In Memory of Whiting

The Warriors Society's first trail work of the season was originally set for this Saturday, It is cancelled due to forest closure. It is doubtful the forest will re-open until the fires are all fully mopped up and/or we get measurable rain.

SHARE and possibly other groups will be heading up restoration of Whiting (but not The Warriors Society). The Warriors Society's sphere of influence is the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest.

When the time comes, I encourage everyone to step up and lend a hand in the restoration so we can get our parks/forest back in shape as quick as we can.

KeepsWhatHappens

 

Last year's big fire at Santiago Oaks park (Chutes) near Anaheim Hills/Orange shut down the park for a few months but it opened back up and the trails were fine.
The entire vegetation lanscape was gone but the riding was still fun. The only good thing is that once everything has burned you can actually seen what's coming up ahead and see other side trails better.

So don't worry, I'm sure Whiting ranch will be opened up in a few months. Come ride up at Santiago Oaks (most people ride from Irvine park while others like me ride from Anaheim hills and then ride down the chutes to Irvine park and then ride back up the 3 B's).

 

Thanks for the video....
Saturday I was in the area of Portola doing fire clean up at some homes who's back fences back up to Whiting. It was depressing to look out and see the devastation that this fire has caused. I could only imagine the horror those who experienced it first hand felt. I could not imagine how anybody would remain calm while ferocious, violent flames were literally knocking on their back doors. I stopped sweeping for a few moments, stood there looking out at an exposed Dreaded Hill, Whiting Road, and the single track that runs along the edge – the one we come out of after Cactus, I heard somebody say “it looks like the moon.”

I thought - the moon??? Yeah…it does look like the moon but with one big difference – the moon is stark, dark and basically has no beauty what’s so ever. For our beloved Whiting, the beauty is gone, but not forgotten…nor is it gone forever. Fire, although not a preferred method especially when it rages out of control, is a natural part of the forest’s regeneration system. Slowly we will experience the new growth dappling the burned areas; we will see the new growth sprouting up – hopefully as early as this coming spring. We won’t experience 100 year old trees in our lifetime, but soon we will see the magnificence that has always drawn us to Whiting the first place.

 

Ironic, the last time we road Santiago Oaks was the Sunday when the fires started. We shuttled to the top of the housing tract and attempted to ride in the 80 mph gusts. Actually got blown over several times and sandblasted. It was like riding on the moon, dry, dusty, no vegatation and the single track was considerably wider than it used to be and all filled with loose sand. Being able to see around the corners was quite an odd experience.

When we came down, we saw the ranger and were told that the park is actually closed when it is really windy (we didn't know that but promised to pass on the info). There were alot of trees down and cactus covering the trails. We were lucky and she didn't cite us but said she would next time.

 

Thanks vickie, now just pray for rain. Long slow rain.

I'm probably with the majority, too, I don't lament or mourn any possible lost trails right now.

 

haha - that was you coming to my door! You and your group were so nice. Thanks for all of the help! If anyone wants to see the fire and damage from the houses she was talking about...I posted some video I took from my back yard.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UTpBd1H4GDU