Los Penasquitos Conditions

[b5driver]

I received this e-mail yesterday from one of the rangers at LPQ. Good news. Still, please proceed with caution and don't widen the trails anymore than they already are.


Yippee, the north side trail have dried up enough to open them. So...all the NORTH trails are OPEN, the east staging area (off Black Mountain Rd) is open to DETOUR at RANCH HOUSE CROSSING to the north. All other CREEK CROSSINGS are still under water and hazardous so they are CLOSED. The SOUTH side trail are also CLOSED. OLD LOPEZ ROAD trail is OPEN.

As other areas dry out and we can do some repairs we will keep you posted.

Gina Washington
Senior Park Ranger, Open Space Division
City Of San Diego, Park & Recreation Department

[nappyt]

Sounds good. I'm getting ready to roll out now on a recon ride. I have a trail behind my house that should take me from Sycamore to PQ. Going to see if I can stitch it all together. I'm taking my GPS with me but the wife took the mini camera so I'll post pics another time. My goal for today is to see if Sycamore and PQ could be tied together using the community trails that are currently in place.

I'll know then how long the ride would be from my house to PQ so we can hookup for a ride tomorrow. If its to long I'll just drive to the trail like usual.

[nappyt]

Well that was a bust. I really need to look at Topo maps before I head out on a new adventure. Long story short the trails are awesome and warrant more exploration. Unfortunately about 5 miles into the ride I did my best superman impression yet. On a steep technical downhill I was trying to scrub some speed. Good news is that I was able to get down to about 12 mph before I hit a rut. After that it was all Air NappyT. This wasn't the worst crash I have had but its the tops with the amount of parting prizes I left with. Cut chin, scraped knees, chest, gut and fore arms. Good thing I adjusted my helmet today or I would have been stopping on my face. So here is the GPS of the ~6 mile loop at the Sycamore Canyon end.

Trail - Sycamore Canyon 2-9-2008.jpg

This trail is a strong intermediate trail because its really rutted, and sandy but worth the trip. Lots of gnarly downhill sections make it fun. I will pickup where I left off tomorrow and see if I can finish this loop. Best trail I can compare it to would be Simpson Park in Hemet.

Trip Stats
Distance: 5.46 mi
Elevation: +918/-670 ft

[OffRoadie]

I appreciate your efforts nappyt. I'd probably use the trails you explore to get to Sycamore from my house.

[el_d00der1n0]

http://sdmba.com/index.php?option=co...d=79&Itemid=19

[PacMan]

Wasn't that article posted awhile ago?

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by PacMan

Wasn't that article posted awhile ago?

I think something similar was. The one about the new trail to Mira Mesa...

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

I think something similar was. The one about the new trail to Mira Mesa...

I remember reading it last year. It was written by Ebasil and he's usually on top of things.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by PacMan

I remember reading it last year. It was written by Ebasil and he's usually on top of things.

yeah, that's the one. you should join the yahoo group if you haven't already. they send out those messages like the one scott got.

Crap, here it is: Lpq News

.8down posted it.

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

yeah, that's the one. you should join the yahoo group if you haven't already. they send out those messages like the one scott got.

I used to be a while ago. I probably will re-join.

[b5driver]

Looks like it'll be closed for the weekend. Here's the latest.

After slipping and sliding at one of the canyon entrances and seeing that Ranch House Crossing is totally under water, the County and City Rangers have decided that the trails need to remain closed at least through Monday the 18th. We will re-evaluate at that time and let you know what we find.

FYI: great news, the California Dept of Fish and Game has hired a person, Jason, to take care of all the CalTrans property that was turned over to them. Two of those properties are on Del Mar Mesa, you know the large fenced parcel where the gates and fences have been torn up for the last 7 or so years. Well, Jason has made that parcel his number one priority b/c the fences are in such horrible shape and it is protecting some great vernal pools. Watch for the fences and gates to be replaced in the next couple of weeks. After speaking with him he thought it might be best, from a maintenance and financial point of view, to allow pedestrian and bicycle traffic to continue through the property to a limited degree, so please pass on to your groups to abide by the signs and fences that are installed on DMM as this will encourage friendly cooperation between the land managers and users.

Be safe and enjoy.

Gina Washington
Senior Park Ranger, Open Space Division
City Of San Diego, Park & Recreation Department

I'm not sure what area she's talking about on the Mesa. Can anyone shed some light?

[nappyt]

Originally Posted by b5driver

Looks like it'll be closed for the weekend. Here's the latest.



I'm not sure what area she's talking about on the Mesa. Can anyone shed some light?

Sounds like the Tunnels area. On one of the USGS maps I found LPQ has a small area of land near the 56. But CalTrans had the land between that and the preserve. I would guess this is the area atop Powerlines. That would be the northeast corner of the canyon.

[danlorek]

vernal pools...hmmm. hopefully they aren't too lame about what they decide to allow us to be able to continue to ride due to the fragile environment. the same environment that in every direction you look to from there has been built over by cookie-cutter homes and businesses. the only reason that area hasn't built on yet is the fact it has canyons.

forgive me for being such a hater. kinda reminds me when they went and removed some of the bridges that crossed over trenches and over tree stumps so we could ride there without dismounting or making a sharp detour... they said the stuff had to be moved yet left all (and i mean a ton) of all the trash from the illegal camps.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by nappyt

Sounds like the Tunnels area. On one of the USGS maps I found LPQ has a small area of land near the 56. But CalTrans had the land between that and the preserve. I would guess this is the area atop Powerlines. That would be the northeast corner of the canyon.

there are some fences around the area commonly known as dmm. carmel mtn road is supposed to go right through that area (i think google maps shows this). that would be a good reason for caltrans pwning it.

[EBasil]

Originally Posted by danlorek

forgive me for being such a hater. kinda reminds me when they went and removed some of the bridges that crossed over trenches and over tree stumps so we could ride there without dismounting or making a sharp detour... they said the stuff had to be moved yet left all (and i mean a ton) of all the trash from the illegal camps.

Using your post for a few things:

--the area Ranger Washington is referring to is the one just south of the Tunnels. That's a "private preserve" owned by the state and we aren't supposed to be in there. The Vernal Pools are pretty much on the jeep roads and 4x4 ruts, but a few "prime" versions are in those two meadows just south of the northernmost road that runs through there.

--the removal of stunts and bridges in Tunnels probably didn't have much to do with preservation, but rather liability. Two things: 1) the City won't accept the land with stuff built on it (since it's open space/preserve) and 2) the landowner was liable to each of us if we fell down and got a boo-boo on things built or added to the land --there's no coverage for the recreational immunity statute when conditions have been altered by humans and the owner does/should know about it.

[danlorek]

i know, i know. even with good reasons, still makes me a hater.