October BONC Newsletter

The BONC October newsletter is now available online. Be sure to check it out.

This issue includes an article about the NU Miners high school mountain bike team, plus details about upcoming local mountain bike events.

FHDL Trail Story

Today, the Sacramento Bee published a very positive story about FATRAC and the Forest Hill Divide Loop Trail. This is indeed a great trail and one of my favorites to ride in the winter months once the temperatures cool down.

Thank you FATRAC!

United Trail Day - Saturday October 8th

Please join us United Trails Day on Saturday 10/8/11, 9AM at Skillman Campground. It is probably the most important trail volunteer day of the year and by far the most rewarding.

We will again be cutting new singletrack as we extend the Hallelujah Trail east past Skillman. Cyclists will volunteer alongside moto riders and equestrians as we build more trail for everyone to enjoy.

This event is important as it shows other local trail users that mountain bikers are committed to working cooperatively on our trails. All participants will enjoy BBQ; the spread last year was amazing!

Read that last sentence again.... FREE HIGH QUALITY FOOD! See you there!

Joe Chavez Speaks to BONC

A great big thank you to Joe Chavez of the Tahoe National Forest, who spoke at our BONC gathering last night. As recreational officer, Joe talked about trail projects in four areas of the Tahoe NF: Highway 20, Downieville, Forest City and Grouse Ridge. Each region has a specific trail initiatives. We talked about many items, but like BONC, itself, this recap is focused on Highway 20 and Grouse Ridge. Joe made the following points pertinent to BONC:

In Highway 20 trail projects/re-routes include Scott's Flat and the Pipeline Trail (reroute of the steep trail down to Rock Creek Nature Study Area), whereas Grouse Ridge projects involve extension of the Bowman Mountain Trail, the Lindsey Lakes and Crooked Lakes re-routes and a new trail between Fuller, Rucker and Blue Lakes. You'll see some BONC volunteer efforts at Grouse Ridge soon.

The capitol improvement budget the USFS had for constructing and maintaining trails has all but vanished. Because of this, the Tahoe National Forest relies heavily on BONC, GCTC, etc. to fill the gap. Joe mentioned that focus on new trail projects may be metered out in coming years, as the TNF has so many other projects to focus on and no additional staff or resources.

According to Joe, there is good progress on the Scott's Flat Trail. The Land Trust required some modifications to the original route and the ologists asked for some changes as well, but these are resolved now. Next steps include finalizing the NEPA (environmental docs) for the USFS portion of the trail, then NID will need file CEQA (state enviro docs) for the trail on their lands. NID management is still sorting through all this, so who knows how long it may be before the trail comes down to the lake. Joe hopes to start construction on the trail this fall, if only on the USFS portion.

We still hope to bring in RTP funding for the South Yuba Ridge Trail project, but it may require some volunteer labor. A necessary easement across private land is still in the works.

A terrific meeting. Look for more great speakers at upcoming BONC gatherings soon! You can always support BONC by becoming a member.

Trail Between Grass Valley and Nevada City

Today's Union has an article about Jerry Henderson's effort to create a trail between Grass Valley and Nevada City. Jerry has quietly plugged away at this initiative for years and now is seeing some traction for his efforts.

Trails close to town like this are crucial and I applaud Jerry's efforts to collaborate on this trail.

Scott's Flat Trail Web Page

BONC has launched a web page devoted to the Scott's Flat Trail project. Learn about this exciting endeavor, read news, view maps, volunteer and donate. We will update the page as the project progresses, so be sure to bookmark.

Building a Destination

Several friends and I spent most of last week riding the incredible trail system of Park City, Utah. What strikes me about PC riding is how varied it is: buff singletrack, stunt riding, DH lift, rocky chutes, epic cross country, bike park jump lines, paved bike paths, you name it. Hundreds of miles of singletrack weave through the aspen forests above PC.

So as a trail advocate, I wonder how all this came to be. Locals tell me it is the result of collaboration between local and federal government, ski resorts, bike shops and different user groups. There is perpetual trail building in PC; I spied trail building equipment and freshly cut bench on almost all of the sections I rode, all of it high quality construction.

Park City is a wealthy resort town and has decided to partly fund trail planning and construction with a restaurant tax. It makes sense. In the non-ski season, there is a massive excess inventory of accommodations, restaurant seats, etc. A world class trail system brings many visitors to the PC and keeps the cash registers humming in the off-season.

It takes a lot of vision, determination, time and perseverance to create what Park City has. Mountain bike destinations do not happen overnight. There is a lot to learn from the success of Park City trail advocates and clearly, no one group can take all the credit.

Equestrians, Hikers and Mountain Bikers Welcome

On Sunday, I saw the cover of the Union Sunday edition and it made me smile ear to ear. The front page headline shouted out: "On the Trail: Equestrians, Hikers and Mountain Bikers Welcome".

I've long preached the virtues of working together with different user groups to produce a larger inventory of local trails. The Gold Country Trails Council shares this vision, which is wonderful. Sometimes, I think that as a trail community, we take this cooperative spirit for granted. In Marin, Folsom, Santa Rosa and other Northern California locals, different user groups can be at each others throats fighting over trail access. Here we do things different.

Including multi-use trails in our planning means that we all have more trails to use. We can and should build mountain-bike specific features or even entire trails for sure. But it is worth recognizing that a shared use approach leverages the collective interests and resources of all of us, instead of just one group.

If you have not see the Union article, check it out.

Help Move a Trail Project Along

The hardest part of creating a new trail is acquiring all the necessary permissions to do so. This sucks but it is undeniable. Designing and building the trail can almost seem incidental when compared to the lengthy, arduous process of planning and advocacy. It can be frustrating to those of us who want to just start cutting singletrack.

The Scott's Flat Trail is no different. The volunteer group leading this effort has a done an exceptional job moving the process along. But of course hurdles remain: a trail easement needs to be established and NID has to author and submit CEQA documentation (state environmental review). Sometimes unforeseen additional hurdles pop up months down the road.

But you don't need to just cross your fingers. You can help this great project in one very key way. The USFS is accepting public comments about the proposed trail. Your letters of support are needed. Please send yours as soon as possible, as the deadline of September 16 is fast approaching. Here is a sample letter.

You can also view a map of the proposed route here.

Bowman Mountain Trail and Beyond

Jon Pritchett led the two of us on a fantastic loop in the Grouse Ridge area. The highlight was the Bowman Mountain Trail. This singletrack affords amazing vistas as you ride high above Bowman Lake and look north toward the Sierra Buttes.

As mentioned in a previous blog post, the Gold Country Council is working on a great project whereby the Bowman Lake Trail will comprise of a full loop off the Lindsey Lakes Trail. This terrific volunteer project shows that local recreational user groups can and should be building trails on Forest Service land. We have the skills, motivation and ability to create great riding experiences as mountain bikers and equestrians.

It was nice to ride with someone who shares my love of Grouse Ridge's technical trails and amazing scenery. Jon is passionate about expanding local riding opportunities; we are all fortunate to have him as a leader of BONC. Like myself, he sees no reason why we should have to go to Oregon or Utah to experience first class riding when we can develop it in our own backyard. We have lots of public land, cooperative land managers, user groups and the Land Trust to make it happen. In fact, more trails near Grouse Ridge will see expansion/re-routes in the future with mtb/equestrian trail expertise and efforts.

If you are curious about our route: Fuller Lake > Bowman Lake Road > Lindsey Lakes Trail turnoff > a bunch of fireroads > Bowman Mountain Trail > Lindsey Lakes > Crooked Lakes > Carr/Feely > roads back to the Fuller. Next time, I plan to add Grouse Ridge Trail + Spaulding Lake Trail to the end of this loop.

Downed Trees and the Dakine Builder's Pack

This evening, I bucked the downed oak and cedar that blocked the Scott's Flat Trail for the past few months or so. With NID permission of course.

To access this section, I rode in wearing my Dakine Builder's Pack. This nifty backpack held my chainsaw and chaps, with lots of room for other tools, water, hardware, first aid supplies, etc. The Builder's Pack is a worthy investment for anyone who wants to access trailwork sections on bike or foot.

My chainsaw fits securely on the outside pocket with the saw bar sticking upward (I use a protective plastic cover to prevent a crash from turning exceptionally nasty). I wouldn't want to climb anything especially steep or long with this setup and and I noticed that my rear suspension and tire compressed more with the added weight. Also, you have to watch out for low hanging limbs, as the bar sticks up above and behind your head.

However, riding with it is surprisingly easy. I was able to ride all of the Scott's Flat Trail (including over the step-up bridges and roots) without a problem. Dakine did a good job designing the pack such that your chainsaw is balanced well the user's back. Chris Rose borrowed mine for a while and found it "ninja". I sorta had to pry it back from him :-)

The Builder's Pack is not cheap ($170 or so), but I'll use it so much over the years working on local trails, no doubt I'll get my money's worth from it.

September BONC Newsletter

The September BONC newsletter is online. Read about the latest in Nevada County mtb advocacy, riding and social events.

Grouse Ridge Trailwork by the GCTC

My blog probably under reports the local volunteer efforts of our equestrian friends, but here is some recognition for last weekend's trail improvement event by the Gold Country Trails Council.

Nine hearty souls from the GCTC cleared overgrowth and downed trees from Loney Meadow, Crooked Lakes and Bowman Mountain trails north of Grouse Ridge. They cleared all the way to Penner Lake, to the back of Bowman Mountain and everything from the Loney Meadow campground to the access roads/trails to those places.

The Grouse Ridge trail network still needs some additional love, especially with so many downed trees on the Grouse Ridge Trail. The area is a beautiful corner of Nevada County and on behalf of all trail users, I thank the GCTC volunteers.

Sample Letter of Support - Scott's Drop Trail

Below is a letter of support I've authored for the Scott's Flat Trail project. Please feel free to use it, edit any part of it or write your own. Please submit your letter by September 16!

Genice Froehlich
District Ranger
Yuba River Ranger Station
15924 Highway 49
Camptonville, CA 95922

Dear Genice Froehlich,

This letter is in support of the Scott’s Flat Trail proposal. This is an outstanding project which replaces a steep, user-built trail with a longer, more environmentally sustainable one.

This trail provides key connectivity between the Pioneer National Recreational Trail and the highly popular Scott’s Flat Lake recreational area. The US Forest Service and Nevada Irrigation District have worked together to ensure that the chosen trail route respects acceptable environmental standards as it passes across both private and public land. Volunteers have contributed significant amount of time supporting the US Forest Service as it plans this trail. The Bear Yuba Land Trust has donated time to establish a public trail easement to protect permanent access to this important recreational amenity.

As a local mountain biker, I recognize the need for environmentally sustainable trails which provide important outdoor recreational opportunities. I thank the different agencies, non-profits and volunteers who have contributed to this cause. The project deserves the continued support of the Forest Service.


Truly,
YOUR NAME

Scotts Flat Trail - Proposed Route Map

View Scott's Flat Trail in a larger map

Joe Chavez of the US Forest Service forwarded a map to me to share that shows the final proposed route (see full-sized map). The trail follows a moderate grade as it descends from the Five Mile House to join the existing lakeside trail.

This map is *approximate* and I'll update it as necessary. The route may be subject to change before the final docs are approved. Where the trail crosses NID property, NID requires a trail easement which the Land Trust is working to provide. And of course, funding and volunteers are needed to support construction.

But we should end up with a great local trail. Please consider supporting this endeavor as you can. Jon Pritchett can answer your questions. See my earlier post on this trail.

From everything I hear, last night's fundraiser for the Scott's Flat Trail was a resounding success. Good job everyone! Lots of interest and excitement about this project. Sorry to miss this event, as I was out of town on business.

UPDATE 8/13 - You can view the original USFS map of this trail here. Also, the entire trail measures to be about 4.5 miles from the 5 Mile House to the dam.

Accolades for BONC-FATRAC Volunteers

A few notes from the Truckee Donner Land Trust. First from John Svahn:

I work for the Truckee Donner Land Trust. I just wanted to say thanks for coming out and volunteering on the trails at Waddle Ranch, and I look forward to riding on your new work! I also wanted to pass along that both of our trails guys, Kevin and I, are avid mountain bikers as is our entire staff. (Entire staff of 5...) We try to design trails for a fun mtb experience whenever possible, and look to “retrofit” existing ones to make mtb riding more fun as well. Our flagship trails project, the Donner Lake Rim Trail, has sections that were designed with mountain bikes as the primary user, and hopefully they deliver.

And from Kevin Starr:

I just wanted to say thanks again to all those who participated and helped with this last weekend’s event. It was great to see so many people fired up on the trail work and I look forward to getting this event going next year again.

BONC Gala Ride - 8/6/11

Join us for a BONC Gala Ride as we explore Osborne Hill area trails. Meet at Penn Gate at Empire Mine on Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 9AM.

We'll ride formal and informal trails in this network. As usual, we'll have beer and drinks for participants. Looking for another ride leader or two, please let us know if you want to ride and help out. Helmets and waiver signature required.

See you there!

Recap: MTB Tahoe North 2011

BONC, FATRAC and Hammering Wheels hooked up with the Truckee Donner Land Trust for a exceptional weekend of building and riding Tahoe singletrack.

Volunteers converted 460 yards of old fireroad into swoopy singletrack at Waddle Ranch, a 1600 acre Land Trust acquisition adjacent to Martis Valley and Northstar. The Land Trust was very receptive to our ideas about trail design and enabled us to implement berms and mtb-friendly features. The vision is to create an area-wide trail network for all of us to enjoy.

As always, we took in lots of primo North Shore riding, including Tahoe Rim Trail, Sawtooth and Northstar area trails. IMHO, Tahoe riding is the best in California and mountain bikers will do well to support the Land Trust, TRT Association and other organizations that create these A+ trails.

Big thanks to New Belgium Brewing, who kindly donated their excellent beers for volunteers to enjoy.

Pictures of the event. Hope you can join us next year!

August BONC Newsletter

The August BONC newsletter is online. Read about the latest in Nevada County mtb advocacy, riding and social events.

Movie Event to Benefit Scott's Flat Trail

Join us for a benefit showing of "Pedal Driven" on August 10th @ 6PM at the Five Mile House east of Nevada City. Proceeds from this event go toward the Scott's Flat Trail project, which will result in ~4.5 miles of high quality singletrack between the 5 Mile House and Scott's Flat Lake.

Pedal Driven explores the long-standing conflicts between riders and the federal agencies charged with managing our public lands. The evening will also feature speakers, d'oeuvres and a silent auction. Cost is $30 for adults, $10 ages 11-17, $5 age 10-under.

If you have any questions about this outstanding trail project or how you can support it, please contact Jon Pritchett.

See my earlier post about this forthcoming trail.