Recently, NWTA met with the BLM to exchange planning information for 2018. Here’s what’s coming for Sandy Ridge:
The Sandy Ridge Trailhead
Construction begins October 2nd on expansion of the Sandy Ridge Trailhead. Long-term plans include tripling parking capacity and adding tailgating bump outs, potable water, security improvements, changing rooms, a bicycle wash station, and a bike hub for minor repairs. The existing trailhead will be closed for a few months, but the Sandy Ridge trails will remain open.
Sandy Ridge Trails
A new trail, Johnny Royale, is being planned for construction in 2018. Connecting Two Turntables and a Microwave to the new trailhead, Johnny Royale will provide a higher degree of challenge (“dark blue”) than — while reducing congestion on — lower Hide and Seek. (When asked where our Sandy Ridge Shuttle fundraiser income goes, Johnny Royale is a great example to point to.) Also, a land swap with Clackamas County is underway that will bring the trails TNT and Little Monkey officially into the Sandy Ridge system (and into our maintenance portfolio).
Pay to Play
A Northwest Oregon District BLM Pass — specific to BLM properties and different than the USFS’s Northwest Forest Pass — will soon be required to ride at Sandy Ridge. Revenue (the passes are $30 annually or a $5 a day) will be used to improve BLM properties in the Northwest. Unlike other systems, 12 hours of volunteer time on Northwest District BLM lands will net you a free annual pass! (It’s not too soon to get started; SRT work parties are being planned for fall 2017.)
Sandy Ridge Shuttle Events
Thanks to the BLM, we’re engaging with the City of Sandy — which now operates the Mt Hood Express — on plans for our 2018 Sandy Ridge Shuttle events. The outlook includes Mt Hood Express buses, trailers, and drivers, with the expanded SRT trailhead making turnaround easy and allowing for a larger event footprint— potentially with more sponsors, demo bikes, and refreshments.
I’d like to acknowledge the fabulous (and hard) work that David Moore and Dan Davis, Outdoor Recreation Planners for the Bureau of Land Management’s Northwest District, have put into making Sandy Ridge one of the Northwest’s premier places to ride. They’re wonderful partners.