MTB Trailcare

Ashley and I were joined today by Ben, a new volunteer and a hard worker.  We had a couple of jobs to do and did a tour around to check things after the heavier tasks were done.

The first job is one of those controversial trailcare tasks, where rocky tread is changed to something smoother.   Some call it dumbing down and when technical features are destroyed to make riding easier, that is a fair comment.  But where stutter rocks exposed by erosion rob the trail of flow and also further increase erosion by concentrating water and traffic (wheels) flow between the rocks, it is possible to harden the trail as well as enhance the flow.

If exposed stones are hammered back into the tread, rather than removed, the trail hardens and becomes more resistent to weather and use.  Over time, the stones re-appear, but in that time riders compact the tread even more, allowing more speed, confidence and the chance to create that "one line" that suits everyone, not just the bozos working on the trail.  Here's how this bit of Pete's looked this morning

After we hammered and tamped, the trail had better flow and a faster and more flowing line will now develop.  Small stones were transported in to add to the base in vulnerable areas, especially the wettest bit just downhill of the high point where rider erosion had exposed a clay leayer with water flowing onto it.  

These pics start just a little higher up the trail than the before sequence and hopefully show how riders can now fly up to the highpoint and pick their line down into the exit rock garden when descending, plus enjoy the new climbing flow

The next job was on Brett's; the same place as the last trail news.  This spot has been an evolution in progress for months, or something.  Since last time there has been a little more rain and lots of use.  Time to add more stones...

Each time you add and smash stones into sodden tread, you produce a jelly-like surface that requires time to settle.  Adding more at that time makes everything turn to sludge.  However, if you return and add more stones at intervals, you can achieve a very hardened tread.  This is quite different to what was done on Pete's, where a stony tread was hardened by hammering the stones back in.  Here, more gravel was tamped into the layer of stones added on the June long weekend.  Even more may still have to be added to cope with the incredible amount of water moving through the soil, along the creek bed and across the trail.

Here are some "before" and after pics, hopefully showing the subtle rolling grade dip with added gravel at the new upper entry line

Check the last Trail News for what happened between these before and after photos.  Also note the transplanted grasses at the upper entry, above the laid timber sight line and one near the skinny line

Whilst we were there, we wanted to help stabilise one of the bermed corners leading to the work site.  It is in a very wet area and despite previous attempts to fix it, water still soaks under the soil and into the tread.  Today we added more gravel and a top layer of silt to make riders feel visually secure.  The surface was very jellified when we left, but will harden in time (or be trashed by riders).  Here are before and after pics, plus one of the next turn, where we dug out the drain and added gravel before tamping it all back in for a more durable tread and drain

After wandering around in the bush, we went home happy.  Hope you had a great weekend and that we will see you at one of our trailcare days - or several

Cheers  

Louis