[resqd1]

Have you ever wanted to have a hill side to do with what you want? Build a trail there, or put in a jump here, and the governing association be on board with it? I just got word that Merced Irrigation District has allotted an area at Lake McClure just for that. They are opening an area with the notion that it is yours to build, do you want to build BC style ladders and huge drops, bring a shovel and they are ok with it. They are having an Grand Opening thing on May 3rd to try and kick it off. There are a few trails started, but the whole thing has a lot of potential. Hit me up if you have any questions

 

[Diesel~]

Wow, very cool! Please document the process with photos.

-D

 

[resqd1]

Will do as much documentation as I can, but many hands make light work too Went and rode the area and rode it cautiously due to rocks and logs being hidden in the grass, but there is a some good riding to be made of the place. I have some video of the terrain but I ride so slow you guys would all heckle And I don't know where to host the video to show it

 

[J-Flo]

Sounds great. If only we could do this in the Bay Area. But the environment is too . . . ahem . . . sensitive.

 

[jmpreston]

What an opportunity! Please keep us informed. Air conditioning in the summer?

 

[resqd1]

Yeah the faster you ride the more air conditioning

 

[danec99]

Lucky you. was the you tube video yours? Pretty rough out there, what is their process and why are they so resonable?

 

[resqd1]

This video yes it is me. Just needs trails built. No Process, right now as it is, it is not open, then on the 3rd it will be open, currently policy, is bring a shovel build a trail. Everything is still evolving.

 

[mossterioso]

The only problem with that policy is that not everyone with a shovel knows how to build trail. I would be very hesitant to open up an incredible spot like that to anyone with a shovel. You need a plan, this could be a big network of trails with everything from beginner to expert stuff. Just don't start scabbing in a bunch of unsustainable trails only to have to come back and remediate later. Do this place the honor it deserves, make a plan.

 

[resqd1]

I just got invited in to the planning committee, this was there plan, I am trying to change that. Moss still waiting for contact info and everything from you to take to the next meeting. I think the same way, that the trails won't be amazing if it is a free for all.

 

[GlennW]

Looks like this area has some great potential for interesting trails.

Some kind of coordinated plan and standards for building trails would make sense to avoid future problems.

 

[donutnational]

Wow, I'm surprised at the number of people saying a plan is needed... I thought you guys were sick and tired of the over regulation that has swallowed so much of bay area mountain biking. I say ride it in, fix a few places and enjoy! Way better than organizing meetings, trying to please everyone and then waiting years until it actually gets done. As evidenced by the video cows are pretty good at trail building. Volunteer labor is much more difficult to get in the lower foothills of the sierras than in the bay area.
Ride that **** in, enjoy and be glad you have the opportunity.
How may rideable acres in this area?

 

[resqd1]

Approx 700 acres

 

[GlennW]

Wow, I'm surprised at the number of people saying a plan is needed... I thought you guys were sick and tired of the over regulation that has swallowed so much of bay area mountain biking. I say ride it in, fix a few places and enjoy! Way better than organizing meetings, trying to please everyone and then waiting years until it actually gets done.

I'm not suggesting strangling this with process & restriction; just give the authority to a couple of talented, experienced trail builders to come up with a plan and go build some rad trails with volunteer input & effort that won't suck up loads of effort for future maintenance.

 

[Finch Platte]

I'm not suggesting strangling this with process & restriction; just give the authority to a couple of talented, experienced trail builders to come up with a plan and go build some rad trails with volunteer input & effort that won't suck up loads of effort for future maintenance.

This is good advice. When the rangers 'gave' us an area to build trails at Hogan Lake (see my sig), this is what we did. Couple of us had vague ideas of where we wanted trails, and pointed this out to our volunteers (bless them!), and we started working. Over the (20) years, most of the original trails still stand, with only a couple becoIming overgrown due to lack of use. Others have come up to work, and have their own ideas and have done their own trails, with great success.

700 acres is a good-sized parcel of land to play with! Good luck, and if you ever want to see what we've done at Hogan, PM me & we'll arrange a tour. Please keep us posted here on MTBR, especially about more trail work days.

I wish you had put the location in the title of your post, you'd have gotten a lot of responses from the TROGS, I'm sure.

Gary

Edit: I'm having trouble contacting the TROGS, the contact email they have on the site is wrong. I'll try to get ahold of a couple of guys (Fred, Ogre) and maybe they can spread the word.

 

[mossterioso]

I'm not suggesting strangling this with process & restriction; just give the authority to a couple of talented, experienced trail builders to come up with a plan and go build some rad trails with volunteer input & effort that won't suck up loads of effort for future maintenance.

My sentiments exactly. What if a group of people just started riding straight down the hill, over and over, no contour no flow just hit it and hang on. I have seen and ridden too much of this kind of trail. Gotta ride the brakes the entire time. It's a waste of energy. Look this is a bit off the beaten track, although it is right on the way to Yosemite, but this could be a major boon for an area like this. Do it right and it could be a destination, especially in the winter months. Do it wrong, and make more work and headaches for yourself later on down the line. I would like to think we have evolved out of over graded, fall line, non sustainable trail building. Granted if this is some illegal private land thing, then you have no say, let anarchy rule. but if you have a willing land manager who is willing to work with a group of people to build something outstanding, then you are most of the way there. Most meetings are about selling an idea to indifferent land managers, this looks like the land managers are trying to sell the idea. its great. show other communities how to do it right.

 

[gremedey]

I agree with donutnational on this. There are people that are more in the know than I am on this so chime in if needed. The deal as I understand it is that recreation development is part of the FERC licensing process for the Exchequer Dam at McClure. MID has some of the ground around McClure adjacent to the Barrett Cove Area so why not a bike park to go with the camp ground to fulfill the FERC requirement.
This is what I assume as the development of trails. MID doesn't seem to know much about the development of MTB trails and they are looking for people who do. (Being new to MTB, I don't know much either) They have some tools and a few guidelines on where the trails can be (not right next to the campsites). MID's budget is pretty ugly this year so I doubt there is money for a trail build crew. This will be a volunteer project. Come build what you want and ride it in. This will not be a high usage area like SC or Bay Area so the trails won't see the traffic that some areas have. It is to far away from anything to squeeze in a lunch ride.
This is what I do know. There is a lot of potential up there for some good beginner all the way to advanced trails. There doesn't seem to be a lot of red tape attached to this deal so it can happen quickly. It is going to take a lot of work to get it done so if you want access to more trails, come get some.

 

[mossterioso]

It doesn't have to be complicated, make a plan, design it, start building it. but don't start building until you have that. Why rush it right? Don't cut yourself short, yea its not the Bay Area, it's way less restrictive. people will come there if the riding is worth it especially in the winter. From the Bay to this place would be the same distance as going to Auburn. How many people go to Auburn in the winter? I work with a non-profit professional trail building organization who does most things with volunteers, most places have to do it that way. we are willing to take a serious look at this project to see what could be accomplished. How many professional trail builders are building trail without volunteers? probably not many. This is the work part, but the rewards could be awesome. just think if this works out on McClure, Don Pedro is right next door. Could be massive, just don't hurry it. Sounds like MID doesn't have experience with this sort of thing. Lets help educate them in making the right choices for an epic bike park.

 

[mossterioso]

This kind of reminds me of the Allegrippis trail system in Pennsylvania. I talked to one of the oufitters out there and he told me that they get 10,000 people a month coming out there to ride btwn june and august.
The official home of the Allegrippis Trails

 

[george_da_trog]

I've been involved in looking at the area. We are making a plan and no major trail construction has been started yet. It's going to take years to develope the area. There are a few pieces of single track (mostly improved cow trails) at the moment, a couple fire roads, a couple overgrown fire roads and nothing else.
I've made 3 trips to the area to explore and get a feel for what we can do. I met with James at MID on Sunday and he gave us one area of concern where a trail was built and now has to be rerouted but beyond that he's said..... go build.
If you're on facebook and want to be involved do a search for the "Barrett Cove Mountain Bike Park Planning and Discussion" group.