Meadows - Aliso Saturday Feb 23, 2019

OK Kids, time to grab a shovel, McCleod or other such tool and tune up the best flow trail in Orange County. The one and only @kioti Jim Jennings has the green light to bring a crew in whether the park is open or closed. With 10 people or more, we can knock out the entire trail before noon.

Details will follow.

Who's in?

 

I’m registered with LCF to work on Rockit Saturday. Aliso getting some much needed work. Hope it pays off.

 

I'm signed up for that too, but Rock-It probably won't need the repair that Meadows needs, unless they are finally going to make good on their promise to make the last 300 yards of Rock-It more entertaining.

 

9:00 am Main Lot off Alicia, near the LDS church. Jim has tools, if you don't.

 

I’m a big fat maybe. Depends what time we get back from mammoth Friday.

 

Maybe for me. Depends on what the wife will let me get away with.

 

Having signed up with LCF should I stick with that plan or meet Jim down below? I want to do both.

 

Join us.

 

So the LCF stewardship was cancelled for Saturday due to wet conditions. Is Jim still planning on working Meadows? Where do we meet and what do we bring? Thanks.

 

Wtf that’s the best time to do the work. I just dont understand.

 

Yes. Unlike the _______s at LCF, Jim has permission to work if the trails are closed - the best time to do ANY tread work. We are still on.

Bring proper work shoes, gloves, water, sunscreen, snacks, appropriate clothing for the weather and tasks, and your favorite tools for moving dirt. Jim has quite a few extra tools if you don't have any.

Maybe bring a truing stand, chain whip, pedal wrench, lathe, tap and die set, y'know, the usual stuff one carries in one's Camelback.

 

That's about the fifth time they've cancelled due to wet conditions - the ONLY time to do tread work. And, if you recall at the big trails forum meeting they hosted, they were complaining about not enough people to help maintain the existing trails.

 

I'll be there

 

Jim is confirming with rangers...

 

I would definitely have been there... but I have a conflict. Not joking when I say there is a big bonsai show on Saturday I need to attend. Good luck with Meadows - I love that trail. I can at least say I've helped previously

 

Is there an age restriction for this? I'd like to foster trail advocacy for my 10 year old.

 

Hold the phone and stand by people... we are having trouble getting clearance to enter the park tomorrow. Jim is contacting Barbara Norton for final word.

 

Yup. Cancelled. Ranger won’t let anyone in.

Might go work on The Luge, or join the massive amounts of people heading to the snow.

 

So its the rainiest winter in years and the park is NOT taking advantage of the conditions for much-needed trailwork while the dirt can actually be worked, on a weekend when peeps are available? Even if its slightly wetter than optimal, we all know how fast the top layer can dry up around here. Next weekend may be too dry for treadwork, and who knows that might be it for rain this season. Follow conditions!!

 

I don’t understand.

 

It's part of the government. Being understandable is not what they do.

 

So, Aliso open today except Mathis/Car Wreck?! Why on earth couldn’t we work on trails yesterday and now it’s open? Bummer.

 

As is only too obvious... the rangers are not themselves mountain bikers and have no idea how to maintain bike trails. This goes double for CNF, where if the rangers leave their offices it is either in a jacked up pick-up truck or a bulldozer. One wonders how different things would be if, as a requirement for the job, you had to bike or hike the trails at least twice per week? No motorized vehicles allowed?

Two summers ago I was rafting in the Tetons, and I was speaking with a rafting guide who also worked in Teton National Park. As part of his job, he was required to climb to the top of Grand Teton once per week. The idea was that, during the summer months, they rotated climbers so that there was an experienced climber on the mountain EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK to help if needed, or to provide emergency support. These guys knew the mountain and trails intimately. I'd be willing to bet that the rangers in CNF have never even been ON some of the trails - let alone cared for them. It is sad for me to say this, but I truly believe it.

And then when you show up with an army of volunteers to help... they turn you away. Because... no reason. That phrase is becoming sadly familiar to me when dealing with the land managers. Bulldoze three miles of trees for a new firebreak? No problem. Remove a single small tree for a new bike line? Felony.

Were I put in charge of the park, I would immediately add a section to their compensation agreement that included "maintenance of trails". Trails not maintained? Lose 10% of your pay... or your job. Bet the trails would get maintained THEN.

 

Just rode Aliso. The dirt seems like it would have been just fine yesterday or today for trailwork. But, what possibly might make sense, they wanted to focus on the major damage on mathis, using heavy machinery, which perhaps wouldnt be something theyd let volunteers help with. Like I said, might. Still, it sure seems like this winter/spring theyre not even trying to take advantage of the wet dirt and reach out to volunteers and get some good work done.

 

One wonders... does the park system have a promotional tie-in with Caterpillar? "All trail work, even on single track that is 24" wide, MUST be conducted with a bulldozer with minimum 12' wide blade".

Gives another meaning to "Wilderness". You're damned if you try to bring a dog into the park... but bulldozers? No problem!

 

I understand what youre saying, but my hypothetical scenario was referring to Mathis, which is already a fireroad and possibly had large ruts which may necessitate heavy machinery of some kind. I dont think they generally use Caterpillars with 12' wide blades when they (occasionally) work on singletracks. Except when they ran one on Cholla ten years ago, which i believe was a subcontractors mistake.

 

I rode Aliso this afternoon and had a blast. I had more fun riding Aliso in its current chewed up state then in a groomed condition. It felt more like mountain biking than riding a mtb on smooth dirt hiking trails.

 

All my howling at the moon isn't going to change a thing.

(1) It is easy to sit on your ass in an office than go out and walk or ride trails.
(2) It is easier to hire subcontractors with large earth-moving equipment than manage groups of volunteers.
(3) It is easier to maintain a fireroad that follows a straight scar etched through a "wilderness" park than a hiking or biking trail that weaves through trees and follows natural land contours.

So guess what is going to continue to happen?

In the last 20 years... have more fire roads and fire breaks been built? Or single track trails? Which is enjoyed more/used more by the visitors to the parks?

 

All true. I was not defending the overall attitude towards trail maintenance in oc parks or CNf. Just theorizing some plausible reason why the trailwork was cancelled, which I dont even really buy. I certainly agree that we need much more singletrack, especially in the northern SAs, than fire road. On a side note, I’ve noticed, especially this year, that after big rain events, narrow singetracks seem to be generally ok while ride fireroads have gigantic ruts and other damage.

 

The fireroads get maintained (and with heavy equipment) because they're fire roads...Fire has to have access in the event of a fire.

As to cancelling the volunteer trail work days, that's BS.