Rancho Corral de Tierra December 30, 2013

[mynameismud]

I think they are going to open it up later this year. 

The Old Colma Bike Road just might be my new favorite trail in the area.  Not super technical but there is still some fun stuff and the views are fantastic.  I was looking way north for SF then I saw the bridge and realized I was looking right at it.  Could see so far north.  Really fun day.

[mudworm]

I can't wait to go back!

I was looking way north for SF then I saw the bridge and realized I was looking right at it.  Could see so far north.  Really fun day.

[Paul_Nam]

Thanks Charlie,

We really enjoyed the ride. This morning it rained and we cancelled our ride in Santa Cruz and just hung out. I uploaded some photos from the last couple of rides.

But to kick things off, here's a photo from a bike commute home last week:

 

Horse Laugh


Eric


mudworm


Olds Cutlass (Not a Pacer)


Regroup in a pretty neighborhood.


Regroup at San Pedro Rd


More terrain


A look down to Hwy 1


Eric on the switchbacks

 
Charlie on the switchbacks


Chris on the switchbacks


mudworm on the switchbacks


Colma bike path


A sign


Along the way


Immersed in the coast


Stairway to nowhere


A confounded bridge

[mynameismud]

Nice pics Paul and welcome to the forum.  The sunset picture is crazy good.  Looks like it should be a vacation picture.

[JC w KC redux]

Those are fun. I always wondered what that trail is like above Gray Whale - been by there more times than I can count commuting to Skyline and on field trips along the coast but have never hiked it. You might enjoy this. I think your "immersed in the coast" shot is looking right down on it from the back side.

[JC w KC redux]

I think they are going to open it up later this year. 

That would be cool. I have always wanted to walk along that section of road and map all the faults in the turbidites. It would make a great field trip exercise but unfortunately I am planning to retire from Skyline after this semester unless they make some drastic changes - I doubt that will happen since the admins have their heads wedged firmly where the sun doesn't shine.

[Skyline35]

Here is a San Jose Mercury News article on the conversion to trail:

Devils Slide Trail takes shape

By Aaron Kinney
Posted:   07/24/2013 03:27:31 PM PDT


MOSS BEACH -- San Mateo County is poised to give the public its most detailed look yet at plans to transform Highway 1 at Devils Slide into one of the most dramatic coastal trails between the Marin Headlands and Big Sur.

County parks officials will present a conceptual plan for the trail Thursday evening at a meeting in Moss Beach, giving nature lovers and others their first opportunity to give feedback. The county is preparing to take over from Caltrans the notorious cliffside road that linked Pacifica and Montara. The Parks Department aims to open the trail in early 2014.

The Devils Slide Trail will run 1.3 miles between parking lots Caltrans has constructed near the northern and southern portals to a pair of bypass tunnels that opened in March. The 4,200-foot Tom Lantos Tunnels rendered obsolete the old stretch of Highway 1, which was prone to landslides during winter storms that caused lengthy closures.

The county's plan calls for the trail to be about 24 feet wide, with two 6-foot bicycle lanes to the east and a 12-foot walking path closer to the cliff's edge. The county envisions building two scenic overlooks, each with coin-operated spotting scopes and benches, as well as restrooms and drinking fountains.

"I think this is a great opportunity out here," said Gary Lockman, superintendent of county parks. "The views are spectacular."

The trail will be fenced on either side, mostly with 3-foot concrete barriers known as K-rails, according to the plan. The county may paint the barriers an earth tone to blend in with the scenery. The overlooks will be surrounded by metal guardrails strung with cables.

Don Horsley, a member of the county Board of Supervisors whose district includes the Devils Slide area, said he is excited about the vision for the trail. But the former San Mateo County sheriff has concerns about safety.

The cliffs at Devils Slide are precipitous. At least a dozen people died in car accidents there between 1990 and 2012, some plunging several hundred feet to the rocks at surf's edge.

"We're going to have to do a lot of education and a lot of management to make sure people stay on the right side of the K-rails," Horsley said.

The supervisor said he is also worried there may not be enough parking spaces -- there will be just 38, according to Lockman. If parking demand far exceeds capacity, Horsley said, the county may need to consider a shuttle.

The county has budgeted nearly $2 million to prepare the trail, though Lockman said the job currently is estimated to cost roughly $1.2 million. The work will begin after the county takes over the roadway next month.

The work includes "microsurfacing" the pavement, or coating it with a polymer to create a smoother surface, which will benefit bicyclists. It also includes signs, trail striping and some cyclone fencing to shield peregrine falcons that have been nesting on the southern end of Devils Slide.


http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_23724773/devils-slide-trail-takes-shape



p.s. Great to see your photos, Paul !!!

[JC w KC redux]

Wow that is sad to have to be fenced in - but thanks for posting the info.

[mynameismud]

why are they micro-surfacing the pavement for bicycles.  It is already paved.  That seems like a waste of money.

[JC w KC redux]

why are the micro-surfacing the pavement for bicycles.  It already paved.  That seems like a waste of money.

Someone is probably making some serious coin on that. I think the whole thing is a waste - I mean - it was already a road - make a parking lot and let the public enjoy it. I don't like the idea of restricted access but I also don't know what the liability issues are and I know how stupid people can be - so you can't really blame them. Fences definitely ruin it for me as a potential field trip site - but there are plenty of other unrestricted sites nearby - so ultimately no biggie. Definitely have to take the big uni up there some time for a cruise after it opens

[mudworm]

Nothing technically open but then again nothing technically closed.  Fun stuff and everyone out in that area seemed friendly even to bicyclists.  Had more than one hiker tells us to come back.  Imagine that, kind of like Canada, but closer and no snow.

[mynameismud]

oops again.   lol

[Skyline35]

The group for this week's ride at Rancho Corral de Tierra went to 11:



L to r: Mike, Jill, John, Roy, Patrick, Chris, Paul, Erik, Bruce, and Meí (and me behind the camera makes 11).



Drawing heavily on Patrick’s excellent photos (his can be identified by the vignette edges/no borders, full collection here), here’s a photo mash-up/summary of the day:


Up "Horselaugh"…










…through Montara and up Old San Pedro Mountain Road & North Peak Service Road (with a couple side trails mixed in)…









Jill, photo by Meí



Most opted for descending the switchback version of Crack, followed by Boyscout:





Crespi Drive was a long road climb:





But there were some interesting things along the way:



photo Paul



At the top is Sweeney Ridge and the Baquiano Trail:





Lunch break/nap time at the Portola Discovery site:







The view over to SFO:





More riding around Sweeney Ridge:







Descending Cattle Hill:





A friend’s video of this trail:

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At this point we realized that Mike was missing. Meí stayed and tracked him down by phone. The rest JRA'ed the Coastal Trail out & back to the Mori Point area.











Meí learned that Mike had got decoupled from the train when he stopped because his chain dropped and didn't see the group making an unmarked turn onto Cattle Hill. He was now heading back on his own. The remaining 10 rode up the hill behind the bowling alley:





We descended yet another gem of a singletrack. Then after a fruitless search for a water fountain at the Linda Mar Elementary school, we rode up to the peak of San Pedro Mountain and into the fog:







For the first-timers, the full effect of the Old Colma Bike Road was a bit diminished:





Next time, without the fog, Bruce will give it two-thumbs-up:





What It Was Like Out There™:



Gray Whale Cove Beach



Heading back now…









We finished the day with dinner at the Half Moon Bay Brewery



photo Meí


Start on Etheldore Street » Rancho Corral de Tierra » Horselaugh Trail » Alamo Street » Harte Street » Sunshine Valley Road » East Montera Boulevard » George Street » Kanoff Street » LeConte Avenue » Fog Whistle Trail » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » North Peak Access Road » Crack - switchback alternative » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » Boyscout » Higgins Way » Adobe Drive » Seville Drive » Crespi Drive » Fassler Avenue » Baquiano Trail » Portola Discovery site » Sweeney Ridge Trail » Sweeney Meadow Trail » out & back Sweeney Horse Trail » Sweeney Meadow Trail » Baquiano Trail » Farallon View Trail » Cattle Hill » Hwy 1 » Rockaway Beach Avenue » Coastal pathway out & back to the Mori Point Area » Rockaway Beach Avenue » Hwy 1 » Sea Bowl Lane » No name trail up and over by the water tanks » La Mirada Way » Crespi Drive » Seville Drive » Rosita Road » Linda Mar school looking for water » Rosita Road » Adobe Drive » Higgins Way » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » Trail to peak of San Pedro Mountain » Old Colma Bike Road » Gray Whale Cove Trail » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » Drake Street » Cedar Street » George Street » East Montera Bolavard » Sunshine Valley Road » Harte Street » Alamo Street » Horselaugh Trail » Etheldore Street. 35.90/5:27/7:18/6,431'


Half Moon Bay:

[mudworm]

A fun day! Thanks Charlie for documenting it so well.

In case anyone decides to go buy a mountain bike and out for a ride after seeing how fun it can be as shown in the pictures and video, a full disclosure is necessary.  Here is an OTB (Over The Bar) video from the same ride where the previous video was captured by our friend on their earlier ride. We rode the same trail in bright daylight.

 

[mynameismud]

Great ride mudworm and an excellent job.  Not as good as our Valentines Day ride but, hey that could not be beat.

[ssulljm]

Re That pic of Paul on the fatbike riding the barends, if you look at the terrain, you'll see the pampass grass we yanked there last week.
Great to see everyone out there enjoying the trails, warms the cockles of my heart.

[mudworm]

Hi Jim (or, is it Sully?), just wanted to thank you for your good work. We thanked Charlie for introducing us to the area, but we understand that it was you who introduced him, so we should just thank you directly.

[mynameismud]

yes, thank you.  Incredible trails.

[Skyline35]

Riding coastside in an attempt to beat the heat – it didn’t work.

There is a new fence at Seton Coastside Hospital to keep the 4-wheelers out of RCdT:





Pictures from the ride from Etheldore Street to the Old Colma Bike Road…













The Old Colma Bike Road winds along the slope below me:







Since I was here last, there are more loose rocks and vegetation; this forest of Stinging Nettle was, uh, sensational:



Quite a bit of Poison Oak too.



Now for some disappointment, the staircase up to the tunnel tailings landfill has been removed:







Turning 180º, you see that we are right above the new parking area for the Devil's Slide "Trail" (old Highway 1):





Looking up from the parking area, the staircase and it's user were very visible:



Later in the day I rode the Devil's Slide "Trail". There are lots of signs saying Keep Off the Cliffs so I imagine removing the staircase was part of their setting boundaries for visitors.



As you can see, without the staircase it is a tough climb. I opted to turn around, ride back up the Old Colma Road, and on up the North Peak Access Road:





Near the top, a NPS trailcrew truck:



Hmmmmmm. wonder what's up?



From the staircase to the top of North Peak was a big effort in the heat and I was cooked by the time I was there. While resting at the top, I was constantly buzzed by a thousand flies so soon I was off to explore the nearby Peak Mountain (on foot).

Here is the Cave Trail's namesake:





Weird ghost thistle:







This fresh trailwork told me that I had found the Alta Vista Trail aka Cave Trail:



The trail is steep and rutted (amazing that this one will be allowed to stay open). The water diversions were carved in about every 30' - 40'; ha, at that rate there will be thousands on this trail! The dirt was loose, that soil just doesn't bind together.

The crew wasn't too far down the hill and I had a nice conversation with one of the workers (while he was on break); he was volunteer (Conservation Corp, I think he said) from Colorado and rides mtn bikes. He mentioned that he had put in a couple days on the Soquel Demo Flow Trail and was excited about it. As for Alta Vista, "It doesn't seem like much fun, you'd just be riding the brakes the whole time" which I thought was an accurate assessment. Nice that they are brushing it but that treadwork needs to season and compact.

Breaktime ended and he went back to shoveling dirt in the heat. Tough job!

It was 3pm and there was one more thing I wanted to do today - ride the Devil's Slide Coastal Trail. I was beat and was content to coast down the fireroad to Gray Whale Cove Beach.

A gap in the plan is that accessing the Devil's Slide Coastal Trail from Gray Whale Cove Beach can only be done by diving in to Highway 1 traffic (much of that stretch has no shoulder and a trail option is years away). Not sure I'll do that again! Here are a few photos…












Rancho Corral de Tierra, start at Etheldore Street » Horselaugh Trail » Alamo Street » Harte Street » Sunshine Valley Road » East Montera Boulevard » George Street » Birch Street » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » Trail to peak of San Pedro Mountain » out & back Old Colma Bike Road to where the staircase used to be » Trail to peak of San Pedro Mountain » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » North Peak Access Road » North Peak » Expore Peak Mtn to find Alta Vista Trail aka Cave Trail » North Peak Access Road » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » Gray Whale Cove Trail » Hwy 1 » out & back Devil's Slide Coastal Trail » Hwy 1 » Gray Whale Cove Trail » Old San Pedro Mountian Road » Cedar Street » George Street » East Montera Boulevard » Sunshine Valley Road » Harte Street » Alamo Street » Horselaugh Trail » Etheldore Street. 29.75/5:11/8:34/4,389


Half Moon Bay:

[mudworm]

Wow, a lot of information in this latest report! Glad that we rode the Old Colma Bike Road when the ride could still go through.