Greetings Spring: Los Pinos-Trabuco-Horse Thief Peaks-Falls Canyon (Int Plus)

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THIS HIKE IS GREAT FOR INTERMEDIATE PLUS HIKERS WHO ARE TRAINING FOR a Strenuous version South Rim Grand Canyon coming up!

• NOTES: Rain Cancels! If you have a Truck or an SUV high clearance, the hike is about 15-16 miles to the peaks. Adventure Pass required for those driving to the trailhead. Passes available at REI and other sporting goods stores. Include in your RSVP if you can drive or need a ride or hike the dirt road before the trailhead. See below for more details.

Difficulty: Intermediate Plus for distance, pace and elevation. Check here to know your limit: https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/messages/boards/thread/10328308

Distance: 15+ (optional up to 20 miles + stop by Falls Canyon)

Duration: 5-7 hours

Elevation Gain: 3500+ft

What to bring: 10 hiking Essentials: https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/messages/boards/thread/9535234

Most Essentials: Water, hiking shoes/boots, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, and a light lunch

ABOUT the ROUTE: Trabuco Canyon -> West Horse Thief ->Main Divide (West)->Trabuco Peak-> Main Divide (East) ->Horse Thief Peak->Main Divide (East)-> Los Pinos Peak->Trabuco Canyon and walk the dirt road! With the rains the past 2 weekends, we'll add in 1 mile RT (bush whacking) to Falls Canyon as well! http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5288670.pdf

As we slowly ascend from the trailhead we'll see signs of humanity including an abandoned car and a gold mine. We continue through the forest until we reach the junction with the West Horse Thief Trail (1.8 miles) where we turn left to begin the loop. We steadily climb through sage scrub, conifer, oak and chaparral and eventually Coulter pine reaching the Main Divide at 3.3 miles. We'll turn left at Main Divide head NW another 1.5 miles along the Main Divide Road to Trabuco Peak. Come back and turn right at Main Divide, follow the ridge, Horsethief Peak is just 2 miles south along the Main Divide Road in between West Horse Thief on the right and East Horsethief on the left. We continue on the fire road to the Los Pinos Saddle at @ 9.5 miles. We leave the fire road on to Trabuco Canyon Trail to the right to the Los Pinos Trail on the left. Your ascent begins abruptly from the parking area, up a talus-strewn slope. The worst is over once you have attained this first summit. You'll drop down another saddle and then climb Los Pinos Peak proper. The peak lies past a thicket. Look for the trail register among the stones and sign it (2 miles RT or if time allows, we may continue along Los Pinos Ridge for several miles beyond the summit.) We dive down into the canyon enjoying the cover of live oak and Douglas fir. We reach the junction where we started the loop around 1 mile down and then turn left and head back 1.8 miles.

Photos from past meetups:

https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/1295549/

https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/804448/

https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/792131/

https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/1139937/

About the trail: Let's greet Spring and hope the rain will give us a really "green" of OC we rarely see. Our hike through chaparral and a varied forest of spruce, Coulter pine, maple, coastal live oaks, sycamores, alders, madrone, and California bay laurel. The trail is a great break from city life offering cool green woods filled with local flora and fauna.

"Los Pinos" is Spanish for the pines. There are many pine trees near the northern slope and southern face of the peak just below the summit. Pine Trees in the coastal mountains of Southern California made this hike so different to other OC hikes. Los Pinos Peak is a prominent peak located in the Santa Ana Mountains, part of the Peninsular Range of Southern California. Even its elevation is only 4510ft, Los Pinos Peak does rank fifth in the range with 450 feet of prominence (after Santiago Peak, Trabuco Peak, Sitton Peak and Modjeska Peak). It is prominent above Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistrano and looms above the Ortega Highway. Los Pinos Peak is the southern most 4'er in the range, so the views from this peak are endless with views way down south, of the Pacific Ocean (Catalina and San Clemente Islands), San Jacinto Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, San Gabriel Mountians and much more of Southern California. There are several ways to summit Los Pinos, so check here for more info: http://www.summitpost.org/los-pinos-peak/515463

We also explore the two more peaks nearby: Trabuco Peak and Horse Thief Peak. Trabuco Peak is at 4607ft elevation, the third most prominent peak in the Santa Ana Mountains. The summit lies on the border of Orange and Riverside Counties. The peak is located at the top of Trabuco Canyon and above Temescal Canyon, giving it a commanding view both canyons. Horsethief Peak is an unnamed peak. This is a great peak to get away from the crowds that can often be found on Santiago Peak. The views from this peak are just as good as any other peak in the range. Located between Trabuco Peak and Los Pinos Peak, Horsethief Peak is at an elevation of 4,313ft

Driving Directions and Meetup Locations: From the 5 Freeway in Lake Forest, head northeast on El Toro Rd toward Portola Hills(7.3 mi), turn right at CR-S19/Live Oak Canyon Rd (Cook's Corner), continue on Live Oak Canyon Rd (3.3 mi), take small bridge over Trabuco Creek, immediately turn left at Trabuco Creek Rd (dirt road) and park. We'll carpool to the trailhead or you can go an hour earlier to hike the dirt road. If we have 3-4 trucks or SUVS that can handle a bumpy dirt road from the parking/staging area to the trailhead. Please include in your RSVP if you will need a ride or have a truck or SUV and can drive others to the trailhead which is a bit over 5 miles. The road is passable with a normal car but it will just be slow going. National Forest Adventure Pass required for those driving and parking at the trailhead.

Carpool Locations:

1. 7:15AM at Parking (very limited) on Live Oak Rd begins of the bumpy road (or 6AM here to hike the dirt road to the trailhead, adding another 5 miles, indicate when sign up please!)

2. 7:00AM at Whiting Ranch trailhead near Starbucks: Portola & Glenn Ranch Rd Foothill Starbucks 27412 Portola Pkwy Lake Forest, CA 92630

3. 6:30AM at Irvine Park and Ride exit Jeffrey from the 5 Frwy.

REMINDER:

By joining the meetup, you agree to Meetup Terms of Service releases the Organizer and Assistant Organizers from any liability related to incidents that occur at Meetup gatherings > YOU acknowledge THAT WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS. > YOU ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SAFETY Hiking is a rewarding and pleasant activity in nature, but there are certain dangers you should be aware of. Those include, but are not limited to, trip and fall injuries, bee stings, poison oak exposure, ticks, mountain lions, coyotes, snake bites or wildlife. By signing up for this event, you agree to hold harmless the hike organizer, assistant organizers and other participants for any injuries sustained during this hike***