New gate on Tapia Canyon

[durango_kid]

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I came blazing around the corner last night on Tapia and came face to face with a shiny new gate.  What's up with that?  Has anyone experienced access issues since the gate was installed?  I usually take a different route down so the gate may have been there for a few months now.

[lencole]

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Is this the gate your post mentions? I rode up Tapia Canyon with Kit Holmes a couple weeks ago.  We found the new gate but is is arranged to allow bikes to ride around the gate on either side but restrict larger vehicles.  It caused no problems for us.  It is located above the last homes on Tapia Cyn Rd.

[durango_kid]

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That is the one.  The pedestrian/bike stile is nice but the renewed/updated signage was a bit disconcerting (right to pass granted by explicit permission of landowner, etc, etc).  I usually come down the singletrack on the East side of Tapia so I rarely encounter anyone but LASD employees.

I've never had access issues before and am hoping the renewed interest in gates and signs isn't a bad omen...

[MGW]

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Where is Tapia Canyon?

[lencole]

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  The sign does not restrict enty but reserves the right to restric access. This is a typical step taken by owners to prevent any claim of a right to access through historical use or eminant domain.  The sigh should not be a problem. Kit and I are hoping to ride it on monday, tuesday or wednesday. 

Len

[durango_kid]

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The west end of Tapia begins just east of the I-5 in Castaic (south of the Sports Center) and connects with San Francisquito Canyon on the east end.  It also crosses San Francisquito Truck Trail on the east end.

[lencole]

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Hey Matt,

Tapia Canyon Ride is in Castaic.  From I-5 exit Parker RD and go 1/2 block east on Lake Hughes RD.  Turn right (South) onto Castaic Rd. It is .8 miles to the Castaic Sports Complex.  Park there. Get on your bike and continue South on Castaic Rd.  The road turns due east and T's into North Gate Road. Turn Right (South) and proceed to Tapia Canyon Road. Head East up Tapia Cyn until you arrive at the High Voltage Transmission Towers.  Take the fire road to the right and climb a little further.  Look for a single track off to the left near the top of the hill.  The ST dumps onto a fire road and you continue down the FR briefly looking for a trail leaving the FR on the right.  The rest of the ST follows a creek bed with some narrow spots where you don't want to fall toward the creek without medical insurance. The trail has several creek crossings, usually dry but wet folloing rain.  The Club MTB often rides this loop at night. The attached Google Earth aerial photos show the loop and a more detailed view of the ST.

Ride carefully but ride,

Len

[durango_kid]

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Great write-up Len!

As an alternative, you can begin the loop by taking Charlie Canyon (go left at the tee intersection where Tapia goes right).  Ride up Charlie through Bitter Canyon and take the first right just past the old foundation.  The road on the right is called Charlie Lateral (some maps say Charlie Connector) and will begin immediately to climb directly to Tapia Canyon.  This used to be a fun ride before last winter's rains (and before someone dumped coarse gravel on sections).  It's just a silty DT now but it is an alternative route and is good when you need a warm up before hitting the hills...

I have also taken a different ST down from the one Len shows but I haven't been able to find it again.  It doesn't go as far east and south as Len's map shows and is a little less precarious.  If I find it again I'll post a Google Earth shot.

[RichB]

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That Gate has been there since approximately June/July 05. I have talked with the guy (Carl) who lives on the in the house on the hil over looking Tapial. He is a great guy. He told me a development company (The Toll Brothers) are going to build up to 200 homes back in the Tapia/Charlie Cyn area in a few years. This has been such a great area to ride.

BTW: I did see a 50-60lb Mt lion on Tapia just 100 yds past the Equestrian center last Sunday afternoon. He just looked over at me as he ran north towards the hills. I stupidly continued my ride though!  

Rich

[jeffj]

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Looks like the gate has recently been trashed.      First a little, then finished it off some days later. Now it's been propped up a bit......

On the other hand, it does appear that someone has been doing some work on the singletrack coming down just before the re-route through the gully. The small rocks delineating the outside of the sharp right turn are a nice touch.

[Dan Cole]

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On the other hand, it does appear that someone has been doing some work on the singletrack coming down just before the re-route through the gully. The small rocks delineating the outside of the sharp right turn are a nice touch.

I wonder if someone got hurt missing that turn!!!

[jeffj]

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I wonder if someone got hurt missing that turn!!!

I don't know of anyone that has been hurt on that turn, but I know that none other than Ned Overend  overshot it and needed to dust himself off a bit to continue