Wildcat Ridge WMA Conditions

[JimN]

Wildcat was in surprisingly great shape today. Some water and mud on the rail beds and woods roads, but the singletrack was excellent. Go tomorrow and ride it.

 

[graveyardman67]

In an effort to back up my recent posts...

I ran up to the Blue (Beach Glen East) and it's WET, like standing water and soft ground. I would recommend avoiding until we get some significant drying.

IF we do the Wildcat Wednesday we will stick to fire road, rail trail, unless someone comes back with better news.

 

[JimN]

IF we do the Wildcat Wednesday we will stick to fire road, rail trail, unless someone comes back with better news.

I can't make Wildcat Wednesday today, but I'm hoping to sneak over there around 3pm for a quick ride. I gotta think Oreland is good, but we'll see.

 

[graveyardman67]

I can't make Wildcat Wednesday today, but I'm hoping to sneak over there around 3pm for a quick ride. I gotta think Oreland is good, but we'll see.

Let me know

 

[JimN]

Man, conditions were surprisingly awesome yesterday, but then it rained more. And it's supposed to keep raining the next couple of days.

 

[JimN]

I haven't seen any strava activity, so I probably know the answer to this question, but how is Wildcat looking?

 

[68nova200]

The view from my backyard looks like around 6 to 8 inches still left in the woods on oreland trail. Early morning when the top is still frozen might be rideable.

 

[dmkalemba]

last weekend i hiked Righter Mine and there was any where from 3 inches to a foot, so i think it depends on the trail and how much southern exposure and foot traffic.

 

[Stef]

Shout out to @trailhead and @JRP581 for clearing the yellow trail

 

[JimN]

Shout out to @trailhead and @JRP581 for clearing the yellow trail

+1

As of tonight:
Orange up from the bat cave is good, but there is still some snow at the top. Orange from the top to the hawk watch still had snow and presumably water/mud, so we stuck with the gravel road. New way down and beach glen are good. We didn't check yellow because I figure it needs another day or two. No word on Oreland yet either, but @Ryan.P cleared all the sticks off Lake Ames and says it's good to go. I'm hoping four birds is good by the weekend too.

 

[JimN]

Oreland is open for business. Conditions were fantastic pretty much everywhere today.

 

[68nova200]

Just when the trails were getting good... 6 more inches of snow in wildcat. Going to be muddy for a while again

 

[JimN]

Trails are good again. It was mostly bone dry out there last night, thanks to that wind acting like a giant blow dryer.

 

[JimN]

There is still one tree down on Four Birds, but otherwise it's all clear except for some small sticks here and there. @trailhead, I assume you and @JRP581 took care of the big blowdown at the bottom of white and then ran out of juice or didn't have a big enough saw for the one on the big rock feature near red?

 

[JimN]

Wild Blue is now clear, and all of the trails are in pretty excellent shape.

 

[xc62701]

Wild Blue is now clear, and all of the trails are in pretty excellent shape.

I will be there tomorrow! Thanks for all the work cleaning up this place!

 

[JimN]

Thanks for all the work cleaning up this place!

It wasn't just me, but you're welcome! There are still some sticks here and there on the trails, but if everyone picks up a few of them when they ride, the place will be perfect in no time.

 

[GSS]

Avoid Yellow for now. Blockage on and near the spine. White from Yellow to Hawkwatch was messy but clear now.

 

[JimN]

White is also clear from the hawk watch to the graveyard. New way down and beach glen are clear too. There are two trees down on orange heading up from the bat cave, the first is easy to hop over and the second isn't too bad. There is a large tree that is annoying to get around on the gravel road past the pond after coming out of red, right near Upper Hibernia Rd. Conditions varied between tacky and awesome, and bone dry yesterday. That's obviously changed now, but it'll be good again soon.

 

[trailhead]

Have you been to Graffiti Cliff?
An out and back off the White (four birds trail) takes you to the west end of the ridge overlooking green pond road. A wide open bluff on crags covered with lichen, watch for snakes!

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/graffiti-cliff-trail/