Best Trails after a Rain?(merged)

Discussion in 'Trailhead' started by Rockinthecasbah, Jan 6, 2008.

  1. Rockinthecasbah

    Rockinthecasbah A.D.D. Unleased

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    other then road rides , where is the best places around to ride right after a storm like this, I'm going stir crazy and was planning on riding oaks a few times after work this week but I dont think its going to happen. . What trails in oc can be ridden right after a rain without killing the trail
     
  2. RacinJason

    RacinJason Banned

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    Fontana Has decomposed granite. That stuff is not affected by rain like regular dirt. The people out there training on sat had fun.
    It rained a lot the night before and the course was fine.
     
  3. GeorgiaOfTheJungle

    GeorgiaOfTheJungle THE Penultimate Mtb'er

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    I've riden San Juan right after the rain and the conditions seem ideal--great traction, no muddy sections--but, not sure what the dirt is. Just watch for ruts
     
    dustyyoungblood likes this.
  4. Von-Skipp

    Von-Skipp FLOW

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    Ehhh last time I rode San Juan after the rain is was pretty muddy and nasty in some spots. I was with Rob and we had to turn around after a couple switchbacks.
     
  5. KeepsWhatHappens

    KeepsWhatHappens Warriors Society Member

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    You can't hurt Trabuco Creek Road. Start at the VQ/CC finish line and head up canyon.

    KeepsWhatHappens
     
  6. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    Sycamore Canyon in Riverside, lots of DG, rode there yesterday, great traction!!!
     
  7. Chewyeti

    Chewyeti Circus Bear

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    Most of Coal Cyn was granite
     
  8. allison

    allison Active Member

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    I'd actually suggest staying off the singletrack entirely for a few days.

    SJT used to be great after the rains, but a bunch of nice trailwork was done adding dirt to the lower switchbacks. Definitely a good thing for when it is dry, but now it gets muddy when it rains, and we got a lot of it this past weekend.

    Stick to fire roads or just give the trails a few days to dry out.

    Looks like once we get through this morning it'll be dry until at least through Friday, with temps in the high-60s.
     
  9. madrider

    madrider Bike Therapy Patient

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    roads?

    As much as I dislike cars, my new road bike (6 mo) is paying for itself these last few days, I've been able to sneak out for a couple rides in between rains, as roads dry out in hours instead of days. I still try to stay on the bike-only routes if possible...

    I bought it for an additional riding alternative, it works well as a rain option, I highly recommend a road bike as a second or third bike. It's very different from mtb.
     
  10. Cowgirl

    Cowgirl New Member

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    I know it doesn't sound like fun....but you can always ride the road...find some steeps in your neighborhood and do interval training...keep riding no matter what especially if your signed up for the VQ or CC....
     
  11. Evel Knievel

    Evel Knievel New Member

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    STT was the place. Good DG all the way to Old Camp. The best drainage of any trail around.Not riding the Luge. The Luge needs a long time to dry out. It is more clay than DG. Not the same as STT at all. Plus it is in the shade most of the day.

    Good call.:clap:

    West horse theif.
     
  12. Von-Skipp

    Von-Skipp FLOW

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    It's gona be muddy and wet probably wherever you guys go!!! It really screws up the trails. When I rode San Juan last week I admit I probably really screwed the trails in some places making ruts, and felt really bad.

    We get sun and dry weather probably 350 days of the year!!! No big deal to take a day off from the trails.

    The best advice on this thread is to ride the road for the next day or two!!!
     
  13. project_d

    project_d Steve Peat Wannabe

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    There are many threads about this topic. That being said, the San Gabes are the best i've seen. You can ride during the rain and you're not going to hurt the trails. A lot of it is decomposed granite, so the water just runs right through it. I ride Mt. Lowe all the time after a rain, and I wouldn't ride any other trail cuz those get ruined while the San Gabes don't.
     
  14. jcbikeski

    jcbikeski New Member

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    San Juan and other similar trails are great after 1/2 inch, but we got 3 to 5 inches over the weekend. My experience says to leave virtually all trails alone until at least this next weekend and then only use trails like SJ that are mostly decomposed granite. I won't touch Blackstar for a couple weeks of sunny days since I don't enjoy mud fests.
     
  15. denmother

    denmother Gone riding....

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    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 7, 2008
  16. ThinkFast

    ThinkFast Member

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    I rode San Juan Today and overall it was in great shape. A few muddy switchbacks at the bottom, one was a mess.

    This is the worst one.
    [​IMG]

    Lots of moss in this section but no Mud.
    [​IMG]

    Nice riding on 99% of the trail today.
    [​IMG]
     
  17. allison

    allison Active Member

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    Sucks that so many people rode the singletrack and effed it up so much :(

    That's just plain ugly.
     
  18. Endo Verendo

    Endo Verendo sure

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    I second the San Gabes. They seem to get better when wet. Also a lot of the fireroads in the Santa Monicas do well, as does Sullivan Cyn.
     
  19. KBL

    KBL Powered by chocolate

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    This is your excuse to GET OUT OF OC and discover other local trails--albeit slightly less local trails.

    I'll third the vote for the San Gabriels. Most of the trails in the San Gabriels handle water quite well since they're rocky and sandy instead of packed with potentially greasy clay.

    If you'd rather head toward Big Bear, the Santa Anna River Trail is a good one that's fairly weatherproof.

    I haven't ridden them personally, but I've read about several good trails in the Coachella Valley area--it's sandy, rocky desert and often receives less rainfall than other nearby areas.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 12, 2008
  20. Artichoke

    Artichoke New Member

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    trails to ride after the rain?

    so i was reading this post which talked about riding trails after it rains http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/ride-reports/42783-after-rain-chesebro-canyon-agoura-hills-ca.html
    and it was talking about how some trails have better soil composition such that you wont destroy them after the rain. i was thinking about going out riding on tuesday and was curious as to which trails are ok to ride? i dont want this to be geographically constricting because i think this could be a good reference for others in socal out of my area that have similar concerns (dont want to kill the trails). So if you guys could list good vs. bad places i think it would benefit us as a whole!
    thanks a bunch
     

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