[kelly3512]

I read the forums alot but don't post much so here goes a call for your experience and expertise.

We have local trails that are primarily open double track and very fast and relatively flat single track. We've approached the political machine that controls the trails to include any skills or technical section and came away with zero possibility of their creation. I'm talking simple things like rock gardens or log pyramids (they add in gravel to smooth out the rooty sections). The area is good for race training but not for skill development. The race team is very active in trail maintenance and volunteer to run a race every year that brings in roughly 600 racers.

So here's the question: I've approached the adjoining county, where I actually live, on the prospects of building single track in the same area that cross country ski trails are located. For our area the terrain is good with plenty of opportunity for short climbs and undulating trails. The parks directors initial response was that we could use the xc ski trails and was concerned about errosion. I'm putting together a formal plan for trail building, schedule, volunteer needs, etc to also include errosion controls and building techniques.

To accelerate the building of the trails I'm going to attempt to try to pique the interest of the xc ski club and use the existing relationships to leverage the construction of a year around recreation area.

Now to speak to the title of the thread: Another area that I see as an opportunity is to chase the elusive trail grants whether they are local or federal. I would greatly appreciate any direction, contacts, or websites that you may have knowledge of that may help in this project.

Empty canvas here folks, I NEED HELP!!

 

[woodway]

Are you doing this on your own, or are you a part of a club?

Getting grants as an individual is impossible. If you are part of a club that is a registered non-profit, there are many places that you can go to apply for grant money. Check out your state office that administers federal trail/recreation grant money, your state parks department may offer recreation grants, even your local county or city may offer recreation grants. Another good place to look is for youth sports or recreation funds, if you can work a youth aspect into your plans.

Every state/local is different in the sources of grant money. Try to find other local groups that have been sucessful in obtaining grant money (horse groups, hiker groups, etc.) and see if they will give you pointers (warning - they may consider you competition for grant money and not want to help out).

Some of the larger retail organizations have foundations that also offer grant money. For example, my club just applied for a grant through the Home Depot Foundation.

Good luck.

 

[Fattirewilly]

So here's the question: I'm putting together a formal plan for trail building, schedule, volunteer needs, etc to also include errosion controls and building techniques.

To accelerate the building of the trails I'm going to attempt to try to pique the interest of the xc ski club and use the existing relationships to leverage the construction of a year around recreation area.

Arm yourself with the science on trail use that's out there showing the minimal impact of mt bikes. http://www.imba.com/resources/science/index.html

Buy a clinometer and learn what the 1/2 rule and 10% rule are regarding "sustainable" trail design and construction. Avoid truly flat areas where drainage is impossible to get. Get away from "erosion control" terminology because if the trail is built right, you don't need "erosion control". http://www.imba.com/resources/trail_building/index.html

Perhaps map and study the layout of the existing XC Ski trails. Figure out what's there that already has sustainable alignments. Propose changes and reroutes on those sections that are not sustainable like the one trail heading straight down the hill into a creek. That way you're mitigating existing issues instead of just building new trail. Mitigation combined with new trail here and there basically evens out any kind of negative impact arguements against you.

Buy your land managers copies of IMBA's trail building and managing mt biking books.

 

[kelly3512]

Awesome responses!

Woodway, thanks for your point on being a registered non profit. I'm looking to partner the biking side of this with the ski club that has been established for a couple of decades. This way it may shorten the timeline up just a bit.

Fattirewilly, you bring up great points here. Remarkably to me, I already had some of it and the information I didn't have will be very useful. You piqued my interest a bit with the consideration of the existing xc trails. We had planned on using them as a central portion of trail and 'cloverleaf' off of it for the remaining trail. This would allow for some creative rides of whatever length wanted. Your points made me back up and apply the trail building golden rules for sustainablility. There are steep hills on the current trail that do not meet the guidelines and would most likely not withstand high traffic.

Thanks for the help, any more would be welcomed. k

 

[cjohnson]

regarding the XC ski trails

Not all the XC ski types see eye-to-eye with Mt bikers. If they groom for skate, they will be concerned about erosion and gullies forming.

An XC ski area can be a nice area to build as two track and single track can be linked for a longer trail experience (until you get all your single track built). I would consider proposing to the XC ski club that single track would be built to avoid any of their big hills (alternative bike route) if you meet resistance from them.

good luck.