EISPIRATEN

Deep in the heart of the Santa Ana Mountains lay this gem of a meadow high above Trabuco Canyon. This mesa is one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever taken. Full report here:

http://dvexplore.blogspot.com/2014/12/s ... flora.html

Thanks for the report. How long would you say the round trip is? (miles and time).

Jerry

I was just there on thurday last week!

love that trail, rarely do i see another person on it.

cant wait for spring, the mesqa gets soo vibrant green.

JerryN wrote: ↑Thanks for the report. How long would you say the round trip is? (miles and time).

The first time I did it it took about three hours, and that was taking my time. It really isn't very far, 3.5 miles to the mesa and back, but once Up there I like to wander through the woods up toward Bell Ridge and that adds another mile to the total. The last time I was there it was about four hours, and I ate lunch up there and really took my time with taking good pictures and such. If you get the opportunity to get into the Santa Anas do it! DO IT!

It is also good to mention that it is easier to go up the front side and down the back side. The trail up the face is a quarter mile long, but with 400 feet elevation gain. It is not for the meek. The backside trail is about one mile with the same elevation. Easier on the knees to go down the shallower track.

That is a cool place. I didn't know there was a backside trail. Does it intersect lower on the Trabucco Canyon trail? The only other trail I know about is the one going up to Los Pinos ridge.

I am not sure about the spelling of Yaeger/Yeager. Both Caltopo.com and Openstreetmap.org show it as Yaeger Mesa, but a lot of Google searches turn up Yeager Mesa.

I believe the trail he is talking about is the direct route up the ridge from the trabuco trail then follow the "regular" trail that switchbacks a few times in the offshoot canyon from trabuco canyon where the plane crash is.

You'd be correct. Was it Jack Yaeger or Yeager? I suppose his name would be the correct spelling of the mesa.