RR: Strawberry Loop Trail, Angeles National Forest.

So today was lifting of more trail closures in Angeles National Forest. Decided to brave the crowds and ride Strawberry Loop. Took my time and got to the trail head at Noon. No one in the parking lot…wants up have ya’ll forgotten the about this trail. Answer yep…saw one person the whole 5 hours it took me to loop the route.

Climbing Josephine Fireroad was as unfun as it ever was and the heat made it worse. Still no trail sign for Colby Ranch Trail off Josephine, but no surprise there never was one and many ride right by the trail head. Pleasant surprise is that the back side of Strawberry Peak has sections that did not burn but higher up did burn and the rain bring the ash downhill makes for many wildflowers but also poodle dog brush. Most of the Poodle dog has been cleared from the trail but you still need to be watchful.

Strawberry Loop has never been easy but now many of the climbs and sandy not no so fun. Go out there and help pack the trail in. In is a raw but what would one think after 5 years of no bike tires.

 

Thanks Dean!
Wow, after 5 years from the Station Fire I never thought it would re-open. Definitely one trail that was lost but not forgotten.
Glad to have a vital member like you to explore and inform folks like me. Emoticon no worky so "Steppie!, Steppie! Steppie"

 

The last picture of Mt Disappointment Trail was posted for Gab Zink...he is the only one I know that will ride it or maybe knows where it is.

 

Hey Dean, thanks for the trail update. I will be there in the morning to follow your tracks around.

 

Thanx Dean for the update. This has always been one of my favorite XC trails. I'm gonna get out there ASAP

 

It took a lot of effort to get it back in shape in time for the Forest Service closure to be allowed to expire. We have been working on it for eighteen months, and a big push came late last year when CORBA got the National Forest Foundation, Los Angeles Conservaton Corps, Sierra Club, and Mount Wilson Bicycling Association to coordinate and combine their efforts on this one trail system. The National Forest Foundation gave a grant to the LACC, and REI gave one to CORBA. With those combined funds we were able to hire a professional contractor and a paid crew to do some of the heavier work, and fill in the gaps with volunteers. IN 2012 the IMBA Trail Care crew taught some of our volunteers how to plan and layout a trail alignment, and the result of that training is now a nice re-route around one of the rockier and rutted sections. That re-route caused the project to go through an environmental review, which held up the work for several months.

This area is loved by so many trail users: mountain bikers, hikers and a few brave equestrians alike. It was great to be able to bring together these different groups with a common interest, despite a few perceived differences, and make it happen.

There's still more to do, but not enough to keep it closed. I'm stoked to hear the stoke of people getting back out there. It seems just a little bit sweeter now, as we get to return to what we've all been missing for so long.

The part that is closed (and mis-reported in the media as the "colby trail" being closed), is the section of strawberry peak trail that goes through to Colby Camp/Colby Bridge at Upper Big T. That section is planned for a major re-route which will take some time. The existing trail hasn't been worked on, as the bottom half is planned to be decomissioned and re-routed.

Enjoy!

 

Ok, so 5 hours to do the loop, what's the milage for that one please?

 

14-15 miles with 2K+ of climbing. http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=9811

Stopped often to do trail work...kicking rocks off the trail many pictures and was very hot so I went slow. Geoldders route uses the highway to return...lame. Don't go back on the highway use the Gabrielino Trail from Red Box to Switters.

 

Best bang for the buck is to start from Switzers. Heinous climb out and mellow climb up the Josephine fireroad. Follow the trail around the peak and over the saddle. Drop down to Red box and take the Gabrielino down to your vehicle. This route starts with the climbs and ends with downhill singletrack.
Enjoy.

 

I do not think Josephine is a mellow climb. It was hot and loose yesterday and I did not like it.

 

Dean, I saw lots of tire tracks today on the Strawberry Tr. But what was really cool is that a couple bears had walked on all the tire tracks. One bear track was 7" across.

 

Thanks for the report!
I'd like to try this trail. Need some new and interesting dirt, and mileage/elevation is right up my Mtb alley. The pics look like it would be fun, and not too far from home.


Saw that last pic and thought, WTF, that will end most rides! So Dean, you didn't tackle it.....

 

Yes the one rider that passed me said he saw a bear on the trail. Bears must be able to go a ways without water has Strawberry Springs is bone dry.

 

Yeah when we went out there to remove some downed trees we saw signs of the bear. The backside of strawberry used to have a local bear and I hope he or she survived the fire.

 

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Is Colby open/rideable?.

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Colby Ranch Trail Yes, Colby Canyon Trail no. There are no signs out there marking trails or closures. So it may be hard for first timers finding the route.

 

Is that Poodle-Dog Bush in one of your pictures?

 

No pictures of poodledog but caught it. I have it in my eyes and it is a big bummer. Eyes nearly stolen closed in the AM takes 10 minutes of icing to get them to open. Was hot so keep wipig my eyes to et sweet out. I have been around Pooledog a bunch first time it got me. Only place I have it is my eye lids and around eyes.

 

^^ That's no bueno Dean! I kept thinking about that this weekend and trying not to touch my face while riding around the PO.
I thought Poodle took a week to appear - guess not!

 

The purple flowers are penstemon, not poodle fortunately. I didn't see too much poodle dog, but it's obviously there. Also a bit of poison oak coming out of the potrero. That I did get a bit of!