Wilderness Access Day - Black Star Canyon

Does anybody have a map of this area? I'm assuming that this is very different from the normal Blackstar to Beeks fire road ride. Has anybody been? Are there lots of single tracks?

http://www.irlandmarks.org/activities/

 

I too am interested in any feedback. I'm strongly considering this saturday!

 

Baker Canyon is to the right (East) side of B-star road between the tree lot and the gate, and I believe the plan for Blackstar Wilderness Park is to expand in that direction. (It's been a while since I've seen plans, but I'm sure someone here can verify that).

The date is this Saturday, 1/5/13, starting at 9:00 a.m.

Note that there's also trail work going on starting at 8:00 a.m., and they're looking for volunteers. Is anyone familiar with this new trail? Is it open to bikes or hikers only?

Black Star Canyon Single Track Improvement

Description & Registration Information

Join us for a morning in Black Star Canyon as we continue to improve the Silverado Creek trail which was just recently opened to the public. We will be perfecting a section of benchcut trail with hand tools and planting native cactus to discourage off trail use.
No previous trail maintenance or construction experience necessary.....just the desire to work outdoors and get dirty!
All tools, water and snacks will be provided. Please wear gloves, sturdy work shoes or boots, long pants, sun protection and a hat.

[TABLE]
[TR]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Spaces Available:[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Led By:[/TD]
[TD]Irvine Ranch Conservancy[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Activity Date:[/TD]
[TD]1/5/2013[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Time:[/TD]
[TD]8:00 AM[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Activity Type:[/TD]
[TD]Trail Work[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Distance:[/TD]
[TD]4 miles[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Duration:[/TD]
[TD]4 hour(s)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Elevation Change:[/TD]
[TD]300'[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Guided:[/TD]
[TD]Docent-Led[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Recommended Age:[/TD]
[TD]16+[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Level of Interpretation:[/TD]
[TD]Medium[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Additional Information:[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: AdditionalInformation, colspan: 2"]Please contact Jill Sprance ([email protected]) with any questions[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

Sounds awesome! You know I am in!

 

Link to my GPS track from the last Wilderness Access Day. Some of the singletrack (forgot the trail name) I hit are off limits to bikes.

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/for...ck-star-canyon-wilderness-day.html#post946761

 

I signed up for the open access! something new, right?

 

i found this:

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=62098

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=62089

I hope the single tracks are open to MTB!

Signing up myself, brand0commando and 2 others

 

I just signed up. Here is a link that I received in the email.

http://www.irlandmarks.org/store/documents/t/15034.pdf

 

Total length of trails is about 7 miles or so. Plan on adding a normal B* ride to make it worthwhile.
I went last time and rode the Silverado Creek Trail. It's ST for about a mile and a half. Has a few small, steep ravine crossings - be ready for them.
SilMod was closed for a downed tree, so I missed that.
This GL track shows all of the new trails.
http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=62089

 

Looking forward to meeting some new people from STR! I'll be there more than likely +3. You guys going want to meetup in a comon spot? If it's only 7miles, I may end up doing it twice or take Rumpled's advice and hit blackstar afterwards!

 

What/where is SilMod? Never heard of that trail.

 

We had this discussion some time back about the trails... just an FYI - the Silverado Creek singletrack (which was that technical gnarly little trail) will be off limits this Saturday to all traffic due to trail maintenance and improvement work. Sorry but that means next time the trail will be better.

Just a suggestion: Sign up and use the Sil-Mod trail to access and ride into Blackstar Canyon. It's short but fun and pretty. There is a great singletrack off the back that drops you pass the Blackstar pipe gate.

The Sil Mod trail is newish... you will access it by riding down the Baker Dump Road about 1/8 mile and then enter a gate to the left. It starts out gradual, then climbs and then finishes with a fun singletrack down. All of the trails are short and for some will be a disappointment. It is great as an "add-on" to riding into Blackstar. I have suggested to friends who are newer riders this is a great place to practice climbing and descending. The short but steep climb up to the Baker peak is a challenge for many newer (and flabby older like me) riders. There is one singletrack which will be offlimits (other than Silervado) to bikes - its hikers only although last open acess bikers were using the trail. Uncertain how they plan to control traffic as not many volunteers are signed up. Sad as it is a fun little trail...

 

Way to plan an open access day.....close 1 of the 2 trails for trail work. You guys are starting to sound like CalTrans.

 

Access to the area is very limited so planning trail work when the public can sign up, come and help improve a trail makes sense on open access. Also the area is not that large to begin with... nothing like Limestone or Bommer.

Doesn't sound like you would have enjoyed the trail anyway...it's short (about a mile or so). There are still other trails to take (Baker; Sil Mod). And for everyone: Remember this is open access to bikes, hikers (plenty of mileage for hikers and families), families and equestrians so if you don't enjoy crowds, wait for a scheduled program.

 

While I appreciate "open-access days", what I'd really like to see is true "open-access"! I no longer live in Orange County, and the chances of one of my trips to O.C. coinciding with an infrequent event day, are slim to none. I seem to have a "personal problem" keeping an eye open for future events that I might be interested in. (I'm working on that!) I hope that this event is seen by the powers that be as "a success" and will be (however slow), progress toward opening more new areas like this as well as the new trails in Bommer Canyon area, to true "open access".

 

Bommer Canyon is owned and run by the City of Irvine... they are working to open up more and more trails and now there is access through the area on several trails which connect to other parks (like West Fork and Turtle Ridge). Because of the Nature Conservancy's and other land management oversight of the Limestone/Weir/Fremont Wilderness, access will be limited for a time to come. Events are routinely scheduled however (open access is always the first Saturday of the month and will rotate between Limestone and Baker) so you can plan trips. In addition almost every week and many times during the week there are docent led programs scheduled in all of the managed areas. If at some point the Nature Conservancy believes Limestone/Weir and Fremont can tolerate frequent intrusion they will probably allow other trails to be open on a regular basis right now however mountain lions and other large animals are struggling so some space needs to be reserved/set aside for them.

Personally Baker is just not big enough to matter whether its open every day or not. Blackstar is right next to it which I prefer riding anyway. The Baker area can be ridden in less than an hour... it is better suited for hikers and family events.

 

The Irvine Company donated the land where Blackstar and Limesone, etc. to the County a couple years ago. I don't understand why The Nature Conservancy is still restricting access.

Someday, before I die or I'm too old to ride, I'd like to ride from my house to Santiago Oaks and connect to Blackstar, etc.

 

Well, as some others have mentioned "open access" shouldn't be restricted. One should be calling it "ride on public property only when we say so" day.
As far as trail work... when it is open I'll work it.

 

There is another thread going on about attacking comments... I hope you all understand I am not a paid employee of IRC or OC Parks or The Nature Conservancy... I volunteer my time in hopes of getting people out to enjoy rides and hikes. I have no control over access or not; not my decision and I neither condone or approve of it (I would like more access as well) - I do however understand why access is controlled and monitored. If access is something you are passionate about, attend County Supervisor meetings and voice your opinion.

One thing I always thought effective: if you want your voice heard, step up and make noise. I volunteer so I have access to and can connect with people who make decisions. Groups like SHARE and Warrior Society are active in trail building and improvement in order to show to everyone the validity of the MTB community.

Again I am not here to protect or make any political statement - It is clear that many riders are only concerned about access and don't understand why there are limitations. That said some people do appreiciate being able to ride in special places and to those people I say come and enjoy. I personally enjoy being only 1 or a part of a small group that has a chance to ride in an area. I stopped riding at places like Fullerton, Aliso, Santiago Oaks because to me... those places are way too crowded and overused - that is not my cup of tea. Some people like crowds however and to you I say go ride those areas.

Can't someone just post a ride or ask questions without the whole open access thing being argued?

 

Really good point about staying on topic. I dislike the IRC hierarchy and their policies (the volunteers are cool), but think that issue is separate and shouldn't be part of every thread on the area. The outings I've been on have been fun rides on new dirt meeting nice people.