Santiago Peak (a.k.a. Old Saddleback)

Bill Bushnell — April 3, 1994

I wanted to start riding at the crack of dawn, but Frank wanted to sleep heavily until 9:00. We compromised and agreed to leave home at 7:30.

At 8:50 we finally hauled ourselves out the door and onto the road. We started from Frank’s townhouse in the University Towne Center and rode northeast on Harvard Ave. under very thick low clouds. The air was cool, and a few drops of drizzle hit our faces.

We turned left on Walnut and right on Jamboree and continued toward the mountains. After crossing under I-5, Jamboree begins a slow, gradual incline, passing the Tustin Ranch development just before it begins climbing a steeper and longer hill. Many bicyclists out for an Easter morning ride passed by in the other direction.

Soon we reached Santiago Canyon Rd. We turned right and began the climb to the fire station at the top of the hill. After coasting down the other side we stopped at Lake Irvine for a rest and a snack.

After our snack we continued on Santiago Canyon Rd. and turned left onto Silverado Canyon Rd. An Easter breakfast was being served at the Cleveland National Forest Ranger Station, but once we passed the event, traffic thinned. We stopped at the fire station to top off our water supplies and then at the store so Frank could get a Milky Way Ice Cream Bar and other goodies.

We continued up to the gate marking the end of the road open to motor vehicles. The small parking area was full of cars, and families were picnicking by the creek at the first ford.

The climb to Santiago Peak from the west involves climbing the Maple Spring Truck Trail, the continuation of Silverado Canyon Rd., to the very rough Main Divide Truck Trail that traverses the backbone of the Santiago Mountains. The first 2950 feet of the climb are on a paved surface with several fords crossing Silverado Creek, some of which require us to dismount. At the last ford the road becomes dirt and continues up several long switchbacks for another 1600 feet to the ridge.

We were lucky that the sky was foggy until we reached the gate at the end of the open road. Even though the climb was sunny, the air was cool. The air temperature stayed constant as we climbed. Several times Frank demanded that we stop. Usually I would get ahead and then stop every half-mile to a mile for him to catch up.

Maple Springs Truck Trail climbs at a fairly constant grade, but even so Frank complained about not being able to keep traction. He complained several times that he had bitten off more than he could chew, but somehow I managed to coax him along.

At one extended stop at Bigcone Spring we talked with a cyclist on a mountain bike. I asked him about the Holy Jim Trail as I had thought that might be a fun way to descend to Live Oak Canyon Rd. from the peak. He hadn’t ridden it, but he did suggest another route that climbed from I-15 south of Corona.

As we neared the top of Maple Spring Truck Trail we were passed by two fast joggers and a dog. At the Main Ridge Truck Trail we met up again with the guy on the mountain bike. He had just ridden up to the spur between Modjeska Peak and Santiago Peak. He warned us that the road was very rough and then expressed surprise when he saw we were both riding slick tires.

Frank and I continued right on the ridge road and climbed toward the spur. About a half-mile from the fork the road became steeper and very rocky. We both walked up this part, but halfway up at about 4650 feet above sea level Frank decided he’d had enough. He didn’t think he’d make it to the peak and then home before dark. I reminded him that I had wanted to start 1:30 earlier. He wanted water but was unhappy when I gave him only 1/2 of a bottle. We decided to meet back at the store or at the fire station down in Silverado.

I continued up to the spur and then on a slightly downhill section losing about 100 feet before making the final effort to the summit of Santiago Peak, 5687 feet above sea level, and about 5630 feet higher than Frank’s townhouse.

If one can stand clear of the forest of antennas at the summit, the view from Santiago Peak is magnificent. The entire LA basin was fogged in. I could almost imagine that I was far from uncivilization. To the north I could see snow-capped Mt. Baldy, San Antonio Mountain, and San Gorgonio Mountain, to the east, Mt. San Jacinto, and to the south and west as far as I could see: fog.

After eating some food—boy, was I hungry—and snapping a picture of the benchmark, I began the long, bumpy downhill. I had about 10 ounces of water, and there would be no more until I reached the bottom.

Fingers of fog blown on the wind arched over the road in several places. I could almost imagine I was standing on the cliffs over the San Mateo County coastline.

I rode down the rocky section I could not ascend earlier. Somehow riding downhill over bad terrain is easier than riding uphill. When I get going fast enough it seems to be easier to keep going and to stay upright even while the large stones breaking loose send my tires skittering sideways. Several sections of road reminded me of the rocky and sandy trail leading to the top of White Mountain Peak I climbed last August.

Partway down Maple Springs Truck Trail, I asked a cyclist if he had seen a substantial cyclist wearing purple and riding a bike that looked like mine. He had and added he was 10 minutes ahead of me. Ten minutes! Frank must have waited for a while before returning downhill.

Further down the road I asked a jogger the same question. She told me he was 5 minutes ahead. O.K. I was catching up.

I caught up to Frank on the paved section just before the bad washout at 2620 feet elevation. He had planted himself squarely in the middle of the road and was fixing a flat.

The first thing he wanted was water. I gave him half of what I carried.

“I had an adventure.”, Frank said.

“Yeah. I was wondering why you weren’t further ahead of me. Did you wait or have mechanical trouble?”, I asked.

“No. But I missed the left turn onto the road we came up [Maple Springs]. I ended up going 1.5 miles beyond the turn. I didn’t remember we had turned right on the Main Ridge Trail. It was only when that road started climbing that I knew I had made a wrong turn. Just then a jeep came by. When I asked the people how to get down, they directed me back. ‘About three miles’, they said. Well it turns out it was only 1.5 miles, but still, I didn’t have any water, and I was beginning to get a little panicked, thinking that you’d be ahead of me.”

After Frank patched the flat we continued down the road. Not more than a mile later the tire went flat again. This time he replaced the tube. When we reached the store, it was closed. We continued to the fire station and filled up our water bottles.

The store further down the road was open, so we stopped. Frank went in and returned with a fist full of sweets.

After resting and munching for 15 minutes we continued down Silverado Rd. and then retraced our path on Santiago Canyon Rd., Jamboree, Walnut, and Harvard, arriving at Frank’s house just past 19:00.

Ride stats:

distance: 72.2 miles

climbing: 6150 feet

total time: 10:22

riding time: 6:27

average speed: 11.2 mph

maximum speed: 38.0 mph

index: 97

irp: 9.3

mirp: 15.0

cd: 85

miles of dirt road: ~20

An article on indexing can be found here.

©2004, Bill Bushnell

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