As mentioned previously, Fridays, since the office closes up at noon, is my day to devote to mountain biking. There are a number of rides around, but the one I do most often is, naturally, the closest. This would be the loop through the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, with the Johnson's Pasture addition tacked on for good measure and extra miles. The ride starts out with a gradual uphill, two-mile road ride, a straight shot, literally, to the trailhead. This is the worst part of the ride; road rides on a mountain bike are rarely noteworthy. Soon after passing the gates to the park the trail, which is actually a dirt fire road, descends to the lower stream crossing which, this time of year, is dry as the proverbial bone. During wetter times of the year, however, splashing through here at full speed is the best part of the route. You do need to watch though, since the water attracts dogs, small children, and slows down the rock-hopping day hikers. Past the stream and up the somewhat sandy embankment is the first junction in the trail. Riding right takes you into Cobal Canyon and around the loop in a counter-clockwise circuit. I prefer going left which immediately crosses another small stream and climbs to the top of a ridge.
This is the approach to Burbank Canyon, and the start of a relentless 2.5 mile climb of varying grade. Forget about relaxing on this climb, the best you can hope for are short false flats sandwiched between steep pitches of dirt and gravel exceeding 20% (according to gradient reading on my computer). By the way, there is never any respite from the sun during the climb above Burbank Canyon either, largely since you are never actually in the canyon, but always traversing along the slopes up above the canyon. It helps to like climbing, and to be heat tolerant when riding the loop in this direction. In about 2 miles you reach a saddle and second junction. Turn right 180º to continue around the loop. Or, go left to Johnson's Pasture.
Left it is, most days. The Johnson's Pasture segment is an out-and-back from the afore mentioned saddle/junction, though there are some short single-track sections branching off from the road and looping back to it further along. It rolls along little dips and rises, though tends generally down. In fact it starts off downhill from the saddle, a little welcome relief. In a short while you reach a junction; the left hand turn takes you up to the little hill with the building, antenae and satellite dishes you have been noticing off to the left for most of the ride. Did it once, don't expect to do it again. Continuing along and toping a very low rise there is another junction; turn right to the top of the little knoll with an oak or two atop it, or continue along. You start another quick descent here where you are tempted to let the bike run. But, if you do you will zoom past the easy-to-miss first single track section branching off to the right. This is comprised of a short steep drop with some erosion to test your handling skills. After the drop though, it levels out, swings around Pointe-of-Pines, so named for the stand of pine trees, and loops back to the fire road. Here there is a nice stand of eucalyptus and pines. Turn right at the next junction and punch it for a short climb until you top out. If you continue along this road you eventually come to what is simply known as Webb, a downhiller delight. I would lay on the brakes way too much for that route to be any fun for myself, but downhill types in full-face helmets abound most days.
However, off to the left is another short little s.t. Pause at the top and look directly across to the hill with the power line tower on it, my usual destination and turn around point. Push off and let your bike run down this mostly straight slalom with a few ruts, until you hit the road again. Just be aware of the big rut at the bottom. With your destination in site continue along, passing a couple more junctions, taking a tight turn at the second to start the climb. It is not a long ascent and the grade varies, but the end gets quite steep. I guess the surveyors when laying out the road ran out of room, shrugged their shoulders, said "oh well", and it is what it is. I call this little summit "La Verne Peak" because that is what the little survey markers say on them. There are two you can try to find, one fairly obvious, the other not so much. Take a little rest here; if I have brought something to eat this is the place to fill up. The views, if the day is clear are quite encompassing, from the peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains on one side to the city and valley area below, the hills of Bonelli Park with Puddingstone Reservoir shimmering in the sun or gloomy beneath grey clouds lie to the west. And if it is a really clear evening you might get a real treat and glimpse downtown Los Angeles burning in a sunset.
The trail calls though, so saddle up and pedal on, back the way you came until you reach that original saddle. Continue climbing past here and in a few more minutes you will reach the high point of the loop. The route from here rolls along up and down, mostly following ridges. You pass another road branching off to the left which will take you down into Marshall Canyon (the nicest single track ride in the area), and continue along to a little lookout sun shelter constructed by the Rotary Club. It is well positioned to allow you to sit awhile and take in some views, and is usually occupied by hikers or cyclists taking a little break. From this point there is a short descent to a locked gate. This is actually now a section of the Palmer-Evey Road I have
previously posted about. By going around the gate and heading downhill you are taking the more popular route to the shady depths of Marshall Canyon. Be forewarned, it is a lengthy descent and unless you are prepared to do the whole loop through Marshall, you will come back up the way you went down, and the exposed sections are quite hot during the summer. Anyway that is a route for another day. For this day, continue on for the final bit of climbing. Pay attention on this short section, the slope along your right being generally north facing seems to be more amenable to wildflowers, and sometimes if is a virtual tapestry of buckwheat, penstemon, indian paintbrush, ceanothus, blah, blah, blah, red, yellow, blue, purple, white, you name it. I also saw a fox trotting down the road toward me, once and no more. Pretty cool, the only time I have ever seen a fox in the local mountains.
Peaking out, you are essentially at the head of Cobal Canyon, and begin a long descent back toward the trailhead. There are a couple junctions, but unless you want to explore a little just stay on the main road, it is not hard to miss. A third of the way down is a water tank where the Palmer-Evey climbs off along the front range on its way to Potato Mountain. Today's route, though, continues down, passing through "little Sedona", an area mostly insignificant, but if you are lucky enough to catch a certain sunset at just the right time the red dirt is evocative of a certain other locale. In no time you shoot past the washboard of red dirt, swing around a couple more turns (watch for people coming up) and you reach my favorite part of the route. You are well down in the canyon at this point, and with mature oaks interlocking their branches across the road above you, you can mostly race down through their shadows, or take your time and enjoy the scenery. While the slopes up above turn brown in the summer heat, the canyon bottom stays green under the watch of these mighty oaks and sycamores. Another stream crossing with a rocky entrance invites you to take it at speed. From this point the road back has a more gentle downhill grade. Watch for little boulders in the middle of the road you can pop off of and the area that is always wet, when every where has become bone dry, just don't spray mud on passing hikers, that's not cool. From here you will be back to the start before you know it.
I used to do this loop a couple times in the evening after work, but the popularity of the wilderness park keeps me away on all but Friday afternoons now. There is a ton to see, snakes of all sorts, tarantulas and tarantula hawks, birds, coyotes, I came upon the local bear one day, there is a deer herd, though I think the crowds and dogs have mostly driven them out of the park and into the surrounding National Forest, since I rarely see them anymore. Pity, six or seven years ago I would see them everytime I rode up there. The simple loop is about 5 miles, not nearly enough for a good ride, so I always tack on some extra; the Johnson's Pasture section, road ride there and back, Thompson Creek Trail and Powerline, both down below, give me about 12 miles and 1200 feet of elevation gain.
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