bull.

Tulip Lane
The wide spot on Tulip Lane just off of Big Bear Boulevard (west end of Tulip Lane, or the second left for Tulip Lane as you head west, away from town). Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading to Clark's Grade, Skyline Drive (from the West), Lodgepole Pine and Cedar Lake.

Van Dusen Canyon Road
The wide area at the side of north-bound Van Dusen Cyn Rd, a few hundred feet north of North Shore Drive. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs leading into Holcomb Valley, such as Big and Little John Bull.

VONS Parking Lot
VONS supermarket parking lot on Big Bear Blvd. Please use the area farthest from storefronts. Google Maps LINK
Suitable for runs to anywhere, centrally located in Big Bear and close to our event HQ.

 

[Dusty]

USING THIS FORUM TO ORGANIZE & PROMOTE YOUR RUN

If you or your group decide to lead a run at Big Bear Bronco Bash, we hope you will open it up to all of our participants and post the details of it here on our forum. There is no requirement to do so, but it helps us foster a community among the So Cal Broncos brotherhood as well as helping out those who are a bit lost about running trails at the Bash.

This forum can be an excellent tool to help you plan and promote your run. The content here is evergreen, meaning that it doesn't disappear into the metaverse after a few hours like social media posts do. You can link to it from anywhere, including social media, making it perfect for bringing together folks from anywhere on the internet regardless of group affiliation.

To post up your run, simply go to the Big Bear Bronco Bash sub-forum and start a new thread. HERE is an example of a past run post. Feel free to use it as a template for yours (change all the pertinent info of course).

In your post, please put whatever information will be important to your run participants. Of course, at the very least you'll need to include:

• Date and Staging Time
• Staging Location
• Trail difficulty
• Trail(s) you plan to run

You might also want to include any further information about the trail or route. Links to the relative Trail Descriptions on the So Cal Broncos website, or outside links with further info, YouTube videos about that trail, and/or your own personal descriptions about the trail if you've been on it before.

If you have a preferred radio channel, please note it so that people can pre-program if needed or even procure a radio if they need/want to.

It might be helpful to list equipment requirements (tire size, lockers, rocker armor, etc.) if it's a more technical trail and you know what it's going to take. In So Cal Broncos we frown upon hard-and-fast rules, but suggestions are helpful and if you lead a run you can of course impose rules if you want to.

Give participants a list of items you think they'll need. Bring a lunch? Safety/recovery gear?

Try to include a photo or two of the trail you'll be running. If you don't have one feel free to grab one from our Trail Descriptions and galleries. This helps with outside links and I can use it for a cover image for your post. Not to mention it ads a visual element for your participants.

I highly suggest setting a maximum number of participants. These runs get very unwieldy at rig counts above 20 or so. If you don't set a limit, you're liable to end up with 40 or more rigs on your run. This is not only a problem for you as a run leader, it's also unfair to others who are using our trail systems. Nothing is worse than being a random off-roader out enjoying our trails and having to tuck into a canyon wall so 45 vehicles can pass you going the other way. Be courteous, try to stick to more manageable group sizes. There are several ways to set up a signup list. Feel free to follow my example in my run post. It's simply a numbered list that I can add people's names to as they express interest.

PROMOTING YOUR RUN

Once you have your thread posted with all pertinent information, let me know. I can set it as a featured post and set one of your images as a cover image. Then, feel free to share the link to your post wherever you want folks to see it. At the very least I suggest posting it to our So Cal Broncos Facebook Groups (66-96 or 6G). But you might also consider posting it to outside Groups, your local Bronco group, other forums, etc. Just note that we prefer that folks come to our So Cal Broncos groups and forums to get their information about BBBB, so they don't show up with false expectations. Anywhere you post up about Big Bear Bronco Bash outside of our So Cal Broncos channels, please do us a favor and point folks here to our forum.

FOLLOWUP

Be sure to engage participants who post or ask questions in your run thread. If a question is asked that you can't answer, feel free to tag me and I'll help if I can. After your run, please encourage your participants to share their photos online, in social media, and we would very much appreciate it if they would also share them here on the forum. In addition I will be setting up an uploads folder on my SmugMug account for people to upload their photos, from which we draw from for future rotation in our social media posts, website pages, etc.

 

[Dusty]

BEST PRACTICES FOR LEADING YOUR RUN

As a run leader you are of course the trail boss and can lead your run however you want. But here are a few tips and suggestions from me, based on quite a few years of leading runs.

• Tell your participants to show up at the staging area already fueled up and ready to go. I know this sounds like a no-brainer but you'd be surprised how many people then say they need to run and get gas. Put this in your run description.
• State whether your staging time is the gathering time or departure time. If you want to leave at 9:00, let people know that. Be aware that there is always a lot of milling around, bullshitting, kicking tires, etc., after people show up but before you leave for your run. Allow time for that, as well as a driver's meeting.
• Hold a driver's meeting before you leave the staging area. Use the opportunity to do the following:
  • Meet your participants, let them all see each other and hear everyone's names. If the group isn't too big, let them introduce themselves.
  • If you haven't designated a tailgunner yet, ask for a volunteer from among your participants. This should be someone you can communicate with by radio, who can let you know of any problems happening further back in the group.
  • Briefly describe your route. See if anyone is intimidated with the route difficulty, give them an opportunity to back out if it's not right for them.
  • If you're using radios, make sure those who have compatible radios are on the same channel.
  • Ask everyone to stay together on the trail. Keep the guy both ahead of you and behind you in sight. If the guy behind falls out of site, wait for them to catch up. This is especially true at intersections. Never go through an intersection or past a turnoff without the guy behind you seeing which way you went.
  • Ask everyone to be courteous to other people and groups using the trails. When you stop for breaks, ask that they don't stop in the middle of the trail but pull off with enough room for other vehicles to pass.
• Plan for airing down. In many cases it can be at the staging area, if it's only a few miles on pavement to the trail head. In that case let everyone know as they arrive at staging, that they can air down now. If it's a long drive to the trail head, pause there to air down. Explain to them that airing down is both for comfort and traction. Even on easy and medium trails it will be a much more pleasant ride if the tires a bit softer. For anyone who is not familiar, have them air down to about 18 PSI. if they have the means, and a way to air back up at the end of the run. If they are more experienced, they will have their own preference for PSI.
• When you're getting ready to leave the staging area, and any time you're getting ready to leave a rest stop or lunch stop, shout out a 5 minute warning to let everyone know. Everyone takes a different amount of time to put their stuff away, get saddled back up and ready to go.
• Stay in regular radio contact with everyone. If your group gets so spread out that you can't reach your tailgunner by radio, find someone in the middle of the pack who can relay messages when you're spread out. Just let folks know when you're rolling, turning at intersections, alert them to oncoming traffic, etc.
• Do some research about the route ahead of time. Find some interesting facts to share over the radio as you travel. Historical sites, geological features, etc. This makes it more interesting for participants.
• If you will be stopping for lunch along the trail, try to plan ahead for where you're going to stop. Let folks know you're going to have a lunch stop, and approximately when and where.
• Stop periodically for pee breaks, photo opportunities, etc. Try to find spots where everyone can either pull off the trail or where the trail is wide enough they can pull to the side with enough room for other traffic to pass in either direction. Make these stops brief, they can turn into a big time-suck if you stop a lot, and every stop takes a long time.
• Try to keep up a brisk pace. Nobody likes inching along at a snail's pace. But keep to safe speeds. Do not outrun your group. But if everyone is bunched up right behind you, it might be a sign you can move along a little faster.
• Spot people through tough obstacles. If you have a larger group, spot the first few then have someone further back spot the next few, and so on.
• If someone breaks down, gets stuck or has some other issue:
  • If they are further back in line, try to get a report over the radio. It may be something that's easily fixed by the driver or those close to him, without you needing to head back to them.
  • If it's something a little more involved, head back and assist. Help with the recovery or help evaluate any breakage and repair plan. If it is a repair that should only take anywhere from a few minutes to say a half hour or so, keep the whole group in place until the vehicle is fixed. If it's a more involved issue that may take longer to fix, try to get volunteers to stay with the driver and assist, while you continue on with the rest of the group, leaving at least two operable vehicles with them, preferably. There's no reason to hold 15 vehicles there. Make sure someone who is staying behind knows their way back to town.
  • In the rare occasion that the breakage is catastrophic, the vehicle may have to be left on the trail and the driver/passengers ride out with someone else so they can come back for it with more help, parts, tools, etc. Make sure the vehicle is well clear of the trail, and locked. Make sure the occupants take any removable valuables with them. Make sure they create a GPS pin for its location so they can find their way back to it.
  • If the vehicle requires a recovery with rigging (winching, cables, straps, etc.), make sure everyone stands well clear and let those who know what they are doing, work. Make sure one person is in charge of rigging and safety, rather than everyone just shouting out suggestions.
• Have a brief meeting at the end of the run. Thank your participants. Give them brief directions for getting back to town. Ask them to share their photos on this forum and/or the So Cal Broncos groups on Facebook.
• Make sure everyone gets off the trail, unless there has been a break-down and you've left a team or made arrangements for them. I generally try to hang around at the end of the trail until everyone has left. Just in case someone's vehicle doesn't start back up or something.

 

[Dusty]

(Saved)

 

[Dusty]

Bringing this one back to the top for those who are thinking about leading a run at this year's Bash.