The 2026 Stagecoach 400 marked the 15th year for this classic Southern California mountain bike route. Showers Pass employee Sam Appelbaum joined the Grand Depart for his first attempt, eager to experience the region’s beauty, the ride's biomes, its challenge, and its camaraderie. Though the forecast was trending perfectly, he took along the new Century jacket to test it from the San Jacinto Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, through the desert, and back. Sam completed the 400 in 3 days, 12 hours, and 55 minutes. Read on for a quick account of his ride!
The route begins in the small mountain community of Idyllwild, California, and day one offers an excellent snapshot of Southern California's varied biomes. The Montane forest quickly transitions through mixed montane chaparral, then classic chaparral, which gives way to coastal sage scrub. By 1 AM, I was riding through lower Riparian corridors before finishing up in Del Mar. As I weaved along single-track trails and through thick patches of fog, the Century jacket was an excellent choice for staying dry and warm while moving briskly. I layered it over my Ibex sun hoodie, and it was just enough to cut the cold without getting steamy.
The new Century jacket boasts a 25,000mm waterproof rating, but its standout features are membrane breathability (25,000 g/sqm), mechanical ventilation, and a simplified feature set. Zipped during descents, the jacket breathed well enough to prevent clamminess thanks to the back vent and pit zips. On climbs, I opened the pit zips, unzipped the main zipper, and used the chest snap to keep the jacket from flapping in the wind. With temperatures around 50 degrees, a heavier jacket would have caused condensation. 
Day two included a long stretch of urban riding along the Pacific Ocean before turning east and climbing again past Chula Vista. As day turned to night, temperatures dropped, and we ended up finishing the day by sleeping in a pullout on a gravel climb a few miles outside of Alpine, CA. Since we were once again up around 5,000’, I donned the Century over my sun hoodie to keep in the warmth. The jacket performed admirably as I wrapped up the climb, with the mechanical venting allowing just enough air to pass through to keep the heat from building up too much.
Days three and four were arguably the hardest, featuring some techy climbing through Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, a blistering descent down Oriflamme Canyon, and the stark transition into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. At this point, temperatures were in the high 90s, and I was doing everything I could to stay hydrated and cool as I crossed Fish Creek Wash. The Iron Door bar, a classic Octotillo Wells stop, fueled me full of pizza and soda (hey, I’m riding a lot, okay?) before finishing up in Borrego Springs on night three. Day four included another crossing of the Anza Borrego (replete with pushing my bike for 13 miles through unridable sand), before climbing up into the Montane forest around Idyllwild.
Choosing the right layers for a ride like Stagecoach takes careful thought. While I definitely overpacked this year, I wouldn’t think twice about bringing the Century on similar rides with broad temperature swings. In addition to being a functional piece, the leaf green fabric really pops at night, and the subtle reflective lining helped me feel confident that I’d be seen on the few stretches of road I shared with automobiles.
