Allaire Conditions
- Thread starter Frank
- Start date
Mildly Wild
Active Member
Sue and I got there about 3:00. Snow was coming down pretty heavy when we left the lot on skinny bikes. Going up Blind trail was not bad, but by the time we got to IMBA the going was starting to get rough. Had to push on most of the switchbacks on the way up Switchback. My feet were now soaked from pushing thru ankle deep snow and things were getting worse as any tracks laid down by fat bikes were getting filled in and hard to navigate. Now we're pushing more than riding:cry:. Met a few fatbikers that seemed to be having a much better time of it:hmmm:. Pkg lot was a most welcome sight.
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
Wet mess
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
Ice Ice Baby!
Rode a few miles in the park before nightfall.
As usual, trails near the lot have been XC skied and walked to death, venture further away and there is little traffic.
Expect Ice, a lot of it. I broke ice (not snow) for an hour, when not breaking ice I was riding on shear sheets of it. For reference I was using studded 4" tires at 5-6 PSI.
Breakable ice was usually three or so inches deep, but could be 7-8" in places.
Pretty positive I would have fallen five or more times without studs and would not have been able to ride further than two miles or so in an hour.
Someone rode a set of bud/lou when the trails were in slush condition, this has created a 5" ice rut along the blind trail and what looks to be glass that may make riding these trails a major PIA until the trails thaw, which will be some time away. I know snow riding is fun, but lets use our heads so the trails are somewhat rideable in the freeze thaw months ahead, especially for our non-fat friends.
If it is muddy, stay out. Even with fat tires. Hover bikes are okay, but you better have a time machine.
Rode a few miles in the park before nightfall.
As usual, trails near the lot have been XC skied and walked to death, venture further away and there is little traffic.
Expect Ice, a lot of it. I broke ice (not snow) for an hour, when not breaking ice I was riding on shear sheets of it. For reference I was using studded 4" tires at 5-6 PSI.
Breakable ice was usually three or so inches deep, but could be 7-8" in places.
Pretty positive I would have fallen five or more times without studs and would not have been able to ride further than two miles or so in an hour.
Someone rode a set of bud/lou when the trails were in slush condition, this has created a 5" ice rut along the blind trail and what looks to be glass that may make riding these trails a major PIA until the trails thaw, which will be some time away. I know snow riding is fun, but lets use our heads so the trails are somewhat rideable in the freeze thaw months ahead, especially for our non-fat friends.
If it is muddy, stay out. Even with fat tires. Hover bikes are okay, but you better have a time machine.
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
What I said two days ago.....no real change
Was out today for a while... steelman was good hog bog was sketchy as was the fire road... the switchbacks have a single deep frozen rut in the center of the trail so that was real bad... and now we are getting a freezing rain mix so I think for the next few days it is not going to be fun... remember even with a fat bike we can do damage to wet/soft trails...
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
Thanks for clarifying that, Mark.
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
I went out yesterday afternoon. There was about 8-10" with some deeper drifts. The majority of the ice is still underneath, and the snow on top was fluffy, so turning was an issue, especially when climbing. The previous ice track made on the blind, glass and IMBA trail is still causing tacking issues (believe it or not).
There was minimal XC ski track, but the foot and horse traffic had started. As of yesterday I would have rated the conditions as less than ideal. After 40 minutes I packed it in......very bummed and not usual for me, but the 10" average at times made a crawl on 4" tires very difficult.
There was minimal XC ski track, but the foot and horse traffic had started. As of yesterday I would have rated the conditions as less than ideal. After 40 minutes I packed it in......very bummed and not usual for me, but the 10" average at times made a crawl on 4" tires very difficult.
Frank
Sasquatch
[GALLERY=media, 1]Image by gt2brew posted Mar 7, 2015 at 2:59 PM[/GALLERY]There are some footprints, XC ski tracks, and fat tracks. Definitely ridable today with a fatty, I wouldn't do it on a XC bike tho. Tracks started to soften up by the time I left because it was hitting the 40's. Next week will be horrible, hopefully it all melts away and dries up before the weekend.
SmooveP
Well-Known Member
Puzzling. Seems like plenty of people are getting fat bikes, everyone is complaining about cabin fever, yet I rarely see anyone out there.
giff06
Well-Known Member
Pat and I stayed closer to home today and got our (hopefully) last XC skiing of this winter season in. Experienced the same thing where we were. Only person we stumbled across was Chris Schilling on his non fat mtb. Tomorrow we hope to hit Island Beach SP and ride south to Barnegat inlet for my first fat ride on the Lurch. Hopefully all the trails will be dry and ridable by next weekend.
Ed and Pat
Ed and Pat
Patrick Botti
Member
Allaire Conditions March 8 2015. Vdeo:
wonderturtle
Well-Known Member
forgive me as i ask this question out of desperation.... is there ANY chance the trails would be rideable by Sunday (for non-fatties)?
Johnny Utah
Well-Known Member
Yes, but it will depend how the coming rain and snow melt interact, I would have a backup plan as there will most likely be some sort of ice on the tread and a solid amount of standing water.