CAMBA type trail system in MN??

[natehakensak]

The title is my main question I am posing to everyone today. I am new to the MORC forum; I still have to join MORC, but have many questions for members, those in the know, and those who think they are in the know.
My in-laws have a cabin north of Aitkin about 15-20 miles with miles and miles of 4-wheeler, logging, and snowmobile trails all over the county and state land.
My question is this: How does a person get permission to mark and map this un-tapped resource?
Can one couple do it or should I be talking to the MORC board, the county commissioners, or GOD?
Has this already been attempted or discussed in the MORC meetings or forums?
Am I way out of line even proposing this, or does an interest lurk in the tinglies of your spine?
Again, wondering if this could possibly happen and if so, what direction to take. Don't tell anyone, but my wife and I have been gpsing (yes, I made that a verb) these trails and are super excited if we could make or help make something of this pipe-dream. Hope I made you think.

[stoneage]

http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12019&page=2

I will let everyone in on my vision for the area. First off thanks for everyones input. The area we have been discussing is named "Cuyuna Recreation Area." It is on the Northern border of Ironton located between Crosby and Brainerd. The land is owned or managed by Minnesota DNR. The lakes are actually old mine pits. The water depth ranges from 125' to 550' in depth. Water clarity is 80 feet at 10' below the surface. The highest elevation is around 225 feet. The elevation is actually the old spoil banks form the iron ore mining. My inspection of the soils showed that it should compact and bind together extremely well. Not as hard as clay but harder than most mineral soils that we build with here in the metro. So I think maintenance would be very minimal.


Here is my thoughts on construction. First off have the financing in place before we do a single thing. I thought maybe IRRRB, Blandin foundation, DNR, TEA-21, state parks, county, these could all be sources of funding for this trail. Last thing I want to have happen is the trail get started and then we run out of money to complete the job.

I would like to have the design work done locally by mountain bikers. Then I would invite all the IMBA approved trail builders to come up 1-2 weeks of trail building. I think we could get this trail built in 1-2 years max.

So lets have more thoughts and ideas on what I have posted here. Do you think I should continue to pursue this area or is it pie in the sky? You guys are the ones that would ride it and enjoy it but first off you guys must be the ones building it. I know I can find the money to do this project but money without any volunteers would still make the project a failure.
TW
__________________
Tim Wegner
IMBA Representative
Southern Minnesota

[soupboy]

What if as part of drawing up the plan you developed a time commitment "bank", visible to all interested parties, whereby individuals and/or organizations would commit to providing specific man-hours to moving dirt a Cuyana (can we get a better name?)?

Obviously weather and time commitments change, but it would be a great starting point to demonstrate to funding sources the collective interest backing such a project.

[TrailPatrol]

I have been gpsing (yes, I made that a verb)

Actually, it is "GPS-ing" and it's used all the time on Geocaching sites. ;)

Quadna used to be a great riding area up in Hill City, but they've gone motor-head is the last year or so. The Itasca Trails Task Force (part of the county parks/forest department) is very open to non-motorized trails. (They are the ones who built the ski biathalon course up there.) If we get approval for a Subaru/IMBA Trail Building School in the Chippewa N.F. this season, they have assured us they will have folks there. If your area is in Itasca County, that is a plus. If it's in Aiken County, obviously, there are more steps involved, but it can be done.

I work for the DNR, and am a long-time volunteer with the US Forest Service in the Chippewa. My work position is a bit odd, in that I am a Park Ranger working in a State Forest Recreation Area. But it has given me a chance to interact with all three divisions that deal with trails; Parks & Recreation, Forestry, and Trails & Waterways. Forestry is becoming more and more supportive of non-motorized trail use in the state forests. A lot of this can be credited to Bob Mueller and the BLAST crew, who opened many of the doors to District Forester's offices while he was IMBA rep a few years back. :D Unfortunately, in many cases we have not really followed up on the work Bob started, while the ATV/dirt bike crowd has been right there. the entire time. A number of the people in the St. Cloud and Brainerd Trails offices ride MTBs themselves, and they are almost all X-C skiers.

We, the Backcountry Trail Patrol, function as both an advocacy and patrol organization in the North Country, and we have members in the Hill City/Grand Rapids area who are learning about trail planning and building. When the time is right, I'm sure they will be glad to help out. Best part is they know the area already.

Keep us posted on your plans!

Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans

[TrailPatrol]

Cuyana (can we get a better name?)?

Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is the name the DNR gave the place. It is also the historic Ojibwe name for that area.

Just thought you would like to know.

Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans