Santa Ana's trail conditions(Harding/Maple Springs/HJ/Trabuco Rd Update)

Here's some Blackstar pics. Overall the trail isn't too bad but it will need some work before VQ/CC.

Just before Art's place.



Right in the middle of Hidden Ranch. If this isn't fixed, it will be a pretty serious choke point during the race.



Bunny hopping skills come in handy on this one.



There are a few spots like this but they are ridable.



The locals were out looking for weak riders today.


A few weeks of normal heavy traffic should get BS back to form with the exception of the big washout.

 

Thanks Eric - great to see detailed pics of Blackstar. I'll still skip it for a while, but it's good to know that it's back to being navigable...for now.

 

Motorway Trail Work 01-06-11

I planned on doing this yesterday after work, but didn't have the energy to do so after my commute home from LAX so I headed out today.

On my way up I worked on some of the waterbars and cleared some drainage.


Here's a shot before


and after.


Then hiked up to the slide area and began work. The slide left some nice features so I didn't really do much but re-established a cleaner line and benched it where it was really off chamber.

Here is shot before...,


and after.




Here is what it looks like as you approach it


Here's a shot of KWH when we assessed the trail last week


Here is the same section after.


After a short break, I worked on the the right turn that got washed out. Here is what it looked like after the storm


No clear lines, so most will dismount through here.


I cleared a section of brush and cleanup some of the loose rocks. It'll take some riding to pack it down and wear a solid line here.


As you approach the straight, you'll have 2 lines to choose from. 1 to the left is a rock garden and the right is the loose, but eventually will be a packed line and one to the far right. Wanted to used some of the new features the storm left, so I just cleared up the loose stray rocks and tried to give a clean approach to the new lines.


Here the line spits off again and you'll see a 3rd more chunkier line here


I benched the far left so you can take that instead of the chunky line to the right


Here's a closer look at the far right line.


and a closer look. I piled some rocks so you stay just left. This is to avoid going over the edge #-o


Here is that section before


And after with Tom giving it a go. Nice!


So go out and ride the Motorway this weekend. The sections up above have become more rutted and also chunkier. This trail needs some traffic to pack down the turn. Try out each of the lines. Just expect a more technical Motorway towards the bottom and you'll be fine.

 

Just passing this along from the USFS: Please be cautious and if we see any mischief that we should report any it to them or call the Sheriff's Dept. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the work on the Motorway Gene. Margo and I did a Maple Springs Motorway loop this morning and had a great time. It was Margo's first time down Motorway and she was surprised how loose and rocky it was. I replied, that's Motorway. Learn to love it. For those familiar with it, it's in great shape. For those waiting for the gate at the bottom of Maple to open, it may be a little while. There is still a ton of debris on the roadway. MS otherwise is in good shape with only a couple minor ruts.

 

Trabuco Creek Rd closed to ALL traffic

Doesn't look like they'll have to worry too much about it now:



John asked the worker driving the heavy equipment and he said it is closed to ALL traffic. Only county and residents are allowed past this point.

This doesn't mean you can't ride the trails, you'll just have to enter another way like Maple Springs, Black Star, ITT, Skyline, Bedford, Main Divide via Blue Jay and up the "Wall".

 

any word on the condition of Coal canyon?

 

Good question it is about time for me to suffer up that hill.

 

Took advantage of the great weather and a day off work today to ride Maple Springs-Four Corners-Santiago Peak-Upper Holy Jim and back. Conditions on Main Divide were as usual, but I was blown away by the work done on Maple Springs. It was in awesome shape. Thank you to everyone who has worked on the trails up there. Inspired by this, I definitely plan to put in some volunteer time to help work on the trails.

 

I've ridden Coal Cyn twice in the past 10 days and it is good to go. Hardly any damage at all.

 

Finally! That road is a disaster zone! It was bad enough before the storms but this last Saturday was pure madness. There were tons of fire trucks/paramedics which couldn't even make it to the forest boundary. They tried to land a chopper near the boundary!

I say close it permanently to all vehicle traffic with the exception of residents. Unfettered access to Trabuco Rd. = Total mayhem and a needless waste of our tax dollars.

 

"This doesn't mean you can't ride the trails, you'll just have to enter another way like Maple Springs, Black Star, ITT, Skyline, Bedford, Main Divide via Blue Jay and up the "Wall"

or Bell Ridge via Trabuco/Los Pinos or Yeager Mesa.

 

There's a connector trail from the bottom of Bell Ridge (by Mayfair Road) to Trabuco Canyon Road (comes out about 1/2 mile below the National Forest boundary). I rode out that way last year and it was sketchy in spots. Does anyone know it it's a legal trail?

I dropped down from Bell Ridge into Trabuco Canyon this morning, and when I came out of the canyon (where the road was closed), there was a County worker standing guard, who told me the road is closed (to all vehicles, bikes and foot traffic except County workers and canyon residents) Monday through Friday while they are working on it, and he didn't know how long that it would be that way. He also said that they're not working this Monday (MLK day).

They had 3 bulldozers working on the road between the model airfield and the National Forest boundary. The road is so smooth in most places that it's unrecognizable.

 

I for one am hoping against hope that it's still that way on April 2nd!

 

Trabuco Conditions

Anyone know how Trabuco is looking, thanks.

 

Trabuco trail or the road that leads to HJ? Check this link for updates on the Santa Ana trails: http://www.socaltrailriders.org/for...ons-trabuco-creek-rd-coal-canyon-updates.html

See post #47 for Trabuco trail conditions.

Trabuco Creek Rd was closed for road work during the week and has now been cleared up to the Forest boundary. From post #77

"They had 3 bulldozers working on the road between the model airfield and the National Forest boundary. The road is so smooth in most places that it's unrecognizable."

Most of the trails have been updated and you'll find the info here: http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/trail-conditions/55425-2010-2011-trail-condition-sticky.html

 

Anybody: Was there anyone at the road entrance today? Thanks

 

Hmm.. anything to do with a certain mtb event and recent injuries?

 

Minor update...The 2 trees at the big right turn near the bottom of the motorway where Gene fixed the washout....don't stop by them ...looks like the may be a new site for a bee hive. Stopped there to be a good Samaritan and help a couple noob hikers got stung and only then realized I was basically standing in the middle of a swarm. Hopefully they were just passing through.

 

Rode Trabuco yesterday dropping in from the top at Main Divide, turned around at the W Horsethief intersection. Parts of the upper section are a bit rutted, but it's in pretty good condition. No real damage from the rain. Not a soul up there yesterday.