Good steps for the raft!

[Don Youngdahl]

For all of you who are tired of scrambling up & down those muddy banks to the raft, here's the opportunity to join me in building the permanent fix to the problem. On Friday, June 20, at 9:00 AM, I'll be starting up river from the Lyndale boat launch with a boatload of material to build permanent steps, and I'll meet my crew at the work site. So far, the crew is small, but you're welcome to join the effort any time during the day or early evening.

Be prepared to get a bit dirty scrambling around on the river banks. High top work shoes or boots & long pants are recommended to keep dirt out of your shoes for digging on the bank.

I'll have most of the tools needed, but an extra shovel or two would be useful, and an extra cordless drill would be useful.

If anyone has experience with rough carpentry, that would be especially usefull, particularly in the morning. If you're definitely planning on coming, please let me know, so I can plan accordingly.

Thanks,

Don Youngdahl

[Pandl]

WOW!! That is so cool. I used to almost dread going up and down to the raft. Unfortunately, I have moved to Cottage Grove now and won't be getting to the River Bottoms much anymore.

And, I will be at work during the day Friday, so I can't come help.

Good luck! Have fun! Watch out for the snapping turtles and crocodiles...

[KleinCrazy]

Don,

I have been thinking about this problem for quite a while and I have never been one for the steps idea.

However the only one I could come up with would involve quite a bit of earth moving. I had thought that putting in a 1 turn switchback type walking trail, about 16 inches wide. with the turn on the upflow side of the creek. This way you could lift the bike and hike halfway down the bank on a nice shallow grade, make a left turn ( lyndale side) or right turn (Shakopee side) and then have a gentle grade down to the raft boarding area. This would allow for boarding of the raft no matter what the water level and should be fairly resistant to Erosion. You could armor the tread in any way you want though not armoring would probably help to prevent erosion.

Just my own little brainstorm and I have no idea what yours is. Probably better.

I might try and make it out there after work on Friday. I'll let you know.

James

[grizzly adam]

why no steps? I've never really built any trail other than a rock bed in the XX loop - so I have no experience whatsoever. Is there more erosion with steps? What if you had steps that were more like a ladder laid on the hillside that would that allow rain water and such to flow around/under?? Just looking for some new information about building trails.

[Don Youngdahl]

Well, the stairs were built today, took about 5 1/2 hours or so, thanks to my great crew of Marc, Rodney, Michael, John, and Dirk; plus several riders who stopped & helped a bit, or more than a bit. Only one rider all day was not willing to stop & help, & several were willing to help but I had no constructive work for them at the moment. Mountain bikers are great people!

For those who wonder what's there, on each bank it's 14 steps, 2x6 lumber, 3 feet wide; Stringers are 16 feet long 2x10s, staked down with five 5 ft long steel posts on each stringer. Nothing is off plumb by more than half a bubble on my carpenter's level.

Dirk took some digital pictures, so I'm relying on him to get them to our webmaster.

For you young guys that want to ride from the Ferry Bridge to Indian Mounds without getting off your bike, it should be simple if the water is not too low - just ride down the steps, hop over to the raft, do a wheel stand or bunny hop while your buddy dirties his hands pulling the raft across, hop up the steps, and you're merrily on your way.

Don Youngdahl


:crazy:

[dennis porter]

By the way, Don you did a hell of a job on those stairs!!! They are awesome. You have really done a great job down there improving other areas as well! Thanks for all you hard work!

Dennis.

[socrates]

Originally posted by dennis porter
By the way, Don you did a hell of a job on those stairs!!! They are awesome. You have really done a great job down there improving other areas as well! Thanks for all you hard work!

Dennis.
I agree completely...thankfully I never rode the trail before the steps but I'm assuming the latters laying there are the old system......GREAT JOB Don!!!

[SickBoy]

As soon as the river dries up I gotta go give the new steps a whirl. Thanks Don!! If we can't get a nice permanent bridge over the creek, navigable steps down to the raft is the next best thing.

[Don Youngdahl]

Originally posted by SickBoy
As soon as the river dries up I gotta go give the new steps a whirl. Thanks Don!!

Andy,

If you're not already a member, joining MORC would be the best thanks for the MORC-funded projects that MORC members organize and lead. We need as much rider support as we can get, both for the rider numbers and the funding.

Don Youngdahl
MORC Board

[SickBoy]

Yah, I'm a member. Or at least I was last year. I probably need to send in a membership renewal.

Gave the steps a shot on Sunday night, riding with the guys from the Tonka shop. They're great!!

Out of curiosity, how deep do they go? I saw one or two underwater but I couldn't tell how far down they went. When the water level drops this fall, will the steps go all the way down?

[Don Youngdahl]

Originally posted by SickBoy

Out of curiosity, how deep do they go? I saw one or two underwater but I couldn't tell how far down they went. When the water level drops this fall, will the steps go all the way down?

There's 14 steps total, and they go down almost to where the bank bank flattens out at the bottom. That will of course leave several feet of "mud flat" when the water is real low. I'm thinking of getting some heavy duty outdoor floor mat, of the type that's made of recycled tires, to place on the ground in front of the steps. If anyone is knows a source for that material in large pieces, let me know.

Then we can get down to the raft in any conditions without stepping in any serious mud.

Don Youngdahl