we got a ton of rain in a short time - i'm thinking about hiking in to assess last nights storm damage.
will post up if i do.
Sourlands Mountain Preserve Conditions
- Thread starter clarkenstein
- Start date
we got a ton of rain in a short time - i'm thinking about hiking in to assess last nights storm damage.
will post up if i do.
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Keep me posted!
I'm actually not local to Sourlands. @Patrick or @clarkenstein would know local rain better than me. I'm guessing it's wet but you might be able to do an up the pipeline, loop the upper trails kinda ride and be safe.
My guess it’ll be ok. All the armoring down low has made a huge difference. Sun and wind always helps the cause, who cb we have today.
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Thanks, going to give it a try tomorrow.
didn't make it over - the tech might have gotten the leaves blown off - have fun!
gcab
Active Member
Rode Sunday afternoon before the rain, bottom on the Chunky Monkey side (lower trail 1 and 2) was a little damp in spots, but once you started climbing it was dry. Leaves were ok, brushed some off some alternate line rocks, but overall good.
Here is my trailforks ridelog to show you what we rode: https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/19410478/
Here is my trailforks ridelog to show you what we rode: https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/view/19410478/
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Great day for sourlands - the borderline weather with a chance of rain kept the lot to only 10 cars, and everything up top was dry. Some of the alt lines are pretty hidden right now, though - I’ve ridden Sourlands a lot and I accidentally skipped a few. I always forget how many good lines there are on tres amigos/Boulderama.
I de-leafed most of the alt lines on 3 Amigos on 11/8 but who knows what the wind and trees have done since then. Trying to get down there when I can to clear some more but it will be a gradual process. Everyone else is welcome to have at it with leaf clearing, just don't remove leaves from the main trails as they help protect the tread and make the trails rideable faster after wet weather. Totally fine to clear alt lines and maybe Chunky Monkey as it gets hard to even follow the trail this time of year.
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Wow! It must have been the wind; there were some A lines that I could tell were recently cleared, and others that felt like surfing in between the boulders.
JPark
Well-Known Member
There had been some discussion on this forum about Sourlands trail expansion.
Yesterday, I did an off-trail hike heading north from Chunky Monkey toward the pipeline. I took geo-tagged photos of cool rock features. Big flat rock features, some are just rake and ride and others would need some help. I crossed the pipeline until I hit a fence and had to turn around.
Maybe a way of creating a new trail is geo-tagging cool features and playing connect the dots?
The photos and their locations can be viewed on the web version of Strava.
https://www.strava.com/activities/4352250412
Yesterday, I did an off-trail hike heading north from Chunky Monkey toward the pipeline. I took geo-tagged photos of cool rock features. Big flat rock features, some are just rake and ride and others would need some help. I crossed the pipeline until I hit a fence and had to turn around.
Maybe a way of creating a new trail is geo-tagging cool features and playing connect the dots?
The photos and their locations can be viewed on the web version of Strava.
https://www.strava.com/activities/4352250412
I like that method, in theory. The key, of course, will be making sure the connecting routes to the features are dry/sustainable. Also, any new trails will require park permission, flagging, review and approval before building can start. Not saying they wouldn't be open to the idea right now with how much traffic the park is getting, but they did just re-mark/map the whole park and the new map version hasn't even been completed yet.
JPark
Well-Known Member
Understood.
if you get a chance, ride/hike in from the top of starview/murray in hillsborough - see what is up there.
there is an unlocked gate. must be at least a jeep road - but not sure what you'll find???
JPark
Well-Known Member
Next time the weather gives us poor riding conditions (which probably won't be too far away) I'll check it out.
Looks like a lot of unused area in that part of the park.
rick81721
Lothar
Lots of quad trails back there, and I've heard them occasionally. Might be some scary characters!
i found the ones between zion and the upper pipeline - the entrance is behind the radio tower - and paths into everyone's backyard.
there is also something across the pipeline up there that needs exploring. it is part of the quarry, but outside the fence.
[_____]’s Secret Trail. Remnants may still be there. Name redacted to protect the innocent.
I think a great spot for development is up on top of the ridge, that area NNE of Boulderama. Probably links to that fire road you found off Starview. I used to poke around looking for boulders to climb in that zone.
JPark
Well-Known Member
Yesterday I hiked north from the northern most part of Boulderama, but never made it as far as that housing development. (there is this purple/pink trail right around there that is not on the map)
As you would it expect, it started off extremely rocky but then the rocks disappear. I could only get about a quarter mile in before I hit some dense pricker bushes which seemed to continue north as far as I could see.
I then turned east and down the ridge about 70ft and started heading back. There is a bit of a natural bench that works it's way back to around where Boulderama meets the parking loop.
Everywhere that I hiked was DRY.
Nice! There’s some old stuff over there. I think it’s a good area for a side loop.