Illegal Trail in CDM - Not MTBers

Saw this in the OCRegister.

https://www.ocregister.com/2019/04/...ut-through-corona-del-mar-nature-reserve/amp/

Article says 700 feet of trail showed up in just two days. Also says it's not been done by MTBers. Seems unlikely a trail would be built that fast to me.

Looking at aerial views in Google maps, looks like the trail they mention might be visible. I've been in Buck Gully often, and there are little goat trails all overe there.

 

It was caused by an endless stream of college applicants and their parents looking for a shortcut.

 

It is a good article and shows the havoc caused by illegal trail building. It is vandalism.

 

I'm curious why they were so quick to say that it wasn't mountain bikers. Sounds like they have the identity of the builder/trasher already...

 

Thank goodness the rain washed out the fresh tire marks.

I'm curious who dug it out too.

 

If it wasn't for illegal/wildcat trail building, some of the best trails in many places wouldn't exist. Sedona, Breckenridge, Durango and even Greer Ranch are excellent examples.

 

From the article:

"“We’ve never had this happen before,” said Sean Levin, recreation superintendent and senior deputy director. “It happened very quickly. It’s heartbreaking to see the destruction of the habitat that’s been there for 50 years.”"

I'm not advocating for illegal trail building, but let's be clear:


The Bridge Trail is in blue. Red is Island Terrace. The fuschia is a concrete/blacktop road that goes into the bottom of the gully. The 700 foot illegal trail goes from blue to red (not sure exactly where, it's not clear from Google maps, so I didn't draw it in).

See pic above.

 

I grew up in cdm since ‘65, that’s statement is pretty Ficken stupid what about the habitat that has been there for thousands of years before it was plowed over for all those stupid houses filled with aholes on the hills between cdm & Laguna. I know the machine must move on... and get off my lawn!

 

I read the article last night and my reaction was "that sucks, but at least it wasn't mountain bikers." Seeing the Google Earth pic of the entire area has changed my perspective to "who cares?" considering the exponentially greater habitat destruction by that golf course and all those houses. I am still glad it wasn't mountain bikers, but come on.

 

Although it is surely a very very very understandable feeling, it is at the same time not that relevant frankly. Same why the presence of a tollroad through LCWP is irrelevant to whether or not illegal trail building is good or not in Aliso.

Fact is that we actually (still) live in a biodiversity hotspot in terms of both flora and fauna. We are lucky that there is habitat left (the Irvine Ranch, including places like El Moro, was originally slated to be 90+ percent built up, not like the 55 pc now) and what is left should be respected and cared for by all of us. The Gully specifically is also rich in presence of native plants and animals. Whether there is a golf course or an oversized house nearby or not...the plants and animals are there.

I think they did a commendable job by actually adding trails to the Gully in 2011/2012 (although there was a semblance of a trail before, you could not really use it). I remember seeing them lifting the bridges in by helicopter. Surely wasnt cheap. It is a fun single track, very nice for beginners too, great for running as well.

I guess the non-authorized trail in question was made by residents of a nearby neighborhood. Perhaps they could not be bothered to walk to the trailhead..who knows.

Happy riding !