consolation

the recent fires here in so. cal have decimated several of the areas that were amazing for trail running.   harding, whiting ranch, modjeska grade, etc.  some of the premiere areas are now charred and closed.  so, to get good local trail runs in, we've been relegated to the coastal wilderness parks.  now, don't get me wrong, these places offer some amazing trails, but it's just nice to have some variety.

today started out as another perimeter run of the laguna coast wilderness park/el moro park.  i met up with dmitri, shelly, stephanie (who headed back after about 5 miles) and greg at the newport coast entrance and was excited to enter the park from a new area.  waiting there, though, was ryan from the oc mudslingers, another trail running group.  ryan and his friend were planning of doing a 15 mile perimeter run as well, but quiet different than what we'd planned.  theirs was based off of a route that ryan had put together by looking at google earth and scoping out all the possible single track routes.

we decided to tag along with ryan and we set off.  we dropped down onto bommer ridge but then quickly dropped down a single track trail heading down into what i think was called willow springs?  this single track was hands down some of the BEST single track i've ever run in orange county.  it was technical, had a great canopy and took us through coastal scrub and lots of california live oak.  the trail continued for a couple miles and then spit us out onto laguna canyon road, right at the el toro intersection. 

we stuck to the single track and paralleled laguna canyon all the way to the big bend climb.  this was a beast of a climb, consisting of four major inclines that were just too tough to run without being reduced to a shuffle.  after trying to shuffle most of the way up the first climb, i decided to walk the steeper sections.  this trail topped out at a ridge line that looked north/west down onto emerald canyon.  we headed out toward the ocean and then quickly dropped down another single track trail called 'old emerald'.  this trail ran along the spine of a ridge that dropped down into the canyon.  again, this was some BRILLIANT single track.  somewhat technical on sandstone and twisting through coastal scrub, it was a beautiful and fun descent into the canyon.

once in emerald canyon, we headed left and out toward the ocean.  the single track continued, but this time winding us along the creek bed and under a beautiful canopy of sycamore and oak.  again, some of the best single track i've run in ages.  the trail dumped us out at pch in emerald cove where we jogged through the residential community and up to bfi in el moro.  we started up bfi, but turned down the trail where the single track hits the paved section.

the route we were taking then headed up el moro canyon on the fire road, up the 'slow and easy' climb at the end of the canyon and linked back up with bommer ridge right about where we'd dropped down into the first single track. 

the route was amazing.  it opened our eyes to some trails that i'd never known were there, showed me where i could link in other runs and connect with trails from my house and took us on some of the absolute best single track that i've run in so. california.  again, the company was fantastic with great conversation with greg, dmitri, ryan, shelly and the quiet guy from ecuador (can't remember your name for the life of me!)

like i said, with the recent burning of some of my favorite trails, today's route and today's company was more than consolation for that hard felt loss.