The Big Loop, Version 1

I am going to make this blogpost quick and mostly pictures because I am quite behind on journaling trails and I am running ragged with things to do. Still teaching at 3 locations, I have meetings and two weekend (back-to-back) trips that I’m prepping for, not to mention regular stuff like chores, and getting my boys off to school, music lessons and so on.

Up to bat is my 4/21/18 (last Saturday) run-hike. The loop I took on is a classic of mine. Though I much prefer mountain trails over the coastal hills (for many reasons), this coastal hills loop wasn’t too shabby. I have enjoyed it for many years. I call this one: The Big Loop, Version 1 (straight from Aliso/Wood Canyons Wilderness).

12.05 mi, 1,225’ gain.

Aliso Canyon Trail:

Wood Canyon:Top of the World:

Meadows Trail:

Route: Aliso Cyn/Wood Cyn/Cholla/WestRidge/Top of the World/Meadows Trail/Wood Cyn/Aliso Cyn

Destination: Cave Rock

Last Sunday (April 15), I decided that a hike would help my legs repair from Holy Jim’s adventure the day prior. I need something relatively close by too, as I did not leave until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I decided on Wood Canyon, but not immediately Cave Rock. It was after I started the hike that I decided my destination would be Cave Rock. The route to Cave Rock is an easy hike through the canyon – I rated it a 1.5 in difficulty in my log (1 to 10 scale). Not sure the hike repaired my legs any faster. I was sore for the next two days. But I liked the soreness – it meant that I really worked.

I’ll make this short, with mainly pictures, because I am so behind in my dairy of run-hikes here. The most memorable event on this hike is after I turned off onto Cave Rock Trail. I saw something flutter in the distance, and I just assumed there were people up ahead on this usually empty trail. A few seconds later, a coyote came running down the trail straight toward me. He was a cute fellow, I think a pup, but not necessarily a puppy. It took me a second to process what kind of animal was running up on me. By the time realization set it, he veered off the trail and ran into the brush.

Miles: 7.02, Elevation Gain: 496’

Wood Canyon:

Cave Rock Trail:

Holy Jim!

Last Saturday I was up before dawn which has been a very rare thing over the past few years. The reason for such an early rise was to take on Holy Jim -- both lower and upper. I can’t say precisely how many years it has been since I have visited the trail named after Cussin’ Jim in the early 1900’s. I will just go with many -- it has been many years. I had been hearing of mountain lion sightings on the trail lately, so I was reluctant to travel it alone. But I have been aching to go. As it turns out, last Saturday, I was not alone. There was a mountain bike race in Trabuco Canyon, not to mention many other hikers once the morning aged. Still, I got in lots of quiet, tranquil time traveling one of my favorite trails.

I didn’t see any mountain lions on Saturday. I did see rabbits and lizards, and a whole lot of sweat. Yikes. The main part of Holy Jim wasn’t terribly tough, but taking on The Main Divide up to Upper Holy Jim was quite difficult. Of course, I didn’t run a single step. And thankfully, there was a cool breeze blowing. Great relief accompanied finally reaching Upper Holy Jim. But the difficulty did not end there, even though I was on a pretty good descent. Upper Holy Jim took a great deal of focus -- it was steep and quite technical with slippery sandy parts and lots of boulders and rocks to catch my feet on. Surrounded by Manzanita, I kept upright, occasionally stopping to take in breathtaking views. I also met a man on a motorbike toward the top of Upper Holy Jim. Shocking! I cannot imagine how he had made it over such crazy rough terrain. He looked defeated though and was parked in the shade.

In all it was a wonderful Saturday morning wandering about in Cussin’ Jim’s stomping grounds. His figs were ripe for the picking (if I liked figs), and his trails were just difficult enough to make my legs sore for the next few days. And then back at my truck, as I sat in the shade, a bird pooped in my eye. No kidding -- it splattered all over my sunglasses and sprayed into my right eye. And it stung. Still, that did not ruin the day. Love Holy Jim Trail. I sure would have liked to have met the man, a bee-keeper and apparently a fig farmer, who lived in these woods so many years ago.

Just past the trailhead, looking back:One of several creek crossings before the real climb begins:Figs!Time for switchbacks:

The Main Divide:

Views from Upper Holy Jim:

April 14, 2018; 11.67 miles, 3,438’ elevation gain.

Climbing Out

I know I have probably written it before, but I’ll say it again -- climbing out is hell. My preference is to do the elevation gain first (or even midway). Saving the climb for the end of a hike, run or hike-run is simply brutal for me. It is almost never fun. But in the end, the relief of it being over is so overwhelming, it makes it all worthwhile.

This particular route, a ten miler beginning and ending Laguna Wilderness with Crystal Cove Park picking up the mid part of the loop, starts off with nice and easy rolling hills. There was a few miles of this along Boomer Ridge, and then a few more along Moro Ridge. These first five miles or so were really lovely, with most of it sharing full ocean views. I saw my first rattler of the season during this portion. Then at 5.57 miles in I was finally at sea level, and the climb out began. Whew. Those last four and a half miles were a bear. My pace was a steady slow. Not slow run. Slow hike. And being that I’ve travelled up many long and steep inclines before, I grabbed onto the mantra, “This too shall pass.” And so, with one step in front of the other, over, and over and over again, I was back at my truck, feeling refreshed and not terribly beat up. And as I mentioned earlier, relieved!

April 7, 2018, 10.01 miles, 1,382’ elevation gain