El Moro/LCWP/Bommer/Shady/Quail(IRC) Trail Conditions(merged)

Is the RattleSnake Mach1 connector to I think i can open for biz? want to ride el moro tomorrow. thanks!

 

^^^

it--and most of the interior trails--was closed as of a couple of days ago. you can check their website or try to call and talk to a ranger: http://crystalcovestatepark.com/

 

Rode it yesterday afternoon: Rattlesnake(down the middle), Mach 1, ITIC, BVD, Emerald Canyon and out. The connector is completely overgrown and washed out near the top before you reach the top of Mach 1. There was no sign by Rattlesnake stating it was closed and in bad condition, so we had no idea until we got to the top of MACH 1 and saw the closed area sign. BVD was in great shape until you get to the bottom flat area which is completely overgrown as well. Got a flat at the end of BVD, didn't have Stans, broke all 3 tire levers and had to HAB up Emerald Canyon and out to Ridge Park in the dark - no fun. Second rider had a flat at the top of Emerald Canyon and had to HAB it out as well since we had no tire levers.

Here's the link to the video if anyone is interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntODkm2G_x4

 

Emerald Canyon LCWP

In case anyone was wondering why the Emerald Canyon trail has been closed, see the picture below. I'm working on a plan to fix it but it won't be easy. I know it's not a very popular trail but I hate to lose any single track and it is beautiful down there.
The arrows show where the trail is.

 

Is that the out and back? I like that trail except for all of the poison oak.

 

And people crap themselves when someone builds a 12" trail out there. Mother nature does thousands of times more damage in one rainstorm.

 

I stopped riding Emerald last year when the overgrowth and the extended fence at the bottom became too much of an inconvenience. Do you know (as opposed to speculation) anything regarding the legality of walking around the fence? Any thoughts on other "exit strategies" from the canyon, other than riding back out the way you came?

 

Going around the fence at the bottom is illegal. It puts you in a private, gated neighborhood. Depending on where you want to end up, riding up Old Emerald is better than Emerald Canyon in my opinion. Just watch out for descending riders.

 

I don't mind it too much as an out & back. When I do it, I usually go down BVD, out and back in Emerald canyon, then up Old Emerald. There has been some talk about turning it into a loop with a climb out to the ridge at the bottom, but that will never happen unless we get this blowout fixed.

 

cool video, rattlesnake looks super chunky! looks like the rains have washed away any residual dirt that was left between the chunk.

 

After riding over the last several days, it is safe to say everything in El Moro is open and in fantastic shape. Rattlesnake stands out as the only real rough trail out there, but that only makes it "more technical", other than that Bommer is a washboard (which on an HT is a little annoying) and once the sand dries out between Red Tail Ridge and Lizards, it will be deep and challenging -- I recommend Fenceline both directions. The 20+ water bars installed on "I think I can" have grown in size. I swear they are about 2-feet tall. The bottom of BFI stood up to the recent rain nicely. Slow and Easy is nice and smooth. Mach 1 is like riding down a freshly groomed Blue Run. Fenceline is still the only piece of singletrack legal.

Laguna Woods is open except for the much publicized, lower portion of Old Emerald. Willows is a rough mo-fo going down on an HT, but just fine going up. Lizards remains closed. The senior ranger (note she's the only one for all 3 parks, so cut her some slack) said she wants to open it up, but if people don't stay off it, they may never open it. Marie Calendars is definitely not open. Also, the ranger knows some "riders from OC" (think about it) went down the hiker-only, Laurel Canyon trail recently and actually posted the GPS on their web-site. Not a good move. Other than that, everything else is open and very enjoyable.

 

Uh, isn't lizards ALWAYS closed???

 

^^^

as well as the other unmentionable trail (c'mon!). i think it's understood that all the illegal trails are still closed...

and if missing link/fenceline is the only s/t open in el moro right now, how are we getting another report on rattlesnake? somebody's got some splainin' to do. : )

(i guess the mods are taking the week off)



(i kid, i kid)

 

Ticketron is open.

 

I was just hiking at El Morro on Sunday. I usually ride on the LCWP side and onto fenceline, so I don't know the trail names on the other side (except the deadly rattlesnake). Anyhow, starting from Ridge Park, going down the fire road on the right, after a couple of miles there is a Y in the fire road, we turned left and then usually turn left again and do a steep climb up to the bottom of rattlesnake. We couldn't do that route (to the base of rattlesnake) it was closed and looked WAY overgrown.

 

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=40800

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=41158


Read the Route Descriptions and comments...

 

Not really, but aside from family, my full time job, getting ready for the VQ/CC and everything I'm involved in that goes into that(trail prep, tying feathers, answering PMs/emails)..., I admit my mind was on other things ; )

Ok, there are lots of links on Geoladders that include illegal trails. Lets not posts anymore on here and turn this thread about what is legal and what is not. This thread was started by me so those interested will know the conditions of the legal ones. Thanks.

 

Thanks to who(whom)ever dialed in Fenceline at El Moro. It was a nice surprise this morning!!
I'd like to know when the next time they need volunteers to help out on trail work.

 

That would be me. Thanks for noticing. My back is still sore. My next project is to fix the small section leading out of Deer Canyon campground toward Ticketron. That will be on April 16th as part of the park's Earth Day celebration. I am currently trying to find a way to get tools transported to the campground since I no longer have a truck suitable for off road travel. If anyone has a pickup truck with high clearance and would like to do this on the 16th, please let me know.

 

^^

we rode it yesterday. right = wet. left = dry.