TALES FROM THE TRAIL (AND SOMETIMES THE ROAD TOO)

Showing posts with label Wood Canyon Trail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wood Canyon Trail. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Spring Approaches

IMG_2109

My goal (tentatively) is to hit the trails three times weekly. Started off this week, Monday, with about 6.5 miles in the local coastal hills, my long time stomping grounds, Wood Canyon. The weather is quite chilly nowadays (low 40s F in the morning, 50s in the afternoon) but there’s lots of green peeping through! Spring certainly approaches.

I took a few detours off Wood Canyon, beginning with Wood Creek, that little trail that nobody seems to know about. It’s magical and as usual was empty.

One of my favorite spots along Wood Creek Trail:IMG_2113
Leaf littered path along Wood Creek Trail:IMG_2124

I stopped by Dripping Cave as well, a bit giddy on the way in because the “Trail Partially Closed” sign was gone at the trailhead. Most of Dripping Cave Trail has been closed for several years due to fires. Of course, the closed section was one of my favorite trails in all of Wood Canyon. Turns out, the park has permanently ended the trail at the cave. And the place is so overgrown, I couldn’t even make out the old trail. So, I jaunted up a rocky path off to the side just to make sure. I didn’t find the trail but an awesome secret outcropping to sit at and look out at the canyon. From the spot, I could also see the actual “old” Dripping Cave Trail (the now closed part) and decided not to go for it. I wasn’t in the mood to dodge rangers. I’m not that quick nowadays.

Dripping Cave:IMG_2147
Path up to secret outcropping:IMG_2151

After Dripping Cave, I decided to head back. I took took another detour and jumped onto Coyote Run Trail after Mathis. In contrast to Wood Creek Trail, Coyote Run is not so secret. It’s the way to RockIt, a huge park favorite. On this Monday though, I had it practically to myself. I came upon only one runner and one hiker on this fairytale trail.

Coyote Run Trail:IMG_2157IMG_2165IMG_2177IMG_2179

Thursday, June 24, 2021

No Detours (right!)

6/19/21, two days before the solstice,  I drove off to Wood Canyon in Aliso Viejo for a bit  of exercise (about a 20 minute drive). I warned myself beforehand – just keep moving, no stopping, no meandering. As soon as I told myself that, I no longer wanted to go. I had to force myself out the door because I really need the exercise. My physical fitness level has deteriorated quite a bit in just a short while. It’s not as if I’m sitting around doing nothing. I don’t have time for that. There’s so much going on that needs to settle before I can get physically fit again. Until then, I’ll do what I can, and not dilly-dally about the course.

Though I warned myself on Saturday not to meander, somewhere along Coyote Run I noticed a giant boulder up above the trail. I couldn’t resist. I bushwhacked slightly off trail and then up the side of the boulder to take a seat up above the trail out of everyone’s sight.

What can I say? I love secret places!

Not wanting to get caught off-trail, I listened for voices before finally heading off the boulder. Then wouldn’t you know, just about twenty feet before reaching the trail, I noticed a ranger walking up with a drill in his hand. I froze on the spot, which was slightly higher than the trail. I just stood there and watched him pass, hoping that maybe he wouldn’t notice. And then, just about even with me the ranger did notice me standing off-trail in the brush. Startled, he smiled and said, “Oh Hi!”  I returned the greeting and he continued on his way without another word. 

That was my only detour. I continued onward in Wood Canyon until the end where I turned around and headed back.

About 7.5 miles covered in all. The next day, my legs ached a some. It’s been a while since I’ve felt that!

IMG_8603IMG_8604IMG_8605
On My Rock Above the Trail: 

IMG_8610IMG_8613IMG_8614

Monday, March 29, 2021

Stomping Grounds

IMG_6913A lot of people head out first thing in the morning to hike, bike or run in the coastal hills. But with the weather as cool as it has been and the time change, if I’m going local, I really have no reason to get out at the crack of dawn. Saturday (March 30) I had plenty of time to wait until rush hour in the coastal hills ceased before I hit the trails. By the time I arrived to my regular stomping grounds, that is Wood Canyon, the crowds had gone home. There were a few stragglers out for an afternoon ride or stroll. Best thing was, the weather was still chilly and quite breezy too..

IMG_6916I could not possibly count the amount of times I’ve hiked or run Aliso and Wood Canyon Trails. Well, I suppose I could count my blog posts (but that would not include the lost MySpace posts Confused smile plus I don’t want to do that). But I can approximate. I’ve been wandering these trails regularly for about 15 years, and to use an estimate of once per week, that would equal 52 times a year, and 52 multiplied by 15 equals 780. Now, I’ll knock of 280 just because and I come up with 500; I’ve wandered the trails in these canyons about 500 times. This is why I call Aliso/Wood Canyons my stomping grounds.

IMG_6953I didn’t plan where I’d hike on March 20. Nowadays, I decide as I go when I’m in my stomping grounds.  On Saturday, I set off into Aliso Canyon and turned off onto Wood Canyon, and waited to see where my feet would take me. They took me to Cave Rock Trail where I stopped by my favorite caves. Then they took me to Coyote Run where I hiked up Nature Loop and took a side trail to a fine lookout over two canyons. I was about to climb down and head off to one of my secret places when I heard the voices of 3 or 4 teenage boys hiking up the trail. Perched up above them between the crevice of two giant boulders, I had a perfect view of the boys though they could not see me. Not wanting to surprise the lads last minute, I decided to answer one of the boy’s when his question to the others about where this trail led went unanswered. After that we chatted a bit. It was a fun interaction. They knew a lot of secret trails in the park, which of course they do right? I bet these trails are probably their stomping grounds too. Anyway, I told them what I knew about this trail and they switched places with me in my perch to explore more while I headed off to my secret place.

Sometime later one of the boys met up with me at my spot, and he described what they had discovered past where I had been perched up in the crevice. And then he was off again. By the time I headed off to take RockIt to West Ridge, all four of the guys were at the spot, thanking me for showing it to them. But they would have found it no doubt without me.

IMG_6957The interaction with these teens brought back a memory that hit me as I hiked up RockIt. It’s funny how things seemingly forgotten suddenly come to mind so many years later. This memory was a flashback to the 80s, to my old stomping grounds, an equestrian wilderness area called Walnut Creek below Frank G. Bonelli Park. I probably didn’t hang out at Walnut Creek 500 times, but this place was definitely my stomping grounds for about 5 years through my late teens and early twenties. On the day that flashed into my memory I was dragging a big leaf plastic bag behind me as I filled it with trash strewn about an area that we called Dragon Lake (due to a boulder allegedly shaped like a dragon). Up hiked these young boys, teenagers, too young to drive. They hung with me for a while and I ended up giving them a ride to a grocery store nearby. I know that sounds odd, but those were the days when people hitch-hiked. I hitched hiked. I picked up hitch-hikers. This was not a regular habit but I thumbed rides enough to have several such experiences. I’m not excusing the behavior (because it definitely seems reckless now), just explaining it. So, the boys came out of the store with bags full of candy and I gave them a ride back to the park. After I dropped them, I drove on and parked in another part of the trails so that I could get back to solitude and picking up trash. After some time, and a trash bag nearly full, I finally made it back to Dragon Lake, which I had left clean a few hours earlier. But it wasn’t so clean anymore. The place was littered with trash. Candy trash. The same candy that the boys I had driven to the store had purchased earlier. Ha! I couldn’t help but laugh but was also annoyed. I remember feeling a little deflated as I hiked around the “lake” picking up their candy trash and shoving it into my bag. Looking back, I got a good chuckle over the replay in my mind of this long forgotten experience. 

After that delightful memory, I continued on my climb until I reached Mathis Trail. I took that back down into Wood Canyon trying to find evidence of a trail the boys I met earlier said they found. So engrossed in visually locating that trail (which I eventually did) I grew a little distracted and nearly stepped right out in front of a biker. When I heard him holler, I immediately jumped out of the way (embarrassed!). And then that’s when I heard my name – the guy that nearly hit me was my old trail buddy Michael! What a great surprise and an awesome way to wind down this fantastic hike. Boy do I have lots of great trail memories with Michael. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other, a few years in fact, so I was very happy to “run” into him.

I finished up this lovely spring afternoon / early evening hike at precisely 6 pm. 10 miles, 2,229’ elevation gain.


Walnut Creek, my old Stomping Grounds
(picture most likely taken between 1985 and 1987)

308551_2729891725120_1375774203_n

Monday, July 13, 2020

Earthy Colors

Behind (as usual) in life. Heat is rising in Southern California, so I’m staying in close to the ocean as my way of coping with it. July 6, I managed to get out pretty late in the afternoon and took a rather lazy hike in Wood Canyon (Aliso Viejo, CA) with some lovely, hot-weathered detours.

Did I say that it was hot?

Anyway, I decided to try out a pair of men’s New Balance trail shoes that I picked up at the San Clemente Outlets on this particular hike since I’d only be out for a few hours. New Balance is my brand, has been for about twenty years and the tread on my current pair is running thin. I decided to give this men’s style a try because I really liked the green earthy colors and they were only thirty dollars, which is quite a steal for trail shoes. Often, the female trail shoes have colors that are too flashy for me.

IMG_3364So into Wood Canyon I lazily made my way and first thing I really noticed was how high the shoe rides up on my ankle. It felt odd, and I’m not sure that I like it. I definitely don’t hate it – it’s not a deal breaker, but I’m thinking these aren’t going to be one of my favorite pairs of shoes. In all though, they weren’t terribly uncomfortable. And I do believe that this is the second time that I learned that I don’t like the cut of men’s trail shoes. I caught glimpses of memories of another pair of men’s trail shoes that I bought many, many years ago (again because of the earthy colors!) as I hiked along Wood Canyon that day.

I got in about 7 and 1/2 miles on July 6, with not much elevation gain (<1k), but it was lovely. I took in some shady detours, the first one being 5 Oaks (which I rarely take, but I wanted to take a look at the newly built bridges and trail reinforcements). On the return, I detoured onto the lonesome Coyote Run Trail and and the spooky Wood Creek Trail that is almost completely covered in forest. The hike of course ended with cool summer ocean breezes which made taking off in the afternoon so worth it!

mapelevation gainThe Canopy of Wood CanyonIMG_3349

IMG_3356  Along 5 Oaks TrailIMG_3377Coyote Run Trail IMG_3420

IMG_3421

The Bridge Over Wood Creek to Wood Creek TrailIMG_3437

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Small Big Loop @ Aliso

This past Friday, I got out for a version of the Big Loop at Aliso/Woods Canyon Wilderness with a friend. We attacked this ("small") version of the Big Loop clockwise. Generally, I do the Big Loop counterclockwise being that I have time to warm up and the climb is more gradual in this direction. Going clockwise means getting most of the climbing done relatively soon and going UP Meadows which is a struggle (but well worth it!).

The weather was absolutely perfect and the scenery was gorgeous (it always is gorgeous but on this particular day it was more gorgeous than normal. As you can see from below (I know -- too many pictures! Alas, it is my sickness.)

Once again, there was lots of good medicine to be had out there on the trails! 

Miles: 9.3 with 1,319' of elevation gain. Route: AlisoCyn / WoodCyn / Meadows / Top of the World / West Ridge / Mathis / WoodCyn / AlisoCyn

View of Saddleback Mountains from Meadows Trail

Almost to the top of Meadows Trail
Finally, the Meadows climb comes to an end!

Pacific Ocean from top of Meadows Trail

View of Top of the World from Meadows Trail

Lupin at the top of Meadows Trail

More gorgeous views (leaving the park to re-enter at Alta Laguna Park, near West Ridge Trail)

View of Saddleback Mtns (once again!) from West Ridge

On Mathis (I think!)



Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Three Bobcats in Wood Canyon

August 8, I went for an 8.10 mile hike during the afternoon in Wood Canyon. I didn't do anything strenuous because it was afternoon and it was August. And I kept to Wood Canyon and all of the little mostly shady trails that spawn from it (Wood Creek, Coyote Run, Dripping Cave, Cave Rock). All those side trails are wonderful -- they're so fairytale-like and they aren't travelled much (and not at all in the middle of the afternoon during the summer). These side trails are hidden gems in that canyon. But Wood Canyon alone can present itself delightfully too, as it did on this day. 

Wood Creek Trail

Coyote Run Trail

Cave Rock Trail



Dripping Cave

I hiked Meadow Creek and Coyote run on the way out and caught Cave Rock (where I meandered) and and Dripping Cave (where I meandered as well) on the back portion of this canyon hike. Shortly after Dripping Cave I came upon 3 bobcats on Wood Canyon Trail -- 1 adult and 2 cubs. They froze in the middle of the road when they saw me. And then the adult and one cub abruptly ran into the brush on the left. I fumbled for my camera to catch what I could. Just then, another hiker (the only other person that I saw all day in Wood Canyon) came from the other direction. Now sandwiched in on each side by humans, the remaining cub ran off into the brush, but on the right, where he was now separated from his mama and sibling. 

I chatted a bit with the other hiker. He said that he thought he had seen two adults and one cub. I'm pretty confident that I saw the two cubs and that there was only one adult. But hey, you never know how your eyes might deceive you. Anyway, after the other hiker took off in the opposite direction, I waited quietly at the side of the road with my camera ready. It knew it would be only a matter of time when the cub popped back into the road to find his mama.

Sure enough, the cub stepped out into the road. He saw me again and froze and so I was able to zoom in and catch a few pictures with my cheap little hiking/running camera (It's an Elph). 

This is Mama running off into the brush 
And here is the cub who runs off in the opposite direction
I was so lucky to see him again when he came back out onto the trail!



After that wonderful sighting, I meandered up Wood Canyon in scenes like the ones below. It was darn hot that's for sure. But I had lots of glorious shade and time in the Now.