Ride Report Rethinking The Oaks

Wrong:

Zips is the original trail that takes you from the top all the way down to the bottom......basically the old route that everyone used to take....not on Goat trail.

Many people called the bottom part of Zips.....Chutes.......but it is now where they built the new trail.....so now there is Chutues A(old trail) and Chutes B(new trail) that drop you into the sand wash.

 

Ok.....just got back from a ride at the Oaks......haven't been out there since last weekend.

I must say I am very disappointed at what they did to the new trail that they cut in(Chutes B trail). Cutting in large rain diverters in right before every switchback going downhill is just retarded......there has to have been other places taht these diverters could have been cut in. I see major braking bumps in the near future in front of every switchback......sure, the rain won't cause the trail to deteriate, but the braking bumps will. Not to mention, it completely kills the flow of the trail. Sorry, but until last week, the new trail was great and fun, but I think the new improvements are far from that.

 

Sounds like someone needs to organize a ride and show us all the cool new trails and some good loops...hint..hint.

 

That is what is cool about he new trails......is now you can put together a bunch of different loops, so you are not riding the same one big loop that eveyone used to do.

 

Since it's a new trail, having an outsloped grade dip (low spot) or two just up-trail from the switchback is an easy way to spill runoff and keep it off the turn. Another dip after the turn spills any water that accumulates on the turn itself. Sustainable, invisible and potentially fun.

 

So Chutes and Zips were/are synonymous?

Did Oaks today as well wanting to try the new trails and a new loop. Went up Grasshopper (first time, learned the hard way and found it more physically taxing than going up the 1st B, so in my books, a trail meant for descending; I wonder is Hawk the same?), ended up at some scenic spot on a cliff and went down on an unmarked ST that dumped me onto Bumblebee. Headed up Bumblebee from the bottom and then descended Chutes. Instead of staying right the whole way into the rutted parts, I hit the trail offshooting to the left (didn't get the name, wanting to know), and followed it which led me to the rutted descent but from a different approach. Got dumped at the wash and then took Egret trail for the first time. Finished off the rest of the ride in Peter's and headed home.

Still have to do Hawk, Coachwhip, Yucca Ridge, and Cactus Canyon so I know which is an easier way up to the top.

Better yet, for those that have done all the trails, what is the easiest way up to the top? lol

 

Yes.....same trail....different names.

Locals call it Zips........Mountain Bike OC book calls it Chutes.

 

I am a beginner rider that has been riding regularly every weekend for the last 5 months. I have ridden Aliso Wood (Up Cholla/Down Mathis and Coyote), Whiting down Cactus, STT down Luge, Carbon Canyon, Fully Loop, Nix, El Moro, Peters Canyon so far. Is Santiago Oaks something I can tackle? I have heard the trail is very confusing without much clear sign post. Should I ride with someone that knows the trail well for the first time?

 

You're good to go dude. Going up Big Red at Peter's is a good indicator of what to expect when climbing 2 of the 3B's. My advice is to go with someone that knows on your first time.

 

Coachwhip isn't in great shape right now -- it has a deep, wide rut that follows it nearly the entire way down and is overgrown. That said, it you are looking for a technical decent (you have to hop over the rut in many places on a narrow windy trail), you might enjoy it. At least this was the condition two or three weeks ago. Cactus canyon is in GREAT shape right now for a descent or ascent. I consider sections of Hawk to be advanced technical, but very doable on an XC bike. Yucca ridge is fun down and can be made into a loop that avoids most of the B's.

Lately, my preferred quick route is: Up Chutes B, Down Cactus Canyon, Up Bumblebee North, Up top half of second B, Down Yucca, Up Bumblebee South, Up top half of Goat, Down Chutes A/B. There are plenty of variations too: at the top of Bumblebee North, you can tackle Hawk and then climb Goat all the way and be at the top of Barnham ridge. Or if you want to add distance, you can mix and match the loops (four trails intersect in the canyon north of Barnham - Bumbleee South, Bumblebee North, Cactus Canyon, and Coachwhip). From the top of Bumblebee North, you can hit Hawk, Yucca, or climb the 3rd B to get to the top of Barnham ridge and hit Coachwhip, Cactus, Canyon, Waterfall (the old trail running near Goat - advanced technical), or Chutes. One can due multiple loops or tack on Weir canyon for extra distance and climbing.

The nice part of it all - nearly the entire ride is single track now both up and down.

 

I rode it yesterday -- same reaction. Where the rain and traffic had compacted the trails a week ago, the turns are all loose now and the drainage bumps were a little annoying. Hopefully the storm tonight will help to pack all that down. It looks like they were taking off camber turns and putting birms in - maybe that is the need for the bumps... just the same, the bumps are begging for somebody without a ton of experience to come bombing off the hill, catch a little air, and have a nice flying lesson over the edge of the trail...

 

So much trail work goes into planning for rain it's a case of the innoculation being worse than the disease. Why not make trails designed for bike flow insted of water flow? The rain will cause ruts so fix them after the damage.

Everybody's a water expert - (LINK)

 

Thanks Dean.

That part will change. Where the Ridgeline Chutes (old Chutes) comes down to a split about 1/2 way down where you can climb up to stay on the ridge or go left. The left trail will be closed and the Ridgeline Chutes will continue on the Ridge and then make a left onto a new section that is yet to be built. It will tie into the old Chutes again just above where the new trail crosses and the lower Chute is. The idea is the Ridgeline Chutes will be a more challenging trail then it is now and the new Chutes will be the easier route. So when it is done the two trails will only cross in one place. If there had been another way to do it without crossing at all we would have done so. As you probably know we could not go past the fence on the left side of the new trail that is why we had to cross.

There has been other groups involved with this as well that deserve some praise. The County has picked up the tab for some of the repairs. I know many people park outside of the parks to avoid the fee. I think it would be nice if more people parked inside and paid the fee to support the parks. Also local equestrians have pitched in as well as a local Womans Club. Trails for all was involved in the early planning and Share has organized a few volunteer days to help build some sections of trail too.

Yeah you got it. I agree that some of the dips are a little sharp presently. We always build them a little bigger then they need to be at first. Once they get rain on them (last night) and then compact they will be smoother. Some riders may not know about pumping? If you push down as you enter the dip and lift up as you hit the exit ramp you can flow through the dips. This can be a lot of fun and get the water off the trail at the same time. Also keep in mind that we are not done here. If after the rain and compaction the dips are still to sharp we will fine tune them. We will also be doing some choke points to slow riders down before a few of the turns.

By the way the new trail will be called Chutes and the old trail will be called the Chutes Ridgeline.

We will be done touching up Cactus Canyon Trail tomorrow 12/7. When you ride Cactus take the speed back a notch so you don't miss the alternate lines and bermed turns. We had to widen some of the turns slightly. When we did this trail last summer we wanted to keep it narrow. The problem was that the equestrians were walking on the berms because they did not have enough of a flat area to walk on. So the berms were flattened out and hardly anyone was riding them. I think most riders would agree having a slightly wider trail with some bermed turns is better then having a narrower trail without them. It seems the equestrians really like this trail too so keep an eye out for them.

 

True! Keeps everyone happy and considering the space they have to work with its a fantastic job!

 

Wow, a bunch of negative posts by mtnbikej. I would not have expected that.

 

:wave:


Don't get me wrong.....I like what they are doing out there. It is great that they are finally adding some new trails. The new trails are great. I have actually been using the new Chutes Trail as my main climb to get to the ridge since it was built. I just don't care for what they did to it in the last week.

I have been riding out there for 12 years, so I have been able to see how the park has changed over the years.

 

I'd like to say thanks a bunch too. All the work out there has been awesome! Oaks is my local park too so I love the new trails that have been built and repaired. My biggest problem with all the new trails? I'm always trying to find the perfect route. I try to not do the same trail twice so I always have to stop and think should I go this way, should I go that way.....etc. But I'll take it. Thanks for the many ways to go!

 

I started riding the Oaks about 6 weeks ago, having only been once before, over a year ago.

This is the only place I view like a mtb park. Or perhaps more like a ski resort for mtbers. There are tons of ways to link up the well marked trails, and much of the park is visible from any location, so it's very easy to explore. The trails are in great shape, very smooth and packed, yet with natural features like rocks and drops.

Another mtber I met out there pointed out something as well. It's all up or down. You're either climbing switch backs or bombing downhill. It's all action, and it's quite a work out. Also, there's far less "casual traffic" let's say.

My favorite trail is definitely Cactus Canyon. I feel like I'm carving a slalom course on my snowboard, it has really good tight flow.

For the XCers like me, Hawk was a bit much and I had to HAB down some of it. I found Grasshopper to be a better choice. There was still one HAB spot, but otherwise it was a bit safer solo from the top of Bumble Bee.

Anyhow, thanks to those involved in all the trail rehab! I'll take your suggestion and park in the pay area for a while.

 

Great idea! That is, if land managers' trail maintenance budgets were unlimited, or if we had 100 people show up every time we organize a volunteer trailwork day.

 

Good point.
(But those machines could replace a large number of volunteer hours.)

Did the donor of the new trails provide a budget for continuing maintenance? If not, someone will have to figure out how to spread the volunteer hours across the old and new trails. I hope the new trails will draw new volunteers.