Laguna Coast

[ocrider]

Has anyone been down to emerald falls msince the rain. I think im gonna head down there this week end

[ocrider]

I was at the falls today it was awsome and i had it al to myself. The emeral canyon fire road was like a river and totaly flooded but old emerald single track was so fun and technical

[CalEpic]

I've ridden there a few times but am not familiar with any falls. Where are they?

Thanks

same here, where are the falls? do you have to hang a left at the bottom of the Old Emerald ST to get to these falls?

[CalEpic]

If you hang a left at the bottom of Old Emerald onto Emerald Canyon Fire Road, I think you eventually end up at a dead end with a chain-link fence. There is one section that could have running water when wet so maybe that's where.

Care to elaborate?

[ocrider]

Ya if you go left on old emerald and go down the fire road the falls are about a quater mile before emerald bay. Their ussualy drie unless you go right after the rain

[ocrider]

I'll try to get a pic on here later

[CalEpic]

I rode a little of Laguna Coast today. A lot of hikers out today. Damned pulled muscle that I rested for a week still cutting my rides short. This is really beginning to piss me off. Anyway - Did about a 2 mile road ride from my house to the park. Fireroad climb up Willow is in good shape. A couple ruts but no big deal. Rode down Old Emerald. Man is this trail overgrown. Otherwise trail is in good shape except for a huge rut near the bottom after the turn. This one will put you over the bars if you're not looking out for it. Emerald Canyon fire road has running water all over the trail at the base of Old Emerald. The trail is all rutted out and seriously overgrown in many spots. I was going to view the falls noted in above posts but figured the climb up to Bommer would be tough enough without adding more mileage. I should have gone for it, a little ways up the trail dried out and was easily rideable the whole way up. Still several good size ruts but again, totally rideable. At that point, I was in pain from a pulled muscle and had to call it quits.

C

[ocrider]

the falls prolly would only been dripping if there were goen at all cause thee ussualy only goen for about a week after rain.

[ocrider]

I rode Laguna Coast today. The ruts amde the fire road pretty technical and fun. I rode to guna and back the views were awsome.

[ocmtb]

rode laguna today conditions were alright some parts of the trails were really technical from the rain

[mcgrath]

I'm pretty new to mountain biking and I wanted to ask a few things about this trail.

I went out to Laguna Coast Wilderness. Parked just off 133 - Laguna Canyon Rd I think. Paid the fee and went up Willow. Very steep initialy and then it leveled out into up and down runs. Came to Bommer and went left, towards the ocean, and past "Big Bend" and then tried to go down "Laguna Ridge." So... Laguna ridge is pretty crazy I thought. Does anyone really ride this? I thought "if I just got down a little, it looks like it may level out", but it didn't. It was very rockey and rutted and then steep ontop of it. It was even tought for me to walk back up with my bike, and I'm in decent shape at 25 yrs. So then I went back to "Big Bend" and went down that and got a flat tire, snake bite/pinch... no spare, sucked.

Anyhow, what's the typical route everyone takes at laguna wilderness? Where does everyone park?

[CalEpic]

Laguna Ridge is rideable but I would not consider it a beginner trail. I walk a couple portions with my XC bike.

As for routes, I like to climb Willow, turn right at the top then take Bommer all the way to the last exit into El Moro (when it finally reopens)and play around in there for a while. At a minimum take Fenceline/Missing Link back out the other gate, down Emerald Canyon, up Old Emerald (keep your eyes and ears open for riders blasting down) and then Laguna Ridge down to Lag Cnyn Rd back. I live close by so I ride there but the parking lot you were at is the place. Alternatively, make your route to include Old Emerald down. It's a fast, fun singletrack.

Please don't be tempted to poach here. The hikers are Nazi's and will ruin it for everyone else.

C

I was gonna say the same thing, Laguna Ridge, aka T&A is not really a beginner trail by any means. When we rode it, we walked a couple sections. I've only ridden it once so far.

CalEpic mentioned some good routes, there is also a good ST called Lizards that is very fun.

[mcgrath]

Yeah, I saw the Path ride video that you posted and it seemed like nothing I was presented with. Maybe it's just the depth perception you lose when you watch a video.... The first section just looked un-rideable.... I guess I have lots to learn. You did start at the top yeah? When I went we past a benchmark that signaled the top of the hill/mountain, did you also see it? It was a steel pole and a circular metal plate in the ground. Maybe next time there is a group ride I ought to go.

I would agree 110% with you about the video not showing a fraction of the degree of difficulty that trail has. That rock they stopped and rolled down didn't look to difficult when watching the video, but then when you are there looking at it, its a whole different story.

When we rode it, we did start at the top. We were about to head down the Old Emerald singletrack when we followed some guys over to Laguna Ridge. These guys were very good riders and really hauled ass down Laguna Ridge. I don't remember a steel pole or a circular plate, but it is off to the left hand side of the fireroad. You go up a singletrack for about a hundred feet or so, then you head down. We stayed to the right on the "fork" where the trail splits about 1/2 way down. If you go all the way down the trail, it dumps you out behind the Art College on the 133. Ride through the lot and hang a left and head back towards LCWP.

FXrob and I may ride there this coming sunday if you want to join us.

[mcgrath]

Well, that is exactly where I was talking about. I'd like to ride with you guys if you don't mind. I just worry that I would have to walk down that first bit of trail. It was damn steep and no clear line to pick that I could see. Is the entire trail like that or just the beginning?

I haven't been there for awhile, so I couldn't tell ya the current conditions. I do remember the first part being pretty intimidating, ruts/loose dirt/rocks/no real line.

We may go up WILLOW, hang a right at the top and head to *****, down ***** then back up to BOMMER up to OLD EMERALD ST, down OE, up OE fireroad back to BOMMER up over to LAGUNA RIDGE, down that, hopefully not break anybones and head back to the truck. Not sure of what the mileage would be.

We'll be in touch before the weekend to set something up.

[TURNERob]

That will be a LOT of climbing, but 3 great singletracks to make up for it.

[mcgrath]

That's what I was thinking. I'd love to go and learn a few things from you guys, but, it may be too much for me.