Santiago Oaks Update

[maxwell]

A Little Update
Here's a little update from a friend that is the park representitive for SHARE;

"March 20, 2006



Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with Santiago Oaks Regional Park Senior Ranger, Don Zeigler, regarding the effects of the Windy Ridge Fire on Santiago Oaks Regional Park . Don was kind enough to take me on a vehicle tour of the park in order to survey the damage of the fire. About 85-90% of the park was burned. Due to the severity of the damage, the park will be completely closed until April 2, 2007. On that date the lower section of the park will be opened to trail users. This section of the park to be opened starts at the ranger station and ends at the bottom of the first “*****”. Basically, the only opened trails will be the fire roads that are located on the lower section of the park, for now.



The next sections to be opened will be the ridgelines leading to Irvine Park . None of the single tracks will be opened until trail repairs have been completed. Realistically, it will take a tremendous amount of volunteer work in order to get these trails re-opened. The fire burned all of the brush making the legal and illegal trails very visible, “scaring” of the hillsides included. We will be asked to put together crews to repair the trails. At this time, we don’t have any dates on when the second phase of trail openings will occur, but my best guess would be another 1-2 months for the ridgeline and up to a year for the balance of the trail system. I will notify everyone as we move along through the process. In my opinion, we can accelerate the process once the initial shock wears off.

As you know the park is officially closed to all users, but many people have chosen to ignore that fact. Last weekend alone, there were 90 cars counted over near the Weir Canyon entrance, plus additional users coming in through Irvine Park . They will begin ticketing this week.

Because of this, they have requested that SHARE set up a Trail Patrol program for the park.

Our job as patrollers will be to persuade people to stay out of the park so we can work to get everything re-opened. "

I know everybody out there enjoys riding at Oaks. Let's giv'er a rest, and let the Rangers concentrate on what need's to be done for the recovery of the park, not make them waste time chasing poachers.

Thanks in advance to you all for helping out, by staying out.

"Crash" Maxwell

[uzziboy]

will you let us know when there will be trail work? I would like to help but I would need a couple of weeks notice to get a day off. Thanks

[Winston]

Are the trails really in that bad of shape?

[maxwell]

Originally Posted by Winston

Are the trails really in that bad of shape?

We did a little trail patrol ride this afternoon. We encountered 7 hikers, 0 MTB'rs. Two of the hikers were going up Waterfall, the other two groups were back in Weir Canyon.





I hiked up to the hikers on Waterfall, and let them know that the park was closed for a while. They were very friendly, and said that they would go ahead and pass the word around to their friends.
Waterfall, at least just the bottom section, (it's as far as I hiked up) doesn't really look to bad.



Bobcat suffered quite a bit, from what I could see.





The 3 "B's" are well, the 3 "B's". No big changes to them. I didn't cross the the tape to check out the drops play area, but the trail that goes down around it was in decent shape.





The fireroads back to Weir Canyon were all in pretty good shape.



The biggest concern is users going off the trails, and of course, what's going to happen to the trails after a good rain.



So, since we just road mostly fire roads, I can tell you that they do not look to bad. The only single track ridden was the conector trail from the top by the play area to the road that heads to Weir.

The ranger we spoke to really appreciated the fact that MTB'rs were voulenteering their time to help out, and were looking forward to working with us on the trail work needed.
Keep an eye on the SHARE site SHARE MTB for the dates.

[tkblazer]

man that looks so surreal, i rode there the weekend before the fire and i'm missing that place already

[doublewide]

Thanks for all the info and pics Darrin. I'm totally going through Oaks withdrawls. It's just sad.


shitty

[Waldo]

Maxwell - thanks for the post and pics, and thanks for steering the hikers out of the sensitive areas. I work nearby, and I'm looking forward to watching nature take her course of recovery...as long as we let her.