El Moro/LCWP/Bommer/Shady/Quail(IRC) Trail Conditions(merged)

Images from Crystal Cove State Park/El Moro storm damage.







Please monitor their website for closure info: http://www.crystalcovestatepark.com/#

 

The last 2 pictures are wild...maybe the park will get renamed in the El Rock

 

I heard this weekend that the Irvine stuff Bommer/Shady/Quail areas came out of this relatively unscathed. What is it going to take to get them to open up access to those areas??

 

Im going to send an email to the Irvine Ranch Nature Conservancy or whatever they are called and find out when the next open day is there. Id like to check out the singletracks along Serrano ridge and see how they faired.... Possibly hike out and do some trail work there.

 

I signed up for one of the docent led rides in december, but they cancelled it last minute.

 

The Irvine Ranch Conservancy is still in the process of evaluating the damage, I am sure there will be trail work days coming up very soon in both the Irvine Open Space and the North Ranch. Your can keep an eye out on the Public Programs Website since I understand the dates should be posted there.

http://www.irlandmarks.org/Activities/default.aspx

 

LCWP is having a little trail work session this Saturday, the 15th at the Nix nature center. 8-11 am I think. I got this information from a Ranger today. Sorry I dont have a link to post...

 

The COI Trails actually held up pretty well.

Cattle Crest, Rabbit Run, Fox Run and Shady Oaks are almost unchanged. They are just ready for some annual trimming because with the amount of moisture so far; the vegetation is closing in fast.

We will definitely take this opportunity with the moist workable soil to clean up some trail sections shortly.

The north took a pretty good beating however from the overflowing stream banks. Some places went 30' or more past the historical hi-water marks.

We lost the 20' long Raptor Trail Bridge, and will replace it shortly with at 36' structure. It floated about 400 yards downstream until it hooked up on an oak.

The Baker Staging area is under about 3' of mud from the creek overflow down Baker Canyon Road. We will probably keep the material in place and re-design the staging area at the higher level.

Most of the fire road damage came from slippages and scouring that landed on the roads.

Unfortunately many of the roads are still just too wet to do any effective work, but we will be going out starting tomorrow with our skip loader to hit the areas that have dried out sufficiently.

We are currently discussing which areas have the best potential for public access and have a lot of our Docents out surveying the areas for potential modified programs....so stay tuned and we'll put them on the website as soon as possible.

We do have some trail project opportunities coming up to help get things moving, and get back on track with some approved trail projects.

I'll post up the following trail project dates as soon as I get them solidified.
The upcoming projects are:

Limestone:
Re-building the Raptor bridge
Building the second bridge on the Shoestring Trail to get it ready for opening
Repair several areas on the Sandtrap Trail

Orchard Hills:
Repair parts of the Upper Loop
Build out the mini bike skills area at the staging area

Bommer and Shady Canyons:
Brush and maintain Cattle Crest, Rabbit Run, Fox Run, and Shady Oaks
(this can be handled in one session with enough volunteers)
Convert the entire East Fork Trail and the upper section of the Ridge Route Trail to a single track
Build the Bypass trail past the Cattle Camp to prepare Bommer Canyon for the eventual seven-day connection up West Fork to Ridge Park

Later in the year we still have a half-dozen single tracks to bring into the system.

Lots of projects!

Just keep checking the website at www.irlandmarks.com for the program dates.

We also have a number of storm photos up at www.facebook.com/irlandmarks

A few photos of some damaged areas.

Thanks!

 

When i signed up for the irvine ranch open day (rabbit, fox, etc.) last month it was obviously cancelled due to rain and they said it would be open again on the next available day of January 22nd. is this still in the cards? at least open stagecoach track by nix center... i am fiending laguna wilderness!!!!

 

This is a quote from post #7 of this thread:

There is so much trail work going on I can't keep up. All and any help will be much appreciated.

 

IRC Open Day at Bommer on 1-22-11 is CANCELLED. Just letting you know. It's listed on the activities page as CANCELLED.

 

Just a quick update.

The City of Irive area will be ready for public programs again starting Saturday the 29th, and we are working out the date for the next Access day.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park will also open on the 29th.

El Moro definitely had some damage in their back country and may take longer.....so please pass the word to everyone to be patient and help the Rangers at El Moro. They have been getting a lot of people going past the closed area signs, and need to concentrate on getting the area ready.

Thanks!

 

I was just out riding with my 7-year old and saw the Rangers at the top of Ridge Park. They told me that Crystal Cove will be closed until the end of February. The ground is still saturated in spots. Laguna Wilderness will be open on Saturday next week.

 

El Morro Canyon Trail Closed?

I went to El Morro today to park and there were signs all over telling me the state beach was not open and closed. Also If I had entered I'd be cited??? Does anyone know how long is this supposed to last?

 

LCWP and CCSP are closed until next weekend

 

Seriously, good thing you didn't. They do give out tickets there. Not worth the trouble fighting it.

 

I went out in the back bay in newport where there is some nice jumps and fast sections, not much of a trail but a greta practice ground. A park ranger there told me not come back, but I do because there is no signs posted? I think the guy just hated his job of picking up trash.

 

El Moro will not make the opening next week as there is still damage to the trails and need repairs. They are ticketing if caught. Check status as it has been posted several times already. http://www.crystalcovestatepark.com/

I spoke to Lana who is the environmental scientist at Chrystal Cove. She was at the San Clemente trail work. She told me they handed out some 30+ tickets each costing $450.00.

 

I do not condone riding in the park when it is closed but $450 dollars is out of line and I doubt many Judges will impose that. The intent of our laws is to be just and fair, although it seems like that is not always the case. To have a trespassing ticket more expensive than running a red light, or speeding that does endanger peoples lives is not fair and equal. I follow MTBR Nor-Cal board where the parks give many more tickets than down here and the people that go to court gets the fines reduced.

Now if you are caught again most Judges will hammer you.

Dean

 

I posted on the other combined trail thread (it probably got lost amongst the hard work and pictures of everyone repairing the trails) that I was out riding with my son and saw rangers at the top of Ridge Park on Saturday. As mentioned above, Laguna Wilderness will be open on Saturday 1/29. El Moro (Crystal Cove) will not be open until the end of February.