VisionQuest 2026 Recap

Apr 25

VisionQuest, A Tale of Two Peaks - The Start

The 2026 VisionQuest, themed “A Tale of Two Peaks,” started in the coolest ditch in Orange County, Silverado Canyon, and brought riders to the tops of the two highest mountains in the Santa Anas, Santiago and Modjeska Peaks, collectively referred to as Saddleback Mountain. We had a particularly cool day on Saturday which made for a rather cold adventure to summit our highest peaks. I warned everyone of this unusual weather forecast, texting participants at 4:30 the morning of the ride: “summit of Santiago high of 45, windchill 35 … rain after 5pm today”. Perhaps this deterred some people; I know at least one person said the weather was their reason for cancelling.

Around 5AM I arrived at the trailhead to see Keith Eckstein helping people park. My first goal was to get myself ready, as I was planning to ride the course, so I could assist other people when needed. Stumbling around in the dark, I fielded a couple of questions from riders and helped folks get their number plates on their bikes. These fantastic number plates were donated by Mary and Gerry Huth, who also created the beautiful awards, and helped with the check-in process.

By 5:45AM, I was gathering folks for our pre-ride meeting before our mass start. The anxiety of speaking in front of everyone, the weight of responsibility for the event and the feeling of being late somewhat detracted from my enjoyment of this moment. Nonetheless, I got through the important things I wanted to say, and we were all off to the races right on time at 6AM.

On the climb up Maple Springs Road, I pedaled with many others, including Joe Lahore, Dean Wyckoff, Blaine Mengert, Graham Traylor, John Castro and Keith Eckstein. I introduced myself to some riders I didn’t know yet. Ten minutes into the ride, I passed VisionQuest rider Mike Caffrey, his bike upside down like a bug on its back. He had a flat. If it weren’t for his unfortunate luck, he might have been the first to finish the course.

Trash on the Mountain

Upon arriving at Four Corners, I inspected the pull-out area, as I had learned from Chris Heck that a stack of palettes and a fire ring were left there–remnants of a party. I was dismayed to see the area littered with bottles and trash again, as a month earlier, we had painstakingly cleaned it all up. Even worse, on Modjeska Peak, the ground was also littered with trash, likely from another overnight party. We will be organizing another clean up to take care of both Modjeska Peak and Four Corners soon.

After inspecting Four Corners, I continued toward the peaks with Keith and John, reminiscing about how the wind was similar (but not nearly as bad) as the last time we rode this route up to the peaks. This time, however, we enjoyed a helping of heavy, wet fog with our wind, which was disorienting, not to mention moist. We arrived at the saddle faster than expected because we really could not discern where we were at any given time. On our way around the last switchback to Santiago Peak, the fantastic four–Mark Sheetz, Ty Harris, Frank Cain and Bob Pettingal–zoomed down from the summit. It was cool to see them summit together, as John, Keith and I were about to do.

Also coming down from the summit was Johnny Moreno, a Cleveland National Forest Recreation and Lands Officer, in his white Forest Service truck. I let him know about the palettes. I hope he was able to throw them into his truck bed, so that we have less work to do, when we return to clean up Four Corners again.

*Frank Cain, 19th VQ followed by Bob Pettingal, 4th VQ*

Johnny Moreno has since removed the palletes at Four Corners.

Two Summits, Two Singletracks

After a brief Santiago summit photo, the three of us went down the backside to ride the Old Main Divide singletrack. This is the best way off the peak if traveling north. At the big right hand sweeping berm, I was elated to see Keith’s previously transplanted poodle dog bush still thriving. (On a previous Old Main Divide trip, when I was slaughtering poodle dogs by the dozens, Keith took care to save the one, planting it in the berm.)

On the way up to Modjeska Peak, I stopped to visit with Steve Guerroro, one of our eight on-bike volunteers. He and Chris Coddington, stationed higher at the summit, were our Modjeska Peak media men. They were out taking photos and videos of people summiting the peak. As I left Steve to his post; his parting words to me were ones of self-preservation:

“Tell Chris I’m cold.”

At 9:06AM I arrived at the summit to deliver Steve’s message to Chris. Volunteer Jason Bennet made it all the way up to the very top of the peak in his mini-monster truck of a vehicle. Jason earlier placed our “MTB Event in Progress” sign on Main Divide and brought Chris and Steve halfway up the mountain. Thank you, Jason, for adding additional layers of safety to our event by placing the sign. This was an important duty, as I mentioned in our pre-ride meeting, because the Main Divide is shared with vehicles. You can’t be too careful biking out on Main Divide; I’ve lost a friend to a collision there and I’ve almost had an accident myself!

I didn’t stay too long on the cold Modjeska Peak summit. I had a fantastic no-dab send down Modjeska Peak’s steep shoulder, a rare feat–usually some boulder bounces me off my balance. This section skips reversing the way you came up by shortcutting down the shoulder but is only recommended if you have a proper full suspension mountain bike. After that, I enjoyed ripping the rowdy Buckthorn singletrack, rolling fast over the loose baby heads and rocketing down the mountain back to Four Corners. If traveling north, as we were, this is the best way down.

Four Corners to the Aid Station via The Main Divide

At Four Corners, another team of two-wheeled volunteers greeted me: Keith Parsons, Dan Gallagher, Pat Killiam and Pat’s son. Keith and Dan were sweeping the first half of the course on e-bikes, whereas Pat and his son were on bigger variants, d-bikes, traversing all over the Main Divide. Sweep Chris Heck was also somewhere around, bringing up the rear with CC rider Jerome Davadilla.

And, while I didn’t see them until the end, I knew that Jason Pereira and Jim Conger were starting their sweep around this time, as well. They had a rather big loop themselves, as they started from Maple Springs Trailhead and traveled to Skyline Drive through Blackstar. This route allowed them to sweep the Skyline to Motorway second half of the course. It was awesome to see each rider there enjoying the Santa Ana mountains on their favorite mode of transport.

From here until the rest of the day, I travelled solo. The way north from Four Corners to the Pleasant’s Peak Aid Station traverses the treacherous terrain of the Main Divide, up and down, up and down, passing named and unnamed peaks of the Northern Santa Anas. This long stretch of fire road should not be underestimated. I savored this section, taking my time to enjoy every single secret singletrack side quest along the way. I pedaled up to Peak 3820 to drag a foot down a rutted singletrack dubbed Mr. Clean, so named because I mistakenly thought it was on Bald Peak and, also, it is likewise a challenge to clean it. On the way to Peak 3769 (where the Lone Oak resides), I dropped down a super steep and exhilarating grassy hillside just to hike back up the other side. And on the northern side of Peak 3769, there exists another hillside hilarity, so grassy and overgrown I could barely see the path below me. There are quite a few of these mini adventures in the Santa Anas to discover; let your curiosity be the guide.

On my way up towards Pleasant’s Peak, I opted to extend my ride further because, after all, I wasn’t doing the entire VisionQuest anyway. I hike-a-biked to the summit, took some photos and videos, then descended another worthy Santa Ana mountain singletrack to arrive at the aid station.

On Peak 3820, looking back towards Modjeska from where we came, obscured by clouds.

Peak 3820's Mr. Clean

Peak 3769 just ahead, Pleasant's beyond

A hillside hilarity

Hiking to Pleasant's Peak

The Aid Station, A Pleasant’s Peak Sanctuary

At the aid station, I joined volunteers David Ross, Pete Allen, Chip Leopard and Clark Croisette. These four volunteers served the critical role of bringing riders’ their drop-bags and water midway through the course. Without this oasis in the sky, many would struggle to find the courage to commit to the big day. Thank you for making the event safer and enabling others to accomplish what is, for many, their longest, toughest mountain bike ride.

I hung out with the aid station folks for a while. Pat and his son arrived on their dirt bikes and Pat shared stories of early VisionQuests. It was Pat and Chris Vargas that started the VisionQuest tradition by traversing the entire Santa Ana range from CA-91 (Coal Canyon) to CA-74 (San Juan Trail) nearly 30 years ago, an accomplishment few riders can claim. It is amazing to see these two still enjoying the Santa Ana mountains and participating in the VisionQuest tradition after all these years.

Pat Killiam, first VQ rider, and his son (not pictured) supporting on dirt bikes.

Soon CC Rider Satoru Terada and VQ riders Brett Butler, Dean Wyckoff, Scott Clark and Landon Hill arrived at the aid station to enjoy their lunches. Between the four of them, they had quite the set of creative lunches. Chicken and Rice and some waffle sandwich conglomeration were the standouts. They all cleared the aid station by 12:00PM, and as I left, I told the aid station crew they were to be the last through. This shortened the promised cut off time by 30 minutes. “Send anyone else back–blame it on the weather”.

Scott and Dean celebrate lunch time

d-bikes

Satoru's snack

Return to Motorway

On my way back to Motorway, I acted as sweep, sticking to the fire road, so I could let any lagging VQ riders know they would be turned around at the aid station. I didn’t encounter any other VQ/CC riders, although I did see Keith Eckstein's partner, Sharon Aspinwal, and her friends, doing a Maple to Blackstar ride, a mini VQ of their own.

A CC rider walking up the northern side of Peak 3769 to the Lone Oak, back to Motorway.

While I was doubling back south, I thought of the VQ riders that continued north, passing by Hagador Peak before descending down Skyline Drive trail. They probably enjoyed exiting the range, trading the rugged terrain and weather of the mountains for the smooth, rolling pavement of Foothill Parkway and its balmy Corona climate. Unfortunately for them, this trade was not free, as those VisionQuest riders would suffer one final climb back to gain the Main Divide via the rocky, rugged, and remote Eagle Road, before meeting the top of Motorway.

VQ riders Brett, Dean, Scott and Landon climbing Hagador after departing the aid station.

Sweeps Jason Pereira (right) and Jim Conger meet VQ riders at Skyline Drive TH

Every good ride has a hike-a-bike

“Eagle was a gem.”

— Brett Butler

A Hiker-Laden Descent Down Motorway

As I entered Motorway from Main Divide via my easier CC route, I read our “Bikers Slow Down, Hikers Present, Wear your Bell” sign. This sign was placed by Joseph Mandichak, who was the last person to complete the original VisionQuest course out in the Trabuco Zone, literally. He was the last finisher the last time they did that course. This is another example of a long-time participant still involved in this tradition. Thank you, Joseph, for hiking the sign up to the top of Motorway. Thank you, Keith Parsons, for purchasing these professional aluminum signs–they will serve us for years to come.

While most everyone had a bell, I did see a couple riders without one. The bells help us avoid collisions and, also, they are a courtesy to hikers. We don’t like to be surprised by a sudden vehicle coming around a corner on Main Divide and hikers don’t like the surprise of a bike barreling at them. The sound of a bell helps alert them. All the hikers I encountered on Motorway were already off the trail before I could even see them. Most all thanked me for having the bell. If you didn’t hear it from hikers, hear it from me: thank you for using a bell!

We all enjoyed ending our rides on the 2000’ descent back into Silverado Canyon via the best singletrack flow trail in the Santa Anas: Motorway. This was a dessert for the legs after feasting on vert all day. Whether you opted for a reasonable portion, double portion, or massive portion of riding, well done to all riders!

Base Camp Tailgate and Awards

Upon entering Base Camp, I was greeted with cheers and celebration, and an embrace from my wife, Natalie, who brought the pizza. The post-ride tailgate turned out better than we had planned, as the Forest Service had closed the Maple Springs gate, due to rain in the forecast. The storm front was a blessing after all: the closed gate locked out the vehicles, so we enjoyed the road to ourselves.

Chris Heck was honored for his Outstanding Trail Work and Volunteer contributions. I met Chris in February of last year when he answered my call to arms to pick up trash on Pleasant’s Peak. He helped us get ready for last year’s VisionQuest, as well as this year’s, attending nearly all of our stewardship events. He also took the day off from work to volunteer to sweep this year’s event. Thank you, Chris, for your dedication to the Santa Ana mountains!

Fastest Riders were Ty Harris and Dorothy Nissenson. The VisionQuest course is not a race because racing on a public open course is dangerous. The Fastest Riders were the first male and first female to the Pleasant’s Peak aid station. This segment was chosen for safety–it is primarily an uphill, fire road section, and excludes the potentially dangerous (pedestrian-laden) descents of Skyline and Motorway. In retrospect, I regret using the word “fastest”. In the future, maybe “First to the Peak” is more appropriate, as it makes clear what this designates.

Most everyone that hung around for the tailgate got a prize from our swag pile. Troy Lee Designs provided the prizes. Satoru Terada represented Troy Lee Designs well by riding the entire “both peaks” CC. He also started from his house, making for a VQ-length ride. Thank you, Troy Lee Designs, for the generous gift of gear!

Chris Heck, Outstanding Volunteer

Ty Harris, First to Pleasant's, and Frank "19-time Finisher" Cain

Dorothy Nissensen

Favorite Moments

Despite the course changes this year, the feedback I received was very positive. My personal favorite moment of the day was hearing Brett Butler exclaim “excellent course” upon finishing. I could feel the sincere emotion of exhaustion and pride in his achievement.

Many listed “summiting the peaks” as the highlight of the ride. Blaine Mengert, in particular, appreciated the type-two fun aspect, saying “My favorite moment was standing on top of Saddleback and Modjeska Peak freezing my butt off. But realizing the hardest parts were behind me.” Jason Bennett enjoyed this moment as an observer, “Seeing the stoke and exhaustion on everyone as they struggled to get to the peak.” Mark Scheetz, on the other hand, seemed to relish in the shared suffering with his friends: “[My favorite moment was] watching Bob and Ty fall over at the exact moment near the top of Modjeska. Also riding up Santiago and Modjeska as a group of 4, me, Bob, Ty and Frank.”

In addition, many folks mentioned a more traditional type-1 fun as their favorite moment, citing the Motorway descent or the hangout with everyone at the end “with happy smiles” as their favorite memory.

Biggest Challenges

The biggest challenges for folks were getting to sleep the night before, the steep climbs on Main Divide or throughout the course–particularly climbing Eagle on dead legs at the end of the day–and just getting the training in. One person mentioned the chunky climb to the top of Modjeska Peak as the hardest part of the course, and, I am sure, the one gravel rider, Dennis Gallegos, would agree. I saw Dennis start to head up the fire road, disappear into the fog, and then, a few moments later promptly return. That portion to Modjeska peak is quite the chunk fest. I’ve pedaled it on a gravel bike before, but I do not recommend it!

“Nope.”

— Dennis Gallegos on Modjeska Peak

Thank You, Volunteers and Participants

This year’s VisionQuest, like years past, was supported by many volunteers. The volunteer “save of the day” goes to Gerry Huth and Erik Brown, who worked together to replace one Brian Francis’ shifter battery at the start of the ride. The use of sweeps were cited by some participants as helping add a feeling of safety. Thank you to all the volunteers. Each of you served a critical role in assuring a successful and safe VisionQuest. We would not have been able to do it without you—especially not Brian!

Erik and Gerry saved Brian Francis’ ride. Erik, don’t forget to replace your key fob battery.

Volunteers

Jim Conger, Eagle/Motorway Sweep
Jason Pereira, Eagle/Motorway Sweep
Chris Heck, Maple/Motorway/Peaks Sweep
Estelle Pellegrino, Maple/Motorway/Peaks Sweep/Bike Mechanic
Daniel Gallagher, Maple/Motorway Sweep
Keith Parsons, Maple/Motorway Sweep, Motorway Signs and Swag
Pat and son Killiam, Eagle/Maple/Pleasants Sweep
Joseph Mandichak, Motorway Marshall and Motorway Sign Install
Clark Croisette, Pleasant’s Peak Aid Station
David Ross, Pleasant’s Peak Aid Station
Pete Allen, Pleasant’s Peak Aid Station
Chip Leopard, Pleasant’s Peak Aid Station
Jason Bennett, Four Corners Sign Install, Modjeska Peak Aid
Steve Guerroro, Logo, On-Course Photos and Video
Chris Coddington, On-Course Photos and Video
Debbie and Erik Brown, Morning Check-in
Mary and Gerry Huth, Morning Check-in, Awards, Number Plates and Motorway Sign Retrieval
Joe Lopez, HAM operations
Barry Wood, Logo and Shirt Design
Chris Vargas, Feather Awards, Base Camp Support
Lubos Durdovic, Base Camp Support

Sweeps Jason Pereira and Jim Conger arrive with Landon Hill, last finisher, to celebrate with others.

To all volunteers and riders, thank you all for participating in The Warriors of the Santa Anas’ first VisionQuest. As Steve Guerroro declared, “51 weeks to train” for the next one. Cheers!

VisionQuest Finishers