Reopening Bane Canyon Entrance to Chino Hills State Park

A view of many of the exhibitors at today's event.

This morning's event to commemorate the opening of the Bane Canyon Road entrance to Chino Hills State Park was a nice event with visitors able to take guided nature tours and mountain bike rides, participate in children's activities including face painting, and visit with a variety of exhibitors, including California State Parks, Hills for Everyone, the cities of Chino and Chino Hills, Chino Valley Independent Fire District, Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association, West Valley Search and Rescue, Carbon Canyon Fire Safe Council and more.

West Valley Search and Rescue had a cool demonstration interactive showing a 9-1 pulley system that allows for pulling rescue stretchers up steep inclines.  Here, a 9-year old girl uses that system to show her father what's what.

The event went from 9 a.m. to Noon and though the weather was humid and a bit warm early on, storm clouds rolled in, the temperature cooled and there were even a few drops of rain, though conditions remained largely dry.

Representatives from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife had an impressive display of mounted animals, including a small brown bear, a bobcat, and a coyote.

The new road was something to behold, especially for those who were used to the old thoroughfare, which was dirt and gravel for about two miles and ran close to a creek, including direct crossings of that course.

Claire Schlotterbeck, executive director of Hills for Everyone, which was a founding entity of the state park, discusses local projects the organization is engaged in with a visitor.

Now, the route has been diverted away from the creek to the east and the work involved a good deal of grading and retaining, guard rails, and other improvements, including some picnic shelters and view points.

Members of the Carbon Canyon Fire Safe Council shared information about its work in promoting wildfire awareness.

The three miles to the Rolling M Ranch headquarters, next to which is the campground, is so much easier to travel, making the heart of the park much more accessible.