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Health, Safety, and Courtesy

Good preparation is always important for any kind of recreational pursuit. Hiking Southern California’s backcountry is no exception. Although most of our local environments are seldom hostile or dangerous to life and limb, hikers should be aware of some pitfalls.

Preparation and Equipment

An obvious safety requirement is being in good health. Some degree of physical conditioning is always desirable, even for those trips designated as easy or moderate. The more challenging trips (rated “moderately strenuous” or “strenuous” in difficulty) require stamina and occasionally some technical expertise. Fast walking, running, bicycling, swimming, aerobic dancing, and any similar exercise that develops both your leg muscles and the whole body’s aerobic capacity are recommended as preparatory exercise.

For long trips over rough trails or cross-country terrain (there are several in this guide), the most adequate way to prepare is by practicing the activity itself. Start with easy or moderately long trips first to accustom your leg muscles to the peculiar stresses involved in walking over uneven terrain and scrambling over boulders, and to acquire a solid sense of balance. As I note later, hiking boots rather than lightweight shoes are preferred for such travel, primarily from a safety standpoint.

Because all hiking in the Orange County area is below 6,000 feet in elevation, health complications due to high altitude are rare. You may, however, notice that you lose some energy and breathe more rapidly in the higher parts of the Santa Ana Mountains.

An important aspect of preparation is choosing your equipment and supplies. The essentials you should carry with you at all times into the backcountry are the items that would allow you to survive, in a reasonably comfortable manner, one or two unscheduled nights out on the trail. It’s important to note that no one ever plans to experience these nights! No one plans to get lost, injured, stuck, or pinned down by the weather. Always do a “what if” analysis for a worst-case scenario, and plan accordingly. These essential items are your safety net; keep them with you on all your hikes.

Chief among the essential items is warm clothing. Away from the coast, winter temperatures can plummet from warm at midday to subfreezing at night. Layer your clothing; it is better to take along two or more midweight outer garments than rely on a single heavy or bulky jacket. Add to this a cap, gloves, and a waterproof or water-resistant shell (a large trash bag with a hole for your head will do in a pinch), and you’ll be quite prepared for all but the most severe weather experienced in the areas described in this book.

In hot, sunny weather, sun-shielding clothing is another “essential.” It normally includes a sun hat and a light-colored, long-sleeved top.

Water and, to a lesser extent, food are next in importance. Because potable water isn’t generally available, carry a generous supply. On a hot summer’s day in the Santa Anas, you might need to drink up to a gallon of water on a 10-mile hike. You need to eat food to stave off hunger and keep your energy stores up, but it is less essential than water in a survival situation.

Down the list farther, but still “essential,” are a map and compass (or a GPS unit and the know-how to use it); flashlight; fire-starting devices (examples: waterproof matches or lighter) and candle; and first-aid kit.

Items that are not always essential, but potentially very useful and convenient, include sunglasses, a pocketknife, whistle (or other signaling device), sunscreen, and toilet paper.

Every member of a hiking party should carry the essential items mentioned above because individuals or splinter groups may end up separating from the party for one reason or another. If you plan to hike solo in the backcountry, being well equipped is all-important. Be sure to check in with a park ranger, or leave your itinerary with some other responsible person. That way, if you do get stuck, help will probably come to the right place—eventually.

Special Hazards

Other than getting lost or pinned down by a rare sudden storm, you may face these three most common hazards in the foothill and mountain areas: poison oak, ticks, and rattlesnakes.

Poison oak, in bush or vine form, is common along many hillsides and canyons below 5,000 feet. It often grows thickly on the banks of streamcourses, where it seems to prefer the semishade of live and scrub oaks. Learn to recognize its distinctive three-leafed structure, and avoid touching it with your skin or clothing. Poison oak is deciduous, losing its leaves usually in summer or fall, but the bare stems harbor some of the urushiol that causes an allergic reaction in some people. If you cannot avoid contact with the poison oak plant, thick pants (such as jeans) and a long-sleeved shirt will serve as fair barriers for protecting your skin. Remove these clothes as soon as you’re finished hiking, and make sure you wash them carefully afterward. Take a shower as soon as possible. And be aware that dogs can pick up the urushiol on their fur, so wash your pup when you get home if he brushed up against the plant.

Ticks can sometimes be the scourge of overgrown trails in the Santa Ana Mountains, particularly in mid-spring when they climb to the tips of shrub branches and lie in wait for warm-blooded hosts. Ticks are especially abundant along trails used by cattle, deer, and coyotes. If you can’t avoid brushing up against vegetation along the trail, be sure to check for ticks frequently. Upon finding a host, a tick will usually crawl upward some distance in search of a protected spot, where it will try to attach itself. If you’re sensitive to the slightest irritation on your skin, you’ll be able to intercept a tick long before it attempts to bite.

Southern Pacific rattlesnake

Rattlesnakes are fairly common in brushy, rocky, and streamside habitats from coast to mountains. Seldom seen in either cold or very hot weather, they favor temperatures in the 75–90°F range. Expect to see (or hear) rattlesnakes out and about in the daytime from early spring to mid-fall and at night in summer and early fall. Most rattlesnakes are every bit as interested in avoiding contact with you as you are with them. Watch carefully where you put your feet, and especially your hands, during rattlesnake season. In brushy or rocky areas where your sight is limited, try to make your presence known from afar. Tread with heavy footfalls, or use a stick to bang against rocks or bushes. Rattlesnakes will pick up the vibrations through their skin and will usually buzz (unmistakably) before you get too close for comfort.

Here are a few more safety tips: Regard most free-flowing water as unsafe for drinking without purification, excluding, of course, developed water sources within campgrounds and picnic areas. Chemical (iodine or chlorine) treatment, filtering, and ultraviolet light are the most convenient purification methods, but secondary in effectiveness to boiling. A bigger problem, of course, in this part of the world is the availability of the water itself. Many springs and watercourses in the Santa Anas are intermittent, flowing only after winter rains. Your best bet is to carry all the water you’ll need on the trail.

Deer-hunting season in Cleveland National Forest occurs during mid-autumn. Although conflicts between hunters and hikers are uncommon, you may want to confine your explorations at that time of year to state and county parks, where hunting is prohibited.

Mountain lions do frequent the wilder corners of Orange County and have even been spotted on the edge of suburban neighborhoods. While recent news stories have trumpeted every instance of encounters with mountain lions, attacks on hikers or mountain bikers remain statistically rare, with one fatal attack in 2004 on a solo mountain biker at Whiting Ranch and two nonfatal attacks on children in Caspers Wilderness Park in 1986. All persons entering mountain lion country are urged to take the following precautions:

 Hike with one or more companions.

 Keep children close at hand.

 Never run from a mountain lion. Doing so may trigger its instinct to attack.

 Make yourself “large.” Face the animal, maintain eye contact with it, shout, blow a whistle, and do not act fearful. Do anything to convince the animal that you are not its prey.

 Carry a hiking stick and use it, or pitch stones or other objects at the animal if it advances.

There is always some risk in leaving a vehicle unattended at a remote trailhead. Fortunately, automobile vandalism and burglary are not acute problems in the described areas. Report all theft and vandalism of personal property to park officials or the county sheriff, and report vandalism of public property to the appropriate park or forest agency.

Trail Courtesy

Whenever you travel the backcountry wilderness or a well-trodden park trail, you take on a burden of responsibility to preserve the natural environment. Aside from commonsense prohibitions against littering and vandalism, here are a few of the less obvious guidelines every hiker should be aware of.

Never cut trail switchbacks. This practice breaks down the trail tread and hastens erosion. Improve designated trails by removing branches, rocks, or other debris if you can. Report any trail damage and misplaced or broken signs to the appropriate ranger office (Cleveland National Forest has a form for this purpose).

When backpacking, be a “no trace” camper. Camp well away from water, and leave your campsite as you found it or leave it in an even more natural condition. Because of the danger of wildfire in Orange County, you cannot have open fires (campfires or barbecues) except in developed campgrounds and picnic grounds. For cooking, you can use a campstove (with the proper permit), but only in an area cleared of flammable vegetation. In the backcountry, dig a hole at least 6 inches deep and bury human waste; carry out used toilet paper in a plastic bag so that animals don’t dig it up and scatter it about.

Collecting minerals, plants, animals, and historical objects without a special permit is prohibited in state and county parks and national forests. This regulation includes common things, such as pinecones, wildflowers, and lizards. Leave them for all visitors to enjoy.

It’s impractical to review here all the specific rules associated with the use of public lands in the Orange County area, but you, as a visitor, are responsible for knowing them. Refer to Appendix 4 for sources of information.