Whiting Ranch Conditions?

Discussion in 'Trail Conditions' started by stinky180, Apr 15, 2009.

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  1. stinky180

    stinky180 Will make it Reign....

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    whos been here in the last couple of days? how are the trails? is the beggining still pretty sandy? going to go there in an hour or so.....
     
  2. Phishin Paul

    Phishin Paul Team Hardcore Cornbread

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    Just rode last night and trails are in great shape. Most of the sand is now hard packed.
     
  3. stinky180

    stinky180 Will make it Reign....

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    yayyyy thank you
     
  4. MohammedInABearSuit

    MohammedInABearSuit Sticks and Stones...

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    Sorta a necro-post but I thought I'd reuse a thread instead of creating a new one ;)


    Mikey (1FGRider) and I took the 'Cross bikes out for quick ride this morning.

    Whiting is a bit muddy along Borrego and there are quite a few water crossings that actually have water in them, but other than that, things are really nice.

    Gone is the deep dry sand, replaced by nice packed sand with some water running in it.

    We rode Mustard, Cactus, Vultures View and then down and out and it all was really sweet.

    Sorry, no photos :(
     
  5. Waldo

    Waldo Lebowski Urban Achiever

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    Thanks Hoover. I haven't ridden Whiting much lately and was thinking about hitting it this weekend, weather (and sore knee) permitting.
     
  6. Revalimage

    Revalimage Active Member

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    I have photos - give me 15 minutes... it's bad and VERY muddy on borrego, once started up mustard - the rest in same game....
     
  7. CalEpic

    CalEpic member

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    Never trust guys riding CX bikes for trail conditions ;)
     
  8. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    I hadn't been in there since the rains, and was surprised at all the carnage on Borrego. Well, not surprised really, the trail does go up a streambed.

    As Hoover said, the stream crossings are better, for now, and its cool to see all the water flowing, but the mud bogs and a fallen tree are causing people to make detours through the brush.

    Once past Borrego, things get back to normal. Mustard is dry; Cactus and Sleepy Hollow could use some TLC, but totally rideable. The rest of the way out to Portola Pkwy. was fast and fun.
     
  9. vonvon

    vonvon New Member

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    Calzone has the best pics from the ride
     
  10. calzone

    calzone Banned

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  11. Revalimage

    Revalimage Active Member

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    ^ Great pictures - here is my lot...

    You're right most of the damage is on borrego. As to the advice to go now, well...that depends on your bike. No one believes in beating them up and riding them into the ground - that said, I had some serious cleaning to do when I got home, not mud, or dirt...sand - gritty sand that had worked it's way around rotors and the drivetrains were a mess. Even worse than Tijeras Creek on a bad day. Hubby went VERY slow through all stream crossings to not spit water and sand, but I still had to pull his brakes too to clean.

    It was fun and different, and I only had a quick hour to ride - it was fun to get out. Bummed not to see the 'fork in the road'...

    1. & 2. the start of borrego, the board is very thin 4 - 6" wide, fun for practice - muddy penalty for failure. Rolling out looks like the side is not too bad - WRONG 6" - deep soup. You can see they are creating a ride around in the brush - still have mud at the end....
    3. Big beach is now hard pack - :( I liked the challenge
    4. Downed tree just before the bridge crossing, trail around.
    5. looking back at tree.
    6. this was a little rocky section before that little switchback, now you ride through the stream...and rocks.
    7. farther down, new line in deeper sand.
    8. Mustard, just as you head to 4 corners, borrego trail end upper right corner.
    9. Mustard, just past the table at the end of the Cattle Pond EC. Fire road used to be on the right where the rocks are.
    10. Just a bit farther up, original fire road to the right.

    After these images the park pretty much held up and remained the same. Some slight shifting sand, almost the same as just trail use and wear...
     

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  12. calzone

    calzone Banned

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  13. MohammedInABearSuit

    MohammedInABearSuit Sticks and Stones...

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    Hmmm... my skinny tires didn't seem to mind ;)


    Lol!!
     
  14. Revalimage

    Revalimage Active Member

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    ^^ that was yesterday (wed 2/17) at lunchtime. The downed tree looked new, but the trail around was well worn.

    ^maybe it was your skinny tires that stirred the mud pie :?: ;)
     
  15. Waldo

    Waldo Lebowski Urban Achiever

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    Beautiful - it almost looks like a wilderness again.
     
  16. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    The tree is gone, but the mud remains the same. Looks like the tree was cleared with the use of a chainsaw, based on the number of cuts. I was hoping to bask in the glory, but thanks to whoever got there first.

    I took a quick look at the mud bog, and it seems to be lower than the current stream level. I managed to find another project to work on (at the exit of Cattle Pond trail), then rode the rest of the way through the park.

    Its really nice in there right now.. lush, green, and streams flowing.. Yeah, Waldo, almost like a wilderness.;)
     
  17. MethodX

    MethodX Uber Method

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    Revalimage has the my exerience from Wednesday perfectly. The front side has some mushy sections. The backside is good. I did not check out dreaded hill. I climbed the backside a couple of times and then called it quits.

    My bike needed a hose down. It wasn't the soft mud that I hate, it was the gritty muddy stuff that I despise.

    I'm delic#-oate like a flower.
     
  18. Rumpled

    Rumpled Longtime Newb

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    I rode Serrano Rd/Cow Trail and Concourse and Raptor today. Most of it was OK, but there were some really muddy sections that are getting rutted. Those sections could use a few days drying.

    The worst ruts I saw today were along Serrano Creek Trail in the tunnels near the skatepark. The worst ones were in the more Western tunnel and caused, most likely, by a County maintenance truck.
    Thanks for the maintenance, guys.
    That tunnel has some drainage issues that need help.
     
  19. Waldo

    Waldo Lebowski Urban Achiever

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    I debated even posting about it since I feel a little guilty, but I rode Whiting Saturday afternoon. I was surprised when I checked the web site and then called, and found that the park was open.

    That first long mud pit at the beginning of Borrego is nasty - I picked a bad line at one point and sank almost to the hubs. I'm not sure what anyone might do about that section, but unfortunately there is already lots of evidence of people creating alternate lines. That section will take a long time to fully dry, and will be badly rutted once it does.

    Past that, most of Borrego is fine. There is a gentle flow of water to be crossed in several places of the sandy creek bed, but very few muddy spots and they were easily avoided. The normal sand pits are hard-packed and a non-issue. We hung the left up toward Cattle Pond but kept going up the west side of Mustard. It's good to see the hillsides there getting so lush and green, and the wildflowers will be amazing in another month or so. Coming back down Cattle Pond (hey - there's a pond there now!) I noticed one spot just before the big u-turn where the trail was cracking at the edge and the hillside seemed ready to slip. Be careful.

    Mustard was a mess at the top, muddier than I expected, and at that point I felt bad that we were on the trail. Luckily there was a very narrow line that had been packed in by previous riders and hikers, but it was challenge to stay on it.

    As previously noted, most of the Cactus/Sleepy Hollow/Serrano/Live Oak side was in good shape, with no real mud problems. The bit of road just after exiting Live Oak is an exception though - pretty muddy and getting tracked & rutted.

    I have very mixed feeling about that ride. On one hand, I felt like we were doing damage in a few spots, even though were experienced riders and were trying to be very careful. I don't think the park should have been opened, though it was an interesting first-hand example of the differences between drainage on different soils, trail designs, and and natural terrain types. On the other hand, it was a beautiful afternoon there, the park is getting lush and green again for the first time since the fire, and so much has been rearranged that it almost felt like my first time there all over again, even though I've probably ridden it 50+ times.

    It's raining in the area again right now, so it's going to be that much longer till it really dries out. I'll be avoiding it for a while now, even if they do reopen soon.
     
  20. kioti

    kioti Active Member

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    I'm surprised it was open, too, but thats the Ranger's call.

    Don't worry about hurting Borrego or Mustard. Borrego's mud pit is an ongoing problem and lingers long after everything else has dried up. The stream bed location of much of the rest of the trail causes more mayhem than our bike tires, and changes with every big storm.

    As for Mustard, they'll just run a dozer down it if it gets bad. Lots of it was regraded last year, but its still subject to damage from run-off.

    I love seeing the power of those seemingly small streams, and glad they let us in there while it was still a little 'wild.'
     
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