Originally Posted by NoF3ar
As far as I can remember once you get to the cross roads you have two choices. Go up the crack or the trail to the right which goes around the mountain( which has bumps and dips and would be slightly a bit of a pain getting through. Once you get to the other side where its sandy, you have a choice of going up or down. The majority of that trail if you choose to go down is very smooth. You'll be on the other side at montara, just barely bypassing devil's slide.
I took that route last year a couple of times and what I remember is that until you get down to the fireroad there are some places where a loaded touring bike could have some trouble.
I wonder if you're forgetting that narrow wash up near the top where the trail narrows to a couple of inches wide? I recall having to lift my road bike over the humps though I can't recall if I could have made it through with an MTB.
I returned via Devil's Slide and the three of us that were doing that route all promised we'd NEVER go that way again. Far better to go back over via that old Montara Rd. In truth I didn't like Devil's Slide but I didn't find it all that bad since the traffic was frightened as well and drove pretty well. Then coming down the north side into Pacifica some guy in a pickup was behind us that must have been a cyclist himself since he gave us exactly the right amount of distance where cars were used to going 70 mph with no shoulder.