Sourlands Trail Work Session Sunday 11/4 9am

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Since it's almost Halloween:
Somerset County has the next trail day scheduled for Sunday 11/4. Meet at the East Mountain Road lot at 9am. BYO work gloves, water and bug spray and be prepared to hike (or ride) up to the work site. Tools will be provided. Work site TBD (open to suggestions from trail users) but I'm leaning toward a switchback reroute of the short, steep climb to Marker 6. This is my preferred route, though I think most people take Roaring Rocks instead. A tree fell on the climb and a go-around has started forming anyway and this section was pretty eroded already as it was mostly fall line. 2, maybe 3 short switchbacks should do it. Would need a handful of experience people to get this accomplished in 1 session though so we'll see what turnout looks like.
Alternate project could be to continue armoring the wet end of Chunky Monkey. The work we did there with the Boy Scout troop 2 TMs ago is holding up awesome and there's still a cache of rocks they harvested for us.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
unfortunately i can't make that date. Hopefully i can get up there are do a little side work.
thanks for coordinating!
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Bump for Sunday. If you're coming let me know. Attendance will help me decide on the project.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
I’m out - wedding anniversary. If there’s any spots you need cleaned up after let me know.
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
So just got an update from Ranger Dave. Turns out the Rangers have a project already scheduled with a group of 30ish people for Sunday to "improve" the main trail heading out from the parking lot. Not sure what that means so i will be there to ensure a MTB voice is heard. If they don't need me and i see they're not going to do anything to "our" detriment, i may branch off on my own elsewhere on the hill.
 

rick81721

Lothar
So just got an update from Ranger Dave. Turns out the Rangers have a project already scheduled with a group of 30ish people for Sunday to "improve" the main trail heading out from the parking lot. Not sure what that means so i will be there to ensure a MTB voice is heard. If they don't need me and i see they're not going to do anything to "our" detriment, i may branch off on my own elsewhere on the hill.

Still in FL. Check with Jeff, I remember talk about narrowing the trail from the trailhead (beginning for hikers/runners going counter-clockwise, the end for mountain bikers) to that first bridge/maple flats trail. The "powers that be" didn't like how wide it was.
 

clarkenstein

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
So just got an update from Ranger Dave. Turns out the Rangers have a project already scheduled with a group of 30ish people for Sunday to "improve" the main trail heading out from the parking lot. Not sure what that means so i will be there to ensure a MTB voice is heard. If they don't need me and i see they're not going to do anything to "our" detriment, i may branch off on my own elsewhere on the hill.

Is this the annual bouldering comp? Usually around this time of year the climbers all get together for a clean up.
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Still in FL. Check with Jeff, I remember talk about narrowing the trail from the trailhead (beginning for hikers/runners going counter-clockwise, the end for mountain bikers) to that first bridge/maple flats trail. The "powers that be" didn't like how wide it was.

That's probably it and i agree that section is too wide and braided. I think it still needs 2 distinct paths though - climbing and descending. User group conflict can flare there since bikers are bombing downhill at the end of their ride and tons of hikers are coming up. I'll see if the Rangers agree with my idea.
 

Kirt

JORBA: Chimney Rock, Team MTBNJ.COM
JORBA.ORG
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Dave Dendler retired last year and he was the driving force behind the bouldering events. I would guess that's the reason it's not happening any longer (if it is in fact, it is not).
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
So, i showed up at 9am and talked to the Ranger who was leading this big group of 30ish people whose task was to narrow the main trail. Told him my concerns about narrowing it too much and he agreed. He then informed me that the big group was having breakfast in the parking lot first and wouldn't be starting work until 10. I figured "they got this" and i didn't want to stand around for an hour so i took off on a solo mission and got a lot accomplished:
- Hiked up pipeline to Marker 5, then took that trail to Marker 6 - clearing sticks and debris as i went.
- Flagged and rough raked the new reroute at the Marker 6 climb. Still needs to be approved by the Rangers but i think it'll work nicely. Gonna take some decent bench cutting but that spot is surprisingly rock-free so should go quick. Could probably be ridden as-is right now though except for the last switchback which will require a retaining wall.
- Hiked from Marker 6, up the C trail to 3-Amigos and then to Montezuma. Cleared sticks and debris as i went and did a thorough clean up of any rock features i passed. I also took out the little tree across the trail on Montezuma, right before the first rock feature that i posted about in the conditions thread weeks ago.
- Hiked down the C trail from Marker 4 to go back and check out the work on the main trail. Cleared sticks and debris as i went.
When i got down, the big group was already done with their work and it looks great. Basically they closed off the "sprawl" furthest from the stream with tons of trees and rocks. Trail is much narrower and more well-defined but still plenty of room for passing and getting by hikers. All-in-all a successful day. The weather was so nice too, i wish i had extra time/energy to ride after but oh well, maybe next weekend.
 

rick81721

Lothar
Awesome, looking forward to seeing the trails again.

I'm trying to understand the "marker 6 climb". Is this on the C trail from end of new shoes to marker 6? Or the other C trail past marker 6 that goes to red?

Anywho, thanks for all the work!
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
Awesome, looking forward to seeing the trails again.

I'm trying to understand the "marker 6 climb". Is this on the C trail from end of new shoes to marker 6? Or the other C trail past marker 6 that goes to red?

Anywho, thanks for all the work!
Yes to the former - from New Shoes. I know it's confusing, wouldn't it be nice if they used unique trail markers for unique trails? What a concept! Something i will try to work on with new mgmt. Right @J-Dro ?
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Awesome, looking forward to seeing the trails again.

I'm trying to understand the "marker 6 climb". Is this on the C trail from end of new shoes to marker 6? Or the other C trail past marker 6 that goes to red?

Anywho, thanks for all the work!

Rename to marker 6 descent, and it is fixed ;) (i'm not sure i could ride that down either.)

Yeah, that could def use some attention, it continues to get worse, considering it started as a tough go.
Looking forward to riding/helping.
 

rick81721

Lothar
Rename to marker 6 descent, and it is fixed ;) (i'm not sure i could ride that down either.)

I've never tried going down - looks much easier than going up. Only saw someone clean that climb once.

On naming, since the other trails are color coded, that would be easiest. Maybe yellow for the longest one north of the pipeline, green, purple and orange for the ones south.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I've never tried going down - looks much easier than going up. Only saw someone clean that climb once.

On naming, since the other trails are color coded, that would be easiest. Maybe yellow for the longest one north of the pipeline, green, purple and orange for the ones south.

all the same color, just different shapes - where is red mobius strip? And how do i get home?

 

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