Trails Update: July 14, 2023
Out of the Jungle
While the alpine snow recedes, vegetation takes over… showcasing yellows, pinks and edible purples. Lower down, in the valley, it’s turning into a veritable jungle. The trail crew has begun our annual vegetation control program on the lower Westside trails. Beaver Pass, Between the Creeks, Hot Dog Alley, and Scotia Nova got a trim. The Cheakamus Zone is next on the list. Please report any sections that need a trim through Trailforks (pictures help us with triage).
Sweet Treat!
The long anticipated (by me) missing link of the Dessert Platter was completed this week: Salted Caramel now connects A La Mode to Whipped Cream! We had saved the sweetest topping for last (it was also the most challenging to build). The crew hustled capping the trail and building the last bridge. I was giddy as we cleaned up the site, gathering tools and literally landscaping the trail’s edge. I had named the segment of trail before construction began and we serendipitously found large quartz crystals (salt!) all over the forest. Enjoy!
Adaptive Test
Earlier this spring, WORCA announced that we are upgrading the Far Out / Flashback loop to adaptive-MTB standard. Tuesday night volunteers bought-in and delivered a supersized (1.2m wide) ribbon of flowy goodness. While standards on paper are easy to follow (like a recipe), I know that what matters most is the quality of the experience. It so happens that Hannah and Adria from Whistler Adaptive reached out, curious about this project. I invited them to have a test run on the loop… to see how much upgrading the Far Out climb will need and to find out what they think of the finished sections of Flashback. Adria was riding a three wheeled bike that spanned 1m wide and slightly longer wheelbase than a 2 wheeled bike. The unchanged trail sections presented obvious width challenges but also some obstacles like jumps and drops were too “sharp” or didn’t span across both front wheels, threatening to flip the 3-wheeled rig. Once we rolled into Flashback 3 and 4 Adria was stoked: “OMG that was sooo fun! You can see where the trail will take you, relax and start to play with the flow!” (The section of Flashback 1 after the “swamp” was also a highlight). This was a great learning experience for me, I have a better understanding of how adaptive bikes navigate. This will help guide the trail’s design moving forward. High five! to everyone that has helped so far on this exciting project. We’re lining up another test ride with adaptive competitors during Crankworx…
See you on the trails!
Dan Raymond
WORCA Lead Trail Builder
