Sourlands Mountain Preserve Conditions
- Thread starter clarkenstein
- Start date
rick81721
Lothar
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Any chance it’ll be dry by Tuesday?
rick81721
Lothar
I doubt it. Best chance might be friday morning if forecast holds, will never get above freezing on thurs, should be frozen friday am
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
I'll circle Friday morning on the calendar! Will report back with conditions after my ride.
rick81721
Lothar
Recon ride today - I fully expected a quick in and out but surprisingly, even shockingly, I declare this place rideable even before the big freeze. Wet in the usual places at the bottom but a thick layer of leaves blankets the mud so there is little rutting. Up top, pretty much perfect. If you are unfamiliar with the trails you will get off them, with so many leaves the trails are completely obscured in spots.
One big tree down on top between exit of red trail and the pipeline (which got a complete buzz cut top to bottom) going counterclockwise:
One big tree down on top between exit of red trail and the pipeline (which got a complete buzz cut top to bottom) going counterclockwise:
Thanks for the recon, @rick81721 ! That log looks pretty rideable to me. Probably won't even ask Rangers to cut it out. This is the Sourlands after all. Did you see my reroute at Marker 6?
rick81721
Lothar
Yeah that tree was pretty rotten. I was pressed for time, can probably get it with a hand saw. No didn't go up that C connector.
Also for those who plan to ride after the big freeze, there will be ice. I rode thru a few streams and some paches of ice will be leaf covered.
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phillychris498
Well-Known Member
I’ll wait until later in the day friday to ride then, but it looks like it won’t get more than a degree or two above freezing. Good to hear the trails are holding up despite the snow + melt
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Indeed, the trails today were pretty damn good. Although I did ride the trails below freezing, there were a few spots with some scattered mud, all in normal spots though. The climb at the beginning of the trail system (the super wide section that climbs up to Boulderama if you stay straight) has a river flowing down the middle of the trail, which was a little sketchy. Unfortunately I think it’ll take at least a few days to dry up after the forecasted rain tomorrow... it should be safe to ride early mornings when it’s still below freezing though.
I’ll reiterate that the leaves down now do make the trails very hard to follow in spots, especially the blue trail (Chunky Monkey). I still need to learn how to piece together the alt lines on that trail before it has any flow.
I’ll reiterate that the leaves down now do make the trails very hard to follow in spots, especially the blue trail (Chunky Monkey). I still need to learn how to piece together the alt lines on that trail before it has any flow.
rick81721
Lothar
@shrpshtr325 , sourlands a no-go. I repeat, sourlands a no-goSeriously, it's bad. Like 6mr, with more rain coming this weekend, I'd stay away until it is frozen.
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Where’s the dislike button?Hiked up to do some TM today. Very wet with more rain on the way. No bueno. Gonna be a WHILE until this place is good againMaybe a deep freeze would be good but i dunno with how deep some of the mud was.
I’ll check back once I’m around again in March...
rick81721
Lothar
Where’s the dislike button?
April for me. But if 2019 is like 2018, it'll be awhile..
was this place rideable for more than a month in 2018? i need to get back there but its been so freaking wet
rick81721
Lothar
was this place rideable for more than a month in 2018? i need to get back there but its been so freaking wet
Worst year since I've been riding. 1 month total of great trail conditions in 2018 is probably a good guess.
Yeah, it may have been even less. I think the fall was the most disappointing, typically the next conditions of the year and on the end, there were a few primo days.
Intel from a friend's ride this morning. Lower trails have some solid ice on them, requiring studs or dismount. Upper trails were better. Warm temps and more rain coming tonight-tomorrow so the ice should go away but it'll probably be a slopfest unless we get another deep freeze. If you enjoy lifting rocks and are free one day during the week next week, send me a PM.