Rain Is Making for a Bad Mix on Trails

The recent rains have been good news for previously parched local wilderness areas, but a mixed blessing for those who like to spend time hiking, biking, horseback riding or running on trails in local mountains and parks.

County and state parks, where many of the most popular trails are located, prohibit access for at least two days after significant rain.

The rain has been “devastating” to hikers, says Mission Viejo’s Mike Sappingfield, who leads hikes for the Sierra Club’s southern Orange County group. In the last month, more than half his club’s scheduled hikes have been canceled.

“We’d rather hike than not hike,” Sappingfield said, “but we also try to stay within the rules that the county establishes for its properties.”

Sappingfield’s group, the Sierra Sage of South Orange County, has two hikes planned for this weekend--one in Caspers Wilderness Park and the other in Cleveland National Forest.

Caspers Park, in San Juan Capistrano, has been closed to trail users since last week, but might open today, said John Gannaway, senior park ranger. Gannaway said his rain gauge showed nearly three-quarters of an inch from Wednesday’s storm before the clouds parted a bit in the afternoon.

“We get a lot of calls from equestrians and mountain bikers just chomping at the bit, waiting for us to open up,” Gannaway said. “When it clears up like it did in the last hour, some people think the trails will immediately open up. They don’t realize they are going to stay wet for several days.”

For updated trail information about Caspers Park call (949) 728-0235.

Cleveland National Forest doesn’t close its trails because of rain, so diehard enthusiasts can head to the Santa Ana Mountains even in inclement weather.

Costa Mesa’s Keith Eckstein, a member of Share Mountain Bike Club, said mountain trails above 1,800 feet drain better than those at lower levels and therefore hold up well in wet weather.

Eckstein and a group of friends rode to the top of Saddleback last Saturday.

“We didn’t get rained on,” he said, “but we got snowed on at the top of the mountain.”

SLIPPERY SLOPES

The rain hasn’t affected the Winter Trail Run Series, says Baz Hawley, who has presented the series for eight years in the Cleveland National Forest.

“The weather doesn’t stop anything,” Hawley said. “It may stop the wimps from showing up, but most of the people don’t care about the rain. They put on their rain gear and away they go.”

The series continues today with a 4x10K relay. The San Juan Trail 50K is March 25. Details: (949) 635-6988.

ROAD TO 2004

After finishing 37th in the U.S. Olympic women’s marathon trials last month in Columbia, S.C., Huntington Beach’s Kelly Flathers is confident she has a strong future in the event.

“I’ll make the Olympic team in 2004,” Flathers said. “I learned a lot.”

Flathers, 28, and much of the field of 180 struggled with the heat, which soared to 83 degrees during the race. Flathers finished in 2 hours 48 minutes 44 seconds, 15 minutes behind winner Christine Clark of Anchorage, Alaska.

“I never really felt the wall per se,” said Flathers, who was running in her third marathon. “I just remember the heat. I remember feeling hot and wanting to tear off my shoes at the finish.”

Flathers plans to try to qualify for the 2000 Olympic trials in the 10,000 meters. The qualifying standard is 33 minutes 0 seconds and Flathers has a personal best of 34:47 on the road.