thebionicman
07-18-2005, 09:03 AM
From http://marshallindependent.com/archives/stories/2005/July2005/071605.html
Trail of the tape
By Carl Nelson
Independent Staff Writer
CAMDEN STATE PARK — The wheels are turning to update and add additional area to the mountain biking trails at Camden State Park.
Planning took place Friday with the International Mountain Bicycling Association representatives, state park staff and mountain biking enthusiasts from the area.
Bikers might see trail improvements as early as the Camden Classic mountain bike race, but other parts of the project will continue into the future.
The cost for the project is $5,000 to $7,000 a mile and will be defrayed through fund raising, grant money, federal gas tax revenue and volunteer labor by enthusiasts in the area.
Tim Wegner of Rosemont and Erik Gerrits of St. Louis Park are representatives from the IMBA with expertise in trail-building.
The two guided assistant park ranger Elizabeth Murray of Lynd, and Chris Bussman, Tom Hoff, and Erik Sueker of Marshall through potential biking routes. Flagging the route is one of the first steps, but existing trails will be improved before new additions are cut.
The plan has been in the works for about a year, said Wegner.
Wegner met with Courtland Nelson, director of division of DNR Parks and Recreation to discuss the need for mountain biking trails in this area.
“There’s no place between Mankato and Rapid City with a good (mountain biking) trail system,” Wegner said.
Additional trails in the park will be geared for biking, and more nature intimate hiking, he added.
At 24-inches in width, the goal is 14 miles of interconnected trail at Camden.
“Two hours is considered a good ride,” said Wegner. The majority of the trail will be designed for seven to eight miles-per-hour speeds, he added.
“People who aren’t mountain bikers think that they come screaming down hills, but speed controls will be designed,” he said.
For Wegner, most of the planning doesn’t involve the biking, but more consideration for designing the trail to be hydrologically invisible.
When rain falls, it comes in sheets, and flows down a hill in a similar way, he said.
“What we don’t want is the rain gaining velocity off the trail,” Wegner said.
The velocity would mean more erosion and degradation of the trail and natural resources around it over time. There will be no removal of significant trees, Wegner added.
To guard against erosion, Wegner and Gerrits discussed hill grades with Bussman, Hoff, Murray and Sueker. All four have attended trail classes.
“There’s a science to this, and doing it right up front pays dividends,” said Hoff.
“I’d envisioned just using a brush cutter to make a new trail,” he added.
The trail building involves about 800 labor hours per mile, said Wegner.
Murray said the trail training is helpful in other aspects of the park.
Many trails will be kept in the Camden system, but others will be tweaked, she said. Hazard areas and existing trails will be updated first before new ones will be introduced.
Trails no longer suitable will be reclaimed by nature.
Bussman said conflicts between equestrians and mountain bikers will be addressed with the new designs.
Sueker said the trail planning offers folks a new opportunity to see the undeveloped portions of the park.
With insights into trail building from Wegner and Gerrits, volunteers will continue the labor and development of the multi-use trails.
Mountain bikers in the area are now working on a southern chapter with the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists group out of the Twin Cities area.
This association will aid members through grant-writing workshops, consulting work and advocacy, said Wegner.
Murray said she feels that improving Camden’s mountain biking trails will attract more visitors.
“I’m hoping it will bring more people to the park and provide more exposure for locals and visitors,” she said.
Reach staff writer Carl Nelson at cnelson@marshallindependent.com
Trail of the tape
By Carl Nelson
Independent Staff Writer
CAMDEN STATE PARK — The wheels are turning to update and add additional area to the mountain biking trails at Camden State Park.
Planning took place Friday with the International Mountain Bicycling Association representatives, state park staff and mountain biking enthusiasts from the area.
Bikers might see trail improvements as early as the Camden Classic mountain bike race, but other parts of the project will continue into the future.
The cost for the project is $5,000 to $7,000 a mile and will be defrayed through fund raising, grant money, federal gas tax revenue and volunteer labor by enthusiasts in the area.
Tim Wegner of Rosemont and Erik Gerrits of St. Louis Park are representatives from the IMBA with expertise in trail-building.
The two guided assistant park ranger Elizabeth Murray of Lynd, and Chris Bussman, Tom Hoff, and Erik Sueker of Marshall through potential biking routes. Flagging the route is one of the first steps, but existing trails will be improved before new additions are cut.
The plan has been in the works for about a year, said Wegner.
Wegner met with Courtland Nelson, director of division of DNR Parks and Recreation to discuss the need for mountain biking trails in this area.
“There’s no place between Mankato and Rapid City with a good (mountain biking) trail system,” Wegner said.
Additional trails in the park will be geared for biking, and more nature intimate hiking, he added.
At 24-inches in width, the goal is 14 miles of interconnected trail at Camden.
“Two hours is considered a good ride,” said Wegner. The majority of the trail will be designed for seven to eight miles-per-hour speeds, he added.
“People who aren’t mountain bikers think that they come screaming down hills, but speed controls will be designed,” he said.
For Wegner, most of the planning doesn’t involve the biking, but more consideration for designing the trail to be hydrologically invisible.
When rain falls, it comes in sheets, and flows down a hill in a similar way, he said.
“What we don’t want is the rain gaining velocity off the trail,” Wegner said.
The velocity would mean more erosion and degradation of the trail and natural resources around it over time. There will be no removal of significant trees, Wegner added.
To guard against erosion, Wegner and Gerrits discussed hill grades with Bussman, Hoff, Murray and Sueker. All four have attended trail classes.
“There’s a science to this, and doing it right up front pays dividends,” said Hoff.
“I’d envisioned just using a brush cutter to make a new trail,” he added.
The trail building involves about 800 labor hours per mile, said Wegner.
Murray said the trail training is helpful in other aspects of the park.
Many trails will be kept in the Camden system, but others will be tweaked, she said. Hazard areas and existing trails will be updated first before new ones will be introduced.
Trails no longer suitable will be reclaimed by nature.
Bussman said conflicts between equestrians and mountain bikers will be addressed with the new designs.
Sueker said the trail planning offers folks a new opportunity to see the undeveloped portions of the park.
With insights into trail building from Wegner and Gerrits, volunteers will continue the labor and development of the multi-use trails.
Mountain bikers in the area are now working on a southern chapter with the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists group out of the Twin Cities area.
This association will aid members through grant-writing workshops, consulting work and advocacy, said Wegner.
Murray said she feels that improving Camden’s mountain biking trails will attract more visitors.
“I’m hoping it will bring more people to the park and provide more exposure for locals and visitors,” she said.
Reach staff writer Carl Nelson at cnelson@marshallindependent.com