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:lol: If there's a point being made here I'm not sure what it is.

Cutting out blow down on a trail is part of normal routine maintenance, whether the trail is totally rad brah AM or buffed out lycra racer XC.
That's definitely trail specific.
Like Summit Ridge Guy says. Some folks see the downed trees as an opportunity rather than an impediment. The pictures I posted are on middle school trails and are ridden by beginner riders as young as 5 years old. The trails are designed to teach skills to new riders and to instill confidence.

I have other trails in regional parks where every downed tree would be cut out and removed as would every stump, rock and root.

I had to remove this bridge because a fellow got his cane stuck between the planks. Even the parks director thought it was stupid considering the rest of the trail was way beyond the abilities of someone walking with a cane but a complaint is a complaint in a regional park.

Nature Wood Vegetation Natural environment Hardwood
 
That's definitely trail specific.
Like Summit Ridge Guy says. Some folks see the downed trees as an opportunity rather than an impediment. The pictures I posted are on middle school trails and are ridden by beginner riders as young as 5 years old. The trails are designed to teach skills to new riders and to instill confidence.

I have other trails in regional parks where every downed tree would be cut out and removed as would every stump, rock and root.

I had to remove this bridge because a fellow got his cane stuck between the planks. Even the parks director thought it was stupid considering the rest of the trail was way beyond the abilities of someone walking with a cane but a complaint is a complaint in a regional park.

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Saying you're going to keep a trail free of trees that fall across it is a lot different than saying you're going to "remove every stump, rock and root".
 
Saying you're going to keep a trail free of trees that fall across it is a lot different than saying you're going to "remove every stump, rock and root".
Well, yes, but what's your point?

My point was that on some trails there is no requirement to remove fallen trees. They are even welcomed by the riders. Nobody said I had to remove any downed trees from the middle school trails. What I choose to do on those trails is entirely up to me.

On other trails, removal of downed trees may be a requirement.

And on still other trails there may be even more requirements. Like removal of rocks and roots (the regional park trails I built and look after).

I even maintain some trails that are paved.

So, back to your original question: Why don't I cut out the trees and remove them? Because I don't have to, and the people riding the trails enjoy having the ramps and ride-overs on the trails.
 
When i have a fallen tree a a god spot for a ramp i put a few metal spikes front and behind it so it doesent move then i gather some gradually smaller logs and put them down in layers with some soil in between.
Your metal spike will be there in 30 years for someone to fall on top of. Consider spiking with a pointy dowel rod or survey stake. That way, everything rots away together.
 
Your metal spike will be there in 30 years for someone to fall on top of. Consider spiking with a pointy dowel rod or survey stake. That way, everything rots away together.
+1 on this. Earlier this season I had to pack a hacksaw cutting out some old rebar waiting to make a mess of someone. Don't know what the original purpose was or if someone just dumped it in the woods. Now it is safer when someone goes down.
 
Umm, why not just cut the blown down logs out ?
That's always an option, and on some trails may be a requirement.

I ride the same trails over and over again a lot. When a new whatever gets built,* it is delightful!

*standard disclaimers for it being well-built and appropriate to the character of the trail
 
+1 on this. Earlier this season I had to pack a hacksaw cutting out some old rebar waiting to make a mess of someone. Don't know what the original purpose was or if someone just dumped it in the woods. Now it is safer when someone goes down.
Part of the "fun" of riding through an area that used to be a military installation is occasionally coming across rebar or guy wires that are now being uncovered by erosion.

No log overs (plenty of logs) but your comment about falling on metal thingies reminded me about how unsafe a 3" rusted, braided steel cable can be when it is (somehow still under tension) sitting on the trail surface.
 
If a fallen tree can add to the trail experience by adding a feature that fits then incorporate it with the trail, if it is in the way then slice and dice it out. If a ramp / berm / skinny / bridge would add to the flow then why not.
:thumbsup: That is a great way of changing up the trail while using what is there already rather than schlepping stuff in. Sometimes that can't be avoided but using what is there, is IMHO the preferred way if possible.
 
Wow, wish my school allowed us to make trails in there forest!
You ever ask them? I kept hearing from other people that it "wasn't allowed". I asked the landowner (a multi-national local logging company). They said "sure", nobody had ever asked before.

It wasn't quite a simple as that but the main point is that it doesn't hurt to ask.
 
I've certainly piled up logs against another log and covered it all with dirt, works well enough, the next year it usually needs some more dirt, but then it needs minimal/no maintenance. I do like logs just laying across the trail, no ramps, but depending on speed/corners ramps might be the best option.
 
i always ask, they say no, its to much of a liability issue
What school? B.H. ? Cascadia? UW? P.M. me.
Get some teachers involved, start a club, join a club. There's strength in numbers. Let me know if you need help. I have a lot of experience with school clubs.
 
i've been building some trails this summer, and have a few log rides.

where i am at, the trail i worked on sees very little mixed use, and was un hikeable, let alone bikeable.

now, the trail is totally rideable, and way more fun. i think it depends on how much use the trail gets whether or not to make log rides, and how to make them.

mine are of the the "pile of rotting logs" type and are holding up fine, but i think i may be one of the few users of this trail. if it got more use & mixed use, they may not hold up so well.
 
Interesting thread.

There are lots of log piles at my local trail. Some are good, some are really bad. The good ones use long logs and become very solid, the bad ones have shorter and skinnier logs that bounce around and often move.

This past weekend I witnessed one bad accident, took part in another, and almost had another :D. The first, basically guy goes over big log pile but on other side logs had moved and his front wheel got turned and wedged in there so he endoed into the next pile. Mine was similar - went over a log pile that I don't usually ride and found that there were no logs on the other side (there were on one part but not the part I was on) and I endoed and unfortunately face-planted into the frozen singletrack. Got my bell rung good. Third, on other side there's a skinny loose log that flopped up and almost wedged itself into front wheel.

Point is, log piles require maintenance. And the lesson for me is: always assume there's nothing on the other side, and treat it as if it weren't built up.

Funny, because after recently riding the trails in Chicoppe just outside Atlanta and complaining that they were boring, overly-maintained, and "for the love of god could you just leave one friggin' log in the trail".
 
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