Archive for the ‘Verdugo Mountains’ Category

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Glendale’s Newest Trail’s are Complete

Monday, May 6th, 2013
Glendale's new Catalina Verdugo Trail

Glendale’s new Catalina Verdugo Trail

When the City of Glendale updated its Trail Master Plan for the City’s open spaces in 2007 and 2008, CORBA volunteers worked closely with City staff to map out existing trails and to identify where new trails would make the most sense. The first two of those new trails have  just been completed.

The Catalina Verdugo Trail loops around the Glendale Sports Complex at the end of  The northern trailhead is next to the Maintenance yard facility. The Southern end of the trail is behind the soccer fields, and comprises a series of switchbacks. Glendale has many difficult and steep trails like those at Brand and Deukmejian Parks, so City officials wanted this to be an easy trail for all levels of trail users to enjoy. The trail is open to hikers and mountain bikes only. The trail joins an existing fire road, from which there is access to Ridge Motorway, a lightly used fire road in the San Rafael hills.  From there it is possible to ride or hike all the way to the trail system at Cherry Canyon.

As with all newly constructed or recently re-built trails, it currently looks quite wide and raw. Over the coming months as the trail beds in it will naturally narrow down and brush will grow in along the trail.  It will be a beautiful, meandering trail through the Chaparral.  There is some steep slopeside exposure in a few sections, but overall it is a non-technical trail suitable for fit beginners and more experienced riders alike. Watch for poison oak along the trail, mostly on the north-facing slopes.

Mountain Do Trail exercise station photo by Robin McGuire

Mountain Do Trail exercise station

The second trail, and also a part of the Sports Complex trails,  is called the Mountain Do Trail. This is a wheelchair accessible, natural surface path, complete with a range of outdoor exercise stations, benches and tables. The Mountain Do Trail wraps around the soccer fields at the Southern end of the Sports Complex. Within the next month, signs and  interpetive panels with information on Flora, Fauna and local history will be added to both trails, making them a great educational resource as well. The Sports Complex is open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 pm and the gates are locked, so access to the trail is restricted outside those times.

The City is planning a formal opening ceremony on June 1st, National Trails Day, but the trails are now ready for use. These trails were expertly designed and constructed by Bellfree Contractors, in accordance with the City of Glendale Trails Master plan. For more information, a map and more photos visit BellFree Contractors’ web site.

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Posted in Trail Access, Trail Crew, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

Why? Good Question!

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

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By Mark Langton

It was recently brought to our attention that newly elected president of Equestrian Trails, Inc. (ETI) Robert Foster, a retired law enforcement officer, donates his time as an emergency medical technician at So Cal High School Mountain Bike Racing League races. Mr. Foster is a staunch supporter of the league, and in his president’s message in ETI’s most recent newsletter he stated that it’s a new era in our public open space trail systems, and mountain bikers are part of the trail user community so we all should try to figure out ways to get along.

Now I’ve been doing this advocacy thing for over 25 years, and I’ve experienced a lot of encouraging progress in the areas of shared use, especially when it comes to opening more trails to bicycle use. To hear the president of an organization that has historically had some of its members rally against mountain bikes say that we need to get along is truly groundbreaking. But things like this come fewer and more far between than I’d like, and during these 25 years I have often asked myself “why am I doing this?” The answer is always “because it’s the right thing to do.” This might sound insane (insanity once being defined by Albert Einstein as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results), and in many ways this might be true. But then something like Robert Foster’s reasonable position comes along and I think to myself, maybe we have been doing the right thing after all.

Over the years we have heard many reasons people feel mountain bikes don’t mix on shared use trails, but only one is valid; people riding their bikes too fast at the wrong time and place (around other trail users) is just not a pleasant experience for the people being passed at an inappropriate speed. As I’ve said many times before, we all have within our power the ability to solve this issue: slow down. In other words, use caution when around others. Let me put it another way; your actions represent the entire mountain bike community. The smile you create through a pleasant trail encounter goes a long way.

Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, California, Conejo Valley, International, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | 6 Comments »

Randy Rogers Had it Right

Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

By Mark Langton

IMG_23141When I first met North Ranch Mountain Bike Club (nrmbc.org) founder Randy Rogers, he told me of his simple concept when encountering others on the trail. “You should slow down enough to have a brief conversation with them. Like, ‘How are you? Have a nice day.’” I told him I thought that this was overly courteous, and if you simply slowed down and said “hi” as you passed, it would be sufficient.

Now, 20 or so years later, I have to admit that Randy was right. Because in having that brief conversation, you not only slow down, you also show care and concern for the other trail user. And if we want to promote a backcountry that is harmonious and safe, then we all must act as if we are a family. Sure, like most families we may have our differences, but in the end our goal should be to care for, and be kind to, each other. After all, we’re out on the trails for the same reasons; to enjoy nature and to renew our spirit.

I challenge you to try this simple, easy experiment: When safely passing someone, including other cyclists, slow down to the point you’re almost going their speed (or stop if necessary), and ask “how are you doing?” (or the abbreviation “howdy!”). Pause just long enough to let them reply. If they don’t, at least you initiated the pleasantry. If they do reply, recognize the feeling you get from the exchange. They feel comforted and cared for, and you have done something nice. If that’s not a win/win, I don’t know what is. And at the risk of sounding cliché, you are paying good karma forward, which in most cases is contagious. And please drop me an email at mark@corbamtb.com or post a reply and let me know how it goes when you try this experiment. I’d really like to hear your experiences. Thanks!

(By the way, if you’re already using this method of trail courtesy, Thank You!)

Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, Conejo Valley, Environment, Los Angeles, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

Be The Solution

Monday, December 10th, 2012

By Mark Langton

I agree with hikers. I agree that when a mountain biker goes by me too close and too fast, it’s scary and unsettling. And they don’t have to be going fast, just too fast for the conditions. If a mountain biker goes by me at 15 mph on a fire road, no problem. If a mountain biker goes by me at 15 mph on a singletrack trail less than six inches from me, then I have a bit of a problem.

I agree with hikers right up to the point when they say all mountain bikers should be banned from trails because some of them go too fast around other users. You can’t tell me I’m banned from the trails because of someone else’s irresponsible behavior.

I believe there’s nothing wrong with going fast, as long as it’s being done safely (and within reason). If mountain bikers go so fast as to create a danger to themselves–such as crashing and having to utilize tax payer money to get medical treatment and evacuation from the backcountry–then people could point at the mountain bike community as creating an undue burden on the resource management agency. But as we’ve seen, crashes of this nature are relatively few. But the agency still takes notice when there’s an increase.

I know there are those out there, myself included, who are angry at the people who disregard common sense and speed past others with no regard for common courtesy. They’ve replied many times to our blog posts. They are angry because they know that the people who are acting irresponsibly know they are doing it, but continue to do it anyway in spite of the fact they are giving the mountain biking community a bad name; when all they have to do is very simple. Be The Solution. Just slow down around others.

As an experiment today I stopped in the middle of a singletrack trail as a rider approached me coming downhill. Although he had plenty of room to see me, he ran into me, and nearly flew over the handlebar. He was apologetic, and the conversation we had was enlightening; because he was used to others getting out of his way, he just assumed I would, too.  I recounted an instance when I was riding along a trail and I came upon a hiker with her head down, and as I slowed to a stop she looked up, startled, and nearly fell over backward. Had I assumed she heard me and was going to get out of my way, I probably would have run into her.

It’s never going to be completely safe on the trails. There are always going to be accidents, but by slowing down around others (and maybe even slowing down for blind corners), we might be able to avoid a lot of very avoidable ones.

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Advocacy, California, Conejo Valley, International, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | 1 Comment »

Resolve to Solve in 2013

Monday, December 10th, 2012

How many of you have New Year’s Resolutions that you are hoping to keep? There is one you can make and keep, guaranteed. It will help you, the mountain bike community, and the trail community at large. Ready? Slow down when passing others!

How many things in life can you do that actually solve a problem? On our trails, the one justifiable complaint about mountain bikers is that they sometimes go too fast when passing others, which can be scary and upsetting,even to other cyclists. So all you have to do is slow down when passing, and you SOLVE THE PROBLEM!

Slowing down while passing others on our shared-use trails is a pure win-win proposition. The people who you pass feel good about mountain bikers. WIN! You feel good because you didn’t scare anyone, and everyone has a pleasant exchange. WIN!

Here’s a suggestion: Treat others you are passing on the trail as if you are holding the door open for them. That brief pause is a show of consideration, courtesy, and humanity that will come back to you and the mountain bike community in many positive ways.

It’s up to you. Would you rather finish your ride knowing you did something positive for mountain bikers and trails users, or that you made it worse for yourself and the mountain bike community? You CAN make a difference. And all it takes is slowing down when passing other users!

 

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Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, California, Conejo Valley, International, Los Angeles, National, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

Study Considering Shared Use of the PCT Begins in Spring 2013

Monday, November 19th, 2012

By Jim Hasenauer

You may have heard that there are a number of people working to re-open non-Wilderness sections of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to bicycles.  When the PCT was closed to bikes in 1988, that regulation was supposed to have been reviewed annually.  It has never been reviewed.  We brought this to the attention of the National Forest Service (who are the lead agency for managing the PCT) , and they have agreed to review the regulation.  That process has not started yet.  We expect it to happen in the Spring.  At that time we will need high levels of participation from the mountain bike community.

Meanwhile, we’ve created a website www.sharingthepct.org and a facebook page “sharing the pct”.  Both are chock full of information about the initiative.  Unfortunately, some folks who oppose this idea have become quite strident and aggressive on the pct-l listserv and other venues.  We are trying to keep this initiative high-road with an emphasis on civility and fact-based decision making.  Don’t get into word wars with opponents.  Their insults (and threats of booby traps) and violence hurt them more than help them in the public process.

We think re-opening the PCT is good public policy.  It will help the trail and all of its trail users.

Right now, we are looking for organizations to sign on to our initiative and for specific information on different sections of the PCT itself and its suitability for multiple use.  Check out the website.  Your input is welcome.

Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

City of Glendale Mountain Bike Patrol Program to Launch

Thursday, November 8th, 2012

The City of Glendale has announced that their Hiking and Mountain Biking Patrol program is ready to launch. They are seeking volunteers interested in spending a few hours per month riding or hiking the trails of the Verdugo Mountains. Applications are available from the City’s Community Services and Parks Department. Mountain bikers will be required to attend the CORBA Free Skills Clinic. Following is the announcement from the City:

 

 

At long last we are pleased to announce that applications are now available for the City of Glendale’s volunteer Trail Safety Patrol (TSP) program.

We ask that, at your earliest convenience, you stop by the Community Services & Parks Department at Glendale City Hall to pick up your application packet.  The Department is open every day from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

At that time, we would like to take a few minutes to get acquainted (this is not a formal interview), then have you pick up your application packet and proceed to our Human Resources office where you will receive information on the mandatory fingerprint and background check that is required of all City volunteers. 

Glendale City Hall is located at 613 East Broadway, Glendale, CA 91206.  The Community Services & Parks Department is located on the first floor in Room 120.  Please ask to speak to Iris Hidalgo.

The Human Services Department is also on the first floor of City Hall, across the lobby, in Room 100.  Please ask to speak to Ando Vardanyan.

Free Visitor Parking is available in the City’s parking structure on Wilson Avenue, north of Broadway and west of Glendale Avenue.

Your application packet will include the following:

  • TSP Application Form
  • TSP Physician Approval Form
  • TSP Insurance Information Form
  • TSP Bike Liability Waiver 
  • TSP Hike Liability Waiver 
  • City Volunteer Registration Form/Conviction History 
  • City Volunteer Agreement Form

Please note that the mandatory fingerprint/background check and the mandatory liability/bike insurance will be obtained at no cost to you. 

You need to sign either the Bike Waiver or the Hike Waiver, not both, depending on which unit you are applying for.  If you are applying for the Hike Unit, you only need to fill out the top portion of the Insurance Information Form.  All other forms must be completely filled out, signed, and dated.

As soon as you have completed all the forms, please return them to the Community Services & Parks Department, 613 East Broadway, Room 120, Glendale, CA  91206.  If we were unable to meet when you picked up the documents, please return them in person so that we have a chance to meet face to face.

The application packet must be returned to us no later than November 30, 2012.

Please note the following important dates:

  • Saturday, December 1, 2012 – members of the Mountain Bike Unit must take the CORBA Mountain Bike Skills class at MalibuCreek State Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  All members of the Mountain Bike Unit must pass this course in order to be part of the Trail Safety Patrol.   

      Please go to:  http://corbamtb.com/programs/skills.shtml for more information.

  • Sunday, December 2, 2012 – members of the Hike Unit must meet in Brand Park at 9 a.m. for the hike test up the Brand Motorway.  All members of the Hike Unit must hike the 6.2 mile route of the Verdugo Mountains 10K in under 2.5 hours.

·        Saturday, December 8, 2012 – all volunteers must undergo the mandatory 8-hour training program to be held in the Glendale Police Department’s Community Room from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The Police Department is located at 131 North Isabel Street, Glendale, CA  91206.  A free visitor parking lot is across the street from the station.      

We know this is a lot to digest, so if you have any questions, or if there are any problems, please feel free to call me at the number below or simply reply to this email.  If you have any friends or colleagues with mountain biking or hiking skills who you think might be interested in participating, please have them contact me.  We can always use more excellent volunteers.

We look forward to working with you to make this an outstanding program that benefits all those who use Glendale’s trails and open space.

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Posted in Free Basic Skills Clinic, MBU, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

Rim of the Valley Corridor Preliminary Findings – Public Hearings in November

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

The Special Resource Study for the Rim of the Valley Corridor has been released. While we have not yet had a chance to look at the proposed alternatives, we will do so in the coming weeks and after the first round of meetings. We reported on the ROTV corridor study’s release of Scoping comments in 2011.  The alternatives presented in Newsletter #3 should address and consider these comments.

The four alternatives presented are:

  • Alternative A: No Action (A continuation of current management)
  • Alternative B: Cooperative Conservation Partnership
  • Alternative C: Connecting Urban Parks – Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment
  • Alternative D: Connecting Natural Habitat – SMMNRA Boundary Adjustment

While all these alternatives have their advantages and disadvantages, there is an overlapping study for the San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Special Resource Study. It’s unclear from these preliminary documents how these two studies overlap, and how much of the effort in each is a duplication.

It is within CORBA’s mission to help protect and preserve our open spaces and public lands, in addition to providing access to those public lands through natural-surface, shared use trails. None of the alternatives presented in this newsletter outline any specific actions with regards to the Rim of the Valley Trail, but rather, provide an outline for the role the National Park Service might play in its future development and management.

We’ll look over these alternatives and publish our comments, and strongly encourage others to also comment by the January 7 deadline.

Below the break is the meeting schedule and offical notice for the study, which can be downloaded here.

——————————————————————————————————————

Preliminary Findings & Alternative Concepts Newsletter Available for

Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study

Dear Friends,

We are happy to report our progress on the Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study, and we invite your feedback on the preliminary ideas which are presented in our recently published Newsletter #3. The newsletter includes preliminary study findings that address whether resources of the study area are nationally significant, and whether they are suitable and feasible for inclusion in the national park system as a new park unit or as an addition to Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). Based on these preliminary findings, four preliminary alternative concepts are also presented in the newsletter for your consideration. Please send us your comments by January 7, 2013. 

The four preliminary alternative concepts presented in the newsletter illustrate different ways of providing protection and public enjoyment of resources that have been identified as potentiallynationally significant.  They include different levels and types of involvement by the National Park Service (NPS). Most importantly, these preliminary alternative concepts serve as a starting point for discussion and public input.

Please tell us what you think about the alternative concepts. Do you like one particular concept more than the others? Do you like various elements of each of the concepts? Do you have an entirely different vision of how the area should be managed? Your comments will help us refine the concepts and will ultimately lead to a recommendation to Congress.

We have scheduled seven public meetings extending through the month of November, concluding with a final meeting in early December. During these meetings, we will update you on our progress on the Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study and listen to your thoughts and ideas. Dates, times and locations of these meetings are listed below.  The NPS will also host a virtual public meeting online. Information on the virtual public meeting will be posted on the study website.

We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Wednesday, November 7, 7 – 9 p.m.
Conejo Recreation and Parks District, Community Room
403 W. Hillcrest Dr., Thousand Oaks,CA 91360

Thursday, November 8, 7 – 9 p.m.
George A. Caravalho Santa Clarita Sports Complex, Activities Center Building
20880 Centre Point Parkway
Santa Clarita, CA 91350

Tuesday, November 13, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.***
Pacific Community Center
501 S. Pacific Ave.
Glendale, CA 91204

Thursday, November 15, 7 – 9 p.m.
Mason Recreation Center
10500 Mason Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311

Tuesday, November 27, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Encino Community Center Women’s Club
4935 Balboa Blvd.
Encino, CA 91316

Thursday, November 29, 7 – 9 p.m.***
Moorpark Community Center
799 Moorpark Ave.
Moorpark, CA 93021

Saturday, December 1, 10 a.m. – noon
Eaton Canyon Nature Center
1750 North Altadena Dr.
Pasadena, CA 91107

Posted in Advocacy, Angeles National Forest, Conejo Valley, Environment, Los Angeles, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

CORBA Presentation for Land Managers, October 19, 2012

Monday, October 1st, 2012

CORBA and our neighboring IMBA chapter, the Mount Wilson Bicycling Association, will be co-hosting the IMBA Trail Care Crew for a visit to our local mountains. As a part of their visit, we are together hosting a session for Land Managers. The session will introduce you to IMBA as an organization. Attendees will learn how we, as local IMBA Chapters, can help land managers with their trails and open space programs, as well as up-to-date techniques and principles of trail design and construction. Additionally the Trail Care Crew will teach a one-day trailbuilding and maintenance class for volunteers.

The IMBA Trail Care Crew is world-renowned for their expertise in trail design, maintenance, and other issues. This is a unique opportunity to learn from those who live, breathe, and eat multi-use trails year-round, and to exchange ideas about trail construction, conflict resolution and other issues shared by most land managers.

The session is being held at the Angeles National Forest headquarters.

From the IMBA web site: “The Land Manager training educates land managers on IMBA and the practice of designing, building and maintaining sustainable trails; as well as the importance of partnerships with local mountain biking organizations to achieve great trails. The curriculum is geared toward land managers who oversee land that is either provides, or has the potential to provide mountain biking opportunities. This presentation is essential to inform land managers and community leaders on how to partner with clubs to build responsible, thoughtful trails. This presentation helps grow local group’s trust in IMBA, trail building and mountain biking.”

Besides the United States Forest Service, California State Parks, and Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation, we cordially invite all local government agencies and trail advocacy organizations in our area. The session size is limited to 30 people.

Please RSVP or email any questions to steve at corbamtb.com, or call 323-743-3682. 

IMBA Trail Care Crew with CORBA and MWBA
Land Managers’ Workshop
Friday, October 19, 2012, 1pm – 4pm.
Angeles National Forest Headquarters
701 N. Santa Anita Ave,
Arcadia, CA 91006

Directions: Google Map. If you are on the 210 freeway heading east, exit Santa Anita Avenue, and turn right at the off-ramp. Then turn immediately right into the ANF Headquarters, just a few yards south of the off-ramp. From the 210 west, turn left, proceed under the freeeway, and look for the first driveway after passing the eastbound freeway off ramp.

Posted in Angeles National Forest, IMBA News, San Gabriel Mountains, Trail Crew, Trailwork, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

City of Glendale Trail Safety Patrol Program

Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

The City of Glendale is looking to get more eyes and ears on its trails through the new Trail Safety Patrol program. The program will be similar to the volunteer patrols conducted by the Mountain Bike Unit (MBU) in the Santa Monica Mountains and elsewhere, except they are looking to enlist volunteers from both the hiking and mountain biking communities.  News about the program emerged recently through a story on the L.A. Times blog.

Mountain bike patrol applicants will be required to attend CORBA’s free skills clinic, while hikers must be able to hike Brand Motorway in under 2.5 hours. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, in good physical health with a letter from a physician indicating you are capable of participating in the program. A background check and registration as an official City of Glendale volunteer will also be required.

A more complete description of the roles and responsibilities of the Trail Safety Patrol program can be found on the City of Glendale’s website at: http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/government/council_packets/Reports_062612/CC_8b_062612.pdf

We encourage anyone who is already riding the Verdugo mountains on a regular basis to consider joining the program. You’ll be helping keep the trails safer for everyone, and will be good will ambassadors of the mountain biking community as a whole.

The Trail Safety program is being developed by the City’s Community Services and Parks department. Volunteer training is expected to get underway in August.  If you’d like to be notified when the program is ready to accept applications, please email Marc Stirdivant at mstirdivant@ci.glendale.ca.us and the City’s Volunteer Coordinator, Iris Hidalgo, at ihidalgo@ci.glendale.ca.us.  Include your name, address, phone number, summary of your experience as a hiker or mountain bikers, and why you’d like to be a member of the patrol. Volunteer patrollers will be expected to spend a minimum of four hours per month on patrol. If you’re already riding the Verdugo mountains regularly, it will be easy to meet the requirements.

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Posted in MBU, Verdugo Mountains | No Comments »

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