Normally when I hit the trails in Laguna Wilderness/Crystal Cove I spend about $15 in tolls for a speedy route and easy access parking near one of the trailheads. But then, when it’s all said and done, I have to climb out. Grrrrrr. This past Tuesday (7/17) I decided to spend my $15 on the California State Parks parking fee instead and start down at the coast. This of course means, the climb was on the way in, not the way out. And oh my, this is so the way to go during the summertime. No doubt about it.
I highly suggest doing the climb when you’re not fatigued and you will surely stay a lot cooler on the California coast during the summer. To begin, we were socked in on Tuesday afternoon. That means the sun didn’t really get through the marine layer, and with the ocean breeze, the weather was quite comfortable. About half way through the climb (about mile 3 or more) I left the marine layer behind for sunny blue skies. And the heat began to show its face. But with just about 1 mile remaining of the climb, it really didn’t bother me. Besides that, I only had 3 miles on my legs, and with only 3 miles on my legs, I can probably do just about anything (maybe).
This was my route:
Beginning at the ranger station down in Crystal Cove Park (in Newport Beach, or is it Corona Del Mar, or even possibly Laguna Beach? – Doh! I have lived out here since 1988, and I don’t know), I took “No Dogs” trail to “No-Name Ridge.” And then I took a delightful little single track called “Ticketron.” Ticketron continued up to a secluded campground (with approximately 4 campsites). From there I took “Red Tail Ridge” to “Fence Line” (which was not a marked and legal trail when I first took it many years back). From “Fence Line” I began heading down that wonderfully steep trail called “Elevator”. This trail dumped into El Moro Canyon which I took back to the coast and to my truck.
In all I travelled 8.24 miles (running about half of it, hiking the other) with 1,256’ of elevation gain. Nothing eventful happened, which is what I think I prefer in the middle of summertime on the California coast. No exhaustion, no heat stroke. All was good. And the best thing was: I did not have to climb out!
View from “No Dogs” trail (climbing in):
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