Wildcat Ridge WMA Conditions

[trailhead]

Update 11/19/12
Wildcat Ridge Trail (Yellow) is clear from splitrock to Hawkwatch Trail, thanks to Utah, GraveYardMan67 and GSS.
Hawkwatch Trail (orange) is clear.
Hibernia Brook Trail (orange) is clear.
Righter Mine Trail (Green) is clear but note that bulldozer work is in process by the power line tower.

The Four Birds Trail (White) north of the hawkwatch (towards slitrock) has extensive damage in the valley. The infamous "bolder" section is trapped between very large downfall. JORBA marked re-routes with pink tape and this may or may not be temporary based on assessment by the NYNJTC.

 

[trailhead]

Update 11/25/12
The "low road" on the righter mine trail (green) is now open.

 

[extremedave]

Thanks for all the work, everything we rode yesterday was good. The little reroutes on yellow were fun also. There was one big blowdown on lower green, were you up there in the afternoon?
Awesome job!

 

[trailhead]

Thank you for the recognition!

I saw a bunch of riders going into the green at 10am.....we came up behind in a car....I don't think anyone even realized...later in the day I cleared the big oak on lower green.

Did you ride the split rock loop trail ( dark blue)?
wondering if that is clear.

Four birds (white) has it's problem areas, and I work in cooperation with the NYNJTC on it. They "evaluate" each blow down and make a ruling on whether to clear or re-route. They have their own sawyers who may tackle it...we will have to wait a bit and see how it goes. In the mean time, follow the pink tape.

 

[extremedave]

Thank you for the recognition!

I saw a bunch of riders going into the green at 10am.....we came up behind in a car....I don't think anyone even realized...later in the day I cleared the big oak on lower green.

Did you ride the split rock loop trail ( dark blue)?
wondering if that is clear.

Four birds (white) has it's problem areas, and I work in cooperation with the NYNJTC on it. They "evaluate" each blow down and make a ruling on whether to clear or re-route. They have their own sawyers who may tackle it...we will have to wait a bit and see how it goes. In the mean time, follow the pink tape.

We did the basic loop; light blue (beach glen) green, yellow, orange. I had read four birds was problematic so we stayed off it. You must have showed up just after we left. That's the tree I was wondering about, cool.
Thanks again!

 

[GSS]

Haven't been to Wildcat since the snow fell. Anyone care to give a trail condition report?? Rideable?? Thanks.

 

[UtahJoe]

I did most most of the loop yesterday...Skipped the part of orange to the hawkwatch, and the piece of white that takes you to the spine.

http://app.strava.com/activities/36308485

Most everything was rideable, although some spots I had to work. Few spots on old beach glen were a tough, but these sections were short. Mostly yellow from the dam to upper denmark rd, that section was snow covered and slow going. I rode the entire section, but it was a workout. Overall, I thought it was really fun.

 

[GSS]

Thanks Utah. Conditions were so good before the snow. Should get melt this week for good ridin this weekend.

 

[trailhead]

We did a ride out to Charlottsburg, around splitrock and back. As the day progressed and the tread loosened up the riding got tough. Getting up any type of hill was super difficult. Unless it re-freezes, expect to work real hard to get anywhere. I'll be doing to dirt road route this week.

 

[extremedave]

Perfect out there today. Some snow towards the back mainly on yellow, but it was hard and you could easily stay on top, even those with less capable bikes. There were some huge ice patches anywhere it's normally wet (mainly on yellow again and a couple smaller ones on green) so be careful especially if you ride it clockwise and hit them downhill. Everywhere else it was rock hard and awesome. Hawkwatch was sunny and warm, oddly enough. It was really great riding there today.

Oh. The entrance to yellow after crossing the dam was obliterated by a new utility entrance to the power lines. You can hop over and get back on the trail about 50-100 feet up.

 

[mattybfat]

Perfect out there today. Some snow towards the back mainly on yellow, but it was hard and you could easily stay on top, even those with less capable bikes.

Your Fatness missed a perfect opportunity then cuz all the mooches were 95% snow covered. But mine and Ians misfit did just fine in the snow, just saying ...

 

[pxs231]

The southern exposure trails were ok but the yellow trail had 3-4" of crunchy snow which was impossible on my wide tire 29er. I had to bail using the road the first chance I got because I was nowhere fast.

 

[goodvibe]

Rode Wildcat today. Conditions were great. There was lots of crunchy dirt that will turn to mud once it thaws out though.

 

[GSS]

Take Righter Mine up to the powerline and check out the fire damage. Must have happened Sat afternoon.

 

[graveyardman67]

Fire control was up there around 4 pm on Saturday. I tried to get down to the boat launch in my truck but Boonton twp fuz was on the scene and said it was a small fire that was under control so I went home.

Construction guys I guess. I have seen them working weekends for the last month.

 

[GSS]

Was pretty far in and a big piece of land burned. That did a great job controlling it.

 

[GSS]

They not That.

 

[BAIN]

beach glen trail in in perfect shape back and forth. i really have to start riding other sections of this spot being that I live two seconds from the bat cave, but I love everything the blue has to offer on a "there and back" ride.

 

[Thin Diesel]

There's a tree blocking the green (Righter Mine?) trail right near the trailhead at the bottom. A few other trees down here and there (various trails), but this one really impedes one's momentum for the ensuing climb.

 

[trailhead]

There's a tree blocking the green (Righter Mine?) trail right near the trailhead at the bottom. A few other trees down here and there (various trails), but this one really impedes one's momentum for the ensuing climb.

This has been cleared.