Luge Trail Conditions

I wrapped up a little mid-summer brush work on the Luge yesterday afternoon, cutting back some new growth in turns and encroaching from the uphill side of the trail. I also cut back some thorn bushes and yuccas that threatened to inflict injury. The overall effect will (hopefully) result in a faster, flow-ier descent.

Then, as I was walking out, I noticed an artichoke thistle laying in the trail. I tossed it off the side, and then threw a bunch more that someone had obviously gone to the trouble of laying in the trail (all after the stream crossing)-- presumably to cause flat tires.

So, enjoy the trail, but keep a sharp eye for unpleasant surprises..

 

Thanks for work Jim.

Was up there last weekend and it was pretty overgrown.

On a side note, noticed all the new No Parking signs on the Grade. Any new info on whether you can park anywhere on the grade?

 

Thanks for your continued work. It does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

 

Thank you sooooo much....Karma is a great thing and yours is coming!!!!!!!! Much appreciated

 

I think you'll like it now..

As for parking on the Grade: There's a relatively new "No parking beyond this sign" at the bottom on the right (just after turning off Santiago Canyon Road), and then a very new "No parking BEFORE this sign" a little ways up. After that its my understanding that parking is legal on the uphill side until you come to the first "No parking" sign which is just about 300 yards from the top. A Sheriff told me it was legal to park right up to-- but not beyond-- that sign, and I've been doing it on a regular basis when I walk my dog, with no ticket problems.

 

Thanks, your effort will not be futile.

 

I am still smiling from my ride down the Luge today. This trail has never been better. A huge thanks to all of those that keep it this way...your efforts do not go unnoticed.

 

Rode the the Luge today.....awesome condition! Thank you

 

Great conditions down luge today. Even on the Hardtail Rigid 29er it still rocked. Very tacky.

 

Threw on a cagoule and a pair of Sorels, and checked out conditions on the Luge yesterday. My dog, Rufus, wasn't so sure about hiking in the rain, but eventually came along to keep me company (and dig up gophers).

One thing I like about the National Forest is that it's open during storms (I wish the same was true with our county parks). I like seeing Nature in action, rivers full, rain and hail, thunder and lightening..

There are waterfalls flowing off the walls of the upper canyon and the wash sounded like a big river. Rock and mudslides cover the trail in places, and a couple occurred in the time I was out there. The upper trail, just below the flag, perches on steep rock, and there was a lot of run-off pouring down the slope. I turned around short of the flag because I didn't want Rufus setting off a landslide, and being taken down with it.

I recommend both seeing the trails in this condition, and EXERCISING CAUTION while out there-- whether on foot or bike. If you are unsure of your ability to deal with potentially dangerous conditions, wait until the storms pass and things dry out.

The STT will probably have mud and rock on it and may be unstable in places. There's at least one sinkhole (on the big switchback) that could be a lot bigger. The descent to the flag will probably be more rutted than usual.

The first section of the Luge could be prone to complete failure-- from the gap jump to the little saddle. There are old, metal reinforcements in place, but I wouldn't count on them. Lower down the trail, watch for rockfall and mudslide areas, and downed trees. The crossing can be raging at times and attempting to ford it is NOT recommended. If in doubt, head back up the trail, or go back a couple hundred yards to the first banked turn, and follow the old trail down canyon to the neighborhood, then turn right to get to Live Oak and go right again to get to Cooks.

 

Need to get Jim a waterproof camera for christmas

Was wondering how long it would take you to get out there...

 

Fixed it (Can't seem to attach vertically-formatted photos though. Have to figure that out or shoot all horizontals :-k)

Back to conditions:
For those willing to risk the potential hazards.. Neither the STT or the Luge will be seriously damaged (by your bike) if you want to explore them in wet conditions. The STT gets muddy in spots, and can be a challenge to get through. The Luge holds up well to bike tires and can even be improved by being ridden just after a storm. If riding or hiking either trail in these conditions, it would be best not to stop in potential rock/mud slide areas.

 

I suppose I'm going out on a limb by promoting trail use during and immediately after storms..

It's important to remember that you're on your own out there. Things can and will go wrong. Sometimes it's a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, no matter how experienced you are. In other cases, poor decision making can lead to tragic outcomes.

I come from a backpacking and ski mountaineering background. I've said my goodbye's before going on trips, but done everything I could to come home in one piece. It's important to have plans, but also to be aware of changing conditions.

One of the standard practices on backcountry ski tours, when not traveling solo, is for skiers to cross avalanche paths separately, so as to not risk more than one person at a time (and to have someone left to rescue you if things go wrong). With all of this rain currently falling, there will be considerable chance of slope failure in the local mountains, esp. in the burn areas. Mud and rock may come down on you, and entire sections of trails may fail and slide down the hill. Hiking and/or riding under or on top of these areas may actually initiate failure. Crossing over exposed slopes or under steep hillsides should be done with caution.

Our local trails are close to home, but wild and subject to the laws of Nature. Unstable conditions will likely persist for some time after the storms pass. Stay aware of your surroundings, and make adjustments as necessary.

Nuff said?

 

Jim, I think your dog and mine are brothers.

 

Then I guess we're both pretty lucky

He used to go out with me when I was rebuilding the Luge after the fire. Sometimes he'd dig, and sometimes he'd just lie in the trail. The Forest was closed, so it was usually just him and I. One night, after the trails were re-opened, we were out there late and heard some riders above us. He freaked when he saw the lights of their headlamps bouncing back and forth across the canyon walls, and disappeared into the bushes! I called and called, but couldn't get him back. I kept calling all the way down to my truck, but there was no sign of him. It was pitch black and I thought I'd lost him for sure. Then, when I opened my truck's door, a black shadow burst past me and launched into the cab! He'd stayed in the brush the whole way down the trail-- then raced across open ground at the last second!

These days, I keep an eye on him as the sun's going down. The thought of really losing him is something I just can't bear.

As a buddy of mine once said about his own four-legged friend, "I love that dog; I really do." I guess a lot of us feel that way.

 

Here's a sneaky way to show another of my favorite photos of 2010-- (please don't delete it, Craig!) :lol:

This shows the Luge BEFORE all this rain.. I can't imagine it looks like that now. I'll probably head up there tomorrow afternoon and check it out. If anyone wants to join me, send a PM. Be prepared to work!

 

Hey Jim would STT be alright tmrw? Thinking of doing an out and back.. Staying away from luge of course.. Just need to get the legs pumpin!

 

Santiago Canyon Road was still closed....

 

I've seen some pretty big mudslides on the STT after this type of rain, so it's hard to say. They don't always happen during the storm-- sometimes they take a day or two to cut loose.

Usually I'd say go for it, but I hesitate this time. I'm not concerned about the STT or the Luge being damaged by bike tires; I worry that the slopes might be really unstable and someone could get hurt.

Up until Sunday, most of what we experienced locally was intermittent light rain and drizzle. But as we know, the last three days saw significantly higher rainfall amounts.

So even though I recommending getting out on the trails during rainstorms, at this point I'd say give the mountains a few days to settle down before heading into any areas where mud and rock slides could occur. Some of the soil that slid onto the Luge on Sunday was like soup. It was filled with water and just poured off the hillside, covering and running down the trail. With all the additional rain, we could be in for some large, and potentially catastrophic, landslides. That could mean getting buried by debris, or having the trail disappear from under your tires.

Of course, it'll probably be sunny tomorrow, and we'll all want to ride. But I think the slopes could stay unstable for at least a few days. With snow, lots of avalanches occur on "blue sky" days following a storm, and I think the same type of activity could occur on our trails, but with soil and rock.

As long as we're able to access the trail, CalEpic and I are going to hike up the Luge tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon, and assess conditions. I'll PM you the details. We got a lot of rain and there are a few spots I'm concerned aboutWe'll post what we find in the evening.

Also, it might go without saying, but night riding in these conditions is going to make it more difficult to evaluate potential danger spots until you're in them.

 

Kioti, what time are you and cal epic gonna check out the luge?