Tagging Santiago Peak... Sunday May 15

Discussion in 'Trailhead' started by BonsaiNut, May 10, 2016.


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Added to Calendar: 05-15-16
  1. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Well a week ago I was sitting at Modjeska looking over at the 30 to 45 minutes it would take me to get to Santiago and thinking about it... but I didn't have the time. So Sunday I'll be going back to ride up to the peak. Others are welcome to join.

    In order of difficulty we could:
    (1) Park at Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary. Out and back via Harding Truck Trail
    (2) Park at Cook's Corner. Up Harding, tag peak, down Joplin / Santiago TT / Luge.
    (3) Park at bottom of Trabuco Canyon. Up Harding, tag peak, down Holy Jim.

    What say ye? I am an early morning rider... the longer we go, the earlier I will want to start.

    01_05_2016_ride.jpg
     
  2. Cougar

    Cougar Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Washington City, UT (near St. George)
    Name:
    Craig
    Current Bike:
    '14 Turner Burner
    I was thinking of doing one of those routes myself Sunday morning... that or some combination of Caspers + San Juan. HOWEVER, I've been off the bike for a month due to moving and Korea (Korea legs this time?) so my pace is going to be more tortoise than hare. Unsure if my pace will be suitable for company for that length of a ride, as I suspect I'll turn a 6 hour ride into an 8 hour ride :).

    #2 is probably a route I wouldn't do solo, and is probably the most fun descending. The last time I did Harding (about a year ago), I did the segment in 2.5 hrs (20min of idle time). I doubt I'll be any faster Sunday. So if that's too slow of a pace, just say so. I am totally okay with plodding up the mountain at my own solo pace to shock my legs back into gear!
     
  3. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I'm ready for a long ride death march...
     
    Tom the Bomb likes this.
  4. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I'll match my recovering hand to your Korea Legs (not physically, people would talk) for a mellower ride either day this weekend.
     
    Tom the Bomb likes this.
  5. Cougar

    Cougar Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Washington City, UT (near St. George)
    Name:
    Craig
    Current Bike:
    '14 Turner Burner
    I've got an all day pass from the wife on Sunday, due to her being out and about most all of the day Saturday (which precludes me riding Sat). I kind of want to use that all day pass! Even if it's mostly going to be a suffer fest for myself.

    The following weekend for sure though.
     
    Tom the Bomb and ridinrox like this.
  6. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    I have a handful of routes I created for just this type of occasion.

    However, I'll create a different thread for a Sunday ride.
     
  7. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    PM sent :)
     
    Tom the Bomb likes this.
  8. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    222 views and only one person interested... sad.
     
    Cougar and Tom the Bomb like this.
  9. dstepper

    dstepper Member

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Dean Stepper
    Current Bike:
    2014 Turner Czar
    Not sad. Grinding out Santa Ana fireroads is not high on many peoples wish list. There are many singletrack snobs like me out there.
     
    Tom the Bomb and littlewave like this.
  10. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    I'm interested...just not currently capable. I've been off the bike since early April.
     
    Tom the Bomb likes this.
  11. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Don't know how you ride Joplin or Trabuco or Holy Jim (three of the best single tracks in the county) without some climbing, but hey, I'm sure you're not commenting on trails that you have never ridden, are you? I ride your "single tracks" in Aliso, Laguna Beach, Whiting, San Juan, during the week... on weekends I don't like battling the crowds. I'll ride all the way to Santiago without seeing a soul, descend Joplin without seeing a soul, and maybe catch up to the crowds at the top of the Luge.

    I did a double loop through Whiting yesterday and saw three bikers... Try that on a weekend morning.

    Of course I understand when many people say they are "singletrack snobs" they are really saying "I am incapable of meeting the physical exertion required" which is completely understandable. The easiest out-and-back to Santiago Peak is the equivalent of four complete loops through Aliso Creek/Wood Canyon.

    Here's my single track... but I guess you'll never see it...

    joplin.jpg

    joplin2.jpg

    joplin3.jpg
     
  12. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Roxanne
    Current Bike:
    '16 Giant Trance Advance
    My apologies in advance for hijacking your ride but if you two fellas (Greg/Craig) want to ride new dirt I'd be happy to show you Greer Ranch or Glen Oak Hills.

    Let me know ...
     
  13. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    I would love to do it - just not this weekend. Believe it or not I have not been to Santiago in three years and am feeling the "itch" - especially before the flies and the heat which are just around the corner. I look at that mountain daily and every now and then I have to go up and commune. Craig and I are not going to be biking together on this one because there is too much difference in our pace and I have to be home and showered before lunchtime :) I hope he does the ride solo, takes his time, and has a great ride report!
     
    Mikie, Faust29, knucklebuster and 2 others like this.
  14. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    Not that I am not interested...I enjoy long fireroad grinds, especially in our local Santa Ana's. I just want to go bigger than the loops that you posted. You are welcome to join for my Sunday Death March, but it's gonna make Harding/Joplin feel like a Sunday stroll.
     
    Mikie, BonsaiNut and Faust29 like this.
  15. Andy

    Andy Well-Known Member

    Location:
    The OC, Calif
    Name:
    Andy
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Chameleon
    I'm interested, but

    you hit the nail on the head... :whistling:
     
    Mikie and knucklebuster like this.
  16. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Exactly. I appreciate your rides for what they are - but I have to sneak in my Sunday morning rides before my wife and daughter get up. If I'm lucky, and start early enough, I can get home before she is done reading the paper :)

    Perhaps one day when she is traveling, or if she has something else going on, I can join you for one of your epics. They look like my cup of tea :) Normally my window on Sundays is four or five hours.
     
    Mikie, Faust29 and mtnbikej like this.
  17. knucklebuster

    knucklebuster Well-Known Member

    Location:
    34.2295° N, 117.2257° W
    Name:
    Dave
    Current Bike:
    Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
    I had some interest in your ride too @BonsaiNut , just sorting out schedule stuff. But the first things I was going to ask is 'what is the expected pace' and 'do you have a time constraint'. I can do the long climbs but not fast and I hate holding others up especially if they have a deadline. Thank you for clarifying.

    BTW, the last few times I've come down HJ on weekends it has been very busy with hikers,runners and bikers (even above the falls). It's on my "avoid on weekends if possible" list, I'll do it weekdays when I can. And personally, I have trouble getting motivated for long fire road climbs without some singletrack payoff. Not a snob, nothing wrong with bombing down a fire road, just not something that motivates me.

    Have a great ride and take pics! (and a bug net) :)
     
  18. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    I am not screaming fast - I know there are plenty who are faster. I climb Harding to 4 Corners in 1:50, and two weekends ago was at the Modjeska radar towers in 2:15 (total time including breaks). This is my estimate of my ride times:

    Tucker / Harding / Santiago Peak - out and back: 4:20
    Cook's Corner / Harding / Joplin Loop: 5:30
    Cook's Corner / Harding / Santiago Peak / Joplin Loop: 6:15
    Bottom of Trabuco Canyon / Harding / Santiago Peak / Holy Jim Loop: 5:30
     
    Mikie likes this.
  19. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I was interested, but I really need a long one this weekend... Some self punishment for last weekend's flat road century. J provided a route that should leave me pretty well punished. :sick:

    I'm going to try for a long one in the mountains next weekend...
     
  20. Cougar

    Cougar Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Washington City, UT (near St. George)
    Name:
    Craig
    Current Bike:
    '14 Turner Burner
    I get a gold star!

    ... But ya I'm totally a slow climber :)

    Rox, post something up for a future weekend. I would love for you to show a few of us around your local trails, but I don't need you all to myself. :whistling::laugh:
     
    Mikie and ridinrox like this.
  21. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Not as far as the routes mtnbikej posted, but one circuit I have thought about is the - start at bottom of Trabuco Canyon, ride to Harding trail head, up Harding to Santiago Peak, down back of Santiago, down UHJ, across Great Divide, down Trabuco and out. Somewhere around the same stats as the Warrior's Society Counting Coup ride - roughly 47 miles, 7300 elevation.

    Or we could do something with Joplin. I have mixed emotions about riding Joplin alone this weekend. I've done it alone, but it is a bad spot to take a spill without backup. Might be a few days before someone found my body :)
     
  22. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    You mean like this one:

    http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/the-bailout-of-shame-ride.3530/
     
    Mikie and Faust29 like this.
  23. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I live near Trabuco Canyon (RSM), so almost all of my peak and Harding rides start from there... The finish in the Trabuco wash is perfect for me, as it's only 10 minutes more to the house.

    I had to bail on a much larger planned ride in the fall, but my route was still RSM-Harding- Main Divide- West Horsethief-RSM and I ended up with about 45 miles and 7500 feet. I love rides up there with all the options... mtnbikej and singlespeedrider have done the whole RSM-Harding- San Juan-Caspers-RSM loop, which is still on my to do list. That's a 70/10,000 ride.
     
    Mikie and mtnbikej like this.
  24. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Roxanne
    Current Bike:
    '16 Giant Trance Advance
    I don't want to post a ride for Greer cuz large groups tends to be a drag for this area; smaller groups 4-5 works well here.

    Just let me know when you want to come check it out - maybe you can drag @herzalot (when he's all healed up of course cuz there's lots of drops and kickers, you'll need strong wrists) w ya. :thumbsup:
     
    Mikie likes this.
  25. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Mikie, ridinrox and Faust29 like this.
  26. Cougar

    Cougar Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Washington City, UT (near St. George)
    Name:
    Craig
    Current Bike:
    '14 Turner Burner
    Sounds like a plan!
     
    ridinrox and Mikie like this.
  27. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    Interestingly, on my ride today, I got back to the car in exactly 4:15 (total time including stops) so I was within 5 minutes of my estimate :)
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?