Re-Introducing The Motorway

Saturday morning about 9 am, I headed off to Silverado Canyon in my trusty pick-up truck. Precisely one hour later, I pulled into the Maple Springs Visitor Center’s parking lot. There was one spot left to park in a lot that has only five or so spaces. (The rest of the people park throughout the canyon).

I decided to go up The Motorway (aka, The Silverado Motorway, Silverado Trail or Bedford Trail) to Bedford Peak for an out-and-back. I thought this was a perfect way to break in my brand new Adventure Parking Pass. Plus, I haven’t been up this trail in its entirety since the fires that closed it down in 2014. For those of you who don’t know the trail, it’s the first one off to the left up Maple Springs Road (less than a quarter mile in), and it goes for 3 miles at a tremendous climb. A tremendous climb! About 2,000 feet of gain in those 3 miles.

Here, I’m about a half mile in, looking back at the canyon from where I started:

The hills were covered in green on Saturday, and also spring flowers, and lots of tiny landslides. Aside from the beauty though, it was a pretty miserable trek. I breathed the words, “Oh lord,” many times, and ran very little on the way up this switchback single track. On the way, I saw lots of other hikers, no runners, and a couple of dozen mountain bikers. I saw deer tracks here and there. I searched for, but noticed no other significant tracks. There was plenty of coyote scat however, and lots of dark lizards scurrying about.

Some of the flowers:

Some more of The Motorway:

Finally reaching The Main Divide came as a great relief. That relief was so great in fact, it made the whole difficult trip worth it. “This is why,” I thought . . . “This is why.”

I turned right on The Main Divide, ran for about a half mile until I came to the trail to Bedford Peak. It’s not marked, but is obvious. Anyway, I found Gary’s bench at the end of the trail (which is now marked “Gary’s Bench,” otherwise, I would not have known it was Gary’s). The old bench that I had sat on before was on the ground, partially burnt, possibly from the 2014 fire. And in the time since I had been there, Gary had died. His family left a new bench in his remembrance and a journal for visitors to write in (which I did).

I sat a while on Gary’s bench, taking in the mountains both close and afar as I listened to the surrounding silence. Then after about ten, maybe fifteen minutes, I ran all the way to the truck. It was a treacherous trot, as I stumbled more than once. And when the cliff was steep and the trail rocky, I hiked, so that if I did fall I wouldn’t plummet to my death.

It was a very difficult 7.87 miles (totaling 2,323’ of gain). All of it, very much well worth it.

Searching for Bedford

I got The Sock (The Strasser Sock) and slept in it last night.  I woke able to walk, and with little pain.   I slept in a little and got a later than usual start for a mountain run.  That was a-okay.  I’m ready to roll with the punches.  I merely decided on a shorter route to The Main Divide for my search of Bedford Peak in the Santa Ana Mountains. 

My shorter route was straight up, and I mean STRAIGHT UP the Silverado Motorway (AKA Silverado Trail).  It’s a bear of a climb, though most of it is runnable (a very slow run for me!).  The gain is 1,800 feet over 3.25 miles.  I didn’t stress over it though – still rolling with the punches .  Besides, the views made the trip well worth it.  And best of all, the weather was cool, almost on the cold side.  (One mountain biker in the trailhead parking lot was wearing a jacket, shivering and told me it was “freezing.”  Giggle.  It was perfect running weather for me.)

Running up the Silverado Motorway:

Well, I studied maps, looked at satellite photos, read articles in order to narrow my search for Bedford Peak.  It seemed to me, that the peak was near the start of the first giant “U” The Main Divide made.  The first peak looked too small, I passed it up.  The second, much larger peak looked promising.  I made my way up the steep single track and ran along the top looking for a surveyor’s marker.  The trail was overgrown and seemed seldom travelled and I thought I probably had not found Bedford Peak.  I ran to the edge anyway, and lo and behold, found a bench.  A bench!  Next to the bench were granola bars and jugs filled with water.  I thought for sure I had found Bedford Peak. 

Views from this peak:

I searched the entire peak for a surveyor’s marker.  Nothing.  I double checked the rocks, looked carefully for pieces of slab.  This peak was completely void of any markers.  Usually, they are pretty easy to find, so I figured I had not found Bedford Peak.  Slightly bummed, I ran down the peak and at the bottom came upon a ranger whom I know as “Hollywood.”  He asked if I was okay.  I said I was,  then asked, “Where the heck is Bedford Peak?”  He thought it was 3 or 4 peaks away.

So, I took off along The Main Divide, climbing every peak, large or small.  Then I came upon another ranger.  He asked if I was okay.  I said I was, then asked, “Where the heck is Bedford Peak?”   He studied his map some.  I sensed he wasn’t quite sure when he pointed off in the distance and said, “It might be that peak.”

Well, I ran to that peak.  I so didn’t want to climb it because it looked quite steep.  But I scrambled up it anyway, sometimes on all fours it was that steep.  About halfway up, the trail ended, and I found myself bushwhacking along the peak looking for a surveyor’s marker.  Nothing. 

The climb up another peak:

Its view:

Not wanting to go back down the way I came up (I would fall for sure!), I ran along a ridge off of this peak to another smaller peak.  Again, no surveyor’s marker.  I bushwhacked my way back to The Main Divide knowing that I would have to turn back and try another day.  I had already run up every peak for two miles without any luck. 

Running back along The Main Divide, just about a half mile past the first peak I explored (the one with the bench), another ranger drove up.  He asked if I was okay.  I said I was, then asked, “Where the heck is Bedford Peak?”   He took out his GPS and said, “Gosh, its about 300 feet away from here.”  What???  Nearby, there was the peak I had already explored (the bench peak), plus the smaller one I skipped on the way in, and a peak at the top of the Silverado Motorway.  Tying up loose ends, I ran up the two remaining (small peaks) and searched again to no avail, for a surveyor’s marker. 

Well, judging by my garmin, the time had come to run back down and head home.  So, I kicked up my heels and took that 3.25 mile downhill switch back as quickly as I could.  I worked on my downhill speed, despite an aching foot.  I felt pretty good about my pace and progress running down that tricky/technical trail.  So what if I didn’t find Bedford Peak this time, I had a heck of a lot of fun racing down the Silverado Motorway.

Back at home, I washed my feet, put on The Sock and got on the internet for more research.  I found nothing different about Bedford Peak’s location that I had learned days earlier.  Either these hikers who wrote about it were wrong, or I actually did visit the peak.  I found a topographical map, and with my husband’s aid, determined that I was indeed on Bedford Peak this morning.  Still, I wasn’t convinced.  So, I researched some more until I hit the jackpot.  I found a number of write-ups that noted the bench on Bedford Peak.  One mountain biker even filmed the bench and posted it on YouTube.  And the surveyor’s mark.  Well, I learned about that too.  I found a picture where it used to be and learned that the marker had been “destroyed.”  I’m not sure exactly what “destroyed” refers to, but I have a feeling by the way the rocks were broken up, that it was actually taken.  Someone out there may be collecting surveyor’s markers.  Hopefully not. 

The climb: