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Warrior's Society Vision Quest

date and location

Event Date: April 5th, 2014
Santa Ana Mountains, Orange County, CA
Event Start: 5:30 AM

Vision Quest has sold out for 2014

The event fee is $130 which includes finishing award, t-shirt, and post-event food.

All entry fees are non-refundable, non-transferable and non-deferrable. We have to plan well in advance and therefore cannot offer refunds. You may not give or sell your number to another individual. The entry fee for a 2014 event WILL NOT transfer to the 2015 event, no exceptions. This policy stays in effect whether you are injured, have unexpected business, a family emergency, etc. Sorry, there are NO exceptions.

Those registered for the event may pick up their packet (number plate, event t-shirt, etc.) on Wednesday April 2nd and Thursday April 3rd from 5:00-7:00pm at Rock n' Road Cyclery in Irvine [click for map]. Please do don't arrive after 7:00pm as the shop will be closing at 7:00pm.

When you pick up your packet you may also pick up for a friend, you will not need your I.D. until the morning of the event at the check before the event starts.

You may also pick up your packet the day of the event at the start from 4:30 am to 5:00 am

If you have picked up your packet you will still need to check in at the start by 5:15 am

We are no longer offering an early start option. We will have only one start time at 5:30 a.m. WE WILL NOT HAVE SHUTTLES TO THE START — YOU MUST TRANSPORT YOURSELVES. The start will commence at 5:30 a.m. whether you are there or not.

There will be a shuttle running from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm from O'Neill Park to the the start for those that left their cars there in the morning.

course description

56.5+- miles, 11,000 +- ft. of elevation gain

1. Blackstar Canyon Road to the top of and down the Silverado (Trail) Motorway to Aid Station #1 – dirt fire road with many steep climbs until you go down the Silverado (Trail) Motorway, which is technical single track.
2. Aid Station #1 to Santiago Peak – uphill climbing on pavement with stream crossings, then dirt fire road.
3. Santiago Peak to the Holy Jim Trail – steep, technical downhill dirt fire road.
4. Holy Jim Trail to Aid Station #2 – downhill, technical single track with stream crossings.
5. Holy Jim Trail to base of the West Horse Thief Trail – dirt road then technical single track with stream crossings.
6. West Horse Thief Trail to the junction at the Main Divide Road – steep hike-a-bike.
7. The top of West Horse Thief Trail to the top of Trabuco Canyon Trail – dirt fire road.
8. Trabuco Canyon Trail to Trabuco Creek Trail and Trabuco Creek Road – downhill, technical, steep, single track with stream crossings.
9. Trabuco Creek Road to finish line at the Parkers Property: 4 mostly flat miles on a dirt road to the Parkers Driveway approximately 1/4 mile before you would reach the wash at the end of Trabuco Creek Road.


The ride will begin from the end of Blackstar Canyon Road. You will ride up Blackstar Canyon Road to the Main Divide Road, across the Main Divide Road to and down the Silverado Trail (Motorway) to Aid Station #1 at Maple Springs. At this point you will follow Maple Springs Road to the Main Divide and Modjeska Peak and Santiago Peak and then down to the Holy Jim Trail. You will then ride down the Holy Jim Trail to Aid Station #2 at the parking area at the base of Holy Jim Canyon. You will then continue up Trabuco Road to the Trabuco Trail and the West Horse Thief Junction. You will hike up the West Horse Thief Trail to the Main Divide Road. From this point you will ride across the Main Divide Road to the Trabuco Trail and down the Trabuco Trail to the Trabuco Creek Trail and Road. You will follow Trabuco Creek Road to the finish line at the intersection of Trabuco Creek Road and Trabuco Canyon Road. NOTE: You must make sure the Aid Stations record your number before continuing on. Finishing times will be posted after the event and will be mailed to you at a later date.

Remember the fire roads and trails are still open to vehicles and hikers during the event, also expect the fire roads and single track trails to be rutted and in bad condition if we have a rainy winter. There may also be snow on the course. If you are unfamiliar with the area please use extreme caution). For a more detailed description of the trails, refer to Randy Vogels book, "Mountain Biking in Orange County California."

WARNING:
Control your speed on the Holy Jim, Trabuco Canyon and Trabuco Creek Trails and ride down in a safe manner. Hikers and bikers will be on this trail and you will be responsible for harm caused to yourself and others. Course Marshals will penalize unsafe riders.


Note: Use extreme caution when riding across the stream crossings, they can be slippery and have pot holes in them which could result in injury if ridden into.

cut off times

The first cut off time is 9.30 a.m. at the bottom of the Silverado Trail and Maple Springs. The second cutoff time is 11:30 a.m. at the intersection of Maples Springs Road and the Main Divide. The third cutoff time is 12:00 p.m. at the bottom of Holy Jim Trail, and the fourth cutoff time is 12:45 at the bottom of the West Horse Theif Trail. If you do not make the cutoff times and refuse to return to the staging area you have violated the terms of your participation and the Warrior's Society will no longer responsible for your safety. Your emergency contact will be called and notified that they will be assuming all responsibility your safety.

additional info

Energy bars/gels, fruit, water and hydration mix will be provided at each Aid Station.

AID STATION 2 BAGS – If you want to bring your own supplies to Aid Station 2, we must be able to throw way any left over contents and the bag they are in. All bags will be thrown away after the event. No Aid Station bags, disposable or not, will be taken to Aid Station 1. Your Aid Station 2 bag must be dropped off at the registration table the morning of the event.

We have arranged with the County of Orange to allow overnight camping at the start on Black Star Canyon Road the Friday before the event.

Check our web site the week prior to the event for the latest news. You can also email us for information not posted on the web site. No alcohol allowed. Finishers will receive their finisher's award when they cross the finish line and the top 10 finishers will be announced after the last finisher crosses the finish line.

Funds raised by this event will be used to support our goals of maintaining the trails of the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest.

Don't forget to bring a beach chair for use after the event. There are picnic benches provided but a beach chair is more comfortable.

Please review the PDF files below for more details about the event.

link

» Pow Wow General Information (pdf)
» Staging Locations (pdf)
» Vision Quest event information (pdf)
» Preparing for the event

Contact: countingcoup@warriorssociety.org

Finishing Times:
2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006,
2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998

Read the 2012 event write-up.

 


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countingcoup@warriorssociety.org