EXISTING
Existing TRAILS
Existing TRAILS AT LINDA MAR WOODS
The existing trails at Linda Mar Woods include: the wider more moderate Old San Pedro Mountain Road, the singletrack hiking and biking (return) trail and the two main purpose built freeride mountain bike trails known as Nelsons and Boy Scout which include several optional lines and features that weave into and out of the the main alignments.
Existing Street Access and Parking along Higgins Way is very tight, with limited parking and no turnaround areas.
street access & parking
The existing street access and parking along Higgins Way is limited as Higgin Way is a narrow road that dead-ends at a traffic barrier. Higgins Way does not comply with Pacifica City Standards for road design, construction, and life safety. It is too narrow and there is no turn-around space on this road making circulation difficult for delivery and fire department vehicles. Visitors use the road to access the trailhead and park on the roadside making circulation more difficult for both local residents and delivery vehicles creating noise, congestion, and emergency access hazards.
TRAIL HEAD ACCESS to PACIFICA's MOUNTAIN PARKS
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Pacifica residents have long enjoyed Old San Pedro Road as one of the closest access points for walking, hiking, running, and mountain biking the miles of trails in the Pacifica Mountain Parks. And while this undeveloped and informal trailhead access has become an important gateway to one of the largest recreational areas in the Bay Area, in its current condition it does not reflect the world class recreational access that it provides to the more than 50 miles of trails and 20,000 acres of parklands and open space shared between Montara State Park, McNee Ranch State Park, and Sweeney Ridge State Park. The dilapidated signage, gate, and entrance way does not invite or inspire safe, positive and thoughtful recreational and natural experiences.
Existing Trail access from Higgins Way via Old San Pedro Mountain Road.
Existing Trail access to the Pacifica Mountain Parks via Old San Pedro Mountain Road.
OLD SAN PEDRO MOUNTAIN ROAD
The existing one-mile Old San Pedro Mountain Road provides a beautiful ascent into the Pacifica Mountain Parks with a moderate grade ideal for bicycling and hiking. Ranging from 6-8 feet wide the road provides easy passing and sweeping views of the mountains and valley below.
HIKING TRAILS
There is a network of informal hiking trails that provide access to the site interior and offer opportunities for exploration and access to the Pacifica Mountain Parks.
Existing mountain bike freeride trails with technical features including jumps, berms and drops.
Existing mountain bike freeride trails with technical features including jumps, berms and drops.
FREERIDE
MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS
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The property also has a well known and well respected network of freeride mountain bike trails that are commonly referred to as the “Boy Scout Trail” in the riding community. These trails have been built, rebuilt and maintained over the years by hand with an informal community of riders and builders dedicated to their craft of building and riding technical trails and features.
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Recreational Infrastructure
Over the years local hikers and riders have volunteered their time, energy and enthusiasm to create various recreational infrastructure elements in order to create a more enjoyable experience including a Memorial Area, benches, bike tool station with air pump, trash cans, signage, and maintenance stations with tools, water catchments, wheel barrows, etc. used for maintaining the trails.
Existing bench at Linda Mar Peak installed by local riders and hikers to enjoy the stunning views.
Existing SITE HAZARDS
Fire, FOREST, Emergency Response and Trail HAZARDS
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The site, which has been left largely unmanaged for many years, has a range of existing hazardous conditions that need to be mitigated in line with the recreational and residential development planned for the property. These hazards include: Fire Hazards, Forest Hazards, Emergency Response Hazards, Trail Ha
Photo showing density of trees and understory covered in Ivy.
FIRE HAZARDS
The unmanaged forest also contains substantial amounts of thatch and bark, originating from the eucalyptus trees and invasive species growth. These conditions represent high fire hazard risk with excessive flashy fuels. In addition there are no fire breaks or setbacks around the property to prevent the spread of wildfires across property lines and into the surrounding neighborhood. Mitigation of these fire hazards should include progressive forest management, flashy fuels reduction, the removal and eradication of invasive species, and the creation of firebreaks and setbacks.
FOREST HAZARDS
The site, which has been left largely unmanaged for many years, has a range of existing hazardous conditions that need to be mitigated in line with the recreational and residential development planned for the property. These hazards include standing deadfall trees, large broken and hanging limbs and other forest management related hazards.
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Photo showing widowmaker hanging branches in the forest canopy.
Photo showing eroded section of Old San Pedro Road.
Emergency Response Hazards
Existing emergency response hazards include street level access issues for large fire and ems vehicles, lack of established trail maps and signage for staging emergency responses and general access to the steep and rugged site.
TRAIL HAZARDS
Existing recreational and trail hazards include old and abandoned trails, trail alignments, features, broken structures, trash and debris from years of informal construction and heavy use of the trails themselves.
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Photos showing excavated borrow pits, and pallets used as forms for stabilizing trail features.
linda mar woods trail network
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While many of the trails and features are meticulously maintained, many older and less ridden trail alignments and features have either been abandoned or are in rough condition. In some locations these abandoned lines and features pose risk and safety hazards with open pits, broken structures, and remnant debris.
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Many of the trail alignments and features in the mid and upper area of the property are brilliantly designed to fit into the natural terrain and take advantage of the elevation and topography on the site. Dynamic step down features that provide rapid acceleration, speed and momentum feed into excellent step up features that capture and preserve that momentum to extend the descent and create more variation in the riding experience.
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In the lower area of the property, the existing trails converge into a steep rugged fall line trail that leads directly into the residential area and onto Higgins Way, which creates a traffic and safety hazard and promotes negative community interactions.