new trail

[Rage]

We've tried to stay away from the low, poor draining spots in the past. I wouldn't say that "no drainage" means "no erosion" as trail traffic is one of the main contributers to erosion, especially in areas that are apt to stay wet (rutting, etc). Since we always battle high water in the spring, you can't rely on the low-lying areas to be available. Bottom line, I wouldn't say it's a waste of time, but I sure wouldn't count on using it for spring. Can't say I'm a big fan of encouraging people to go muddin, even at Sylvan...

Rg.

[DH001]

Usually what happens with wet spots is people try to ride around the mud resulting in a trail that becomes much wider and an eyesore. There may not be erosion in the classic sense, but it doesn't reflect well on the club when our trails turn into big mud bogs, especially since we are IMBA affiliated.

One option that allows trail in wet areas is elevated tread, but this would be a lot of work without mechanized earth moving equipment for a trail of any significant length. Before this years race we put in an elevated section on the northwest end near the Dam that had become a big mud pit. It worked out great, but it took a handful of people a few hours to construct a little bit of trail. There are still a few areas on Sylvan that need this type of treatment actually.

Everyone likes new trail, but it may be better to fix some of the areas that usually become a problem in the spring.

Is there any way to move the feature to a different location? It would probably require a lot less work.

I couldn't make it out Monday to help, but let me know the next time you are heading out there and need a hand.