Trail Contruction and Maintenance

TrialsPaul · Post by **TrialsPaul** » Fri May 18, 2007 2:43 pm

The AMA has available a free report on trails.
"Off-Highway Motorcycle & ATV Trails Guidelines for Design, Construction, Mainatance and User Satistfaction"

http://www.ama-cycle.org/legisltn/downl ... Report.pdf

It makes some interesting points on trails that we should think about when clearing the trails in McLean Creek.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:53 am

Excellent post Paul, i think i should have read this before our big trail cleanup days (this is a large booklet, i only paged through it so far). Important information when concidering opening up a trail or even designing a trail. With the large amount of blowdown (Mclean Creek, this is not even seeing the huge amount at Fallen Timber) it is hard to fine tune and criticise trail openings because we are just excited to have some trails reopened, but the trails we do put our effort into i think should be concidered as far as flow and terrain. It is really rewarding having flowing trails that skirt ridge tops instead of wind down through soggy bottoms, sometimes this cannot be avoided though. with the incresed amount of single track users, this is definately something to concider.

Some sections of trails go through areas that are completely fallen in. what's the point of sawing through that? so if we go around, where's the best route and what's gonna be the most exciting when it is open?? just something to think about. I also like Dirtyboy and friends obstacle building ideas, keep it up! WFO and myself build a log hop feature for the HS coarse (unfortunately it dissapeared) maybe more to come.

Hammer · Post by **Hammer** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 10:15 am

Thanks for the great document Paul. Inspires thoughts of how to co-manage trail construction with SRD. Everyone should have a gander at this info!

thumper-darryl · Post by **thumper-darryl** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:32 pm

Go to www.nohvcc.org
There you can find a ton of material in their library. We have used data from here for Rec Corridors, and recently SRD has seen the value of their programs, and material.

Post by **rooster** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:47 pm

I wonder if it has anything to do with me - -gifting Rick Blackwood a copy of that trail building book at one of our Ghost planning meetings in front of about 30 other people- August 2005

thumper-darryl · Post by **thumper-darryl** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:07 pm

Sadly, local SRD did not admit to any knowledge of NOHVCC, or their trail expertise. But after getting NOHVCC to a Ghost meeting, SRD wants to learn all they can. A Positive move.

Post by **rooster** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:10 pm

Sadly?- don"t you mean "mysteriously" just like the single track trails we gave them that they "misplaced"

Can"t wait to see how they misplace all this new stuff-

TrialsPaul · Post by **TrialsPaul** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:18 am

Here is another though about trail maintance. I know a lot of work goes into preparing a course for a race, clearing the course and flagging (Thanks for all your efforts), what about spending time repairing trails after a race?

As part of the permit for a race in the Forest Service areas in Colorado, after the race you have to go through the trail, remove the arrows and ribbons, and rake in all the berms and fix the rutted up trails. The trail usually ends up in better shape then when the race was started. This all occurs on a designated trail system in Colorado.

MotorEd · Post by **MotorEd** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:27 am

TrialsPaul wrote:Here is another though about trail maintance. I know a lot of work goes into preparing a course for a race, clearing the course and flagging (Thanks for all your efforts), what about spending time repairing trails after a race?

As part of the permit for a race in the Forest Service areas in Colorado, after the race you have to go through the trail, remove the arrows and ribbons, and rake in all the berms and fix the rutted up trails. The trail usually ends up in better shape then when the race was started. This all occurs on a designated trail system in Colorado.

I think this is one of the best ideas I have heard in quite awhile!! Great idea and great post.....and nice change from the personal attacks and other BS we've been reading.

Hammer · Post by **Hammer** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:42 am

I think trail cleanup is a great idea too. I've been on the race course prep crew with the guys and it does improve the trail nicely. Post race cleanup would only improve it even more. It'd provide a nice assurance that we don't loose the opportunity for the next race as well.

YouTube · Post by **Dobi** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:45 am

TrialsPaul wrote:Here is another though about trail maintance. I know a lot of work goes into preparing a course for a race, clearing the course and flagging (Thanks for all your efforts), what about spending time repairing trails after a race?

As part of the permit for a race in the Forest Service areas in Colorado, after the race you have to go through the trail, remove the arrows and ribbons, and rake in all the berms and fix the rutted up trails. The trail usually ends up in better shape then when the race was started. This all occurs on a designated trail system in Colorado.

We do spend a significant amount of time when preparing courses by doing dirt work where necessary (filling rain ruts, draining puddles, etc) so that the trail is in better shape than before we started. After riding our race course on the clean-up day I was amazed to see how well the trail had held up. It is a great idea to spend a bit more time cleaning the trail up when done but alas by then the volunteer support has dried up.

Perhaps as part of a trail management, stewardship program we would be forced to put this level of effort into all of our trails.

The above link is a great resource. Thanks for posting it.

Novo · Post by **Novo** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 6:00 pm

Post race trail maintenance is a great idea and I'm happy to contribute!

How about adding this to the race planning/logistics/scheduling and with advance notice, more riders could partipate and make short work of it.

Brent · Post by **Brent** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 10:48 am

It's almost impossible to find guys to pull ribboning down let alone maintain trail after the race and then if we use up volunteer efforts for maintaining trails after a race then we loose volunteer effort at the start to put on a successful race. if any of you guys want to volunteer, please help coarse clearing and ribboning, this will be a big task for an XC. then help pull all the ribbon after the race, then if we still all have energy, lets break out the rakes and shovels. everyones help makes a huge difference.

Post by **dirtyboy** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:33 pm

I agree with BigDog. I'm betting that there are a lot more entries at the Colorado races, and therefore more volunteers or maybe even money for workers to maintain the trail after the race. If there are more entries then the trail will need more maintenance. Compared to a GNCC we have about 5% of the entries. 5% of the riders has a much smaller impact.

Post by **thirtyseven** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 10:15 pm

Dirtyboy, does that mean Im only 5% as good as I think I am? Hit a trail just east of Mclean trail, if that was the one you guys worked on the other week you did an awesome job!!!!!