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The January edition of CORBA’s monthly newsletter, the eTerraTimes, was published today, January 5. If you don’t get it by email, you can view it online.
As always, the eTerraTimes has all the latest news for mountain bikers in the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding areas.
In recognition of extraordinary dedication and contribution to mountain biking recreation and open space trails in Los Angeles and Eastern Ventura Counties, CORBA announces its recipients of the 2011 CORBA Award.
Wendy Engelberg
When it comes to social networking, we can always count on Wendy to reach out through the internet to generate excitement for CORBA’s events and activities. She also has worked tirelessly coordinating and assisting with several CORBA events over the past few years, in addition to organizing and leading rides for the North Ranch Mountain Bikers, a CORBA-supporting club. She is also an outspoken advocate for responsible mountain biking. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and her dedication is relentless.
Matt Gunnell
Matt helped organize the SoCal High School Cycling League in 2008 and serves as the organization’s Executive Director. The organization currently comprises nearly 30 high school teams and more than 300 riders. Under his guidance, the league has grown substantially over its four year history, bringing hundreds of new student athletes–and many of their parents and friends–into the sport of mountain biking. Matt and the League emphasize that a major component of participation in the league is stewardship of the trails, including an appreciation of–and volunteering for–trail work and maintenance. The league’s impact on the sport in Southern California is already having far-reaching effects, with many student racers having moved on to careers in cycling and the industry.
Banner Moffat
Banner has had a long-time love of trails. He began mountain biking on El Prieto two decades ago, and soon realized that it needed upkeep. He has since spent many off his days off happily and tirelessly contributing to the trail’s upkeep, sometimes with help, often without, and always just for the love of it. Over the past few years he has formalized his love of the trail and his relationship with the National Forest by adopting the trail under the moniker, “Friends of El Prieto.” He has contributed to many Eagle Scout trail restoration projects as trail boss and advisor on this and other trails, and serves as coach and mentor to the Crescenta Valley high school mountain biking team. His long time involvement in the mountain biking community has inspired many to become active and responsible mountain bikers.
Woody Smeck
As Superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) for the past 10 years, Woody has elevated the SMMNRA’s stature in the National Park system, and worked with politicians to help them understand the importance of National Parks near developed urban areas. He was also instrumental in improved inter-agency coordination and cooperation with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and other agencies in the SMMNRA. For the mountain bike community, Woody was always accessible, fair, and honest in his dealings, making it clear to his peers that responsible mountain biking is manageable on public lands. On March 30 Woody will become Deputy Superintendent at Yosemite National Park.
The above recipients join a long list of past recipients of the CORBA award, all of whom have left an indelible mark on the sport of Mountain Biking in our area and beyond. It is the combined legacy of all the CORBA award recipients that has helped shape the sport in Southern California, and will continue to do so as the sport grows. It is thanks to them that the opportunities to enjoy mountain biking exist in its current form. These deserving 2011 recipients will be presented with their awards in the coming months as their busy schedules allow.
We congratulate them, and on behalf of the entire mountain biking community and especially CORBA’s members and supporters, we thank them wholeheartedly for their contributions to our community.
By Mark Langton
As we look forward to our 25th anniversary in August, we of course have to look back at 2011. It was both a year of growth and important transition.
Even with a quarter century of advocacy under our collective belts, there is still much to be done. Consider this: There are many miles of singletrack trails closed to bicycles in the SMMNRA, trails that are exactly the same as ones that are open to bicycles. As State Parks moves forward with their trail conversion process (a painfully slow one at that), we must be diligent and ensure that they stay the course.
And of course I sill implore everyone to simply slow down for other users. The primary complaint about mountain bikes on trails is that “they go too fast and scare us.” If you slow to other users’ speed on the trail, you remove the one justifiable complaint about mountain bikers. It’s easy to slow down, and it makes the situation more pleasant for everyone involved—a true win/win situation!
Join the CORBA trailcrew! Come out and help restore the Gabrielino Trail between Switzers and Redbox in the Angeles National Forest. We will be working with the Mount Wilson Bicycling Association and other groups to get the middle section of trail re-established. We completed much of the lower section in December. There are a number of sections of the trail that need to be rebuilt from washed out drainages, some brush that needs to be cut back and cleared, and a lot of debris on the trail. The work will be weather permitting, so if there is a threat of rain, check here the night before. Wear sturdy shoes, long sleeved shirt, long pants, and bring gloves if you have them. We will supply gloves, hard hats and lunch. RSVP or send any questions to trailcrew@corbamtb.com.
Meet at the Upper Switzers Parking Lot at 8:00 a.m. (click the Map link above) or carpool from Flanders Rd & Chehalem Rd, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, just north of the 210 freeway on ACH.
If you’re unable to make it on the 14th, we also have work scheduled for January 8th, Sunday, on the Rim trail.
After CORBA’s productive trailwork day on the Rim trail in December, Belfree contractors went in and worked their magic on the most dangerous sections of the trail.
On December 28, 29, and 30th, they hiked in with hand tools and professional know-how and achieved what would seem impossible. The narrowest, most dangerous sections of trail have been restored to a much safer width.
The slide areas near the top and the large one about two miles in have been repaired, with rock retaining walls built and/or repaired. At least 6 rock retaining walls were built, repaired or replaced, and one large tree which had fallen onto the trail and was standing nearly vertically, leaning against the rock face above, was removed. CORBA contracted Bellfree Contractors for the work using a trail restoration grant from REI. When combined with our volunteer work, the grant money has helped open at least three popular trails in the Angeles.
The Rim trail is possibly in the best shape it has been in the last 10 – 15 years. Because only natural, local rock was used for reinforcement, the trail still retains a very rugged feel, and has not lost any of it’s backcountry character. In the before and after photo two retaining walls that were built and one that was repaired can be seen. We thank Bellfree Contractors for working with us to stay within our grant budget, and yet achieve so much.
We plan another day of trailwork with a small volunteer crew this weekend, on January 8, and continue brushing and benching the last two miles of the trail down to Newcombe’s Saddle. Please RSVP to trailcrew@corbamtb.com/ We’ll be cutting back slough and re-establishing the bench starting two miles in, and for as much of the trail as we can get to in one day. This will mean a two mile hike down to the work site. You’re welcome to ride a bike and continue on to Chantry Flat, or ride/hike back up, but will need to make your own shuttle arrangements. Wear sturdy shoes, long pants, long sleeves, and gloves if you have them (we’ll supply gloves and hard hats if you don’t). Meet at Mt. Wilson by the observatory at 8:30 a.m. Carpool from the ACH, just north of the 210 freeway at 7:45 a.m. Thanks for making a difference to our trails.
It’s the time of year again when many people make resolutions to improve their health and fitness. This year, the Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery (SMMC) aims to make it just a bit easier. When a resolute customer buys a bike from SMMC before January 22nd, he or she will have the opportunity to earn $0.10 per mile for every mile ridden on that bike in 2012.
“We know that many people out there want to improve their fitness and maybe lose a few pounds, and we just want to give them a little nudge in the right direction,” says David Kooi, owner of SMMC. “Cycling is one of the easiest ways to exercise. It’s a low-impact sport that eats up calories and builds strength, stamina, and cardiovascular fitness.”
Under the program, participants will log their miles at Strava.com, a social training website, using GPS devices. Twice during the year, SMMC will reward participants with gift cards for the miles they have ridden. “A simple training plan that consists of 3 rides per week averaging 20 miles per ride will reward the customer with more than $300 for the year. When you can buy a quality fitness bike for $750 these days, that’s significant savings for the consumer,” says Kooi. Participants can earn up to 50% of the original bicycle purchase price.
About Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery: The Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery is located at 21526 Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills, California, and serves residents of the San Fernando Valley, including Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks, West Hills, Agoura Hills, Topanga, Malibu and others. SMMC presents a selection of the finest road and mountain bikes available, as well as quality bikes for getting around town and to and from work. SMMC has an extensive selection of clothing, parts, and accessories – everything you will need to get riding safely, quickly, and stylishly down the road or trail. SMMC also performs bike repair, tune-ups, and maintenance and has a full bicycle fitting studio. More information at http://www.smmcyclery.com or call 818-453-3204.
From PRWeb.com
Many of our members have or will be receiving renewal notices for their combined CORBA/IMBA membership. Since CORBA became a chapter of IMBA in April 2011, you no longer need to join two separate organizations (local and national). Your individual and family membership dollars support advocacy, outreach and other efforts at both the National and local levels (Corporate and Retailer memberships are presently available only for IMBA).
However, to ensure you remain a member of CORBA, there’s one extra step. Be sure to choose CORBA as your local chapter so that your dollars will more directly impact local projects and advocacy. Of course, you’re free to choose a different chapter if there is another that is more appropriate, such as our neighbors and partners at the Mount Wilson Bicycling Association, IMBA’s newest California chapter.
Renewal reminders from IMBA will link you to a page where you will need to select your local chapter, pictured below, so Remember to Choose your Chapter:
You can also avoid the extra step by going to CORBA’s membership page directly. Donations to CORBA, over and above your membership, stay local and are also tax-deductible. You can make a donation at http://corbamtb.com/join/donate.shtml.
CORBA is proud to be an IMBA chapter, working together to strengthen the collective voice of the mountain biking community. We thank you for your ongoing support.
Over the first weekend in December, 2011, CORBA trail crew volunteers came out to help restore the fire-damaged trails of the Angeles National Forest.
On a cool and mostly clear Saturday, CORBA and Mount Wilson Bicycling Association volunteers teamed up to work on the Gabrielino trail. The Gabrielino between Switzers and Redbox was opened to the public back in May 2011, though the trail has had little attention and was in very poor shapte. Through many sections the old trail is simply non-existent. Starting at Switzer’s Day Use area, the volunteers worked their way up the trail.
At the outset, two large trees were removed from the trail. These had toppled in the ferocious wind storm of November 30, 2011, and were not present when the trail was surveyed for work a week earlier. A third tree remains and is too massive to move with hand tools. The yellow warning signs greeting trail users on trails that pass through burn zones has a clear message: That trees, weakened by the fire, pose a considerable hazard and may fall at any time. Especially now, more than two years after Station Fire, dead trees are beginning to rot and weaken. Falling trees will continue to be a danger for years to come.
The volunteer trail crews, led by Mitch Marich of the MWBA, and Hans Kiefer and Steve Messer from CORBA, rebuilt two severely damaged drainages that required extensive rock retaining walls and rock armoring. In addition, tread was outsloped and widened along many narrowed sections and the brush was cut back. The crews worked on approximately 1.3 miles of trail, from switzers to the second stream crossing and switchbacks. Some sections of the trail now run along the alluvial wash at the base of the canyon. This was created by the tremendous water and debris flows of the past two winters. However, all of the trail worked on by the crew is now easily negotiable for trail users (with the exception of the one large downed tree that remains). With another day’s work in January, we hope to have the entire trail clear of significant obstacles and seeing regular use once again.
Moving rocks and re-building the trail:
California State Parks (CSP) is hiring a crew to work on Rogers Road Trail in Topanga State Park and Will Rogers State Historic Park. The work will include brushing to remove the overgrowth and some tread work to remove the ruts. The bridge on Chicken Ridge will be repaired and upgraded, and new signs put up to remind riders (bikes and equestrians) to walk through this section. CORBA will be supplying bicycles and B.O.B. Trailers to allow the trail crew volunteers easier access to the remote work sites. The work is expected to take place from February to June 2012. We will post notice of the work schedule and impacts to trail users as it is supplied by State Parks.
This project is made possible by a grant from the National Park Service. It serves as a prime example of how the National Park Service can help another agency achieve their goals through financial support and shared resources, as we are advocating for the San Gabriel Mountains Special Resource Study.
The Guadalasca Trail in Point Mugu State Park will also undergo some substantial improvements over the next year or two. First, the lower section (part of the old ranch road), will be brushed out to allow access for motorized equipment. An excavator will be used to remove the existing drain culverts and convert them to level crossings. The large rut on the uphill side will be filled in and the travel surface moved to the downhill side to improve water drainage. Part of the newer section of the trail will be rerouted and in the process will add 1/4 to 1/2 mile to its length. The old trail will remain open while construction takes place on the re-route. Some of the switchbacks could be converted to climbing turns, and rolling dips will be added to help control erosion. Using IMBA-influenced designs, sinuosity and pinch points will be incorporated to reduce downhill travel speeds. This will help reduce conflicts with other trail users, including climbing mountain bikers. CSP has asked CORBA and other organizations to recruit volunteers to help with some of this work. We expect to be announcing trailwork days in the new year to get this work done.
Tapia Spur trail will be receiving an upgrade as well, bringing the trail up to the State’s shared-use standards. There are many blind corners and other potential problem spots, and narrow sections where two trail users cannot safely pass each other. The trail will serve a model for how shared-use principles will be implemented as other trails are converted to shared-use and new trails are constructed.
CORBA congratulates Woody Smeck, Superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) on his new appointment. He’s leaving on March 30 to become Deputy Superintendent at Yosemite National Park. Woody came to the SMMNRA as a landscape architect in 1990. He worked his way up and was appointed Superintendent in 2001. During his tenure, the SMMNRA grew in stature in the National Park system. Woody helped politicians understand the importance of National Parks near developed urban areas. He helped foster interagency coordination and cooperation with the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, and other agencies in the SMMNRA. He helped keep park programs on track in difficult budgetary times.
Most important to the mountain bike community, Woody was always accessible, fair, and honest in his dealings with us. There is more mountain bike access on NPS land in the SMMNRA than anywhere else in the country. Woody has been clear that responsible mountain biking is manageable on public lands and has expressed that view to his NPS peers. We owe him a huge debt of gratitude.
Woody has been a pleasure to work with and we’ll miss him. Our loss is Yosemite’s gain. A search is underway for a new NPS Superintendent in the SMMNRA.
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