Sandy Ridge Trail System-- Trails are open...

Submitted Mon, 12/28/2009 - 12:37pm by toowacky

I heard from a couple of riders this past weekend that there was a BLM public notice posted at the trailhead at Homestead Rd (the paved road you ride up to access Hide & Seek) indicating closure of BLM land "along the Southern Boundary of the Bull Run Management Unit (BRMU) and within the Little Sandy River".  It also mentions affected area "T2S R6E sec 13, 14, 15".

I called the BLM office and spoke to the contact for the notice.  She (Cindy Enstrom) confirmed that this refers to only the watershed land that borders the land the trails are on.  The trails are definitely open.

So, when you bike there, and ride the paved road up to get to the Hide & Seek trailhead, if you go further up the road, to the North, you will eventually reach the boundary of the watershed. This was clearly marked w/ a sign the last time I went all the way up there. Cindy (BLM) also stated that there used to be an upper gate to prevent further access via the road, and that there were plans to re-add a gate up top, and she said they would try to make the signage clearer to avoid confusion as to whether the trails themselves were affected.

Looking at this map provides a visual idea of where the watershed starts/borders the trail system land (towards the top of the map):
http://nw-trail.org/files/sd_ca_sandytrailbrochure.pdf

So, in summary, nothing's changed, the completed sections are still open. They're a lot of fun if you haven't checked them out.

‹ Scappoose is closed after dark Lift Assist trails coming to Stevens Pass ›

?

by dcufan - 2009-12-28 14:48

what are the trails like length wise and style wise?  

Thanks!

4.25 miles so far

by toowacky - 2009-12-29 10:30

If you look at the PDF link I posted, you'll see the plan for the project.  Currently one section is completed, 4.25 miles, the 'Hide & Seek' trail.  This is best ridden downhill.  The upper trailhead is accessed via a paved road (Homestead Rd) that you access via a parking area/closed gate off Barlow Trail road (see PDF).  It's a manageable climb.

The H&S trail is a great flowly trail that starts off with a bermed repurposed double-track fireroad, then dips into the trees and traverses the hillside w/ lots of nice flow, some pedaling needed at times, but lots of roots, etc. to make it interesting, and some switchbacks.  There is one stream crossing that should have a bridge in the next year, but still cross-able.  The lower section flattens out, is more open out of the green trees and into the deciduous,  and is a swoopy, bermed trail w/ small dirt jumps/doubles, but it's all rollable.

A buddy of mine describes the trail as "Wow, good (stuff) up there, especially the top half! Some of the best if not the best singletrack trail design I have ridden around here. Reminds me a lot like Mary's Peak North Ridge trail with added burms and little less roots. The trail just flows."...  "Further down the trail, the tread changes some and slope flattens a bit, then comes the mini-doubles and swooping berms and S-turns all the way back down to Rd. 14 just above the yellow gate. Lower trails are good, with nice flow ...the trail wasn't as visible as the upper stuff and the trail widens to doubletrack in sections"  and "I would best describe them as flowly AM trails with a splash of SS with all the burms and some tables, doubles. Anything from an Enduro or Remedy type AM bike to pedally FR bike like SX, SS would do. A true DH or poor climbing FR bike would be a bit much there, whereas a XC or lightweight trail bike wouldn't be that fun either."

That's pretty close, although I'd argue that it would be fun on an XC bike or a hardtail, also, just not very fun on a BIG bike.  The best part of the trail, IMO, is that all skill levels can ride it.  Any features are low-consequence, and a less skilled rider can be challenged a bit and still have fun, but a good rider can really have a blast.

The upper section will have an 8-mile loop (Communication Breakdown) w/ a trail that bi-sects it (Rippity Doo-Dah), which will link up w/ Hide & Seek. The loop will basically run around the ridge up top.  This is a BLM project w/ IMBA design/building, and if the rest of it is as good as H&S, it will be one of the premier trails in the area, IMO.  Can't wait for summer!