RR: Chino Hills - Lower Aliso Canyon

[Schecky]

I had a window to ride before the trails advisory meeting, so I decided to hit Chino Hills, which is near my work.
Instead of my normal Rimcrest loop, I went and parked near Brush Canyon and rode the traintracks in to the Green River entrance. This way allows for a nice slow warm up. I wanted to scout out an East fenceline route for a future group flog.
I used to climb the Brea side of Brush Canyon a lot a few years ago and I miss this end of the park since they bulldozed the trail.
I climbed over the gate, said hi to the horsies, climbed over the next gate and then started the climb up the canyon FR.
The beauty of this park is how quickly you feel that you have entered the back country. I was all alone in a big patch of wilderness. A couple of rabbits, some birds, a bovine on a hill off in the distance and me. Good lion country I suppose. I could see some FR/trails that I am not familiar with - next time.
The canyon funnels the wind well and I had a good headwind for most of the climb. The FR was in very good shape with just a little powder here and there. Lack of traffic has left it looking pretty good. It dips and climbs a lot and takes a little more effort than it looks like on paper.
I passed the Brush canyon climb and eventually hit the singletrack on the Chino side of the canyon.
This was fun to climb. A little off camber here and there, occassional exposure, and chunky (maybe from the horses?) It was nice to see 6-12" singletrack with no powder again - I had almost forgotten what that looks like. I saw three other bikers on this trail coming the other way, but that was it.
I eventually made it to the campground and did the short steep climb up to the equestrian staging area, which has a nice view of the valley.
A quick check of the clock showed 6:00, so I had to book it to get to the meeting.
I came back down the same singletrack, zoomed back down the rolling FR (saw the three fellow bikers again) and then crossed the creekbed and finished with the always fun golf course singletrack. 6" wide with punji stick vegetation to sting your legs, exposure, almost no brakes needed, Black Flag and The Clash on the iPod, good stuff!

Look for a ride/flog here on a Sunday next month, probably staging at Green River.

[BrewMaster]

What's the golf course singletrack? Not familiar with that one.

[Schecky]

It's at the end of the canyon, close to the golf course, about 100 yds from the Chino Hills park entrance gate.
You cross the wash, make a steep 15 ft. climb (or hike), and then it climbs along the edge of the horse pasture. The climb is tougher than it looks. Its about a half mile long.
When you get to the apex, its another half mile of downhill that eventually doglegs right and ends near the traintracks.
You can ride it either way, but I prefer to start from the valley and finish at the golf course.
Try it, you'll like it!

[BrewMaster]

Let me see if I have this right, this is outside the CHSP gate at the golf course? Coming from inside CHSP, I would exit the park gate and go right until I see a singletrack climb?

I've never thought to ride outside of the park, I assumed it was all boring fire road next to the golf course.

[Schecky]

No it's inside the park, the entire trail.
From your side, you would travel down Lower Aliso FR, past the Brush canyon climb for about a mile. Skully ridge/hill will be on your right. The trail entrance is right after Skully hill becomes flatland.
It is approx. 100 yds before the Lower Aliso FR dead ends at the gate.
It is hard to see the entrance from Lower Aliso FR, but if you look right, across the wash, you can see the short climb, and then visually backtrack it to where it connects to the FR.
It is listed on the Franko's map that I have.

[BrewMaster]

Oh ok, I think I have seen this trail. They just put up a sign near the fire road that gives it a name. Can't remember the name, it starts with an 'A' I think...