W.T.F. proposal to OPRD for technical skill trails at Stub

Last week, Oregon Parks & Recreation Department released a draft of their new Policy Statement about partnering with "proponent organizations" to help with designing, building, and on-going maintenance of park facilities ("trails").  Below is W.T.F.'s submission (sent end of last week - 7 days ago) of a proposal under this new draft policy to construct technical skill trails (purpose built, natural surface with challenging features, for one-way downhill use by All-mountain, Freeride, and DH mountain bikers).    Response from state-wide trails manager was that a response would be coming "very soon" about our proposal (we've been talking to them about our Vision for couple years now).

Westside Trail Federation proponent proposal
for technical mountain bike single-track trails with challenging features at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park
- Submitted for consideration: June 19, 2009 -

Overview

This
is a proposal submitted by the Westside Trail Federation volunteer
trail builder non-profit organization for construction of new technical
single-track trails with challenging features within L.L. Stub Stewart
State Park in designated mountain biking specific area of park.  Vision
is for variety of short (less than 1 mile) mountain biking specific (single-use) one-way (downhill) natural surface single-track trails with varying level of difficulty challenging features including a small (less than 600 sq. yards) skill park area near end of trails.   Series of trails would be designed for use by All-mountain, Freeride, and Downhill mountain biking riders
starting at top of hill located within mountain biking zone of park -
options for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill level riders -
with skill filters (low risk, high skill) and bypass routes when
appropriate.  Each trail option would be less than 1 mile in length and
would tie into Caddy Whomper corridor to enable users to easily ride
back to technical trail access point to push back to top to repeat
descent.  These trails would integrate well with existing and proposed
Cross-country single-track mountain biking trails.  Construction of
single-track trails and technical trail features (TTF's) would be
handled by local volunteers organized by Westside Trail Federation. 
Ongoing maintenance and inspection would be facilitated by Westside
Trail Federation designated volunteer trail managers.  Collaboration
with Northwest Trail Alliance (formerly known as Portland United
Mountain Pedalers) to undertake maintenance of upper 1/3 of plain
single-track would be arranged.

Other Local Facilities

There
are currently not any trail facilities within 95 miles of L.L. Stub
Stewart which offer the same experience for users, and even the
proposed technical skill area at Stub does not provide the level of
experience desired by FR/DH users.  The Departments own draft Policy
Statement regarding engaging proponent mountain biking organizations
has criteria which points out that "Freeriders" and "Downhillers"
typically want trails
to be 1 - 6 miles in length.  Closest sanctioned DH/Freeride area from
L.L. Stub Stewart State
Park is
Post Canyon (96.8 miles from Stub over 1 hr 50 min one-way driving
time) and Black Rock Mountain Bike Area (100 miles away, over 2 hours
of one-way driving time).

Alternative opportunities:
There are unsanctioned "illegal" trails being built and/or in use
currently near Timber and Scappoose for Downhill riders, however W.T.F.
organization does not condone that activity (it is not sustainable
trail construction best practise and is illegal) but recognize this activity as
response by local users who currently have no other alternatives
available within their vicinity.

Under construction phase:
There is a bike skill park being constructed by City of Vernonia,
however this is not "Freeride" nor "Downhill" facility - it is on flat
terrain and primarily geared towards Dirt Jumping (BMX style).   There
is recognition that this bike skill area provides a beginner area to
engage younger users, and the nearby State Park would offer an
increasing level of challenge as their skills grow.

In planning phase:
The Oregon Department of Forestry (Forest Grove District) has
designated a project area in Tillamook State Forest for "mountain
biking area #1" with options for technical challenge trails.  W.T.F.
has also proposed a much longer network of trails (but focused more on
Downhill) within Tillamook State Forest and is continuing to engage
with land managers to plan.   There is an unknown timeline for when
this area would (if ever) be built out to include Downhill or Freeride
opportunities.   There is a project under way within Portland city
limits for a "Gateway Green" bike park which does include a small
Freeride skill park area.  Northwest Trail Alliance is proponent
organization engaged on planning at Gateway Green.

Proposed Location

North
end of L.L. Stub Stewart State Park on east side of Hares Canyon within
mountain biking area as designated by current park Trail Plan.

Terrain
scouting has already been conducted by W.T.F. volunteer trail
builders.  Ideal location for hilltop access trail and variety of
beginner, intermediate, and advanced single-track with a designated
skill park area has been rough flagged by permission of park trail
manager.   Below highlights general area (light gray) of proposed
trails (green) in relation to "Caddy Whomper Way" corridor (yellow) and
other existing shared-use park trails (gray).   Note that proposed
trails are geographically separated from other areas of park by large
drainage at upper end of Hares Canyon.   This helps with user dispersal
as well as aids with risk management - users accessing technical
single-track trails would need to have a certain level of skill simply
to reach the area - they would also pass thru not only the main access
point to mountain biking area but a secondary access point to the more
technical trails (prior to pushing up to the hill top).

In
keeping with existing trail naming convention at Park, there is
suggested name proposed by volunteer trail builders for small skill
area at end of technical skill trails: "Greenhorn Skill Area"
(greenhorn means a new logger, someone with untested or lacking
experience).   There are several ideas for naming overall technical
skill area, including "Skyline Freeride Area" (skyline refers to a
technique of logging which employs a cable strung between spar trees),
however no name for area is required (users would presumably commonly
refer to area as "Stub freeride area" if there isn't a name designation
other than general "freeride area" label).  Each individual skill trail
should be named however - naming suitably for skill level required - to
add addiitonal "psychological" filter.  For example, naming the
advanced line "Widow Maker" and the beginner trail "Bobcat" (these
aren't literal suggestions, just examples).

Background about Westside Trail Federation

Ryan
McLane (President) and Joe Rykowski (Secretary) founded W.T.F. as an
Oregon non-profit (public benefit corporation) in June 26, 2007.   
Board was expanded in 2008 to include Chris Long (Treasurer) and
Stephanie Yao Long (Alternate/Member-At-Large).

This
organization has already been engaged with L.L. Stub Stewart State Park
managers to help with organizing volunteer group "work parties"
starting in 2008 to help with construction of approved cross-country
single-track and Caddy Whomper Way corridor in mountain biking area.  
Our core volunteer trail builders have attended multiple IMBA Trail
Solutions training events, attended IMBA Bike Summit/World Mountain
Biking conferences, and have years of practical "on the ground"
experience constructing trails and features in support of other
regional projects - including Black Rock Mountain Bike Area (managed by
Oregon Department of Forestry - Salem district - with trails
built/maintained by Black Rock Mountain Bike Association (BRMBA)) as
well as Sickter Lars technical single-track trail loop at Storey Burn
(managed by Oregon Department of Forestry - Forest Grove district).

W.T.F.'s
primary mission is to collaborate with land managers west of Portland
metro to develop Downhill and Freeride mountain biking trail
destinations.  We provide volunteer design, construction, and
maintenance thru member lead volunteer work groups.

Contact Information

Westside Trail Federation
PO Box 4042
Hillsboro, OR  97123

http://westsidetrailfederation.org

Ryan McLane (president@westsidetrailfederation.org)
Joe Rykowski (secretary@westsidetrailfederation.org) - primary contact for L.L. Stub Stewart State Park projects