Logging on Neptune Ck FSR

Atco Wood Products have informed me that they’re going to start logging off the Neptune Creek Forest Service Road this coming week (one week earlier than planned). Use of the road while active logging is taking place is not recommended. The logging will eventually extend across the Upper Oasis trail, at which time the trail will be closed (no firm date yet). When the logging is completed (no estimate yet), Atco have said they’ll clean up whatever remains of the trail, and then the trail crew will re-establish it to a ride-able condition asap.

June 18th Update

The “New” Whiskey Drop.

I’ve been super busy and neglectful of updating this blog, but I’ll try to make more of effort from here on in.

Trails Day (June 6th) was a great success. Over 50 people worked hard, and we got lots done on Tamarack trail. Since then the trails crew has linked up the trail, and it’s now ride-able as a descent. Not quite up to our usual finished standard, but well worth riding. As it packs in with use, and we get back to work on a few sections, it’ll get closer to being a climbable trail as well. The short section of road up from Malde is step and loose and not much fun at all to climb, but I’ve flagged a single-track route from the pull-out higher up on Malde, which will be a much more moderate and enjoyable connection when completed.

The Seven Summits trail has been maintained as far as “The Pass” from the South, and up to the Lepsoe-Elgood Saddle from the North. There’s still too much snow up high to push-through, but it should be good-to-go for July 1st.

As you can see from the pic above, we replaced the Whiskey drop (which had been vandalized by a misinformed but now apologetic local resident). The take-off is set back about 12″ and the landing is even more buffed, but otherwise it’s the same as before.

Ted Nelson has gated his property on Deer Park Hill, blocking access to and deactivating the first section of Drakes trail (above the Trailer Park). We’ve officially closed Drakes trail (or take your chances of an encounter with an irate landowner) and are working towards establishing a re-route asap.

In addition to our regular Trail Maintenance Crew, we’ve a dedicated crew building a single-track trail along the West-side of Violin Lake paid for by the City of Trail, and a crew of Federally funded formerly unemployed forest workers tackling various projects on the Seven Summits, Old Glory, and Plewman trails. It’s a busy summer on the trails.

Whiskey Trail Update

I’ve had quite a few calls and e-mails regarding the destruction of the “carpet jump” and felling of trees across the trail on the lower Whiskey trail. After checking into it, it seems that a new tennant on an adjacent property didn’t understand the situation and was responding to perceived trespassers. After a friendly chat it now seems to be resolved (there’ll be a few more signs in place) and we’ll rebuild things as before when we get a chance.

May 14th Update

A New Bridge on Rubberhead
An unseasonable blizzard this morning, but generally the snow has been melting fast, with lots of trails opening up. Freshly maintained trails include: Kootenay Columbia, KC Ridge, Milky Way, Green Door, Rogers, Rubberhead, Cemetery, Lower Oasis, and Whiskey. We replaced a rotting bridge on Rubberhead, added a bridge on the McQuarrie Ck trail, and have been fixing features and signs all over the place. The recent tempest over lower Spring Cleaning has been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction, and I hope our local riders now understand that positive contributions are welcome, but that on a managed trail network on private land – there has to be a considered process.

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Seven Summits?

It’s still winter in the mountains
I was up in the Rossland Range skiing powder this morning, and it got me thinking about how long it might take until the Seven Summits trail opens this year. We had a below average year for snow, but allot of it came late, and it’s still snowing – at least 25cm in the past few days. I’m telling people that the trail will be open for Canada Day, but we’ll just have to wait and see if the weather cooperates. Any predictions?

Trails in Trail

The View from the Lookout accessed from Miral Heights
As trail users in Rossland wait for the snow to melt, the trails down in the valley are in perfect condition. What can be loose and dusty in mid-summer, is currently firm and tacky. The Miral Heights trail (accessed from the top of the Miral Heights neighborhood) and the McQuarrie Ck (accessed from the switchback just below the Trail hospital) trails both access a spectacular lookout (the Canadian Flag is prominent) above the Trail Hospital. They both work as out and back hikes. For riding, either go out and back from Miral heights, or to make a loop, park at the hospital, ride through JL Crowe, past the landfill, and up through Miral heights, across to the lookout and descend the McQuarrie Ck trail.
The Columbia trail, starting on the Sand Flats Rd past Sunningdale, parallels the Columbia River all the Way to Ootischenia (Castlegar), or can be explored out and back on foot or bike.

Let the Season Begin

Lower Oasis
The KCTS trail maintenance crew has started back on the trails. We’ll cover the trails that are already open, and then do our best to keep up with all the new openings as the snow melts. The rain made it easy to resculpt the bottom section of Lower Oasis trail this morning. By mid-summer the loose sandy material just doesn’t hold together and this well used trail inevitably falls apart, but for now it’s in great shape. As far as I can tell, the current snow-free trails are: Cemetery, Spring Cleaning, Rogers, Green Door, Sudden Exposure, and Lower Oasis. If you’re adventuring further afield, leave a comment with what you find.

September 24th Update

The Final Test – Upper Oasis

With the trail crew into our last week of work for the summer season, the trails are in great shape. Recent rains have eliminated any dust, and with the leaves starting to change, it’s a great time to be out on the trails. We’ve been all over the place lately, ticking things off our endless list of priorities. We replaced and repaired the two sequential jumps about halfway down Upper Oasis – the top one is significantly larger, but both are now very smooth. We bridged and armored a a couple of persistently boggy sections and installed the Rainbow bridge from the Seven Summits Poker Ride on Redhead.

New Bridge on Redhead

Larry’s and Curly’s are among our most well used trails, and both received some intensive maintenance, and Full Monte, Cemetery, Roger’s, Spring Cleaning, Green Door and Plewman trails have all seen some significant work. There’s already been a dusting of snow on the higher peaks of the Rossland Range, which for the moment is sticking around. The transition to winter conditions in the mountains, and the closure of the Seven Summits trail could happen at any time.
Behind the scenes, there’s lots of planning being done, and both staff and the board are working hard to try to secure funding for the KCTS for 2009.

Seven Summits Poker Ride

The gang – atop Old Glory.

Roughly 120 riders enjoyed a magnificent clear and cool day of riding on the Seven Summits trail yesterday. I rode with a group of friends, stopping for beers and snacks along the way, making the detour to the summit of Old Glory for a wild card, testing our skills and picking up cards for our poker hands, grinding up the climbs and ripping the downhills. Nearly 7 hours, 6 flats (Miles had 4) and 7800′ of vertical later we were treated to beers, a shuttle to the Lions campground for more beers, burgers, prizes, and socializing with a great bunch of keen riders. Brent won a bike frame with five eights. Thanks to everyone involved – I’ll see you all next year.