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COSCA Spring Trailwork Day March 24th

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Come out and join the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA), CORBA, the Santa Monica Trails Council and other volunteers for the Annual COSCA Spring Trailwork Day. We will be building a new trail to access the new bridge to the Conejo Canyons Open Space from Wildwood Park! The new trail will go from the Mesa Trail to an Edison Rd that starts near the bridge and climbs towards Lizard Rock.

At noon, following the morning of trail-building, workers will be treated to hamburgers/vegi-burgers, chips, fruit and drinks while enjoying the camaraderie of fellow trail enthusiasts!

Wear protective clothing (long-legged pants, long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses), sturdy shoes, gloves, hat and sunscreen.

No experience necessary. Tools and instructions on how to use them safely and effectively will be provided. Must be 18+ years of age. Beware of poison oak, ticks & rattlesnakes.

Follow directions of park rangers and trail crew leaders at all times.

Pre-registration is required so that COSCA will have enough tools, crew leaders and food!

Directions to the meeting place and other details are included on the online registration page.

Posted in Conejo Valley, Trail Building and Restoration, Trail Crew | Comments Closed

CANCELLED: Upcoming Guadalasca Trailwork on March 17th

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Due to the forecast of rain, the March 17th trailwork event is cancelled. Instead, please come to the COSCA srping trailwork day next Saturday, March 24, and help us build a new trail in Wildwood Park! See details and registration form.

On Saturday, March 17th at 8:30 am, we will continue making major improvements to the Guadalasca Trail in Point Mugu State Park that will take place over the next year or so. First, the lower section (part of  the old ranch road), will be brushed out to temporarily widen it. This will allow access for motorized equipment that State Parks staff will use to remove the existing culvert drains and convert them to level crossings. Also, the trail will be moved to the outside (downhill side) of the trail and outsloped to allow for better drainage, lowering the need for future maintenance so we will be able to spend more time riding and less doing trailwork.

The lower section of Guadalasca where we'll be working March 17th

You can read about the rest of the planned improvements for this trail in our earlier blog post.

During our February 25th trailwork, we had 22 mountain bikers and about 8 others working on the lower section of the trail, and we cleared brush over about 3/4 of the lower section of the trail. You can read the summary on our blog. On March 17th, we will work on the remainder of the lower section and then continue through the stream crossing and up the newer part of the trail, as time allows.

Some volunteers have already signed up with our on-line registration form, but we need many more to get this work completed!

View our trailwork page to learn more about trailwork, what you should wear to protect yourself from dust and scratches, and what you should bring along. CORBA will provide the tools and training on how to use them safely. The on-line registration page lists the details of when and where to meet.

Remember, by registering here to help out, CORBA will treat you to lunch afterwards, and enter you in the drawing for mountain biking prizes!

This trailwork day is a joint effort with the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council trail crew.

We have other trailwork events scheduled for later in the year. Here’s a list of what is currently planned:

April 27-29
State Trails Days in Pt Mugu State Park

April 14
Guadalasca Trail

March 24
COSCA Spring Trailwork Day

Posted in Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Crew | Comments Closed

Skills Clinic Photos for March 3, 2012

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Twenty-three riders came out to enjoy the fabulous weather today at Malibu Creek State Park and participate in this month’s basic skills clinic. There was water in the creek so we have some good splash photos at the end. Some people didn’t make it all the way across and got pretty wet! You can see all the photos in the March Skills Clinic Photo Gallery.

Posted in Free Basic Skills Clinic, Rides and Events, Santa Monica Mountains | Comments Closed

Lang Ranch Community Park Meeting #3 Sees Another Good Turnout

Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Jim Friedl talks about the process

Jim Friedl talks about the process

It was another good turnout at Wednesday’s community input meeting for the Lang Ranch Community Park Conceptual Recreational Use Plan process. This, the third of four meetings, was aimed at further prioritizing the list of potential uses supplied by community members.

Another great turnout

Another great turnout

Approximately 75 attendees were given maps of the planned park site and were encouraged to indicate locations where they thought they might want to put certain amenities. On the back of the maps were lists of potential uses, divided up into three categories; Green: Those the agency (Conejo Recreation and Park District, CRPD) felt were appropriate uses based on the plan’s criteria; Red: Those that did not meet the criteria; and Yellow: Those that were “on the bubble” and could go into either the Green or Red categories. Attendees were divided into five groups with two facilitators each and provided input on any amenities that were missing, as well as any amenities that should move from one category to another. Afterward, groups summarized their input.

Based on group summaries, bicycle related amenities, including a pump track and skills features, were still a high priority. A new term came up in the list of prospective bike amenities, “dual slalom course,” which while new to the process, is not a new concept. It’s basically the same thing as slalom ski racing; two parallel downhill courses run through gates with jumps and berm turns. Sort of like downhill BMX (but it can be done on mountain bikes as well).

Members of the public talk about their proposed changes

Members of the public talk about their proposed changes

CRPD facilitators reminded attendees that this is still very early in the process and that they are in “big picture” mode. To quote Jim Friedl, CRPD General Manager, “We’re not yet looking at the gnat’s eyebrow at this point.” The next and final community meeting takes place March 21, and from there CRPD staff will produce a report and recommendation to present to the CRPD board. According to Friedl, an optimistic estimate for delivering that presentation could be 4-6 months.

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Posted in Advocacy, Bike Skills Park, Conejo Valley | Comments Closed

“Hey CORBA, Stop Ruining Our Trails!”

Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

By Mark Langton

Does this trail look "ruined"?

Seems like every time there is maintenance on our local trails, we hear from some very passionate people within the mountain bike community: “Leave the trails the way they are!” Along with this we also get the usual “How can CORBA do this?” A recent comment even alleged that CORBA is trying to take away our freedoms by doing trail work; “CORBA is conspiring with the State to ruin a beautiful single track trail—The Guadalasca.” As I and several others said in recent blog responses, trails are dynamic, they need maintenance every so often. CORBA doesn’t decide what work needs to be done, but agrees that it does and feels that we should participate as advocates of shared open space trails.

Many times people making these comments start off by saying “I have been riding these trails for several years…” If that were true, then they’d know that trails return to a more natural, “challenging” appearance after any kind of trail work. The Sulphur Springs Trail in Cheeseboro Canyon and Solstice Canyon Trail section of the Backbone Trail are two such trails that come to mind. Both were widened and smoothed over, and many people said they’d be “ruined.” Look at them now; they are as challenging and natural—and fun—as ever.

I’ll admit, I am not always in favor of trails becoming less challenging, but at the same time, I have to balance it with the fact that I can ride the trail in the first place. Guadalasca (and other sections of the Backbone Trail) is open to bicycles thanks to the advocacy efforts of CORBA. Some people might say that even if it were closed, they’d ride it. That’s your personal choice, but I’d like to think that as someone who enjoys the open space, you’d like to do it without the cloud of breaking the rules hanging over your head. Just because you can break the rules, it doesn’t mean you should.

Here’s an analogy I came up with while out riding (always good therapy): Let’s say the agency that maintains the street you live on proclaimed that, due to budgetary constraints, they would only be able to do limited maintenance on the street. The street and sewer system falls into disrepair, so you and your neighbors put together a volunteer group to help the agency; you get trained in road and sewer repair, and enlist other neighbors to help. Still, the street becomes riddled with potholes and cracks because the agency just can’t afford the materials and equipment to do the repairs. Soon, off-road vehicle owners start using your street to challenge their vehicles’ capabilities because there’s nowhere else nearby they can do it, which make the street conditions worse. Not to mention these vehicles can go much faster than the passenger cars most of you and your neighbors are driving, making it unsafe for you and your neighbors to even drive down the street. You caution the off-roaders that they shouldn’t drive their vehicles on your street, especially at high speeds, because it is creating an unsafe situation, but they still do because “it’s public and they have a right to drive there. And besides, we’re not going that fast.” Finally, after several years, you and the agency start making repairs, but the off-roaders keep coming and start complaining that you are ruining their fun zone. They come to your volunteer maintenance days and complain you are making the street too smooth and it’s no fun to drive there. They write letters to you saying you are trying to take away their freedoms. All because you are trying to do the right thing for your community.

Here’s an idea: The next time you think someone is trying to take something away from you in your local riding area, ask yourself, “what can I do to help improve the situation?” That could mean getting more involved with your local community. Or it could mean going someplace where the trails are more challenging, where riding them at higher speeds does not impact the rest of the trail user community. Such places exist, whether it be a race or a bike park like Mammoth Mountain. Our local trails are for shared use by many different types of users, so you’re just going to have to adjust your riding style accordingly. Kind of like on the street when driving your car or motorcycle; you may have a high-performance vehicle, but to drive it to its capabilities on public streets just wouldn’t smart or safe. Just because you can break the rules, it doesn’t mean you should.

 

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Posted in Advocacy, Rides and Events, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Crew | 2 Comments »

CORBA is part of a larger multi-use oriented Volunteer Community in the Angeles National Forest

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Feb 2012 Volunteer NewsletterIn many discussions between different trail user groups, the fact often emerges that we all share many common goals and attitudes about trails. Most trail user groups want to help maintain trails for the benefit of all; they want to minimize damage to our public lands, while preserving recreational access in perpetuity. We want to protect and preserve what precious little open space remains for future generations to enjoy and recreate; we want our children and successors to be able to experience the great outdoors, learn from it, and be inspired by the wonders of nature. We want to see responsible trail use, with mutual respect for other trail users, for wildlife and nature, and for the environment.

Where all these groups sometimes differ is how we choose to enjoy our public lands, and the extent or methods of the protections needed to achieve those goals. Some choose to ride mountain bikes; others prefer to hike, trail run, climb, ride horses, take OHV’s, sail, kayak, camp and and any number of other activities. We all seek the peace of the forest and to escape the city in our great mountains. While there are differences, the common grounds are what should bring us together.

This is nowhere more evident than in the Angeles National Forest, where trails (outside of wilderness areas) are all multi-use. The Forest Service’s multi-use policy fosters cooperation and where needed, compromise between these groups. Every other month volunteers from the LA River Ranger District of the Angeles National Forest gets together with forest officials to be updated on what’s happening in the forest, what each group is working on. We share information and first-hand reports of our accomplishments, our upcoming projects and our observations with each other and Forest Service officials. It’s a great way to coordinate activities, and set up collaborations that further our common goals. Similar meetings take place in other districts in this, and other National Forests.

The various volunteers groups are each passionate about what they do, whether it is acting as campground hosts, patrolling trails, doing trailwork, protecting and documenting forest history, restoring habitat, removing invasive plants, or just disseminating information and respect for the forest among their members and supporters.

Each month intrepid volunteer Guy Kuhn puts together the volunteer newsletter, a summary of the reports and interactions from each of the meetings and gleaned from the web sites of each volunteer group. CORBA reports on our trailwork projects, completed and upcoming, along with fellow IMBA chapter Mount Wilson Bicycling Association. Forest officials give us the inside information on what’s happening in the forest, and what we can expect in the coming months. We learn the fiscal and other challenges faced by the forest, and look for ways to contribute.

The multi-use policy and resulting cooperation between user groups is a win-win for everyone involved. The Forest would be hard-pressed to function without its volunteers.

If you’d like to learn more read the latest volunteer newsletter featuring reports on trailwork projects from CORBA, MWBA, San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders, Mounted Patrol (equestrian), Angeles Mountain Bike Patrol, Sierra Club, Boy Scouts, Forest Lookout association and other groups.

 

 

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Posted in Angeles National Forest, Media, San Gabriel Mountains, Trail Crew | Comments Closed

Guadalasca Trail Work Report and Photos for February 25, 2012

Monday, February 27th, 2012

This past Saturday, 22 mountain bikers, eight or so members of the trail crew from the Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council (SMMTC) and two California State Parks (CSP) staffers gathered at the bottom of Guadalasca Trail in Point Mugu State Park for a few hours of trailwork.

This was the first of several days of work that have been planned for Guadalasca this spring. We have previously blogged about the overall changes that are coming.

Much of the trail looked like this photo taken a few days before we did our trailwork

Originally we had planned to carpool down to the trailhead from the meeting point at the south end of Wendy Drive in Newbury Park, but the fantastic turnout of mountain bikers meant there would be too many cars to park at the limited area on Wood Canyon at the bottom of the trail. Instead, we caravanned to the Danielson Multiuse area where there’s lot of parking, then jammed into three trucks and vans after transfering the tools to the Gator utility vehicle. From there we slowly drove to the trailhead.

The work for the day was to clear the brush from the downslope side (outside) of the trail along as much of the old ranch road section of the trail as we could. The CSP standard for multiuse trails is that the trail corridor should be clear of brush for 8′ of width and 10′ of height. Even though the trail will evenutally end up being only 1 – 3′ wide, the extra width at the side provides better sight distances so trail users can see others approaching from further away. Also, it takes several years for the brush to clog the trail again, so we don’t have to clear it out every year. For this trail, there are other reasons to widen its corridor, presented here in near- to long-term order:

  • It allows access for the Gator to carry tools up for us on future trailwork days
  • The two seasonal streams that this trail crosses near the bottom currently are drained through partially blocked and damaged culverts. The culverts will be removed and replaced by level crossings. The wider trails will provide access to the excavating equipment that will be required for this
  • Most importantly, the long-term objective is to move the trail to outside edge of this old road bed, and clearing the brush on the downslope side will make the room for it. When the trail is closer to the downslope side, it will be easier to shape so the rainwater runs off, thus reducing the amount of maintanence it requires to fix the ruts

Volunteers clear brush on the downslope side of the trail to make room for the trail to be moved to the outside of the old road bed. Once moved, brush will be allowed to regrow on the upslope side, narrowing the trail corridor again

As we were working, about 15 – 20 mountain bikers passed us. With one notable exception, they all thanked us for helping to keep the trail in great shape for riding.

With less than four hours of work, plus breaks and travel time, we cleared out the bottom 0.6 miles of the trail, about 3/4 of this section. CSP staff brought a chain saw and the SMMTC crew brought a power hedge trimmer. Both these tool greatly sped up the work and allowed us to clear much more than we would have been able to otherwise. The hedge trimmer was also a great help in cutting out the poison oak that was starting to regrow in several places.

A little after 1:00 pm, we headed down the trail to shuttle and caravan out. Back at the cars, we had the prize drawing, then drove down to a new barbecue joint a mile or so away. I think everyone agreed it was a great place to eat, and not as expensive as other similar places.

We have another event scheduled for March 17th to continue clearing the brush on the old ranch road, and beyond if we have time. Work should go much faster because most of the brush at the top end of this section is low chaparral, rather than tall chaparral and trees. If you would like to help out, please use our online form to register in advance.

Take a look at our photo gallery of Saturday’s trailwork!

 

Posted in Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Crew | Comments Closed

Save the Date: California Trails & Greenways Conference, April 18-20, 2012

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

The California Trails & Greenways Conference is

Coming to Los Angeles!!!

Excitement is building as California State Parks and its trail allies prepare for the 27th California Trails & GreenwaysConference taking place April 18 to 20 at the Woodland Hills Marriott.

Conference registration is scheduled to open February 22nd. For the registration link and further details about the 2012 California Trails & Greenways Conference, including sponsor, exhibit and raffle donation information log onto our website at www.parks.ca.gov/trails/conference or call 877.776.3619.

The California Trails & Greenways Conference is a forum for networking and building support for accessible, inter-connected, quality trail systems; and a venue for trail professionals and advocates to learn practical, up-to-date, trail skills.  This endeavor by California State Parks and the California Trails Conference Foundation helps ensure effective trail stewardship and leadership for generations to come.

The California Trails & Greenways Conference provides opportunities to:

  • Network with, and talk directly to, California’s leading trail experts
  • Find collaborative partners to build support for trail endeavors
  • Learn a full range of trail topics in high quality, innovative sessions
  • Experience hands-on learning through day-long field workshops
  • Address your specific concerns through our table topic sessions
  • Explore exhibits featuring innovative trail-related products and services

All activities are designed to increase the knowledge of trail, recreation and wild land management professionals and advocates, both novice and expert, in order to improve non-motorized, recreational and heritage trail systems and programs throughout California.

Day-long workshops, 27 concurrent sessions, keynote presentations and exhibits all serve to draw California’s leading trail designers, builders and managers to this 3-day event.  The theme for the 2012 Conference is “Navigating Radical Change — The New Normal.” With attendance expected to reach 500, we anticipate the theme will elicit stimulating and creative discussions that will generate new ideas and partnerships.

We live in a tumultuous time, unprecedented in many respects. Believing that “knowledge is power,” the 2012 California Trails & Greenways Conference will explore the multiple challenges facing trails and public lands, what’s known about the trends affecting those challenges, and how to pursue creative solutions while preserving the integrity of the resources we hold dear. We’ll also explore innovative approaches and new collaborations that may inspire your own new solutions for navigating the path ahead.

 

The preliminary schedule for this 3-day event is as follows:

  • ·        April 18th, Wednesday

o       Optional day-long workshops

o       Exhibits open at 4:00 p.m.

o       Opening reception, dinner, keynote presentation

  • ·        April 19th, Thursday

o       Concurrent sessions throughout the day (5 sets)

o       Awards & Remembrance Luncheon

o       Celebration reception, dinner, keynote presentation

  • ·        April 20th, Friday

o       Breakfast with Table Topic Discussions

o       Concurrent sessions (2 sets)

o       Closing plenary

o       Conference ends at 1:00 p.m.

Planning is also underway for the 3rd Annual Hike, Bike, Ride, Run Event taking place Saturday, April 21st. This post-conference outing and BBQ is a wonderful way for all trail users to come together to show that we can share our trails and all get along. Conference attendees and friends are invited. Reservation and other details will be posted on the conference website March 1.

For further details about the 2012 California Trails & Greenways Conference, including sponsor, exhibit and raffle donation information log onto our website at www.parks.ca.gov/trails/conference or call Lauralee at 877.776.3619 or541.547.3640.

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Posted in California, CORBA News, Environment, Media, Santa Monica Mountains | Comments Closed

Stellar Weather Graces First Two CORBA Kids Rides of 2012

Friday, February 17th, 2012

The CORBA Kids Club started the New Year off right with a return to Sullivan Canyon in January and a Malibu Creek Park ride in February.

January’s Sullivan Canyon ride saw the kids improving their skills, with everybody riding over the cement waffle blocks that most of them walked in December.

The downed tree still blocked most of the main trail, and we used this as an opportunity for a snack break before heading back to the cars. Everybody showed great improvement on the hills. Five adults and six kids participated.  Check out the pictures from this great ride.

The CORBA Kids Club explored the Grasslands Trail during February’s Malibu Creek State Park ride. Dave taught the kids how to do a break-check on their bikes, discussed proper helmet fit, and how to handle horses on the trail. The morning started out cold, but everybody was pealing off layers by the time we hit some of the big hills. The skies were clear, the air was fresh, and it was a perfect day for a ride. We had the single-track route pretty much to ourselves until we came across a large group of MBU trainees on our way back.

There was a very challenging hill before our first break, and most everybody walked up, but two of the kids went down it twice. We also did some hiking sans bikes, all of which you can see on the photo gallery for this ride. Four adults and four kids, including two first-timers, participated. There is a lot more to explore in Malibu Creek State Park, so we will be back there in March.

Hope to see you at the next ride:
Saturday March 3 in Malibu Creek State Park.  Meet at 9 a.m. in the lower parking lot near the wooden stairs. Email kidsclub@corbamtb.com for more information.

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Posted in Los Angeles, Rides and Events, Santa Monica Mountains, Youth | Comments Closed

LA County Trail Assessment Public Meeting

Thursday, February 16th, 2012
A packed room hears the County and DC&E's presentation

A packed room hears the County and DC&E's presentation

On February 15, 2012, more than 80 people gathered at Hart Park Hall in Santa Clarita Valley to hear and weigh in on the County’s plans. Of those 80 or more people, more than 70 identified themselves as mountain bikers. The SCV Trail Users did an outstanding outreach effort to get people to come to the meeting. Many brought helmets, identifying themselves as off-road cyclists. The closure of the Canyon trail in Placerita Nature Center to bicycles has united the cycling community in the area.

The meeting was being conducted by DCE Planning, the contractor retained by the County to perform the trail assessment and make a recommendation.  After a brief round of introductions by Melissa Erikson, Sarah Sutton gave background on DC&E’s experience related to trails and planning and the trails assessment process they will be using. Stephen Copely is the non-motorized trails manager for the fifth district, and will be the contact person for the County as the process moves forward, though he did not speak during the meeting.

Melissa then gave some background of the DOJ ruling from March 2011 regarding accessibility and ADA compliance, which is her specialty. There’s a lot of misunderstanding about this DOJ  ruling. Trail and open space managers must allow personal mobility devices–which in the broadest interpretation could mean anything from quads to motorcycles to segways to wheelchairs–on any trail that pedestrians/hikers are allowed, unless they can show a “good reason” they shouldn’t be allowed. In order to show a good reason, an objective assessment of the trail is needed.  Essentially the assessment will kill two birds with one stone: determining the feasibility of personal mobility devices for the disabled and permitted uses on a trail.

(more…)

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Posted in Angeles National Forest, Los Angeles, Trail Access | Comments Closed

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