KyMBAAdmin posted on January 18, 2010
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When: Saturday January 30th and February 6th from 12-3:30
Where: Cherokee Park No-net trailhead. map
Originally posted in Bikeclicks Forum
As most of you are aware, there has been some collaboration on Cherokee/Seneca trail maintenance, re-routing, etc. between KyMBA and Olmsted Parks Conservancy in the past couple of years. Ray Smith and I met with Major and Matt of Olmsted at Cherokee most recently in regard to the “No-Net Trail” which many regard as the most challenging section of trail in Cherokee.
If you are not familiar with this trail, it’s located just after the descent from Chauffer’s Rest or intersection of Barrett Hill Rd., Cherokee Park Road and Beargrass Road. From this Entrance to the exit at the intersection of Park Boundary Road and Beargrass Road is some of the toughest, but also most washed out, rooty trail we have.
After much discussion, we have come up with several projects which will include rockwork, some rerouting, and trail lengthening when all is said and done. Both the entrances and exits will be altered to move them out of the grassy areas by moving them in the woods!
On Saturdays January 30th and February 6th (both from 12-3:30) we will be doing the following:
- De-berming of some mushy areas just past current woodland entrance.
- Armoring with stone and fill where the trail goes over the large hackberry tree root.
- The “rocky point” which makes a drop-off to the cribbed wall bench-cut before the second waterfall will be armored just below the point with a large stone and gravel/rock/dirt fill uphill creating a more gentle transition and creating less braking bumps just before it. The bench-cut section just beyond the rocky point will be widened slightly especially at the end. The fallen tree will be removed in order to enhance water flow downhill vs. down the tread path.
- Just before the last creek crossing, similar large stone and adjacent gravel/dirt amendment will be placed in the beech tree roots.
Subsequent trail crews will include re-doing the last two waterfall crossings, routing the trail uphill over the root tangle and the entrance/exit re-routes as noted.
Frankly, it will take quite a bit of work, but the end result will be much better than we what have now.
Another thing Ray and I have been doing is seeking support for trail building/maintenance from our local bike shops. Honestly, I give Mountain Bike Depot props for the original idea by stepping up to the plate and offering 25% off any one item (excluding bikes and electronics) for every six hours of KyMBA/Olmsted led trail maintenance. I have confirmed they will continue this for the foreseeable future.
Cycler’s Café has offered one BBQ Sandwich for four hours worked at official Cherokee/Seneca ParkTrail Days (Limit one per person per month).
We have some feelers out and awaiting feedback from some other LBS’s. If you work at one and would like to contribute, feel free to double back with me.
We would like to have a great turn-out for these trail crews. Even if you can’t make it at those dates and times, please forward this post to whomever you feel would be interested. Future trail crew dates will likely include Saturday mornings and possibly Sunday mornings as well.