WTF? Who f'ed up Waterworks in RSM?

Just some thoughts here......

Now that you know who the property is managed by, you now know who to make contact with to open discussions about the possibility of getting the trail legalized.

This will be happening more and more in many areas, and anytime a trail is built or modified outside of the proper channels; there will always be the expectation of it eventually being closed.

A lot of once non-sanctioned trails have been added into the legal system through the proper channels, so this is just another opportunity for users to get involved in potential solutions.

Just be careful about doing nothing but getting angry and escalating this to a battle between a user group and the county.

Prepare a map, outline the sound reasoning's for the trails existence, be prepared for a potentially long haul.....but it is not impossible.

Stairsteps, Laguna Ridge (T&A), Emerald Falls (BVD), Rabbit Run, Fox Run, Ridge Route, Shady Oaks, and Cattle Crest are some of the past success stories......with potential additions to come via the Aliso-Wood Canyons RRMP of Car Wreck, Corridor, Nestall, Five Oaks Connector.....not to mention the once undetermined trails in Santiago Oaks that are now signed and legal.

Again......the choices here are simple......get involved and work to get it sanctioned, or get angry and do nothing. The first option builds relations between user groups and the manager's, the latter tends to degrade our sport.

I look at these as opportunities for growth in the bike community.

Thanks!

 

You neglected a third option. Study trail/stunt building and happily build one's own trails... only where it's legal, of course! :lol:

:wave:

 

Went down Waterworks again today at the same time on Monday where I encountered the guy with the shovel. No one was there and it looked like no further damage had been done to the trail. I find it curious that they'd simply stop if in fact the local authorities were truly bent on "dismantling" this singletrack.

I'm thinking this guy may be more of a disgruntled local than anything else...

 

probably a good idea to just lay low and not make an issue of it. The water district boys have better stuff to do. The bmx jumps are a nuisance anyway. You notice how in that area, there is tons of trash, and some clowns have been chopping inot the trees (not for clearance, just killing trees). Probably just local ladera kids that congregate there; not MTBrs.

But I think there are other ways to access that canyon, and the top of the trail. Did anyone ever stop at the bmx jumps and walk UP the trail that leads down to the start of the BMX jumps? There already seems to be an informal trail there on the south side (instead of the north by the water dist building). I didn't walk it all the way to the street but I bet it comes out on that first street into ladera ranch. If we all just used that route, then the bridge would be unnecessary and we could stay away from the water dist building and not draw so much attention. Stealth is good. use the trails but go unnoticed.

maybe some of y'all should take a look and see if it would work. I would be happy to show up with a shovel and do a little informal trail maintenance.

 

my father in law said he access it from the top where taco bell is? there's a little entry that drops down behind the shrubs.

 

I rode by yesterday and the jumps are pretty much done. Duan, the "Taco Bell" access is the singletrack that veers off to the right after coming down from Antonio and crossing the now destroyed ladder bridge.

 

that should merge w/ the drop down to the trees right?

 

You can come in behind T-Bell and there is a good little piece of track that runs all the way up there. If you come through the break in the shrubs at T-Bell and follow it down, you'll intersect just SW of the old bridge (by maybe 50 feet). Make a right and you're on the trail.

I actually followed that track last week (going opposite of Waterworks, down the hill away from T-Bell) hoping it would cut back to the main trail, but you intersect with a chain link fence and a ton of brush. I was trying to avoid having to cross Antonio to continue on.

 

Hey John, thanks for your post re: WW before you left for vaca. Also thanks to everyone else who has posted. As many times as I've ridden this stretch, I've hardly ever seen anyone else on it, and it's good to know so many locals enjoy it as much as I do. Let me know if you plan on doing any informal trail work down there anytime soon. I found that section 7 or 8 years ago and have always loved it. The BMX area getting shoveled maybe isn't a bad thing - all the freaking fast food trash and tree damage, etc. was really pissing me off lately. I'll bet the same kids responsible for trashing the place also pushed the shopping cart a short way into the singletrack. The bridge is another matter and its too bad the Parks guys broke it apart.

I also like JamR's suggestions to look into getting this stretch legalized. We should talk more about this when you get back, John.

Eric

 

I'm interested in working on this as well if there's anything I can do.

And on the trash/carts, totally agree. I saw the cart the other day and was wondering just how far away from "home" that thing had wandered. Never noticed the trees. Probably will now.

 

I'd be interested in trying to legalize this too. Please let me know what I can do.

 

Incident Report

Out of curiosity (and not wanting to work today) I hoped on the bike and took a spin down to the jumps today. I came in backwards from the Arroyo.

When I got to the jumps there was one old(er) dude digging and 2 uniformed OC Parks women standing there. (First thing that popped into my head was where have I seen this before? Oh yeah! Me working at home while the wife supervises.:-s) Anyway the old guy was nice enough and called out to make sure I didn't run face first into the ditch he's dug across the trail. Then Ranger Lori (Laurie?) asked me if I knew this was an unauthorized trail. I responded I did not (because I didn't and have never seen a no trespassing sign). She was very nice about it and I was very respectful. She explained that they can issue citations, but prefer not to "be jerks" about it. I asked who owned the land. She said it was property of OC. I asked her at what point the trail was illegal? (Thinking maybe at some point the trail was somebody on somebody else's land.) She responded everything from the Arroyo over is not to be ridden on. She stated there are processes for legalizing it and she thought it was a real nice trail, but the process is what the process is and we'll need to follow it if we want to ride it. I told her I'd spread the word to the fellow riders in the area and she thanked us for listening and be respectful.

As I was leaving I stopped to photo the trail and some CC runners caught up with me. I asked them if they were approached and they said they were and the ranger asked them which school they were with. They assume the ranger will be contacting their school to have the CC team run elsewhere.

That's all I got. I'll be steering clear of it till we get some word on a new status. Bummer as I pretty much hate the stream crossings on the Arroyo and had a washout in the sand over the bars to prove it today. #-o

 

so now i'm bummed the singletrack is off limits as well..

 

I rode through this area yesterday leading a small group of Trail Angels and we noticed two things that have already been mentioned: the bridge is gone and the jumps are taken out. The single track was fine and fun as usual. I did not see a single "No Trespassing" sign nor did I see any OC Park officials or anyone working in this area.

However, an off-duty Fish & Game Warden politely informed our group that the Highway Patrol is citing people on Ladera Ridge for trespassing and the tickets are $300 each. He also said anything in the Arroyo is legal; and anything outside of it (on both sides) is illegal.

On the paved portion of our ride, we encountered 3 Highway Patrol Officers investigating an accident. We asked them about issuing citations on Ladera Ridge. They said they didn't know anything about that, and that is not their jurisdiction; belongs to someone else.

 

jesus so now Ladera Ridge is allegedly off limits as well???

 

NO!!!! I guess you guys found out the bad news earlier.

I just finished riding waterworks in reverse to take some pics of the damage and as I was climbing where the wooden bridge was I came across another rider who told me that the Oso Pkwy route up to Ladera Ridge now has a NO TRESPASING sign!!!! Anyone know how we can legalize this? If it's possible by any means, I believe that we should start a signing a petition while it's still somewhat early in the game.

 

Would be nice if we could enlist the assistance/advocacy of the LBS Ladera Cyclery. As stated above, happy to get involved via the right channels if anyone is willing to lead this. I'd do so myself, but I've never done it and have no clue how to get started.

 

This is unbelievable. I'm guessing the closure signs at Waterworks will be up any minute now. We are losing trail access in South OC so fast it is beyond stunning. I know there are those who will say technically these trails were illegal anyway, but so many of us have been enjoying these areas without mishap or repercussion for years.

Why now? Is the toll road spotlight to blame? I know of at least 2 airlifts from Chiquita Ridge in the past year which no doubt raised some eyebrows as to the riding of these areas.

I'd like to talk to John (KWH) when he returns from vacation to see if he has any ideas about approaching the agencies on this. I know he does a lot of trailwork thru the Warriors and maybe we can figure out who to contact at the County to begin some type of process to legitimize some of this network.

The only solace I can take in any of this is that they can't keep up the enforcement presence forever (hopefully). I'm not a poaching advocate at all, but these areas see nowhere near the traffic of the parks like AW and Whiting. I guess we've been lucky to have flown under the radar, so to speak, until now. I was riding these areas before and during the buildout of Ladera and the 241, and now that development has come, so has the spotlight. Damn suburbanization. Rant over.

 

As far as waterworks goes we need to contact head ranger Ron Slimm or Scott Fegley. Maybe SHARE can help spearhead making this trail legal?

 

Have they already closed the trails on the east side of Antonio between Crown and Oso?

This is crazy. If you live in ladera this was a perfect 18 mile loop with some fun singletrack.