Pleasants Peak Recap and Save the Date for 10/25
In this newsletter read about our Pleasants Peak clean up, save the date for trail work on Sunday, October 25, order a map if you want a Santa Anas keepsake and learn about the public response to the proposed Roadless Rule rescission.
Pleasants Peak Saturday Summit Service Success
We had a small but mighty crew help haul out the abandoned encampment atop Pleasants Peak. Thank you to Adam Atkinson, Blaine Mengert, Vincent Rivera, Jeff Felli, and Jerome Davadilla for joining me on this mini adventure.
We had a great time competing e-bike vs. pedal bike, exploring "shortcuts" (aka "death traps") along Main Divide, and descending the rocky and rowdy Main Street. There were a few falls along the way, but if you're not falling, you're not trying!
Best of all, the summit is now free of the camp junk and restored for everyone to enjoy.
Check out the write-up, photos, videos, and our Instagram post on our website.
Sunday, October 25: Save the Date
Let's get out and do some trail work on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
We have the go-ahead to work on Coldwater Canyon because it is technically open. While I'm not committing to restoring the entire trail, our goal is to restore the section shared with Upper Holy Jim, one of the trails we've proposed to bring into the CNF trail system.
The plan may change, but save the date for Sunday, October 25. Let's get out and do some trail work!
Our CNF Trail Maps Are Ready for Pickup
As mentioned previously, I’ve printed the 24” x 36” poster maps and am working on getting them to everyone who ordered one.
I also printed extras for anyone who missed the first run. The maps are available for a $60 donation, with local pickup only. If you’d like one, make your donation and we’ll arrange to get it to you. You can view and download the map from our website.
Roadless Rule Comments
In our previous newsletter, we asked you to speak up about the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule, which protects much of our Santa Ana Mountains backcountry.
The response nationwide has been tremendous! According to a coalition of advocacy organizations, more than 1 million comments opposing the rollback were submitted during the latest public comment period, in addition to more than 625,000 submitted in 2025. The official count on Regulations.gov may appear significantly lower because comments collected and submitted in batches can be counted as a single submission.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to make your voice heard.
