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Notice the changes regarding Chicken Creek in early June and the addition of VO, all of which is explained at the bottom of this page.
We will be dropping our 907 209 8881 number in March
Annie can best be reached at 907 821 1819 and Dave can best be reached at 970 880 0150.
There seems to be a reluctance on some equestrians to participate in endurance riding due to the cost of trailers and camping equipment but we found this enterprising rider on the way to an endurance ride with a budget rig.
AERC has removed the requirement for a Pioneer Ride to have one 55 mile ride, therefore we will no longer be doing 55 mile rides regardless of what you may see in some unedited page on this website.
OUR NEXT RIDE:
Western Mojave at Laurel Mountain
Laurel Mountain
March 15-16-17, 2024
Distances subject to last minute adjustments for weather.
We have always had a soft spot in our hearts for the trails around the El Paso Mountains. We used most of these trails in the days when the Death Valley Encounter started with two days here and then moved to Trona. The trail will touch the spectacular geography of Red Rock Canyon and has been modified in that area to go over the Bonanza Trail, past several old miners cabins and an old time post office.
There is plenty of camping room in the gravel pit that is immune to weather problems. There is a motel and restaurant 7 miles north in Inyokern as well as numerous facilities in Ridgecrest.
Registration will start at 3:00 on Thursday. The vet check will start at 6:00 if the vet shows up on time. There will be a ride meeting around 7:00 each evening. Contrary to what is on some internet information, the 25 will start after the start of the fifty on most, if not all days. The fifty mile rides usually start at 7:00 and the 25’s will probably start at 8:00. On the first day the 50’s head south into the Goler wash area then back up to a lunch near the Golf Ball. On the second day the 50’s route winds through the flats and rolling hills of the high Mojave Desert and then climbs to the summit of the golf ball pass, then drops into the Garlock area and back through Mormon Flat to a lunch in camp. The 25’s will take a few shortcuts and will have a lunch stop along with the 50’s near the Golf Ball on the first day. Lunch will be back in camp for all riders on the second and third days. The third day heads toward Red Rock Canyon and the Bonanza Mining District. Much of the footing is all weather decomposed granite and desert two track with some rocky sections and sand washes thrown in. The trail is easy to moderately difficult but can be easily completed on new horses ridden with care by good horsemen.
A General Description of this ride is a no frills, low budget, relaxed training ride that will offer riders an opportunity to camp out with friends and ride around the eastern Sierras.
Ride Rules are generally the same as AERC rules as interpreted by the ride manager and her advisors. However, be aware this ride has completion requirements that differ from AERC in that the control judges can and will pull horses that do not recover to their satisfaction. The XP Club Rides will offer less strenuous distances and less formalities for those wanting to just have fun. We offer the Club Rides in lieu of the AERC intro rides. We tailor the Club Rides to the needs and wants of those who are at the ride.
Directions:
Travelers from all directions should take US Hwy 395 to the junction of South China Lake Blvd and Brown Road. This is the location of the vet check on the Twenty Mule Team Ride. Instead of turning towards Ridgecrest, go west on Brown Road for 4 miles. Turn left on EP26 (Wiknich Rd), an old paved road, for 1 mile to the ride camp.
From the San Fernando Valley area: Take Hwy 14 to CA 178. Turn right to the town of Inyokern. Turn right on Brown Road at the gas station/convenience store and follow Brown Road to EP26 (Wiknich Rd).
Basic Ride Info: We have combined the trails north of the Garlock Road between Hwy 395 and CA 14. This year we have expanded the ride to a three day Pioneer Ride and have added a WDRA ride each day for those wanting to ride more than an LD but less than an AERC 50. The camp is easy accessible on a good road and features a good base even when wet. The camp has no amenities other than the water and portable toilets supplied by ride management. The first day trail starts near Sheep Springs and heads out towards Laurel Mountain then down into the Garlock Valley before climbing back through Goler Gulch onto Mormon Flat and back to the camp. The second day returns to Mormon Flat, then turns west into the Last Chance area and the upper Red Canyon drainage then back to camp via the west side of Black Mountain. Most of the trail is excellent desert footing with spectacular desert scenery, hopefully with green grass and early flowers if El Nino delivers as promised. A motel and the best Mexican restaurant in Kern County is located in Inyokern just 6 miles to the north. More choices for accommodations and culinary options are available 8-10 miles away in Ridgecrest.
Destination information for health certificates: Health certificates are required for horses coming into California from other states. They are not required for horses coming from within the state. The requirements for health papers vary depending on conditions both in California and other states. Your local veterinarian will be able to counsel you on current requirements. The destination address is EP26 and Brown Road, Inyokern, CA 93527.
Meals: Annie will not be doing dinners in ride camp as there are a multitude of restaurants in Ridgecrest, as well as a fine Mexican Restaurant in Inyokern. Annie’s free lunches are available at all XP Rides including Laurel Mtn.
You can pay at the ride after determining how many days you end up riding. Unfortunately we have reluctantly been forced to once again raise entry fees. The final straw for the California rides has been the increase in the drug fees from $8.00 to $14.00 for the California Department of Agriculture. This mandatory fee/tax, along with the insane inflation of fuel, awards, groceries, etc leaves us with no choice.
The following is our basic fee structure for 2024:
LD and Endurance Distances are $135.00 / PayPal $140.50
Juniors, Intro riders and XP club riders are $100 / PayPal $104.00
Riders who are not current members of AERC riding an AERC LD or Endurance ride pay an additional $20.00 non-member fee per day. $155.00 / PayPal $161.20
Riders who enter within 4 days of a ride add $15.00 post entry fee / PayPal $15.60
Ann Nicholson, 907-209-8881
Dave Nicholson, 907 419 0924 ~ 970 880 0150
ridemanager@xprides.com
XP RIDES IN SOCAL IN 2024
Last spring Annie and I made an announcement that we were not going to do anymore AERC rides in California, however Marci Cunningham has asked us to reconsider that decision and after thinking it over we have decided to resume at least some of our SoCal events. We requested AERC sanctioning for Laurel Mtn, Western Mojave and Cuyama in early December. The Cuyama ride was approved but Laurel Mtn was denied because the request for re-sanction was within the 90 day time frame. We moved the date of Cuyama back a week and have requested sanctioning for the Western Mojave to be held at Laurel Mtn two weeks before Cuyama. We will remove the red type and make the 2024 calendar official once all the rides have been approved. We are hoping in the future to return to the Eastern Mojave, possibly at Sandy Valley Nevada. We were forced to move the Eastern Mojave ride due to the fire that burned all of Cima Dome, including the ranch at Valley View.
Tentative 2024 XP Calendar
The ride schedule will probably be changed in the near future as the FS is worried about heavy snow and runoff this spring in Chicken Creek. They would like us to use a date in the third weekend in June so we hope to be able to move some rides around so we can shoot for that date in the future.
February 17-18, 2024 Picket Post XP
West of Superior, AZ
March 15-16-17, 2024 Western Mojave
Laurel Mtn/Inyokern, CA
Sanction has been approved on January 16th.
March 29-30-31, 2024 Cuyama XP Ride
Cottonwood Canyon, New Cuyama, CA
The date change was approved on January 16th.
April 19-20-21, 2024 Caballo Sin Nombre XP
Between Navajo Dam and Aztec, New Mexico
May 2-3-4-5, 2024 Mt Carmel XP
Mt Carmel Junction, Utah
May 30-31, June 1, 2024 VIRGIN OUTLAW XP
Bryce Canyon, UT
The Colorado US Forest Service is requiring us to move the Chicken Creek ride to a later date because of heavy snow again. We have asked AERC to approve the CC ride on July 19-20-21. We have applied for a renewal of our permit for VO to be held on the same weekend as Chicken Creek.
June 28-29-30 Strawberry Fields XP
East of Heber, Utah
July 19-20-21 Chicken Creek XP
Mancos, Colorado
Pending AERC approval
August 29-30-31 September 1, 2024 Grand Canyon XP
North Rim Grand Canyon, Arizona
September 27-28-29, 2024 Colorado Fall Colors XP
Mancos, Colorado
November 7-8-9, 2024 Sesenta Años
John Parke’s Ride
Santa Barbara, California
If you are experiencing trouble entering a ride you can always send an email to entry@xprides.com with the information on the entry form.