Trails Update: June 14, 2024
Trail crew professional development: Using the big “rake”
The trail crew have been early adopters of new tools like e-bikes and battery powered chainsaws which have been simple transitions… their operation was so similar to the previous (analog) technology.
For our annual trail crew skills development and in “very late to the party” fashion, we are powering up the “big rake” - We have rented some mini excavators and sought out an expert trainer for some professional development and familiarization. I’ve often fantasized about having access to more power when removing a stump or mining for dirt and this training will help us understand the capabilities (and limitations) of such a tool. We’re swimming in the shallow end here so don’t expect to see an excavator on A Rockwork Orange anytime soon…
I’ll disclose: I struggle to read instructions. My microwave is perpetually flashing at 12:00... I’m sure there’s probably a youtube instructional video that can show me the time change procedure… Oh! indeed there is: here! …(OMG 794k views!). My educational background supports the evidence that there is only so much you can learn from watching a video especially for skills involving movement sequencing and proprioception. I knew we needed the support of an expert coach and a suitable classroom.
If you’ve been reading my trail crew updates since 2014, you’d be vaguely familiar with some Mike Hainault trail building quotes such as “Never compromise the line” and “That’s the wrong way to juggle a chainsaw”. Mike has been building trails professionally since 1999 and has trained countless machine operators at the Silverstar Bike Park. He’s now a “free agent” traveling the landscape, leaving his flowy tracks in places like Valemont and Revelstoke.
“Make sure your crew watch the Karate Kid before I show up”
Mike listed various techniques and the type of terrain that would be best suited to practice important maneuvers and quickly, I realized the lowest section of Creamsicle Rainbow’s rehabilitation project offered the space and variety of ground cover for such a classroom. The fire thinning operations have left a deep wood chip and duff layer that would prove to be a colossal effort digging out by hand!
“You’re gonna learn from making mistakes, and FIXING them”
I have not experienced being a beginner at anything for a while and I embrace how fun it is to learn. Machine prep, crew safety measures, crawling, pivot turns, ...The big rake is definitely not a simple upgrade.
“You can’t cheat the seat!” We’ll be back in Rainbow next week for more hours in the seat.
Flashy Decking!
While half the crew was fiddling with joysticks in the north end of town, there were other big machines working down in Cheakamus. I love sourcing, splitting and smelling Red Cedar but hand-splitting decking becomes increasingly challenging when the required boards get longer (Due to knots, twist and flare of the tree). Adaptive-MTB blue standard for bridge width is a daunting (to split) 5 feet and we need decking to cover 7 bridges (spanning 300 feet) to complete Flashback… It was a no-brainer to leave this in the “hands” of a full service mill. Van Urban Timber in Squamish was able to make and deliver 200 perfect boards to the lowest flashback bridges in days! My back really appreciated using the crane to unload all that wood and the finished picture is stunning!
“What’s that hole between the bridges?”
We’re going to fill that very big “box” with rock and dirt to help with the “grip” for the turn between the bridges. Shout out to also goes out to Vision Pacific for donating some culverts!
We’re getting rock and another delivery of wood from Van Urban Timber next week, ...right after Sunday morning diggin’!
See you on the trails!
Dan Raymond
WORCA Lead Trail Builder
