Feburary Interlude: Black Star Canyon

 Has it been fifteen years since I was last over in that part of the Santa Ana Mountains? I will answer my own question - it has indeed been fifteen years, or something very like that. A couple of those Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day events  took place over that way, along with a couple SoCal Trail Riders gatherings too. But they were just in the area, and none of them, nor anything else ever took me into Black Star Canyon. So another deficit has been filled, though on foot, two very tired and sore feet, rather than on two wheels. There seems to be three primary reasons people venture into Black Star Canyon - one, to get to the falls.  Two, to get to California Historical Landmark #217, the Black Star Canyon Indian Village Site. And three, to cross the range (and back again) from Skyline in Corona on one side, to Black Star near the city of Orange on the other. 

very few wildflowers yet but still a lot of color in the hillsides

While the falls are very worthy of a visit, by the water level in the stream i judged it would be something less than spectacular today. Besides, that was not really what i intended today anyway. As for that crossing the mountains thing, well, we just weren't going to be up for that. As it was, the nine point nine miles, 2060 feet of elevation gain, and four and three quarter hours we did manage was plenty, though that distance left us just short of the village site; regrettably short as it turns out. Well, next time will be on two wheels - much easier, plus coasting downhill all the way back.

As it is, the first two miles of this are flat and easy along the canyon bottom. The road is bordered by lots of private property lined with barbed wire and electrified fences; the views don't start until the climb does, but there are some nice oaks, sycamores, and stands of eucalyptus, and all that shade and shelter means lots of songbirds. All that pleasantness, though, ends abruptly at the turn-off for the falls, when the road to the village site doubles back, the first of several switchbacks, and the climb starts. The shade trees disappear, the song birds turn to turkey vultures, who are not shy about dropping in close for a look. On the other hand, the views open up - down into the canyon, across the mountain tops, back to the city, which seems oh so distant now.

The exhaustion will be gone by tomorrow, whatever soreness I feel now will have eased away, but that just missing the ultimate destination is going to keep nagging at me until i get back. As it should, dang it!

see that trail heading down, bottom middle of the photo. i got it in my head that the village site was down by those big rocks, so down we went. Oof, i think instead it is an alternate way to the falls, but no bueno

thankful for a little shady rest