Santa Ana River Trail

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by pinnacle10

I'm probably biased because I live right down the hill from it and I ride it a lot, but it's definitely worth the drive. You have to at least do it once and see for yourself.

I have a couple of short videos of it on my blog - http://socalmtbiking.blogspot.com/
Just click on "SART" under Ride Descriptions.

Be warned - I'm pretty sure it's closed right now from all the rain. It's rained here almost nonstop for the last 14 hours.

Nice blog! Your footage from Cactus @ Whiting made me cry . I miss it.

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by 92se-r

Wanna lead some of us on a ride there Pacman?

Sure. Give me until January to get off the DL and I'm down. Do I here a New Year's Day ride at SART??!!

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by PacMan

Sure. Give me until January to get off the DL and I'm down. Do I here a New Year's Day ride at SART??!!

Brrr....but fun! I could go for inviting myself along on that

[station]

Can someone post a map? Google earth? Thanks.

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by station

Can someone post a map? Google earth? Thanks.

Lot's of info:
http://www.mountainbikebill.com/SART.htm

[pinnacle10]

SART on New Year's Day sounds good to me.

Originally Posted by PacMan

Sure. Give me until January to get off the DL and I'm down. Do I here a New Year's Day ride at SART??!!

[PacMan]

OK. I can post it and even lead it, but just know it will be like my second or third ride back from being on the DL and I'll be somewhat slower than usual.

[26'er Zen Master]

sart is sweet and really tasty

[PacMan]

....

[Wicked Smot]

Sorry to pull this thread back to life but I didn't see any definite answers about distance and ride time for this trail.

I live in Mission Viejo...could someone who has been there throw out an estimate of about how long it takes to get there, ride, and return?

[tkblazer]

click trail head directions on the lower left hand column for directions...

http://www.geoladders.com/gmap_displ...51&walk_thru=1

[mtbchip]

To me all rides are fun, but this is one of the best all day epics SoCal! Some real scary exposure fo sho, but hey, that is what ups the "thrill factor". I live in San Diego and driven up there twice to get in on the run. There is MORE to that area than the standard ride. I was sworn to secrecy not to divuldge the awesome trip I went on. If you are good with a topo map, look for TRAILS!!!!

One of the times the wife and I went up on a saturday afternoon and stayed here, a real funky place, REAL FUNKY. She hung out all day Sunday, no prob with the cabins!

http://www.whisperingpinescabins.org/index01.html

But, right across the street is a good restaurant. Load up there early and explore the wonderful area. Ck the weather, that place can get COLD!!!!

[BSki]

Its about a 1.5 hour drive from Anaheim and I would plan on a solid 3-4 hour ride.

This is a day trip for sure. Went up there over Thanksgiving. Left Anaheim it was 68ish, got out of the truck at the restaurant and it was 44ish and I was in sandles and shorts, I wanted to go home.

Toss on arm/leg warmers and hit the trail. That single track is simply amazing.

[mtbchip]

Hey Wicked......

Drive time and distance, use mapquest!

Saddle time is up to YOU, but a minimum of 3 hours in the saddle I would think.

[ShinKen]

Originally Posted by mtbchip

Hey Wicked......

Drive time and distance, use mapquest!

Saddle time is up to YOU, but a minimum of 3 hours in the saddle I would think.

3 hours? what route are u doing? usually takes us like 4 to 5 hours plus breaks!!

[Wicked Smot]

Why use mapquest when I can bum the info off you guys? The rough estimate is what I was after. Thanks again BSki. Guess I can't squeeze it into a 1/2 day Saturday like I had hoped.

[mtbchip]

Originally Posted by ShinKen

3 hours? what route are u doing? usually takes us like 4 to 5 hours plus breaks!!

Minimum......

When I was there, we rode for 6 hours, 34 miles...... an ALL day sore butt!

[osmarandsara]

I'm no SART expert....but when I don't have that much time I do it this way:

1. Leave my house (near the 15/60 freeway Xchange) at 7:00 a.m.

2. Get to Angelus Oaks at 8:00 a.m.

3. Drive (yes.....drive) all the way down the fireroad that begins at the dirt pullout (1/4 mile past the Post Office)

4. Park somewhere at the bottom of the canyon along-side 7 Oaks Road...its now 8:40 ish...don't forget your Adventure Pass.

5. Ride 7 Oaks Road (paved/dirt road) up towards Southfork....you can't get lost, just follow the river the whole way.....where the road forks take either one they meet again just before Southfork..) I prefer the right it has less climbing....

6. Arrive at Southfork at 10:30ish (yup...10:30ish...its faster to ride the straight fireroad to Southfork than taking SART) ....at Southfork take a break, pee, hava a snack, then head back (downhill) on SART.

7. Arrive via SART back at Middle Control at 11:45 ish...turn right, go downhill and back to the car around Noon.

8. Drive up Middle Control to Hwy38 and to the post office....usually arrive up there at 12:15 ish...

9. Have a sandwich from the Grocery Store, use the stinky, call the wife to teller I survived, back on the road at 12:30 p.m......back home around 1:30 p.m.

Yeah...doing it this way skips the section behind the post-office and the long climb out of the canyon that we all love.......but like I said sometimes I don't have all day to ride...but doing it this way still hits like 90% of the trail anyway....just my 2 cents....

One time I added the post-office loop and it basically added 1 hr (40 mins. to ride up the canyon and 20 mins to ride down) so you can do that also..

[Upsidedown1]

We just did the SART on Saturday (12-08-07). It just happened to have snowed during the night. Had a great time. Temps were in the high 20's. Most of the trail had 3-4 inches of snow, but there were some areas where the trees covered the trail keeping the snow from building up.

[tkblazer]

looks sweet, but way too cold for my liking