Trail Rehabilitation - LT Entrance(Phase 1)

[jimithng23]

An update on what the Sunderbruch Trail Care Crew has been up to:

OLD:

Fall line = grade exceeds the side slope.

A --> B = side slope
C --> D = fall line

The location of the bridge, along with the location of the Qualifying Technical Trail Feature at the entrance to this trail dictated the trail to originally be built on the fall line.

The steep slope of the trail would cause riders to brake excessively while descending towards the bridge. The dragging of the rear wheel removed soil particles from the tread and exposed the heavy root structure underneath. In conjunction with the driest summer in recent memory, and heavy precipitation when it did rain, erosion on this section of trail was drastically accelerated. With awareness to sustainability and environmental impact, the trail care crew had no choice but to rehabilitate the trail.

NEW:


• The tread was properly out sloped.

• 2 Rollers were built to serve as Grade Reversals. Drains were constructed immediately before and after the Rollers to give the water a place to go rather than pool on the trail.

• 2 Visual Choke points (rock clusters) were installed to draw the rider’s eye away from the edge of the trail and down the proper line.

• A berm was built at the bottom of the trail. Grade reversals at the entrance and the exit of the berm will allow the water to sheet off the tread surface. Advanced riders will be able to hold their desired speed and maintain momentum to climb the hill on the opposite side of the ravine with little effort, increasing flow.

With the use of these construction techniques, this section of trail should require very little maintenance in the future.

[dgw2jr]

It's so... beautiful

[DH001]

Nice work! I rode that section Saturday morning and was surprised at how eroded it had become. That definitely won't be a problem in the future.

Don't know if you guys got it but there was a tree down on the final climb out of LT Sat. morning.

[jimithng23]

Don't know if you guys got it but there was a tree down on the final climb out of LT Sat. morning.

ya, saw that tree too. with my extremely limited (read: zero) experience with a chainsaw I decided it would be best, and safer, to let someone else tackle it. it'll be removed this week.

[dgw2jr]

ya, saw that tree too. with my extremely limited (read: zero) experience with a chainsaw I decided it would be best, and safer, to let someone else tackle it. it'll be removed this week.

I believe it was Russ that mentioned in another thread that FORC has a new policy regarding the usage of chainsaws in the trail systems. Can someone elaborate on that and maybe make it a sticky thread or something for future reference?

[DH001]

I believe it was Russ that mentioned in another thread that FORC has a new policy regarding the usage of chainsaws in the trail systems. Can someone elaborate on that and maybe make it a sticky thread or something for future reference?

We recently purchased chaps and other chainsaw specific safety gear to protect saw operators and minimize our insurance liability. Given that, anyone operating a saw will need to be wearing this gear and have a good understanding of the safety procedures of using the tool. In the coming months, we are going to put together a chainsaw safety course and unless someone has attended this course or has other chainsaw specific training they will not be authorized to operate a chainsaw for trail work purposes.