jmX

While I immensely enjoy my road trips up to Baldy for road bike riding, I was always disappointed there wasn't something I could just ride to from my door in Orange, CA. I'd heard about some decent MTB trails and earlier this month once all the big 2011 clearance sales hit I bought a bike.

Today was my 3rd real ride on the thing, and I'm coming away with a smile on my face. The ride was from my front door, down the SART to the dirt underpass under the 91 near the golf course, and then the rest is up the hills. I got 5500 ft of climbing in, and the long sustained climb is 13miles/4400ft, with about 1000ft climbing on the 13mi back down. Keep in mind is dirt/rock/gravel climbing, which I have to say is a bit harder than riding on pavement. What more could I ask for? Keep in mind I'm new to MTB, so this ride is immediately accessible to any roadies who buy a mountain bike to train with.

The garmin file showing the route:
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/116814647

Now for the pics.

The bike: 2011 Stumpjumper 29er hardtail


Coal Canyon (starts about 100 yards from the SART) looking back at the 91/Anaheim Hills/Yorba Linda:


View from top of coal canyon (2200ft):


Bad phone panorama of the view from about 3500ft (click for full size):


View of Corona and Mt Baldy (3500ft) (click for full size):


Made it about 13mi in to Pleasants Peak (3750ft elev, total climbing at this point ~4400ft):

Cyclomania

Nice photos. You must be in some kind of insane shape to pack as much rise in your ride. I agree, riding on dirt during an ascent is plenty more difficult. Looks like you have the proper tool to do it with though. I packed in an 1100 ft ride today on asphalt and I thought I was the bomb. I still am but yours ignited! Cheers!

Mr. Beanz

Nice ride and pics.

Hillbasher and I did an MTB ride from the Baldy Lift parking lot up to Thunder Mtn. (pics). Up and beyond the lodge at Baldy Notch. Very cool scenery. On one side, looking down on Cajon Pass and the other GMR. I was sort of turned around so I'm pretty sure this was the two views. Very different from the views on a roadie.


down on Cajon Pass


down on GMR



Last climb. I swear there is no way that I'd ever be able to climb this on a bike. Doesn't look to bad in the pic but I tried 5 times and couldn't go more than 2 feet. Once I nearly fell and twisted my ankle. I had to walk up, 15 steps then stop to rest. Maybe 1/8 of a mile(?) but took me about 15 minutes to walk up 15 steps at a time.

Pic does not do the grade justice. Starts by the wood fence so I was maybe 1/2 way up when I took the pic.

jmX

Theadjacked by beanz!! This thread is supposed to be about epic climbs in OC.

There are a few short spots of nearly unrideable grade on the route I posted, probability 1/10th a mile total. 2 spots had my front wheel lift....one time tipping me of to the side and I ended up turned 180 riding back down. I was proud of that save. . I turned back around and walked it up the 2nd time.

eyemage

Actually Mr. Beanz may not recall, but him and I did climb to Pleasants Peak on mtb bikes. We came up from the Corona side on Skyline. We were lapped by a young racer who did the climb twice while we suffered the climb once. Pretty humbling.

The grade is especially brutal after the White Radar Ball just before Pleasants Peak on the "Pain Divide".

Nice job!

Mr. Beanz

Sorry, I took the "real" as a "real" climb thread. And when I'm on the bike, I forget that I'm not in the OC.

allroy71

Nice pics! Looks like you are enjoying the new ride!! (on a side note, I think you drifted into Riverside County for a few feet!!_

Elvo

250 max HR =O

jmX

Cyclomania, not in insane shape, just looking for some pain. Possibly just insane.

eyemage, there are a few brutal sections. I think the coal canyon climb was actually a little harder but not by much.

allroy, yup, definitely enjoying it. Thanks for your help with me choosing a bike.

Elvo, the HR strap sometimes goes wonky and reads ridiculous numbers. Anything over 180 for me was when it was reading poorly. I was pretty soaked during the section of poor readings (went through 150oz (9lbs!) of water on this ride...all packed in with me). Gross huh.


So, anybody looking for some climbing wanna do this one with me sometime? Probably safer for me to ride with somebody, I wouldn't rule out a broken arm or a snake bite on this one.

GP

Nice grass.

Evoracer

There is a ton of offroad climbing in the OC/Santa Ana's. Santiago Oaks is within biking distance from SART. But try Harding Truck Trail to the peak. Many return options from there. Try socaltrailriders.org for some RR's of the local area if you haven't already.

jmX

GP, uh, thanks, I laid the sod myself. No comment about my tomato?

Evo, I'm gonna do Santiago Oaks/Irvine park in the next few weeks. It looks like it all connects over to Coal Canyon actually, that'd be one epic loop!

allroy71

Coal Canyon and the Santiago Oaks/Irvine are not legally connected. The land in question, I think is part of the Irvine Conservancy. I hope that it will one day be all open to the Cleveland National Forest!!

GP

Nice tomato.

I like the cap on the little wall too. Well done.

jellis

What's holding the bike up?

brianstalnaker

Doable on Cyclocross bike?

jmX

allroy, thanks for the info. I saw the various paths on google maps and just figured it was all accessible.

jellis, I cannot reveal that information to you.

Brian, a lot of the trail is probably fine for a CX bike, but there are too many sections where I'm guessing it's just too steep, too loose, and too rocky for one. It could probably be done, but it'd probably involve a fair amount of falling and I the descent would really suck. Also I end up using my 24front/36 rear combo going up quite a bit and I doubt CX bikes generally have that combo. I bet there are ways up from the Santiago Canyon side that would be doable.

CritEastwood

An employee at The Path Bike Shop used to use that right of way to commute from YL to Tustin.

WhiteCarbonDude

I'd like to join you on this ride, can you ride during a weekday? I've got a single speed 29er but I can pretty much climb anything on that thing.

zerogravity

Id love to join you as soon as i get my new ride with climbing gears!

jmX

I don't really do long rides on weekdays, no. I've also since found out that the whole reason this area has been preserved is because it's the only remaining mountain lion connection between Chino hills SP and the cleveland national forest. Mountain lions have been spotted in Chino Hills SP over the last month or two, so they must be using the corridor.

So, snakes, loose gravel/sand steep climbs, and man eating cats. I've not been back since my original post, but I am willing to go back in a group of 2 or 3.

Rob P.

13 tough climbing miles off road is a good ride. It'll build a ton of muscle and increase your cardio/pulmonary capabilities.

For a REALLY tough workout, use your middle ring and small cogs and stand up. It's a mobile stair stepper with fantastic scenery that way. Your lungs will burn, your heart will pound and you won't be able to see or hear much of anything but you CAN do it.

Use a drink mix too. Straight water is fine but your body needs those salts and minerals. And, next summer when it gets hot, slow down a bit and take breaks when you need to because heat stroke is no fun.

Ditch the Kenda small blocks. VERY bad tire choice for our off road conditions - you need something more aggressive for sand over hardpack.

BTW, most cell phones work in the urban places. if you ride alone you need to have one on you. If you ride with others, be sneaky - give THEM the catnip to carry.

CritEastwood

pure comedy^