Bommer Canyon

Ride Name: Bommer Canyon Friday 2 10 23
When: Friday Feb 10 2023
Time: 9:30 AM
Where: Bommer Canyon
Ride Description or Details:
It looks like Bommer Canyon is now open more often than the monthly Saturday Open Access.

Going to enjoy a weekday outing on some very fun, very unridden trails.
https://letsgooutside.org/activities/2023/02/10/bommer-canyon-exploration-day-4/

https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/bommer-canyon-open-access-2-20-16.3948/#post-43822
~~~~~ Optional Details ~~~~~
Meet Location: Not sure where I'm going to start. If there's any interest I'll organize a central meet up. But maybe park at Cattle Camp?
Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Ride Pace: Social Cruise, Easy with Moments of Effort, Moderate Pace
Type of Ride: Out and Back, Loop, Lolipop
Rider Limit: None
Anticipated Mileage: 10-12
Elevation Gain: 2k? 2.5K? More? Less?
Ride Duration: 2-3 hours
Previous Ride Reports: https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/irvine-ranch-conservancy-open-access-day.1192/#post-3196
Possible Bail-Outs: Turn around?
Facilities: kind of?
Food/water suggestions: going to be warm, and Bommer also seems warmer than surrounding trails. bring water?
Option to Upload:

 

Ever open on weds or Thursdays?

 

Don't know, was looking for the next Saturday wilderness access day and ran across this. Looks like this is a one off thing?

https://letsgooutside.org/activitie...egory=-1&reserve_area=35&action=search_events

 

I wish.

 

I can't make that on a Friday, but I might be going on the 18th with a buddy or two.
Been a while since I've been in there.

Can anyone give a ranking on the interior trails?
Cattle Crest
Rabbit Run
Fox Run
Butterfly Valley
Shady Oaks ST

 

Cattle Crest (Mild black diamond)
Rabbit Run (Mild black diamond, except the last quarter mile is double black diamond)
Fox Run (black diamond)
Butterfly Valley (steep ass SCE utility road)
Shady Oaks ST (Blue circle)
Ridge Route (Green square)
East Fork (black diamond climb; blue circle DH)

 

I would have taken the day off work had I known. Oh well, not this time.

I disagree with all of these except the last part of Rabbit Run. East fork is pretty gnarly at the very top, and depending on how fast you hit the jumps the rest of it could be considered intermediate.

Everything else you have as black diamond is advanced intermediate at best, except Fox Run which is intermediate, especially after the re-route they did.

 

What’s the re route?

 

There used to be a very steep downhill right in the middle, but they destroyed it and added a grip of switchbacks. It also starts at a different spot than it used to.

 

Yeah that downhill claimed some skin off my leg one time. Damn what a bummer.

 

My #10 Strava Cuppie is safe!

 

Forever.

 

In skiing, the greens are circles and the blues are squares. The blacks are still diamonds.

 

You exist!!!!!!

 

I just looked it up, and that's how MTB trail ratings are set, too. I got hasty, but at least the colors are correct. Apparently there is also a red triangle for trails harder than blue squares but easier than black diamonds. Red triangles are what most of the Bommer Canyon trails these days, although the videos in Littlewave's link above is from a time before most of the sanitation occurred.

 

Not familiar with red triangles. I've seen black and blue runs for the in-betweens.

Sorry to hear about the trail dumbing.

 

Thanks for the opinions on the trails.
I've been on East Fork twice (why the second time I don't know) and it is stupid steep.
Went down Cattle Crest I think, once. About 10 years ago and beyond my capabilities then. I'm only slightly better now, one of my buddies is worse.
Went up Shady Oaks and remember it as not so bad.

 

I think he means this one:

 

double black diamonds, the rest is translation to get there. That is what makes mammoth a single chair mountain chair 23.

 

The crux of Cattle Crest was sanitized in 2013/2014. Just lower your saddle and trust your bike.

 

@DangerDirtyD I must object to your interpretation of Butterfly Valley.
I rode it today.
It is super easy double track. It does follow SCE towers, but very easy down a valley.
Nearby are Monkey Flower and Bobcat Spur which are both stupid steep SCE spurs.
Ridewithgps has Butterfly Valley at 2.8% avg. and I agree with that.
I GoPro 'd my descent, it makes for riveting entertainment.

 

My mistake. I confused Butterfly Valley with Monkey Flower. I stick to the singletracks when those trails are open, so my memory of the map is foggy.