RIP Warrior’s Society

This just dropped yesterday… definitely a bummer to see and I know the group have been instrumental in building, maintaining and gaining trail access for us here in OC. From my conversations with Keith, sounds like the level interest and support has dropped significantly and as they elude to here been an expensive hobby for those involved…


“2024 Will be the last year of trail work and riding events
IN THIS ISSUE:

1. THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR OF THE VISION QUEST, COUNTING COUP AND TRAIL WORK EVENTS

2. THE 2024 VISION QUEST AND COUNTING COUP RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY, JUNE 8TH


1. 2024 WILL BE THE LAST YEAR OF THE VISION QUEST, COUNTING COUP AND TRAIL WORK EVENTS

Due to lack of public interest in our trail work and mountain bike events the Warrior’s Society will no longer be promoting either. Since Covid, the fires and floods we have not been able to recover. The trail work and events have been subsidized to the tune of over $6,000 by club founders Chris Vargas and Keith Eckstein.

For over 28 years we have maintained the trails in the Trabuco District of the Cleveland National Forest and protected your access to them. When we started 28 years ago the Holy Jim Trail was severely overgrown and failing with the trail bed eroded due to the overgrowth of brush on the upside of the trail pushing users to the edge of the trail causing it to fail. Since that time we have brushed all the trails in the Trabuco District and installed grade stabilizers on many of the trails to arrest erosion.

What the public does not realize is that the Forest Service has no funds for yearly trail maintenance. As a matter of fact, due to the high cost of living in SoCal the Forest Service has not been able to recruit staff causing a severe staff shortage. The lack of volunteers will severely impact the reopening of the West Horse Thief and Trabuco Trails.

We have tried to think of a way to keep the organization going but have come up empty. We will pass over responsibility for the Forest Service trails over to the Orange County Mountain Bike Association and wish them luck in attracting support to maintain the trails in the Cleveland National Forest.

The Warrior’s Society will go back to being an underground organization. We have a lot of Vision Quest awards so we may continue Vision Quest inviting our 10 year plus finishers and others who have supported us over the years to a “club ride” and have a potluck afterwards - no charge except whatever they feel to donate. Invitations will be sent out to those individuals in October.

In a 2004 Competitor Magazine of “the 10 toughest events in the US” the Vision Quest was called “off the charts” due to the demanding terrain and cut-off times. We want the Vision Quest to continue to keep this reputation even if not publicized.

To those who asked to be transferred to next years event due to the date change I apologize.

We had a good 25 year run and accomplished so much in maintaining the trails and protecting your access to them - with may amazing memories - but all good things must come to and end...”

 

That's a bummer, they are pretty much the only ones doing trail maintenance.

 

That is sad. I remember the Warrior Society jerseys their finisher's feather dangling from their camelbaks all the way back to when I was a kid. Then as I was older, I remember both anytime I'd get passed on a trail in my early days of exploring the trails on my own.

 

Did a few Coups...
Got a few Feathers...
Ate some food...
Had some fun...
Did some trail work...

Good Run!
Thanks for all the good work!

 

To every thing there is a season...

Who knows what the future may hold.

 

Much respect! These guys did so much for the sport.

 

Everything that we know as mt biking has gone into decay. replaced by the new order.

 

I’m a member and this hasn’t been brought to my attention. I still haven’t received an email about this.

The following statements are my personal opinions and do not reflect those of the club.

the statement is not wrong. At the core of the club is advocacy and access(trail work). The events were a way to fund raise to bank roll the trail work.

with the trail closures caused by the fire, our fundraising(events) have been hit hard.

in my personal opinion, the club should have just taken a break from events. What was offered as an alternative event was not what people wanted. You can’t blame the people for not attending an event they don’t want to do. But I do believe that if we had the VQ Traditional course, participation would be much higher. But also believe that mtn bikers have become lazy. If they have to put effort in, they want a motor. Gone are the days when the weekend warrior would sign up for VQ, train and go for it. They want short event s they can ride their ebike in.

As for the trail work, the last year has been quite the shining example. I appreciate those that took the time to come out and help. Again, people want someone else to do the work. If they do come out and help, they want something easily accessible, where they can cut a few bushes, rake up a few feet of trail and move a couple small rocks….then pat themselves on the back for doing trail work. We have a lot of passionate members, but we are not getting any younger. The younger generation wants to be spoon fed everything and not lift a finger.

it’s a shame because this is really gonna kill the trails in the Santa Ana’s. OCMTB posted up all our trail works last year, and even their members didn’t show up. I don’t see that changing just because they are running the show.

 

Jason,
I think your second paragraph is meant to say "do not reflect those of the club"

I think your opinions are pretty spot on.

Thanks for all the work you and the Warriors have done throughout the years.

 

Thanks for posting Jason. I also think your opinions are pretty spot on. Thank you and the warriors for all your efforts. Wish I could have made it out to at least some of the trail work days but I hafta work on weekends. Maybe Ill do some brushing on my own next time I ride Holy Jim. Im just gonna say Cleveland national Forest, at least the Trabuco District, seems very poorly managed by the forest service.

 

If the alternative is to watch whats happening to San Juan then we are f@#king screwed.
Someone who clearly has no idea what the hell they are doing is completely screwing the bottom of that trail up and their solution now appears to be posting do not skid signs. The Forest Service is supposed to be on there right now doing work but god knows what that entails.
Without brush work the meadow and parts of the lollipop will be shortly completely impassable due to either poison oak or the encroaching brush.

With the weather being the way it is right now the need for trail maintenance is higher than ever.

 

yup

 

Hear, hear! Thank you for this context, Jason.

I’m not going to act like I am/was part of the WS, I just rode in the 2017 Counting Coup event because I wanted my money’s worth after signing up and not training… at all. The only reason I finished that mud fest of a day out in the Santa Ana’s was because of you and the other VOLUNTEERS who pushed me along and made sure I was safe while doing so (at a snails pace). No joke, I only kept going from the bottom of Motorway because you cleaned up my bike and refilled my water. When I lost my brakes just before descending the peak you guys were there right behind me through the finish. The amount of good vibes being sent out by the WS that day was amazing.

It’s a major bummer to see this post but it follows the current state of things. I know I’ve lost touch with a lot of things and I just chalk it up as being busy with kids but realize it’s more than that. I can’t even motivate to ride these days, I’m lazy and using excuses not to. There’s time that I can use to get on my bike or go volunteer time to do a little trail work but I’m just in a slump, physically and mentally.

/rambling nonsense

 

I am sorry to hear this. Come ride with me. I'm a hoot! And I have a way of making other riders feel good about themselves as riders, and as humans!

 

I need to take you up on this. Being a boat anchor is one thing I am good at!

 

Sad to hear this I'm not sure how the trails will survive without the work that went into them.

If y'all get depressed enough, you can come visit out here. We still have a decent active MTB community.

https://tarheeltrailblazers.com/

This month my local state park (that is less than 2 miles from my house) just purchased 30 acres that was likely going to be residential development - adding to their existing 1,942 acres. It ain't Cleveland National Forest, but it's got 30 miles of flowy single track.