[Melt]

1. does anyone got a good map?
2. is it rideable year round?

I might be up there in january or so and definitley want to bring my bike with me this time

if this is the trail ive been hearing about its like 30 miles of DH? Is it suitable for a freeride bike? Sorry for the noob questions but i dont know the area that well ... i was in eugene in january of this year and only went to the mall, and a friends house

 

[Sparticus]

1) Nobody gots a good map.

2) Sometimes

3) No, it's not 30 miles, but close. No it's not a DH trail and no it's not suitable for freeride. Strictly XC and watched like a hawk by local militant hikers who want to close it to bikes. PLEASE don't come up here from wherever you call home and shred it, especially in the winter.

Thanks,
Sparty

1. does anyone got a good map?
2. is it rideable year round?

I might be up there in january or so and definitley want to bring my bike with me this time

if this is the trail ive been hearing about its like 30 miles of DH? Is it suitable for a freeride bike? Sorry for the noob questions but i dont know the area that well ... i was in eugene in january of this year and only went to the mall, and a friends house

 

[Melt]

ok so its long but not 30 miles

dont get me wrong im not down to tear it up. Im an xc rider probably 90% of the time, i just bought a freeride bike though so thats why i asked if it is mostly downhill.

If theres hella hikers ill deff bring the xc bike though ... i wouldnt want to upset the local swing of things ... when i went to sedona AZ in March it was raining out there and some people rode it but most of the locals pleaded with us not to ride it cause of eroision and trail access issues and i respected that.

 

[Nat]

It's downhill only if you compare starting and finishing elevations, but it feels like a rolling, mostly flat river trail. I'd bring the xc bike. We're getting dumped on with snow on the east side of the Cascades right now so I'd be surprised if you could ride the MRT in January.

 

[Sparticus]

Sorry I came off like a militant freeride killer in my post above.

I've ridden MRT a time or two in January during the past 20 years but conditions have to be just right and this includes a lot of luck weatherwise. Usually the trail is under at least a few inches of snow at that time of the year. The upper sections will definitely be unaccessible.

If lower MRT is indeed accessible in January, it might be very wet or it could be frozen solid. Frozen, bare ground is way cool; wet ~might~ be bad but most of MRT actually holds up pretty well so long as it's not abused and your ride group stays small. Please walk the soft spots -- it's better to leave footprints than tire prints wherever it's muddy.

If you get here and can't ride MRT but want to ride someplace else, post up and the Disciples of Dirt (no religious affiliation) can introduce you to some other local singletrack.

We're actually a lot friendlier than my first reply implied. Once again, sorry to come off huffy there.

--Sparty

ok so its long but not 30 miles

dont get me wrong im not down to tear it up. Im an xc rider probably 90% of the time, i just bought a freeride bike though so thats why i asked if it is mostly downhill.

If theres hella hikers ill deff bring the xc bike though ... i wouldnt want to upset the local swing of things ... when i went to sedona AZ in March it was raining out there and some people rode it but most of the locals pleaded with us not to ride it cause of eroision and trail access issues and i respected that.

 

[Melt]

its all good man im sure some folks in northern california might come off the same way if someone asked about freeriding contreversial trails like marin county.

 

[General Coonskins]

Jan...

1. does anyone got a good map?
2. is it rideable year round?

I might be up there in january or so and definitley want to bring my bike with me this time

if this is the trail ive been hearing about its like 30 miles of DH? Is it suitable for a freeride bike? Sorry for the noob questions but i dont know the area that well ... i was in eugene in january of this year and only went to the mall, and a friends house

You don't need much of a map to follow this trail, pretty much follow the river. But you can get a okay map from the local ranger district.

It all depends, usually the trail you can get to is a little sensitive in the winter (the lower 5 miles or so), The stuff you can get to usually is all of about 5-8 miles from an area know as Deer Creek up to Blue pool, and that is if you are lucky and the snow has melted away. Once I got up to clear lake in Feb but that was a few years ago and we had a extreme mild year for snow. Not looking that way this year.

As to DH, bikes, etc... It is in essance a DH trail, but that is loosing around 2500 feet over the 26.5 miles, and you almost climb 1000-1200 in the process, and most of our trails loose 2500-3000 in 8 miles . A Free Ride bike is a common occurance on the trail but IMO to much bike (that coming from a Rigid SS'er). I like my Sugar in spots but for the most part a good hard tail with a 3"-4" fork it about perfect for MRT and most of our trails. You can make this trail 35 miles if you do the Santiam Wagon road part, fun double track.

Hikers are defiantly plentiful on the weekends and sometimes during the weekday. It has to be one of our hot spot trails when it comes to user conflicts. A lot of people ride it without much thought to anyone else and seem to care less about other users. I hae been on it numerous times behind larger groups and come accross angry hikers and bikers.

rant, rant, rant....

Anywase, if your coming up for sure in Jan, bring your XC bike and let us know when you can ride. We ride a lot in the winter, numerous areas, and would be happy to show you around. The Middle Fork is often a good trail depending on snow level. We are also hosting large group ride on Jan 21st, many folks from the MTBR boards will be there.

If you are looking for a ride, bring the XC bike

 

[Melt]

cool man thanks

 

[boone]

oof

Dude you will be in for a world of hurt if you bring your FR bike on the MRT!
Not because sparty will come after you but, it is hard on a bike like that.
Why?
1) A dual crown is useless on this trail. Many places you will have to stop or grab a ton of front brake and lift the back up and around to make some of the turns. And even then I can think of a couple that are just impossible on a big bike.
2) If you come with a FR bike and are wanting to rip it up, you better make for damn sure you don't fall in the rocks! It sucks big time. Not even once man! These are some crazy sharp rocks and rips skin like butter I've seen the carnage even when people are going slow....
3) A big bike does not fit in some of the "tight" areas of the trail.
4) You may end up walking up some of the hills and all your buds will have to wait for you!
5) There are no real good drops or jumps or anything. It's primarily a hiking trail that bikers are allowed to use. Quite often you come around a corner and people are right there!
I have had numerous close calls. Most people understand and we try to stay out of the way as much as possible.

Guess it really is a XC trail with some nice techy sections! If you are down for FR, shoot me a PM and we can discuss some much better places in the valley for this kind of ripping!

Booner

 

[Melt]

ive never been to the trail before but i heard it was all downhill thats why i asked

i know now to bring the xc bike

 

[shiggy]

ive never been to the trail before but i heard it was all downhill thats why i asked

i know now to bring the xc bike

Whenever someone claims a trail is "all downhill", it is never ALL downhill! The MRT is rideable in both directions and it may take 15-20% more time to ride it upstream than downstream.

 

[Rufudufus]

Hikers are defiantly plentiful on the weekends ....

I hope you meant "definitely", most of the hikers I've met on the MRT have been pretty nice. Although I have heard rumors that the defiant variety occassionally emerges...

 

[Sparticus]

I hope you meant "definitely", most of the hikers I've met on the MRT have been pretty nice. Although I have heard rumors that the defiant variety occassionally emerges...

I've definitely met some defiant ones on the MRT. Sometimes we're labeled before we even get a chance to share our thoughts & attitudes. Because we're on a bike, we're "bad."

Too bad.

--Sparty

 

[Sasquatch]

I hope you meant "definitely", most of the hikers I've met on the MRT have been pretty nice. Although I have heard rumors that the defiant variety occassionally emerges...

Another classic Coonskins misspelling. He has a knack of misspelling words to shed a deeper meaning to his message. It's quite the art, but i dont think he intends it. In fact, rumor is that his name, General Coonskins was a misspelling of general consensus, and that it stuck.

 

[Mudflaps]

Another classic Coonskins misspelling. He has a knack of misspelling words to shed a deeper meaning to his message. It's quite the art, but i dont think he intends it. In fact, rumor is that his name, General Coonskins was a misspelling of general consensus, and that it stuck.

You nailed it Matt. I've been chuckling about the General's misspelling on the DOD's Yahoo group for years now. I especially like his unintended double entendres, like when he rides his "rode bike"
Love ya General. Cheers.
Brandmaster T

 

[Rufudufus]

That was the second time in two days that I'd seen defiantly used for definitely, so I couldn't let it go. You're not alone, General. Although coonskins for consensus may be a first.

 

[Sparticus]

That was the second time in two days that I'd seen defiantly used for definitely, so I couldn't let it go. You're not alone, General. Although coonskins for consensus may be a first.

Here are the grisly details of how The General got his nickname...

Years ago he sent an email to the Disciples of Dirt membership at large to let people know that the "general consensus" for the upcoming weekend's ride was to hit a specific trail. I have no idea just how badly he misspelled the word consensus, but when his computer's spellchecker stopped on the abomination it offered "coonskins" as a replacement. As was his habit at the time, The General's knee jerk reaction was to simply pound the "replace" button.

The rest is history.

And that's why he's no longer a lowly Colonel.

--Sparty

P.S. And boy oh boy does he ever know how to bark orders!