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Rancho San Antonio

5K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Jack Burns 
#1 ·
Anybody familiar with what steps are necessary to petition open space folks to open up the little used portions of Rancho San Antonio to bicycles. I agree with the main trails being closed to bikes, however if they let you go on the trail starting at Ravensbury Ave and go west only (e.g. Chamise trail to black mountain all the way to Montebello), seems like a great ride in a sparsely-used area of Rancho San Antonio.
 
#3 ·
Fast Eddy said:
Chemise Tr was where I got fully hooked on MTB back in the day. It was one of the first places I ever saw the dreaded MTB-with-red-circle too. Great trail for a night shuttle.
Yeah, maybe on a full moon. You can see lights on those trails from way off. My parents got a freakin' ticket for hiking after dark w/ a flashlight!

The most enforced park in the area for sure, be careful.
 
#5 ·
jklazura said:
Anybody familiar with what steps are necessary to petition open space folks to open up the little used portions of Rancho San Antonio to bicycles. I agree with the main trails being closed to bikes, however if they let you go on the trail starting at Ravensbury Ave and go west only (e.g. Chamise trail to black mountain all the way to Montebello), seems like a great ride in a sparsely-used area of Rancho San Antonio.
I would fight for this. Though it seems like a long shot with midpen being midpen. I don't know who to contact either.

The thing for me is Rancho is a place lots of people can easily ride to from surrounding neighborhoods. I could ride there easily from Mountain View using the Stevens Creek Trail. Biking there and riding trails is more ecologically friendly than hikers and equestrians driving there and needing a big parking lot, or bikers driving far off to get to a trail.

Opening up one trail to Black Mountain would let people connect up long rides into Montebello and beyond. Though I've never been on that trail so I have no idea how bike friendly it is. Lots of squiggly lines... looks fun :thumbsup:
 
#8 ·
Not if you are fast and have a decent light.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Hi,

When the OP appeared nearly two years ago, I actually saw it go up and thought about posing a reply then, but I didn't for some reason I cannot remember. So here goes...

There was a time when there was a vigorous fight for multi-use trails in this area. Local IMBA founding member club, ROMP, lead the opposition to closing trails to bikes at that time.

Topica Email List Directory

Topica Email List Directory

Topica Email List Directory

Topica Email List Directory

The links above go to a few list-serve posts of March through July 2000 by ROMP leaders summarizing a key MROSD Board decision making process, which bears directly upon the topic of this thread. Many advocated for trail access at this time. We did advocate for access to Rancho San Antonio. We did not prevail.

Ultimately, and I'm sad to report this, a successful petition to opening trails in Rancho San Antonio is less likely now than then.

The result of the MROSD decision of 2000 was a bitter blow.

In the area, the Pichetti Ranch OSP trails were open to bikes for many years prior and provided valuable additional miles to Stevens Canyon excursions over more moderate trails and enhanced regional trail connectivity. Losing access to Pichetti blind-sided me.

By the way, part of Rancho San Antonio is a Santa Clara County Park, whereas the bulk of it (where the trails in question reside) is an Open Space Preserve.

A time will come to revisit this decision. Is today that time? I think not. But if people are ready to stir, stir they must.
 
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