EISPIRATEN

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=2088741



Story:
So My first real trip since knee surgery was a bust. But I kinda figured it would be since my conditioning has suffered being off the trail since 1/19/2013

Google maps routed me through lake elsinore which I finally got to after forgetting to get onto the 15 and winding up in beautiful downtown riverside.

Still I arrived 10 min early to the appointed meeting time of 7:30am. Bernd had not responded to any of my text msg's so I don't know if he is coming.

I waited until just before 8am and got moving I figured I'd be slow.

Yeah I was doing good! The road was good not too steep for the first 1/4 mile! Oh Brother. The road climbs steeply here for about 1 mile to a flat area . This is the Los Pintos Trailhead. I walked most of this

The road is less used / maintained past here becoming an infrequently maintained OHV route. The downhill segments are in better shape than the up hill segments which have washboarding and "humping" created by spinning vehicle wheels and lots of resulting loose soil and rocks along with rutting from the infrequent rain.

I'd allotted 3 hours to get to the peak, it was readily apparent I was not going to make it..

I tried several times to contact Bernd via cell phone and had visions of him cussing me out as he was coming up behind.

At deep saddle between Trabuco and Horsethief canyons about 1 1/2 hrs out I decided i was gonna turn back soon.

I walked the very steep rutted road grade toward Trabuco Peak. I called an end to it when the road became much worse with all the grading scraped / washed away to bare rock making it unrideable even down hill (for me)

My Edge 500 indicated 5.4-ish my GPSmap76CSx indicated 5.5 miles

After a 10min break down I went very slowly picking my way between the fist / grapefruit sized rocks and deep humps / soft dirt, gravel piles.

Not being out here before . Given the nature of the road I planned on it taking the same amount of time to return. It wasn't that bad but it took a while.

It was a bit more than I wanted to do at this point in my recovery but have not noticed any back sliding in the condition of my knee. As a matter of fact the mild Shin Splint like pain in both legs seems to have subsided.

I noticed this seems to coincide with using my new knee and elbow protection which I was glad I was using on this bad road. I have continued using an INDO BOARD / FLO CUSHION balance trainer I started using in Physical Therapy which increased my stability / confidence riding down this.

I expect the OHV route improves past Trabuco peak with a gradual descent to "Indian Cyn Saddle" . I wonder if the road is better maintained to Santiago Peak from there?
(edit)
Tips:
Leave lots of time to get to the peak as the road isn't good.

Given the federal court ruling about the adventure pass I did not put out my pass at the trailhead. you may choose to do otherwise.

Maybe the court will finally find the Forest Service in contempt, forcing them to comply with the law as written and with numerous rulings they are violating the law by requireing passes for parking at a trailhead or on the side of the road

Wow, from the map it looks like you were one uphill away from the trace trail up to Trabuco Peak itself.

The Main Divide Road from the Trabuco Peak area to Santiago Peak has always been in about the same condition as you found it. Try it again in the fall when the weather cools down, should be in better condition at that time. Don't know what day you did this trip, but there are usually lots of MTBs, some XC motorcycles, and occasionally a few trail runners(!) along the Main Divide road on the weekends.

Trabuco Peak - its that trace trail just off the Main Divide Road. Not really something I'd plan on doing as an objective, as there's no view at the top (8 ft tall manzanita bushes all around you), but worth taking the 15 minute up-&-back hike just to 'tick it off the list' if you're going to/from Santiago Peak.

atomicoyote wrote: ↑Wow, from the map it looks like you were one uphill away from the trace trail up to Trabuco Peak itself.

After getting back I could see I was almost there

atomicoyote wrote: ↑The Main Divide Road from the Trabuco Peak area to Santiago Peak has always been in about the same condition as you found it. Try it again in the fall when the weather cools down, should be in better condition at that time.

My conditioning was the main problem, it wasn't too hot I just didn't want to push it. It has been a long road back for my knee and have been injured before really don't want to back slide.

atomicoyote wrote: ↑Don't know what day you did this trip, but there are usually lots of MTBs, some XC motorcycles, and occasionally a few trail runners(!) along the Main Divide road on the weekends.

I was out there on Saturday 4/13, I saw one group of motorcycles and a few hikers coming up

atomicoyote wrote: ↑Trabuco Peak - its that trace trail just off the Main Divide Road. Not really something I'd plan on doing as an objective, as there's no view at the top (8 ft tall manzanita bushes all around you), but worth taking the 15 minute up-&-back hike just to 'tick it off the list' if you're going to/from Santiago Peak.

Hummm I'll have to check with the rules committee in the NHPS if my trip qualifies as a NEAR SUMMIT. I could see the summit from where I was 8)

This was the third time I've been in the area since 1981 so I've not a great deal of experience in the area

How is the Indian Cyn road from Santiago Cyn Rd? Is there public access?

Being a founding & charter member of the NHPS as well as co-chairman of the membership and rules committees I feel my trip qualifies as a near summit.

Since there has never been a NHPS near summit I will also claim first near summit!

Not sure how well this will go over with other NHPS members and my co-chair but bold actions require bold statements.

Hmmmm. Your knee injury is a valid excuse for not summiting a peak, and therefore makes takes the choice of near-summiting out of the process. You really should be ambivalent about turning back, not have a good reason for doing so.

However, since you could have ditched your bike and rather simply hiked that short distance to bag the peak, that weighs in your favor.

Since you boldly claimed the questionable achievement, out of laziness it should be awarded to you without debate. Congratulations, sir, on a job well not-done.

What happened to Bernd??

Not sure about the Inidan Canyon Truck Trail - that's on the Elsinore side of the Santa Ana Mtns, and I don't get over there much. I've spent most of my time the last few years hiking the western side facing Orange County. I tried to find the start of the old East Horesthief Trail a few years ago (a true hiking-only trail), but no luck. Its just south of the Indian Canyon Trail, but I think access got consumed by housing developments in the area.

If your leg is still a little 'iffy' its probably best you didn't try that short scramble off the Main Divide road to Trabuco Peak (you can easily see it in your pic of Trabuco Peak). Its short, and a trail, but its steep and on a sand-covered loose rocky base and you can slip & slide really easily; not good for a weak knee. I've almost always slid down parts of it on my butt rahter than risk an ankle sprain or worse.

cougarmagic wrote: ↑ Since you boldly claimed the questionable achievement, out of laziness it should be awarded to you without debate. Congratulations, sir, on a job well not-done.

OH another peak not under my belt!

I did bag several saddles for the MSS 8)

cougarmagic wrote: ↑What happened to Bernd??

Caltrans, missed turns, cutting it to a razors edge, his phone took a swim too. He started up but turned back after about 2 miles but he sez he left the trailhead sometime after 8am

Matt,

You are now the clear leader in all thing NHPS