Our Next Ride: Laurel Mtn XP

Laurel Mountain

March 14-15-16, 2025

Basic Ride Info: 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.  We have combined the trails north of the Garlock Road between Hwy 395 and CA 14 so lunch stops will be back in camp. The ride is a three day Pioneer Ride and we have included an XP Club Ride each day for those wanting to ride more than an LD but less than an AERC 50. The XP Club rides are also known as AERC Intro Rides, Fun Rides or simply Club Rides.  The camp is easy accessible on a good road and features a good base even when wet. The camp has unlimited space but has no amenities other than the water and portable toilets supplied by ride management.  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. Much of the trail 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. There will be AERC endurance and LD distances each day, along with XP Club rides hosting the AERC intro rides along with XP Club distances. Accommodations and culinary options are available 8-10 miles away in Ridgecrest.  The hardware store in Inyokern carries feed and horse supplies, as well as hardware and farm supplies.

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 AERC intro rides as XP Club Rides.  We tailor the Club Rides to the needs and wants of those who are at the ride.

Registration will start at 3:00 on Thursday. The pre-ride control check will start at 6:00 and end at 6:30 if the vet shows up on time. Latecomers can check horses the following morning. 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 usually start at 7:30 or 8:00. 

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).

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.

The following is our basic fee structure for 2025:

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

Phone 970 880 0150 for Dave, 907 821 1819 for Annie or email annie@xprides.com

2025 XP Calendar