Help Open Singletrack at Minnewaska State Park

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Sick4surf

Guest
Help Open Singletrack at Minnewaska State Park

Minnewaska State Park's scenic vistas have made it a destination for New York mountain bikers, but bicycles have always been confined to wide carriage roads. As New York State Parks solicits comments on its draft master trails plan, your input is needed to create new singletrack experiences.

This is your opportunity to help shape the future of mountain biking at this wonderful park. Please write a brief letter in your own words using the following talking points to respectfully request access to singletrack trails.

Take Action!

Request singletrack open to mountain biking at Minnewaska State Park. Create your own letter from the talking points below and send the park an email: Mark.hohengasser@oprhp.state.ny.us

The deadline for comments is August 11.

Talking Points

Please provide singletrack trail opportunities for mountain bicyclists in Minnewaska State Park, including the recently acquired Awosting property.

Narrow, singletrack trails provide a high-quality experience desired by most mountain bikers. They bring us closer to nature and also help reduce speeds.

Mountain biking is a quiet, human-powered activity and scientific research has shown its environmental impacts are similar to those of hiking and far less than other uses.

Getting more people out to appreciate nature creates a broader volunteer base to draw upon when help is needed to maintain trails or preserve habitats from invasive plants or other threats.

If you are willing to volunteer for trailwork events, bike patrol, or other services at Minnewaska, please mention that in your letter.

Additional Information

Check out a slideshow from the Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists' (CLIMB) group ride at Minnewaska. http://www.climbonline.org/new_paltz_2004_01.html

The Minnewaska State Park website:

http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkId=78

If your from out of state, mention the tourism benefits and the amount of food you need to eat to ride for a few days.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
nice! letter written.

i spent many days up in the gunks climbing. i love it up there. for my bachelor party, we climbed up there one day and mountain biked minnewaska another... and we would have loved some singletrack around the lake.

minnewaska would be a great destination with some singletrack access.
 

RacerChick

Hudson Valley Girl
Good luck

The shop I ride for is minutes away from Minnewaska State Park. It is the most gorgeous place. I will do what I can to help the cause.

RC ...
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
hey - just an update from the email i sent.

i got a response from Mark at the email address above. he seems like a real nice guy and is going to present some of my comments at one of the upcoming planning meetings for the new area... so if you guys have an interest in riding in upstate at all, and have a minute or two to write him a note to consider mtn bike access fire one off - it could probably help out...

by the way... is this new property also known as 'lost city'?
 
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Sick4surf

Guest
not sure...thanks for writing the letters. today is the last day, please get your comments in by midnight.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
just got an update on Minnewaska - looks like a good amount of pro-mtn biking comments made it into the minnewaska park master plan proposal so far for singletrack. here's an excerpt of a summary of the comments they received from the public that they are considering while drafting the plan.

I love the mountain dew comment.

Cycling
The cycling community as a whole provided comments concerning access to either new or existing “single track” trails.
• Allow for single track trails on the Awosting property to complement the existing carriage roads. Cyclists would construct trails in accordance with U.S. Forest Service guidelines, using established and respected International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) techniques.
• Allow cycling on existing hiking trails as it is scientifically proven in multiple studies to be compatible a compatible use and equally impactful to the environment as hiking.
• Create a separate trail head for cycling/trail use to reduce congestion at existing parking lots.
• Cycling is a healthful activity that has low impact on properly designed and maintained trails, similar to hiking.
• The closing of the Hamilton Point Carriageway to bicycles should be made permanent because of user conflict.
• Cyclists are willing and excited to work with park staff to construct a sustainably built, well-designed contour trail system takes people into nature while safeguarding the environment.
• Do not provide single track trails for cyclists.
• Use DEC recent policy on trail access to public land which states that cyclists are allowed to use single track trails unless specifically signed otherwise.
• Survey results show that the average mountain bicyclists do not reflect the image portrayed by a Mountain Dew television commercial. Due to exaggeration and stereotyping by the media, the perception that some sports are a liability is often not based on reality. Proper trail design and signage is the basic foundation of any risk management plan devised to minimize injuries and ensure a safe and fun experience for all trail users.
• Cyclists provide increased “eyes and ears” security in the more remote areas of the Park and can get assistance quickly if needed.
• Please provide equal access for cyclists.
• Cyclists willing to create a regular trail stewardship program and patrol for trails.
• Allow for cycling on the Smiley Carriage road.
 
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