Irvine Ranch Open Access Day!

Cool! Love me some Irvine Ranch!

Is Fox Run still closed? I'm thinking my route will be up Quail Face, down Cattle Crest, Up/down Rabbit Run, up Shady Oaks, down Ridge Route, up West Fork (because up East Fork is brutal), down 1st half of MC SOT, then over to Hogback Ridge for either another run down Ridge Route or East Fork and out (with potential visit to Turtle Ridge), or (depending on time) head north along Serrano Ridge for another Rabbit Run drop, climb up Shady Oaks and drop Ridge Route or East Fork. I'll be hauling 150oz and safety gear. Paging @redwoods and all HOoLiGaNs!

 

I just got an email from them saying Fox Run is open again.

http://www.irconservancy.org/landma...of-irvine-opens-after-undergoing-improvements

 

Wooo! Thanks for the intel!

“The Fox Run Trail was originally very steep and had quite a bit of erosion damage, making it one of the least used trails in the area,” said Adam Maywhort, IRC Director of Planning and Infrastructure. “The newly redone trail meets the criteria for a world class trail and will be an exciting technical route for hikers and especially for mountain bikers.”

I suspect it has been sanitized…

 

Yep. That's how I read it too.

 

Have fun down there, and watch out for the handrails! They can be tricky...

 

It’s true, but I’d rather hear it from a regular.

 

It was not terrible. They redid the start and added switchbacks where the steep downhill used to be, so that sucked. To their credit, they left the steep, loose, end of the trail intact as far as I remember it anyway.

Adding switchbacks seems to be their new thing. They ruined Dripping Springs in Limestone the same way, although that one was not nearly as steep as Fox Run. Oh well, I rode FR twice today and it was fun overall.

 

Did a mellow ride with a buddy and we were curious about Fox Run Trail. With so much hype we were a bit unimpressed, expected some more steeps but I guess the new switchbacks took the fun out of that. Was it fun? Yes it was with new dirt and the great scenery plus no hikers to ruin the momentum. Climbed back out on Shady Oaks (I think you might have passed us) and down Camarillo/Stagecoach to the Willow Staging Area where we went back up on Willow towards Old Emerald to finish the ride.

 

@Bettis liked the new switchbacks because he kicks a leg out, and it looks cool, but i prefer the old line. New entry seems it will slough off eventually, but they neutered the cobbly climb to enter, which today I would not have cleaned. I felt like crap from the outset but just paced myself. Not enough movement all week.
At least with the new railing they installed, it’s lined with barbed wire to keep the Gnar.

 

Maybe. I passed two guys stopped on Shady and then two on the fire road. Were you the guys I chatted with at the top of Fox Run?

 

Oh man, was that you who was telling us how to get back to the top? I was on the rigid SS. Great meeting you and thanks for the info! Another imtb brethren, I wonder if we'd known there might have been more smack talking involved, LOL!!!

 

Yep, that was me. Good to meet you. Maybe we can ride the next Bommer.

 

You guys need iMTBjerseys.com

 

I would rock one if they were better looking. I might be slow ... but I have style.

All jokes aside ... nice times today.

 

I was chasing @jmart and @Bettis all day.

 

Bettis, zero messaged posted. You may have been chasing a ghost. Signed up in Nov, and hasn't been back since.

 

He’s been on several iMTBgrouprides, and there are more photos of him here than there are of some HOoLiGaNs. Also, he was a member of the BombSquad back in the 80s before I knew Sensei. I’m pleasantly surprised he signed up, probably to read a few ride reports in which he is featured. That little F@cker is fast and fun and safe.
Exhibit A with @Luis :

 

It was my first time on Fox Run too on Saturday. I kept expecting some steeps, but only the last little section was a little steep and challenging. The switchbacks aren't bermed, so they were slow turns for me. I also did Lizards post trail work and it felt sanitized too. I don't ride it enough to know all the details, but recall more rocks before. Most of the first part had rope railing and fresh dirt. I don't remember there being so many dirt humps. I think there used to be rockier sections if you stayed to the right, but that was all roped off. Ridge Route isn't very technical, but there are some long single track sections where you can get some speed.

 

Thanks for you input. Strava users will need to create an updated segment for Fox Run because the switchbacks lengthen the trail and require more time to ride it.

 

You're a Strava user. Go for it.

 

There used to be a very steep section right in the middle where the new switchbacks are. The steepest trail out there now is East Fork.

 

That would give Kevin W. a KOM on a ride where he poached the trail. You bet your ass I would if Kevin didn't exist.

 

Flag worthy. He did it with no threat of other bikers or hikers ... seems unfair to me.