Santiago Peak via Maple Springs Road Questions

[lojack323]

Planning on checking out Santiago Peak with the family for the first time. I've lived in OC my whole life and never actually been up there lol.

How busy is Maple Springs Road with other drivers or bikers on the weekends? Would planning for about an hour up and another hour back down seem reasonable for a leisurely drive?

Also from the videos I've seen on the YouTubes it looks like it's a pretty well maintained fire road. I'm still planning on airing down my stock Duelers a bit for ride quality since I'll have the kids in the backseat but I couldn't really tell where would be a good spot to do so after hitting the dirt. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[grave]

you don't really need to air down, but there's a visitor's center with a few parking spots right where silverado canyon turns into maple springs. i've never been on a weekend so i don't know about other traffic, but there might be some now that the weather is nice (although it is supposed to rain all weekend). there's plenty of space to stop and allow other vehicles to pass, too. remember, downhill vehicles always have the right of way!

you should plan on a 3hr. round trip to give yourself time to stop and see things and chill at the top for a bit.

 

[outlaws]

remember, downhill vehicles always have the right of way!

uh..... really? i thought it was the other way around

Anyways here is a map of the area, it's straight forward just know you will reach a junction of 4 roads called 4 corners, you want to hang a right to keep going up to the towers. The first right will be a closed gate called Harding truck trail.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5276726.pdf

You don't need to air down it's maintained fireroad and yeah plan for 2-3 hours if you want to go at a mellow pace and soft ride. 1 hour is going pretty quick and not the speed you want to go with your kids if you're sightseeing. If you really still want to air down the first mile or so after the visitor center or official gate is paved and then it will turn into dirt. You can air down there.

This weekend they are supposedly going to close the gate because of the chance of rain. They always close the gate even if there is a chance of rain so call the ranger station before you head out.

As far as traffic maple springs is the most popular way up since it's from OC side so watch out for other vehicles, bikers and hikers especially it's spring right now so most people are trying to go outdoors. It's a fairly wide trail the whole way through so you will have no problems letting cars through using turnouts although I've seen cars fall off the side before.

 

[Drunner97]

1. It's currently open, but could change in an instant due to the incoming rain. They don't want people ripping up the roads while they're wet.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/cleveland/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5340229

2. Feel free to air down, don't listen to these other knuckle heads. You don't need to, but I totally understand the added comfort that airing down gives, especially trying to run dirt in E rated tires at 35 psi. It pretty much sucks. Aired down tires keep the kids from bouncing around as much.

3. I'd plan 3-4 hours because it's nice to just tool around and enjoy the scene. Ortega/Main divide is probably busier because not too many people know about the Maple Springs side other than the forums and off roaders.

 

[grave]

uh..... really? i thought it was the other way around

yep. same with skiing, mountain biking, anything, really. if you are driving down a hill, it is easier for you to stop and reverse uphill using gravity as a brake to a clear passing area than it is for a driver coming uphill to reverse downhill so you can pass.

with skiing, you can see people downhill, they can't see you, so it is your obligation to watch for them and give them the right of way.

with mountain biking, hiking, running, it is easier for you going downhill to stop and let the person chugging uphill to keep their momentum than it is for him/her to stop and let you go flying by.

 

[grave]

2. Feel free to air down, don't listen to these other knuckle heads.

 

[Drunner97]

yep. same with skiing, mountain biking, anything, really. if you are driving down a hill, it is easier for you to stop and reverse uphill using gravity as a brake to a clear passing area than it is for a driver coming uphill to reverse downhill so you can pass.

with skiing, you can see people downhill, they can't see you, so it is your obligation to watch for them and give them the right of way.

with mountain biking, hiking, running, it is easier for you going downhill to stop and let the person chugging uphill to keep their momentum than it is for him/her to stop and let you go flying by.

Oh yeah, that was the other point I was going to make. With off roading the uphill typically has the right of way because it's harder to regain that momentum once you've stopped.

Off-Road Basics: Trail Etiquette | DrivingLine

It's about halfway down (and I know it's not a set in stone thing but...)

"When two vehicles meet on a steep hill, the vehicle traveling up the hill has the right of way. This is because the vehicle traveling uphill may need to maintain momentum, and because it is more difficult and dangerous to back down a steep narrow trail"

 

[AKmoney]

Budget four hours for the entire round trip.

Air down your tires. You'll want it for comfort if anything. Also, make sure your tires are in good condition. Once you get to the top of Maple Springs and start driving up Main Divide, the road will become covered with a lot of sharp, loose rocks. I went up there a couple years ago and came upon a dude in a Tundra who had *two* flat tires. They were all worn/shot.

I mountain biked up Maple Springs a couple weekends ago. It's about a ~1:45 ascent from the bottom of Maple Springs to the Main Divide by pedal and during that time I came upon probably a half dozen each of trucks, dirt bikes and other mountain bikers. It's not really all that busy.

 

[lojack323]

Budget four hours for the entire round trip.

Air down your tires. You'll want it for comfort if anything. Also, make sure your tires are in good condition. Once you get to the top of Maple Springs and start driving up Main Divide, the road will become covered with a lot of sharp, loose rocks. I went up there a couple years ago and came upon a dude in a Tundra who had *two* flat tires. They were all worn/shot.

I mountain biked up Maple Springs a couple weekends ago. It's about a ~1:45 ascent from the bottom of Maple Springs to the Main Divide by pedal and during that time I came upon probably a half dozen each of trucks, dirt bikes and other mountain bikers. It's not really all that busy.

Good info thanks. I figure I have about 10k left on these street tires so fingers crossed lol.

3. I'd plan 3-4 hours because it's nice to just tool around and enjoy the scene. Ortega/Main divide is probably busier because not too many people know about the Maple Springs side other than the forums and off roaders.

plan for 2-3 hours if you want to go at a mellow pace and soft ride. 1 hour is going pretty quick and not the speed you want to go with your kids if you're sightseeing

you should plan on a 3hr. round trip to give yourself time to stop and see things and chill at the top for a bit.

Thanks guys gives me a good idea on how to plan our day.

 

[lojack323]

Aired down tires keep the kids from bouncing around as much.

The last time I had the kids in the car with me on a washboarded fire road they thought it was awesome bouncing around for the first 30 seconds. After that they all had "resting b face" the rest of the drive lol.

 

[lojack323]

Thanks again everyone for the info, very helpful. Too bad it's rain in the forecast now I want to go this weekend lol.

 

[nihkon]

Budget four hours for the entire round trip.

Air down your tires. You'll want it for comfort if anything. Also, make sure your tires are in good condition. Once you get to the top of Maple Springs and start driving up Main Divide, the road will become covered with a lot of sharp, loose rocks. I went up there a couple years ago and came upon a dude in a Tundra who had *two* flat tires. They were all worn/shot.

I mountain biked up Maple Springs a couple weekends ago. It's about a ~1:45 ascent from the bottom of Maple Springs to the Main Divide by pedal and during that time I came upon probably a half dozen each of trucks, dirt bikes and other mountain bikers. It's not really all that busy.

I wonder if you're talking about the same Tundra that I came across up there a couple years ago. Same scenario. He had 2 flat tires. Luckily, between my hi-lift, my tire repair kit and a couple of spare tires from the guys in my group, we were able to help him down the mountain.


Beyond that, I'd agree with what pretty much everyone else said. Just keep your eyes open on the road ahead of you for people coming the other way, and plan accordingly. Some areas up there are too narrow for vehicles to pass. So I tend to look ahead every time I get to a place that is wide enough to pull over. If I see someone coming, then I just wait it out.

 

[AKmoney]

I wonder if you're talking about the same Tundra that I came across up there a couple years ago. Same scenario. He had 2 flat tires. Luckily, between my hi-lift, my tire repair kit and a couple of spare tires from the guys in my group, we were able to help him down the mountain.

Wow, what a coincidence! I bet we're talking about the same guy. I seem to recall there were some other trucks up there helping him out. He was lucky the help came to him. One other thing I should add is cellphone reception is pretty spotty up there regardless of your phone company.

 

[96Runr]

lojack... I'm game for going if you contact me... live in YL

 

[grave]

Oh yeah, that was the other point I was going to make. With off roading the uphill typically has the right of way because it's harder to regain that momentum once you've stopped.

Off-Road Basics: Trail Etiquette | DrivingLine

It's about halfway down (and I know it's not a set in stone thing but...)

"When two vehicles meet on a steep hill, the vehicle traveling up the hill has the right of way. This is because the vehicle traveling uphill may need to maintain momentum, and because it is more difficult and dangerous to back down a steep narrow trail"

thanks for sharing that post. #8 is something i learned recently and one of those things that just made absolute perfect sense when i did...

8. Let Yourselves Be Known.

No, that guy in the on-coming vehicle isn't flipping you off or flashing a peace sign! He's telling you how many vehicles are behind him. It is common practice when traveling with a group of vehicles to let on-coming traffic know how many rigs are in your group, especially on narrow trails and obstacles with limited visibility where someone needs to pull over to let your group safely pass. A raised fist means: “I am the last vehicle in my group.”

 

[lojack323]

We finally got up there a few weeks ago because adulting got in the way this summer lol.

I think we spent a little over 4 hours going up and back including farting around with the kids at the top. There was a decent amount of bikes going up Maple Springs but once we got closer to Main Divide we didn't see anymore. We saw a handful of other trucks so it wasn't too busy like others mentioned.

Once you get to the top of Maple Springs and start driving up Main Divide, the road will become covered with a lot of sharp, loose rocks.

I'm actually glad we didn't get a chance to go up when we originally planned. I ended up getting new tires since my original post and I'm glad I did. No joke how pointy some of those rocks were, not sure how my old aging tires would have lasted even aired down lol.

Thanks again everyone for the advice/tips.:cheers:

 

[Nickk6]

We finally got up there a few weeks ago because adulting got in the way this summer lol.

I think we spent a little over 4 hours going up and back including farting around with the kids at the top. There was a decent amount of bikes going up Maple Springs but once we got closer to Main Divide we didn't see anymore. We saw a handful of other trucks so it wasn't too busy like others mentioned.



I'm actually glad we didn't get a chance to go up when we originally planned. I ended up getting new tires since my original post and I'm glad I did. No joke how pointy some of those rocks were, not sure how my old aging tires would have lasted even aired down lol.

Thanks again everyone for the advice/tips.:cheers:

Planning to head up tomorrow, how many hours was the trip?

 

[Nickk6]

I see you said 4 hours after the fact. That was how long it took from Ortega bluebird entrance and exiting thru Maple springs. It was a fun trip, I would definitely do it again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tbozlKOiL4

 

[grave]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tbozlKOiL4

Riveting!

 

[Nickk6]

Riveting!

LOL:hatsoff: