Afoot and Afield: Orange County. Jerry Schad
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sycamores, cottonwoods, and live oaks and a screen of water-hugging willows are the hallmarks of the riparian woodland. Most of this habitat has already been usurped by urbanization and the development of water resources.
The coniferous (cone-bearing-tree) forest community was once more widespread in the Santa Ana Mountains. The west-side canyons were logged a century ago in connection with various short-lived mining booms; this logging and subsequent wildfires have reduced the forest to small, isolated patches that cling to the slopes of the deeper canyons. Bigcone Douglas-fir and Coulter pine are the indicator species of coniferous forest in the Santa Anas, although live oaks and other broadleaf trees are also frequently present.
A few species of plants of limited geographic extent in the county are worth noting:
Knobcone pine, somewhat widely distributed in the northern and central California Coast Ranges and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, clings to a small toehold in the Santa Ana Mountains on the slopes of Pleasants Peak. Here, it finds the warm, dry climate and the particular kind of soil—serpentine—it thrives on.
Bigleaf maple, California bay (bay laurel), and madrone, found in the west-side canyons of the Santa Ana Mountains, are three more examples of trees at or close to the southern end of their natural range. The madrones are restricted to a tiny area in upper Trabuco Canyon.
The Tecate cypress, once widespread throughout Southern California, is now confined to small arboreal islands in San Diego County, in northern Baja California, and along the slopes of Coal and Gypsum Canyons in the northern Santa Anas (just outside the Cleveland National Forest boundary). Here, it finds the extra moisture, in the form of nocturnal fogs moving in from the coast, that it needs in order to hold onto its biological niche.
Late winter to mid-spring is the best time to appreciate the cornucopia of Orange County’s native plants. Many of the showiest species—the annual wildflowers—burgeon at this time, and other plants exhibit fresh, new growth. For more information about the wildflowers, shrubs, trees, and other flora typically found in Orange County, see Appendix 2.
Creatures Great and Small
Your first sighting of an eagle, mountain lion, badger, or any other seldom-seen form of wildlife is always a memorable experience. Because of the diversity of the still-natural parts of Orange County, they are host to a healthy population of indigenous creatures, including a few rare and endangered species. If you’re willing to stretch your legs a bit and spend some time in the areas favored by wild animals, you’ll eventually be rewarded by some kind of close visual contact.
While doing fieldwork for an earlier edition of this book, Jerry Schad was lucky to spot a young mountain lion while hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains, and a golden eagle while driving on Interstate 5 through the hills of south county.
The most numerous large creature in Orange County is the mule deer, with a population of perhaps several hundred. These deer prefer areas of forest and chaparral, especially at higher elevations in the Santa Anas.
The mountain lion, once hunted to near-extinction in California, has made a comeback as a protected species. Perhaps two dozen lions now roam the remote canyons of the Santa Ana Mountains and foothill areas. Counting them is difficult, since mountain lions have a large territorial range (up to 100 square miles) and are normally very secretive. Because of their wide-ranging travels, however, tracks and other signs of them are quite frequently seen.
The county’s mammals also include the coyote, which has adapted to a broad range of habitats, including the margins of suburbia; the bobcat, a creature sometimes mistaken for a mountain lion, but smaller and more common and with a short bobtail rather than the lion’s 3-foot tail; the gray fox; skunk; opossum; raccoon; ringtail cat; badger; and various rabbits, squirrels, bats, woodrats, and mice.
Among the more commonly seen reptiles are rattlesnakes, discussed later under “Special Hazards.”
The richness of birdlife in the Orange County area is impressive, not only because of the diversity of its habitats, but also because the county lies along the Pacific Flyway route of spring–fall bird migration and serves as a wintering area for waterfowl. Several species of rare or endangered birds nest or visit, including the southern bald eagle, peregrine falcon, lightfooted clapper rail, least tern, Belding’s savannah sparrow, and least Bell’s vireo.
Fire Ecology
Chaparral and sage scrub have evolved to burn periodically. Many species have highly flammable resinous leaves, and many have underground root burls that survive moderately intense fire and resprout shortly afterward. Some species depend on occasional fires to reproduce, and many “fire follower” wildflowers grow only after a wildfire. Before humans impacted the area, lightning-induced fires typically burned any given acre every 30–150 years.
The arrival of humans has greatly impacted these plant communities. People and cattle have brought a number of invasive species, especially mustard and nonnative grasses. These plants grow vigorously in the spring, then die and dry up in the summer, adding vast amounts of tinder for fires. People have also increased the frequency of ignition; downed power lines, vehicle accidents, careless smokers and campers, kids with matches, and malicious arsonists have all caused major fires in Southern California.
Deep inside Water Canyon, Chino Hills State Park (see Chapter 7)
As a result, wildfires have become much more frequent in Southern California. In 1993, Orange County became keenly aware of its fire risk as the Ortega Fire incinerated 21,010 acres around Highway 74 and the Laguna Beach Fire swept through Laguna Canyon, burning 14,337 acres and 336 homes. From 2006 to 2008, the Sierra Fire and Santiago Fire burned major portions of the Santa Ana Mountains and western foothills, and then the Freeway Complex Fire swept across almost all of Chino Hills State Park. Fires have become so frequent in some areas that plants may not be able to reestablish themselves before the next wave arrives, threatening to cause permanent ecological changes in which the native sage scrub is replaced by even more flammable invasive weeds.
Health, Safety, and Courtesy
Good preparation is always important for any kind of recreational pursuit. Hiking Southern California’s backcountry is no exception. Although most of our local environments are seldom hostile or dangerous to life and limb, hikers should be aware of some pitfalls.
Preparation and Equipment
An obvious safety requirement is being in good health. Some degree of physical conditioning is always desirable, even for those trips designated as easy or moderate. The more challenging trips (rated “moderately strenuous” or “strenuous” in difficulty) require stamina and occasionally some technical expertise. Fast walking, running, bicycling, swimming, aerobic dancing, and any similar exercise that develops both your leg muscles and the whole body’s aerobic capacity are recommended as preparatory exercise.
For long trips over rough trails or cross-country terrain (there are several in this guide), the most adequate way to prepare is by practicing the activity itself. Start with easy or moderately long trips first to accustom your leg muscles to the peculiar stresses involved in walking over uneven terrain and scrambling over boulders, and to acquire a solid sense of balance. As I note later, hiking boots rather than lightweight shoes are preferred for such travel, primarily from a safety standpoint.
Because all hiking in the Orange County area is below 6,000 feet in elevation, health complications due to high altitude are rare. You may, however, notice that you lose some energy and breathe more rapidly in the higher parts of the Santa Ana Mountains.
An important aspect of preparation is choosing your equipment and supplies. The essentials you should carry with you at all times into the backcountry are the items that would allow you to survive, in a reasonably comfortable manner, one or two unscheduled nights out on the trail. It’s important to note that no one ever plans to experience these nights! No one plans to get lost, injured, stuck, or pinned down