Activity Cards

Join us in the backcountry wilderness packed with great sightseeing, photographic and artist sketching opportunities. Our Journey begins in the afternoon, at the foot of Santiago Dam and Irvine Lake, where you will board 4-wheel drive vehicles for an 11 to 17 mile tour of the hills surrounding Fremont Canyon.
We will stop frequently for 15-30 minutes or so to admire the views, take photos, sketch landscapes and answer questions. From various vantage points (2,400 ft. elevation) you will view Lake Irvine, Orange County, Catalina Island (on a clear day), Los Angeles, Chino Hills and the San Bernardino Mountains.
When not admiring the vistas, enjoy interesting rock formations, wilderness location and rare Tecate Cypress. Depending on the season, fields of wildflowers will also present themselves. At some of the stops, there will be opportunities for short walks and an option to hike (2 miles R/T, 300 ft. elevation gain) to the rock summit with views of four counties, to enhance your experience.
Bring your camera equipment, sketchbook, or just enjoy the ride. Be prepared, as an observer, to accompany the IRC docents on narrow, winding, bumpy (dusty) dirt roads with steep hills and slick rock surfaces. 
The number of spaces is strictly limited to 12. Thus, do not register unless you will attend.

Come on out and work off that Thanksgiving Turkey in beautiful Holy Jim Canyon! This is a Slower paced ride designed for the strong beginner rider who has some experience and skills. An “out and back” ride, we will explore some of Orange County history. The route starts in O’Neil Park and we will be riding out to the Holy Jim trail head along Trabuco Creek Rd. This is a part of Orange County few ever see.

This is NOT a ride for a brand new beginner. Riders must have mountain bike  experience and feel comfortable doing long gradual climbing.

This is a slower paced ride designed for the intermediate rider who has experience and skills, but sometimes needs to walk more technical areas and steep descents/ascents. It is very strenuous with difficult terrain and intended as a “hike-a-bike” ride. The route climbs both Loma and Limestone ridges and will have a stop at the Sinks.

If you are very physically fit and in excellent cardio shape, you won’t want to miss out! This is not a beginner ride. Riders must have a minimum of one year mountain bike  experience.