by Ventura Land Trust
The last few wet seasons were quite challenging for Harmon Canyon Preserve. The Preserve weather station recorded over 35 inches of rain during the 2023/2024 wet season, more than double the typical amount for a season. This rainfall resulted in the remarkable recruitment of native species, lush growth of coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia), and significant damage to the beloved roads and trails. After the wet season ended, Ventura Land Trust (VLT) conducted a thorough survey of the roads and trails, finding the most severe impacts in the upper canyon, north of the 1.5-mile gate.
Repairing the roads is complicated by their location within Southern California Edison’s (SCE) easement area, which allows SCE access to high-tension power lines and requires them to maintain the roads to a certain standard. If VLT were to perform maintenance on the roads, and they subsequently failed, VLT would be held liable for any damages which poses great financial risk for VLT. As a result, VLT has refrained from maintaining the damaged roads in Upper Harmon Canyon.
With this in mind, VLT staff worked closely with SCE to expedite repairs to the roads in Harmon Canyon during 2024. Simultaneously a group of cycling enthusiasts approached VLT and volunteered to rebuild Ropersmith by hand. VLT agreed to support this volunteer initiative by providing supplies, hoping it would coincide with SCE’s road repairs, leading to the reopening of Long Canyon Road and Ropersmith Family Trail at the same time. However, things rarely go as planned.
In early September VLT received news from SCE. They were reclassifying the Long Canyon Road “maintenance” project as an “improvement” project, placing it under the oversight of SCE’s civil engineering department, which means there is no set completion date in sight. This sent VLT on the hunt for a new solution to opening trails in the Upper Canyon.
With Long Canyon Road remaining off-limits, VLT had to either pause volunteer efforts on Ropersmith or make the trail bi-directional. Given the nearly 300 hours of volunteer labor already invested, VLT decided to honor these volunteers’ hard work and open Ropersmith Family Trail as a bi-directional trail on October 11, 2024.
The reopening is on a trial basis. If reports of user conflicts increase or if injuries strain Ventura’s first responders, VLT will close the trail. To mitigate these issues, VLT encourages users to remember essential trail etiquette: go slow, be respectful, and keep in mind that Harmon Canyon is a nature preserve. We understand that Ropersmith Family Trail is important to many in the community, and we are excited to reopen it, but not at the expense of the plants, animals, and other visitors who deserve a safe, welcoming environment. We appreciate your help in making nature accessible for everyone!
If you have questions about the Ropersmith Family Trail or would like to learn more about VLT’s work in Harmon Canyon, please reach out to [email protected]. To stay up to date on what’s happening in our preserves, check the Preserves Update section of www.venturalandtrust.org.
