Saturday, October 1, 2016

Bluewater Traverse and Peak 2616

Hiked: 9/30/2016
Distance: 20.9 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 2616'
Elevation Gain: 3900'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 3.12
Round trip time: 9 hours
Recommended water: 200 oz.
Parking/Fees: Adventure Pass
Difficulty: Strenuous

In Jerry Schad's book Afoot and Afield in Orange County, he described a one way hike from the San Juan trailhead on Ortega Highway to the Verdugo Trail to Fisherman's Camp as the Bluewater Traverse. He contemplated the possibility of climbing Peak 2616 near Oak Flats and possibly doing a giant loop back on the overgrown (at the time) North Tenaja trail. We planned to complete the giant loop, completely circling Bluewater Canyon in the San Mateo Wilderness. Few people have done as much to showcase and advance hiking in Orange County and San Diego County as Jerry Schad. For me, this was a tribute hike for Jerry Schad, who passed away in 2011 at the relatively young age of 61.

We started in the dark from the parking lot across from the Candy Store on Ortega Highway. The most dangerous part of the hike was at the very beginning when we had to cross the highway to get to the trail. There was an endless stream of commuters heading toward Orange County and there was no crosswalk or stoplight. After waiting more than 5 minutes, there was no break in the traffic. Finally, a car stopped and let us across the road. By the time we got to 4 corners, dawn had arrived and we put away our headlamps. We each cached a small amount of water for the return trip, then started down the Verdugo trail. The well maintained trail snaked around side canyons before the junction with Bluewater trail. We continued on the Verdugo trail so we could climb Peak 2616. Just before the peak, the signed Lucas Canyon trail came in from the direction of Ortega highway. I had not heard of this trail and it wasn't on anyone's map. Peak 2616 was a grassy hill, a 5 minute diversion, though it is fairly remote from any trailhead. Nothing marked the summit, but views were good in every direction, including the ocean and Catalina. We dropped off the peak and followed the wide trail to Oak Flats. Tall oaks and grassy fields seemed out of place inside the uniform blanket of chaparral that covered the surrounding area. From Oak Flats, we grabbed the Bluewater trail again for the sudden and steep 1500' descent into Bluewater Canyon. For just under a mile, the shaded trail traced the canyon, crossing the dry stream several times before hitting San Mateo Creek.




First view of Oak Flats in the distance


Continuing on Verdugo at the Bluewater Trail junction


Peak 2616, a grassy knoll


Santiago Peak far away




Oaks at Oak Flats




Heading out of Bluewater Canyon

I was surprised to find the junction at San Mateo Canyon signed, with distances listed to nearby destinations. I expected this remote area to be less maintained. About 0.7 miles upstream, we arrived at the North Tenaja trail junction. Again, I was surprised not only by the signage, but the clearly maintained North Tenaja trail. Jerry Schad's report from 1995 described this trail as "too overgrown for most hikers." Dima had hauled some loppers all the way, only to find them unneeded. He seemed a little disappointed. We kicked around the idea of taking a side trip over to Fisherman's Camp, but the temperature had risen to an uncomfortable level, the tail end of a very hot Santa Ana wind event. The steep 1300' climb to the parallel ridge along Bluewater Canyon had no shade and was somewhat unpleasant. Sean might have chosen a different set of words to describe it. Once on the ridge, though, the rest of the gain was mild, spread over a long distance. From the North Tenaja trail, I got some great views into Bluewater Canyon. Several sections looked clear, unclogged by debris. This was encouraging for a future trip into the untamed canyon. The only unusual sight on the way back was a newer pair of women's running shoes abandoned in the center of the trail. This was about 3 miles away from 4 corners on a lightly traveled trail. We jokingly started looking around for the body. Sean decided to pack the shoes out, but the mystery remains unsolved. Back at 4 corners, we collected our cached water and took the longer Bear Canyon Ridge trail out. Crossing Ortega back to our cars was troublesome again, with traffic flowing the other direction. It's an extra hazard during commuting hours.


Juntion at San Mateo Canyon


San Mateo Canyon from the trail on the north wall


Starting back on the North Tenaja trail


Switchbacks to Fisherman's camp


San Mateo Canyon from the North Tenaja trail


Back on the ridge after the steep ascent


Switchbacks from the Bluewater Trail descending the opposite ridge


Looking up Bluewater Canyon


Mysterious running shoes


17 comments:

  1. Those shoes. Wth?

    San Mateo Canyon looks nice. Well done boys.

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    1. Madison,

      If you can think of an explanation for the shoes, I'd love to hear it.

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  2. This comment is coming in a bit late but I just did a similar hike. I started at the top of the Morgan trailhead, hiked down past Tenejas Falls to Fishermans Camp. Then my plan was to head up the Blue water Trail but at least this year it was very overgrown, so I backtracked to the Tenejas North Trail to Four corners. Then it was Bear canyon and backt to Morgan.

    Great hike overall.

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    1. Unknown,

      That's an interesting route and very long. I explored part of the trail from San Mateo Peak toward Tenaja last month, but stopped about a 1.5 miles past San Mateo where water was running in the trail. I get the feeling that trail is not used much. I also tried to go up Bluewater last week and turned back because it was so overgrown. Waist high grass and plants covered the trail. The heavy rain this year really changed the landscape around there.

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  3. Nice. Never been out to Oak Flats. Thinking about heading out there for a 2-dayer this weekend. I don't suppose you saw any water out that way, did you? I see a Serrano Spring and a Fox Spring marked on the map, but springs in the Santa Anas are a dubious thing. I suppose I'll just have to suck it up and pack it in.

    Incidentally, I went down San Mateo Canyon to the West Clark Trail on Saturday the 12th. Interestingly, the San Mateo Trail was *more* well used below the Clark Trail Junction. It looked like people were coming down from... Well, I guess the Rancho Carillo Community. Quite unexpected.

    HJ

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    1. Hikin' Jim,

      Didn't see any water on our trip other than San Mateo Canyon. We weren't really looking, though.

      Clark is way out there. Very interesting that it gets much use. I wish the road out to Rancho Carillo wasn't private.

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    2. Yeah, that'd be nice if the road to Rancho Carillo were open. That or the Sitton Peak/Lucas Canyon Trail. It's only about 8 miles from Ortega Hwy to the Rancho Carillo area via the Lucas Canyon Trail, but the trailhead is in OC Parks land and is closed to the public. :( I'm really darned curious as to what's in Lucas Canyon. There are some old mines marked on the map -- and there may be water.

      I also want to go that last 2 or 3 miles downstream of the W. Clark Trail down to the Camp Pendelton Boundary. The trail was in better shape there than upstream! Dunno how much farther the San Mateo Trail goes downstream though. A little over a mile downstream, the satellite photos show some pretty rough terrain.

      HJ

      https://caltopo.com/m/FTP14

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    3. That would be cool to see what's at the boundary. It does look rough. The marine's must have it blocked/fenced in some way, maybe cameras. Hopefully not mined!

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    4. I wonder. It's so remote. There's no trail. Any old fences may have been damaged/removed the last time a good rain happened. I can't see anything on the satellite photos. The Marines may just be depending on the remoteness of the area. I can't imagine they'd fence the entirety of Camp Pendelton on the wilderness side.

      That said, I wouldn't want to go on to the Marine base, first because I have no wish to interfere with the Marines and second I don't wish to be hassled by whatever patrols/security the Marines might have.

      I wonder if one could contact OC Parks to get access to Casper's Park Gate 11 and thereby access the Lucas Trail -- if it's even passible. That'd be some remote stuff.

      HJ

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  4. Well, I was thinking of heading out to Oak Flats this weekend and seeing what's there. I imagine no water and infrequently used (if at all) camp sites. However, Cal Trans is closing Ortega Highway for the weekend, so that's an adventure that will have to wait until another day.

    HJ

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    1. Bummer! I saw the Lucas Canyon trail junction on the Verdugo trail. I guessed it went all the way to Ortega, but also guessed it went through some private in-holdings. It's a patchwork of public/private land in that part of the forest.

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  5. I finally made it out to Oak Flats -- last June. WAAAY too hot. I think I did the same loop you did: Candy Store to Four Corners to Oak Flats to San Mateo Canyon via the Bluewater Trail returning to Four Corners via the N. Tenaja Trail. I overnighted near the junction of the N. Tenaja Trail and the San Mateo Canyon Trail. I found the N. Tenaja Trail decidedly more overgrown than the Bluewater Trail, but I've seen far worse. Loppers not needed.

    No sign of water in the Oak Flats area (at least in June '22), but I still want to (some day) get down to Fox Spring and Lucas Canyon. I've got a feeling that there's going to be water down in parts of Lucas Canyon, but who knows? Oak Flats was nice. I'd like to explore more there, but maybe in March - April. NOT June. Not fun in June. Too hot.

    One could do a "through hike" from the Candy Store down to Ortega Hwy via Oak Flats of about 14.5 miles exiting at OC Parks Gate 11. One would then have to road walk about 0.3 miles up to the San Juan Fire Station (USFS) where there are a couple of legal parking spots. If one car were left at the fire station and then another drive to the Candy Store/Bear Canyon trailhead, a car shuttle wouldn't be inordinately difficult -- less than 15 minutes drive (about 7 miles). *Exiting* Gate 11 would presumably minimize the chance of being noticed. :) https://caltopo.com/m/FTP14

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    1. Hikin' Jim,

      That is the exact same loop we did. Very long, and yes, June is too hot. End of September was also too hot. Sean was complaining most of the way and I had developed a reputation for setting up hikes to places when it was too hot for comfort. I think I've learned since then, haha.

      Lucas Canyon is intriguing, but not sure if that is private property. There are so many inholding around there.

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  6. On that map, everything *east* of the dark line marked "Grant Boundary" is public land managed by the US Forest. Any inholdings are marked in light gray tint except Rancho Carrillo which I have overlaid in a light red tint. Incidentally, that's why I use the 2013 version of the US Forest Service maps -- they show inholdings whereas the newer versions do not. *Everything* up to the Grant Boundary in Lucas Canyon is Forest Service. You can verify this by checking the "Public Lands" box in the Caltopo map overlays. Everything that shows up in green is USFS land. Therefore, it is perfectly legal to transit all of Lucas Canyon -- all the way to the Sitton Peak Road.

    On the Sitton Peak Road, land *west* of the Grant Boundary is Orange County Parks. Thus, the land that the Sitton Peak Road goes through in Section 4, Township 7 South, Range 6 West (San Bernardino Baseline & Meridian) on it's way to Ortega Highway is part of the OC Parks land (except the San Juan Fire Station which is USFS). There's a sign on Gate 11 on Ortega Highway that says "no trespassing." However, I very much doubt that the upper end of the OC Parks section of the Sitton Peak Road is signed. Legally, they are required by California law to post at both ends of the road where it enters their property. I think the chances of being observed exiting the Sitton Peak Road are small, and if the rangers gave someone a hassle, you could point out that the road is not signed as closed at the upper end. Without a sign, they can't expect people to know that they've passed into a closed area, and they can't legally press charges.

    HJ

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    1. Hikin' Jim,

      This is very impressive map work. Great tip on the 2013 map. This opens up new possibilities.

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    2. Thanks.

      Yeah, between the 2013's intrinsic gray shading and the Caltopo "Public Lands" check box, there's actually quite a bit of information available.

      I'm a bit of a map geek although there are certainly others who know far more than I. I even know the difference between a geodetic and a cadastral survey. Inquiring minds want to know! lol

      HJ

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    3. Hikin' Jim,

      I ran across a 1974 cadastral survey marker near Mt. Tule in San Diego County. It was in a field in a non-descript location. I had to do an Internet search to figure what it was. Only one I've ever found.

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