PDA

View Full Version : 2006 Trail Work at Lebanon Hills


gopherhockey
03-07-2006, 10:38 PM
Its never too soon to start talking about trail building... so I thought I'd get things rolling by spilling a bit of information on what we are planning in 2006.

As most of you know, 2005 was a rather slow year at Leb... mostly maintenance and a few random projects. Nothing compared to 2003-04 where we did a few major trail projects.

2006 will be a lot more fun than last year. Why you ask?

We just got done meeting with Dakota County and basically have approval for 3 smaller re-routes!

One is where you come out of the intermediate trail and ride backwards down the ski trail then start the climb up what we call the bypass. We plan to ride straight accross the ski trail and surf the bowl back around to about where the trail starts now. This eliminates shared trail and makes for better winter riding without getting in the way of the skiiers.

A second project is near the X loop rock garden. It will be a 2 year project that will bring some cool new rock riding and a couple of rock switchbacks into the area. We have not done this yet but feel we have the rocks to pull it off... (so to speak.. ) This will be a nice added challenge when completed.

The third is a longer re-route. Its the area we now call the Intermediate Bypass. This is that trail you take if you don't ride the X loop out... basically a straight shot down a ski trail, a blind left turn, the you meet up with the Dream Trail. What we plan to do is re-route this section and surf around a few areas meeting back up near where the X loop comes out... this trail will be really nice and may tempt a person to take this route vs. riding the X loop over again when you are ready to head out... or make riding Intermediate loops even more fun.

We hope to start these projects right away in the spring before other major projects start up in the area. Watch for trailwork to begin as soon as the ground thaws!

And of course we'll be doing maintenance on the trails and perhaps another small obstacle or two... we have to fix the easy option where the camelback is in the XX loop and address a few other small areas.

There will be more than enough work to go around this year, but we hope that those of you who have been riding Lebanon will come out and help us out... be it to do your part, increase that feeling of ownership in the trails, meet really cool dirt bosses, or even just for the post-work refreshments.

Stay tuned... Bob, Ted and myself will be leading up the charge.. and we'll see the real trail building experts out there with Bob and Dingo again as well.

nowbrdr123
03-07-2006, 11:04 PM
Has adding a freeriding loop besdies the xx loop to lebbanon ever been considered? Adding a freeriding-style loop would broaden then appeal of lebbanon and make it more fun.

gopherhockey
03-08-2006, 09:44 AM
Has adding a freeriding loop besdies the xx loop to lebbanon ever been considered? Adding a freeriding-style loop would broaden then appeal of lebbanon and make it more fun.

There really are no other plans for any such loop additions. Perhaps more obstacles, but Lebanon doesn't really lend itself well for much more than what we already have...

There have been some discussions about adding a small "playground" area with various obstacles to ride over.. almost more of a trials type area though.

manual63
03-08-2006, 03:06 PM
This sounds great John. Not sure how much I can stretch myself this year, but I will try to come out and help when I can. I know about the big rock on that hill.....sweet....:)

gopherhockey
03-12-2006, 10:00 AM
Just a short note that we walked the planned re-routes with the parks supervisor on Friday and got the final green light on ALL projects!

We plan on starting as soon as the ground lets us. Tuesdays as usual and perhaps a couple of weekend dates if necessary.

We had a rather quiet year at Leb last year so I hope everyone is enthused to come out and get back too it again!

More info soon as we wait for the ground thaw and we line up our game plan...

stefan
03-12-2006, 03:33 PM
Sounds great! I didn't get out to Leb as much as I would have liked last year, but this summer I plan to make a concerted effort to spend more time there.

This summer is looking exceptionally busy for me, but if I can swing it I'll try to lend a hand on some of the weekend maintenance days.

I'm especially looking forward to those big gnarly rock gardens, and the uphill steps!


-Stefan

pwpatton
03-12-2006, 05:12 PM
I heard folks talk about puting in a step up jump after the table top in the XX loop. Any chance of that happening?

bigwheel
03-12-2006, 05:18 PM
I finally got a chance to take a close look at the maps of the proposed changes. The Area-3 bypass that gets rid of the ski trail downhill will be a sweet addition, with more dream-style trail replacing an otherwise booring waste of vertical. It looked really nice when we walked it, but it looks even better when layed out on the topo. Coming out of the XX, it will be nice to drop immediately into dream singletrack, rather than having to drop back into the X again to get back.

I'm secretly hoping that the Murphy project will be delayed by a month or two, so that we can get lots of volunteers and build the new Area-2 rock garden right away. This is going to be a ton (or more) of work, but it could easily become the most challanging section in all of Leb.

gopherhockey
03-12-2006, 05:28 PM
I'm secretly hoping that the Murphy project will be delayed by a month or two, so that we can get lots of volunteers and build the new Area-2 rock garden right away. This is going to be a ton (or more) of work, but it could easily become the most challanging section in all of Leb.

By the looks of it Murphy won't start until June at the earliest... so that should help avoid conflicts. I think we ought to be able to get the new trails done by then and turn our attention on fixes and maintenance.

I think we should be able to get out there even before the trails are able to be ridden and do some clearing and some rock prep.

I can't wait to get out there and start digging around!

gopherhockey
03-12-2006, 05:30 PM
I heard folks talk about puting in a step up jump after the table top in the XX loop. Any chance of that happening?

We have a big tree down right where the existing log ride sits. That area was supposed to bea second tabletop type jump but we just have never gotten the machines in there to do it.

We thought maybe we'd slide the existing log ride up the trail a bit and put in a slightly wider log ride where the existing one is. A tree fell down there that would be perfect for this...

Or if they want to get the machines back in there and build that second jump that would be cool too!

Tim Wegner
03-12-2006, 08:14 PM
I think Dale will be the man to build that step up jump. He loves doing stuff like that and I bet if we are in there and he has time he will put it in. Dale is getting a new Ditch Witch SK500 this year so I know he is really looking for a chance to see what it will do. (yup John, you heard right---We are buying a second new sk500. So all of our equipment will be brand new this year)
TW

Buck
03-12-2006, 08:44 PM
I finally got a chance to take a close look at the maps of the proposed changes. The Area-3 bypass that gets rid of the ski trail downhill will be a sweet addition, with more dream-style trail replacing an otherwise booring waste of vertical. It looked really nice when we walked it, but it looks even better when layed out on the topo. Coming out of the XX, it will be nice to drop immediately into dream singletrack, rather than having to drop back into the X again to get back.

I'm secretly hoping that the Murphy project will be delayed by a month or two, so that we can get lots of volunteers and build the new Area-2 rock garden right away. This is going to be a ton (or more) of work, but it could easily become the most challanging section in all of Leb.

Hey Bob, John.
Just a thought and maybe somehow a MORC sponsor could get behind this but hold a trail blitz on some weekend.

Building from 8-12 or something then have a BBQ sponsored by a local shop or MORC sponsor, then followed with a group ride or if people want more building...something along those lines, that'd be rad, NSMBA in BC has been doing them for sometime with great success. Draws big crowds and makes for a good time and ride afterwards.

L8Rz
Buck

Bighit
03-13-2006, 05:43 PM
There really are no other plans for any such loop additions. Perhaps more obstacles, but Lebanon doesn't really lend itself well for much more than what we already have...

There have been some discussions about adding a small "playground" area with various obstacles to ride over.. almost more of a trials type area though.

While it's hard to question anything you guys are planning... (Leb. is PERFECT and by far the best local trail) Do you mean a North Shore style play area or Trials area? North Shore would be cool but trials appeals to 1% of 1% of 1% of the riding pop. and we all have local parks in our neighborhoods. Much better to have jumps. Thanks for the consideration.