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SBMTV BLOG:
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Hello all,
A few responses to the email entitled "Zaca Fire, Trail Challenges and Opportunities" have come in from outside of the Santa Barbara area.
In particular:
- Nicholas Glidden, the Dixie Land National Forest Recreation Ranger (Utah) suggested that our Los Padres Forest apply for BAER monies (Burned Area Emergency Response). These monies can be used when there is sufficient evidence of heath and safety treats to the community such as a potential of mud slides, flooding, or loss of life in critical watersheds. This suggestion could be explored.
- Jim Meyer of the Orange County trail advocacy group "Trails 4 All", recounts below how they are making progress on trails after the fire in Orange County last March. They are working towards trail inventory, conditions, and user needs assessments and have hired a firm to do the trail assessments . Trails 4 All has raised some private funding and is looking towards agency coordination. Please review this note below.
As individuals, trail advocacy organizations, and our local agencies continue to work together towards community based solutions, look to other areas for examples, and hopefully recognize and meet basic trail infrastructure needs, we too...will make progress on the trails. I hope you will participate.
Chris Orr
Trail Advocate
IMBA - Regional California Rep, www.imba.com
SBMTV - Vice President, www.sbmtv.org
LPFA - Board member, www.lpforest.org
Trails Council - Vice Pres, www.sbtrails.org
"There is nothing that training cannot do. Nothing is above its reach or below it"
- Mark Twain
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From: JMeyerT4A
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2007 11:27 AM
To: chris.orr@sbmtv.org
Subject: Trails4All... Re: SBMTV: Zaca Fire, Trail Challenges and Opportunities
Good morning... Great post and information.
As you likely know, we had a fire down in Orange County last March. The Windy Ridge Fire burned a bit over 2,000 acres, (a fraction of what you face), but affected almost 90% of our Santiago Oaks Regional Park, a very popular park (equestrians, hikers, mountain cyclistsand trail runners), situated at the edge of highly populated Anaheim Hills, Orange and Villa Park.
Like you, we recognized that there is some potential for improving the trail system, and work is currently underway towards conducting a trail (and features) inventory, condition assessments, user group wants/needs assessment, and collecting examples from other areas.
Trails4All was able to raise some private funding, and we hired Roger Bell from BellFree Contractors, to come down and do the physical on-the-ground trails assessment, and we have been conducting user-group meetings in the hope of keeping folks in the loop.
The agency folks are simultaneously working on the regulatory/permits side of things so as to minimize any delays.
A huge challenge for us will be the funding. Orange County's Harbors, Beaches and Parks division has been operating on a reduced budget since (1), the State raided a significant portion of its property tax allocation back in 1992-1993, and (2) since it was raided again in 1994 to help pay off the infamous bankruptcy debt. Also, it is my understanding that our fire was not declared a "disaster," and therefore no FEMA funds are available.
On the positive side: We DO have a large and willing volunteer base, an excellent cooperative relationship between user groups, and between users and the County. We (recreational users) historically enjoy a strong working relationship with the majority of Orange County's environmental interests. These facts remove a lot of obstacles towards success. Some other positive opportunities include inter-agency cooperation, such as working with Flood Control and Storm Water folks since Orange County has been at the front of looking at issues in a more global "Watershed" context. (In our case, Santiago Oaks RP sits pretty high in the watershed, and issues such as erosion, if not attened to, have the potential for disaster downstream.)
Regards,
Jim Meyer
Executive Director
Trails4All
Subject: Zaca Fire, Trail Challenges and Opportunities
***
As many of you know, California's now second largest fire, the Zaca Fire, has added many challenges and possibly some new opportunities for the Santa Barbara area trail systems.
The immediate effects can be felt in the bulldozing of much of the old Romero Road Trail and Snyder (Knapps) trails for fire equipment transportation and fire lines. The long-term closure (a year?) of most of the forest and wilderness area trails between Paradise Road and the Sierra Madres for fire operations and then eventually for fire cleanup ops, revegetation ops, and safety/access assessments of the burn areas is also a major concern.
CHALLENGES:
The Santa Barbara front country trails may experience a higher concentration of users as people look to satisfy their outdoor needs that were once found in the now burned backcountry. This higher concentration means increased wear on trail treads and increased opportunities for user conflicts.
Many trail maintenance projects may be changed or cancelled due to the lack of forest access.
Winter rains may have an effect on backcountry trails. With no vegetation to slow and absorb water runoff, it's possible that some of those now brushless trails may experience slumps and mudslides.
OPPORTUNITIES:
The dozing of Romero Road and Snyder trails now provides the opportunity to rebuild them as excellent examples of safe, sustainable, and enjoyable multiuse trails that could meet the needs of all trail users, hikers, cyclists, and equestrians alike.
A higher concentration of users on the Santa Barbara front country trails can also provide opportunities. This is the time to draw in additional trail users and revitalize the volunteer efforts of trail maintenance, trail education, and trail patrols (helpers not enforcers).
With reduced Forest Service resources available and more people on the trail, our trails are begging for additional trail stewards and volunteers.
Now is the opportune time to install much needed informational signs at all trail heads - signs that have easy to read safety info, maps, trail use guidelines, and possibly even trail ratings and plant, animal, and geology information. These signs would be beneficial to all users and it is information that we have not had in the Santa Barbara area.
When the Zaca Fire burn areas are reopened to the public, backcountry trail projects can resume. In the past, most trail projects had to concentrate on cutting enormous amounts of brush to clear or open a trail. Now with most of the brush gone, trail projects can focus on repairing and improving the trail tread as well as rerouting unsustainable sections of trail. Working trail tread is some of the most rewarding maintenance that volunteers can do.
In order for the opportunities above to become realities, a coordinated, concerted, and balanced effort by the land agencies, trail advocacy organizations, and concerned trail users is required.
Right now, the Santa Barbara Front Country Trails Task Force can jumpstart such efforts by making informed recommendations based on trail inventory and condition assessments, user inventory and needs assessments, sustainable trail guidelines, and examples of successful trail systems in other areas.
If you believe such opportunities are possible, please attend the Task Force meetings the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 pm at City Hall. You can also write the Task Force (the contact info is in the website link below) and request that they make informed recommendations for the management of our trails. Be sure to also mention that you would be happy to participate in those efforts.
Your local trail advocacy organizations; the Santa Barbara Trails Council, the Los Padres Forest Association, and the Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers welcome your participation in trail projects and would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the challenges and opportunities listed above. Please contact them (websites also listed below).
Task Force information link:
posted by Chris Orr 3:30 PM
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Hello All,
A multi week long trail maintenance event in the SB backcountry wilderness near the Coche camp is ending this coming weekend. Almost all of the supplies to the Coche camp have been packed in and are being packed out by mule and horse pack trains.
This Sunday from about 12noon to about 3pm, the mule and horse pack trains will be traveling down the frontside Santa Cruz trail (Little Pine) into the Upper Oso campground.
I would strongly advise not to ride or hike Little Pine this Sunday during the pack train exit due to the possibility of animal/rider conflicts, the difficulty for the groups to pass each other, and the long delays in waiting for the pack trains.
Thank You,
Chris Orr
Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers.
posted by Chris Orr 11:58 AM
Friday, October 27, 2006
10/06/2006
In observance of National Public Lands Day, there was a joint project with the Santa Barbara Mountainbike Trail Volunteers, the Forest Service and the Los Padres Forest Association to repair part of the Santa Cruz trail known as the shale slide crib wall.
At 8AM we met, 14 or so gung ho trail lovers and sweat hogs. There were representatives from the equestrian, pedestrian and velocipedestrian ( I made that up) communities.
After shmoozing over a continental breakfast courtesy of LPFA, we piled into our vehicles to pool up the road to Happy Hollow on Little Pine Mtn. The six bike riders, which included two with trailers to carry tools and cool drinks down the trail, were followed by the hikers who lopped brush along the way.
In short order the riders got to the shale slide crib wall area and started getting dirty, really dirty. Every shovel full of shale over the side wafted back a cloud of dust. Fortunately, Kerry arrived (he must have run the whole way)with the dust masks before anyone choked.
About two in the afternoon after nearly all the cool beverages had been consumed and everyone looked like a dust colored zombie the hikers arrived and we declared the job finished. The trail is now officially safe for stock to pack into the Santa Cruz station, and for anyone else who might have worried about going over the edge on that sliding shale.
When we arrived at Upper Oso at 3PM we were ready to chow grub. Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch donated the best BBQ in the city and New Belgium Brewing quenched our considerable thirst with Fat Tire Ale.
I am officially declaring this a perfect trail project.
Paul Herning
posted by Chris Orr 11:51 AM
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
In observance of National Public Lands Day, there will be a joint project with the Santa Barbara Mountainbike Trail Volunteers, the Forest Service and the Los Padres Forest Association to repair part of the Santa Cruz trail.
If you don't mind getting dirty and having fun at the same time then this is for you.
Project name: Little Pine Mountain Crib Wall.
Date & time: Sat. Sept 30, 8AM
Location: Los Prietos Ranger Station on Paradise Rd.
Bring: water, lunch, sunglasses, sunscreen, and good walking shoes.
The Forest Service is looking for volunteers to help shovel shale and clear a section of trail commonly referred to as the "Crib Wall". Work will involve hiking or riding down the Santa Cruz trail from Happy Hollow to the site. Bring your bike if you want to ride. The Forest Service will provide tools, helmets, gloves and transportation to the top of the trail.
All volunteers are requested to meet at the Los Prietos Ranger Station, Saturday, September 30th at 8:00AM to kick off the project. A continental breakfast will be served courtesy of the LPFA.
In the afternoon we will stop work leaving enough time for all volunteers to be back to Upper Oso no latter than 4:00 PM. Although the hike from Little Pine to Upper Oso is all down hill, we will eventually cover 6 miles on this project.
And the best part; Chicken Ranch BBQ and beverages, including Fat Tire Ale from New Belgium Brewing, will be served after completion of the days work.
Hope to see you there!
Paul Herning, SBMTV
962-8415
Kerry M Kellogg
Recreation, Wilderness, and Trails
Santa Barbara Ranger District
3505 Paradise Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805)-967-3481 x231
ADVENTURE PASS “FREE DAY” ANNOUNCED IN HONOR OF
NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY
News Release
USDA Forest Service
Los Padres National Forest
Date: September 25, 2006 Los Padres National Forest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6755 Hollister Ave., Suite 150
Goleta, CA 93117
CONTACT: Kathy Good, 805-961-5759 www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres
ADVENTURE PASS “FREE DAY” ANNOUNCED IN HONOR OF
NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY
Goleta, CA… In honor of National Public Lands Day on September 30, the National Forest Adventure Pass will not be required for recreationists visiting areas of Los Padres National Forest where the pass is normally required.
Other fees are still required on National Public Lands Day, such as reservation, campground and group site fees. Exceptions will be posted on-site. Visitors who mistakenly use their Daily Adventure Pass on a free day may have it replaced free-of-charge.
The “free day” policy was established as part of the Adventure Pass program in 1998 to ensure that visitors who cannot afford the pass would have opportunities to visit the National Forest. Under the policy, there are two free days per year. In addition to National Public Lands Day in September, the four southern California national forests recognize the annual National Trails Day as a free day. National Trails Day is in June.
For additional information about “free days” and the recreation fee program in the Angeles, Cleveland, San Bernardino and Los Padres National Forests, visit the Adventure Pass website at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ap/ or contact your local Forest Service office.
For more information about National Public Lands Day visit
###
Release No. 0371.06
Contact: Joan Moody (DOI) (202) 208-6416
Kristin Scuderi (USDA) (202) 720-4623
PUBLIC ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS ON FEDERAL RECREATION FEES
WASHINGTON, September 22, 2006-The U. S. Departments of Agriculture and the Interior today announced the establishment of a new public advisory committee structure to provide recommendations concerning recreation fee proposals for public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
"We expect these advisory committees, when combined with our other public notification and communication efforts, will play a vital role in achieving a very high level of satisfaction with our recreation fee program," said Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey.
"We especially need and value input from the public and local communities that are most affected by federal land management policies. We look forward to hearing their ideas and recommendations concerning federal recreation fees," said Interior Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett.
The Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act requires the Secretaries to establish Recreation Resource Advisory Committees (Recreation RACs) in each state or region unless, in consultation with the governor of the state, it is determined insufficient interest exists to establish a Recreation RAC.
The public advisory committee structure agreed to by both departments provides a cost-effective and collaborative approach for the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to receive recommendations on federal recreation fee proposals. Through a new interagency agreement, both agencies will utilize existing BLM Resource Advisory Councils (RACs), where appropriate, or new Recreation RACs chartered by the Forest Service. These advisory committees and councils will make recommendations to both agencies on implementing, eliminating and changing recreation fees. The agreement details the duties of each agency and the procedures to be followed.
After 11 public listening sessions, work with congressional staff, internal agency analysis and legal review, the decision was made to utilize existing BLM RACs in the states of Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North and South Dakota, and Utah. In addition to these councils, the Forest Service will establish five new Recreation RACs across the nation. They will be in four Forest Service regions -- the Eastern, Southern, Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest (including BLM states of California, Oregon and Washington) -- as well as in the state of Colorado. The Forest Service will also use the existing Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board for the Black Hills National Forest. Based on recommendations from the Governors of Alaska, Nebraska and Wyoming, there will be no Recreation RACs in their states.
The committees may provide recommendations for recreation fees on both Forest Service and BLM managed lands in their respective areas and are expected to become operational as early as this winter. All advisory committee meetings will be open to the public.
The Forest Service is currently accepting nominations for membership on the five new Recreation RACs. People interested in serving on a committee may review the application criteria and obtain a nomination packet at www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac. Nominations for these positions will be accepted through Oct. 23, 2006. The interagency agreement is also available on this website. In California, the Regional RAC contact is Frances Enkoji, Recreation RAC Coordinator, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo CA 94592, 707-562-8846.
Although the existing BLM RACs already have members in place; they periodically solicit nominations for vacancies on the committees. Those interested in serving on a BLM RAC, can find local information on www.blm.gov/rac.
posted by Chris Orr 8:19 AM
Friday, July 21, 2006
Volunteer Trail work: Jesusita Trail, Saturday July 22
Time: 8:00am
Meet: Jesusita trail head above Cater Water Filtration Plant, San Roque Rd.
Bring: Plenty of water, snacks, boots, gloves.
Supplied: Instruction, tools, helmets, and Chicken Ranch BBQ at 2:30pm
Hello All,
This Saturday SBMTV continues the trail repairs/maintenance on Jesusita trail. As many of you know the rains of early 2005 and early 2006 did quite a lot of damage to Jesusita. Many sections of trail disappeared or became quite dangerous after those rains. Through the coordinated volunteer efforts of the Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers, the Los Padres Forest Association, and Trails Alliance we have repaired many of those dangerous locations back to a safe useable trail. Additionally this year the LPFA trail crew (non-volunteer) awarded a flood damage grant by the Forest Service has been using heavier equipment to repair larger slide areas and un-sustainable trail sections - and are doing an incredible job.
This Saturday's volunteer work will be at one the slides areas the LPFA trail crew has been working and will add the additional time and muscle needed to recreate a safe useable tread. We will be digging, picking, and rock chipping to get this trail tread back in shape. If you have some time, feel like flexing your muscles for your trail community, and like getting dirty - we'd love to have you.
For more information contact: Project Leader - Paul Herning, SBMTV (962-8415)
See you out there,
Chris Orr
Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers
Los Padres Forest Association
Trails Alliance
posted by Chris Orr 11:19 AM
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Hello All,
This weekend is packed with events!
www.santabarbarabikefest.com
June 3rd: 2nd Santa Barbara Bicycle Festival at Elings Park with cross country, downhill, bmx, and kids races. Food, music, and demos too!
- Event Volunteers are still needed! (Course marshals, registration, etc). Contact Dave Phreaner at phreaner3@cox.net.
- SBMTV Booth volunteers are needed as well. We will have bells and information about trail maintenance available. Send email to info@sbmtv.org if you are interested in helping out.
June 4th: National Trails Day - trail maintenance on Romero Trail. Sponsored by the Trails Alliance, LPFA, and the Forest Service.
- Join thousands of other trail enthusiasts across the country caring for one of their local trails on National Trails Day.
- Meet 8:30am at the lower Romero Trail Head. Work until 2:00pm. Late lunch served 3:00pm.
- Work: We will be brushing up the Romero singletrack (old road) above the power lines.
- Bring: Hiking boots, long pants/sleeves, helmet, plenty of water, sunscreen, and snacks/lunch.
- Supplied: We will have tools, gloves, hardhats, and guidance for all the volunteers.
* A late lunch/beverages will be supplied after the event.
Hope to see you out there!
SBMTV
posted by Chris Orr 3:53 PM
Friday, May 12, 2006
May/June Santa Barbara Trail Maintenance and Bike Events.
The short list:
May 13th - May 21th, Bike Week 2006 ( Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition hosting since 1994)
- Full schedule of events (classes, presentations, movies, rides) found at this link:
- http://sbbike.org/BW/bw.html, May 16th - Bike to school and 17th - Bike to work days.
May 13th, Saturday, Jesusita Trails Maintenance, Trails Alliance.
- Meet 8:30am, Cater Water Plant on San Roque.
- www.sbtrails.org (SBMTV will be participating)
May 14th, Sunday, Velo Cafe Grand Opening (Bikes and coffee!)
- 615 E. Gutierrez Street, 12n-5pm, see bike week schedule above.
May 19th. Friday, Ride in Movie - Return of the Scorcher.
- See Bike Week schedule above for info.
May 27th, Saturday, Elings Park Trail Maintenance, SBMTV
- SBMTV will again be helping prepare the trails for the annual June 3rd
SB Bike Festival at Elings Park
- www.sbmtv.org/calendar
June 3rd, Saturday, SB Bike Festival Elings Park, 8a-6pm.
- A full day of bike racing, demos, food, music, and booths - don't miss it!
- Full information here: http://www.santabarbarabikefest.com/
June 4th, Sunday, National Trails Day! - Romero Trail Maintenance!
- Come celebrate the trails across our country and participate in trail maintenance with the 1000's of others all over the US. (LPFA, Trails Alliance, SBMTV, and everyone)
- Meet 8:30am, location TBA.
- www.lpforest.org
June 9th - 11th, Grapevine Backcountry Trail Maintenance - Wilderness Rangers
- 3 day overnight wilderness trail maintenance from Bluff to Pelch camps.
- Info: http://lpforest.org/Calendar/week.php?cid=11&catid=&d=10&m=6&y=2006&s=
- May have to paste in the full link above to get it to work.
Upcoming Trail Maintenance Dates:
- June 24th, SBMTV, TBA
- July 8th, Trails Alliance, TBA
- July 22nd, SBMTV, TBA
- Aug 12th, Trails Alliance, TBA
- Aug 26th, SBMTV, TBA
posted by Chris Orr 10:17 AM
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers - Trail News: April 2006
* Report: City/County Front County Trails Public Hearing April 6th.
* Report: Sea Otter IMBA California Summit information.
* SBMTV Bells: How you can help.
* Maintenance: Second and fourth Saturdays Monthly.
* Maintenance: SBMTV Trail Maintenance Elings Park April 22nd.
* Race: 7th Annual Firestone Walker Classic MTB Race April 28th-30th.
* Maintenance: LPFA Backcountry Trail Maintenance, Lower Buckhorn/Indian Creek April 21st-24th.
* Close By: Arroyo Burro, SLO's CCCMB, and LA Area CORBA.
* Extra: DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR VISITS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
* Report: City/County Front County Trails Public Hearing April 6th.
A cooperative trail community gains a foothold: At the April 6th joint city and county public hearing the Front Country Trails Working Group Proposal was presented, which recommended the formation of an umbrella trails advocacy group, installation of informative trailhead signs, the expansion of a trail education and hosting program, and Odd/Even day program for mountain bikes. At the end of the meeting, City and County Parks Representatives recommended that an official City/County/FS commission with a public advisory group be put in place to continue work on resolving the community's trail issues. The Representatives did not show much support or interest in a blanket Odd/Even schedule. Although the benefits of the long term recommendations in the proposal where not discussed and a few groups took uncalled for beatings in the meeting, the Representatives' recommendation to develop further cooperation is the next step in the improvement of safety, enjoyment, and trails for the community. Information about future public meetings and public participation will be provided when available. The Santa Barbara Trails Alliance (www.sbtrails.org) is the umbrella organization that has formed and works to bring other trails groups together with the above goals of improving safety, enjoyment, and trails.
* Report: Sea Otter IMBA California Summit information.
This last April 7th the Sea Otter Classic race in Monterey, the International Mountain Biking Association held a California Trails Summit with new IMBA staffer Tom Ward. Tom, formerly the California State Parks Recreation Manager worked in the California State Parks system for 16 years, experience that will help him identify opportunities for new shared-use trails throughout the state. The summit agenda included information on state parks trails, how the NorCal High School MTB Racing League created a successful program, tips on keeping an advocacy club board working and sustainable, statewide efforts of improving cooperation with equestrian groups, National Forest trail inventories, and an excellent pasta dinner.
SBMTV Board members Chris Orr and Jed Hirsch attended.
* SBMTV Bells: How to help.
SBMTV's voluntary Bell Program aimed at reducing user tension and improving safety, supplies mountain bike riders with free bells at the trail heads. Currently, approximately 200 bells are given away each month. Funding is always needed to keep this program ringing... Help out by donating to the Bell Program at www.sbmtv.org (lower right side of the webpage).
* Maintenance: Second and fourth Saturdays monthly.
The Trails Alliance will be hosting regular Santa Barbara area volunteer trail maintenance in coordination with the Forest Service on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. SBMTV will be assisting with many of these events. Check the Trails Alliance or SBMTV Calendars at www.sbtrails.org or www.sbmtv.org.
* Maintenance: SBMTV Trail Maintenance Elings Park April 22nd.
The 2nd Elings Park Bicycle Festival is coming up June and the trails need to be prepped for the races. SBMTV will be holding a trail maintenance at Elings this April 22nd, 8:30am, in the Elings upper parking lot accessible via Los Positas. Bring water, lunch, and a helmet. Tools will be supplied and there will be Chicken Ranch BBQ available afterwards at 3pm. Contact Paul Herning at paul.herning@sbmtv.org for more information or check the SBMTV Calendar.
* Race: 7th Annual Firestone Walker Classic MTB Race April 28th-30th.
One of the Central Coast's biggest races - offering Crosscountry/Downhill races, music, food, and spectating. Additional work on the race courses is still needed and trail maintenance events are scheduled for April 15th, 16th, 22nd, and 23rd. Volunteers are also still needed for race day events! Check www.ridesb.com for more info on racing, maintenance, and volunteering.
* Maintenance: LPFA Backcountry Trail Maintenance, Lower Buckhorn/Indian Creek April 21st-24th.
The LPFA (www.lpforest.org) is hosting a 4 day 3 night camping/trail maintenance event on Lower Buckhorn and Indian Creek trails. It promises to be an adventure! Contact Jasonn Beckstrand at jasonnb@cox.net for more information. Additional backcountry camping/trail maintenance events in May and June.
* Close By: Arroyo Hondo, SLO's CCCMB and LA Area CORBA, take a look at their sites for maintenance info.
- Arroyo Hondo Preserve, Trail work days 3rd Saturday of every month,
http://www.sblandtrust.org/arroyohondo3.html
- CCCMB, the Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers in San Luis Obispo, www.cccmb.org
- CORBA, the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association in the LA Area, www.corbamtb.com
Extra:
* DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR VISITS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Interior Deputy Secretary Lynn Scarlett got a firsthand look at mountain bike issues over the New Year's weekend at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Scarlett was hosted by NPS Superintendent Woody Smeck, IMBA Executive Director Mike Van Abel, Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association (CORBA) President Jeff Klinger, and Chris Orr, president of the Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers (SBMTV). Rain prevented a planned up-close look at the trails, but the group discussed many issues and wrapped up with a tour of Giant Bicycles. A big thanks to Take Pride in America Shari and Chris Boyer and Giant Bicycles for supporting Scarlett's visit.
posted by Chris Orr 4:29 PM
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Hello all,
April 6th, 2006, 7pm, David Gebhard Public Meeting Room, 630 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101
MEETING:
On April 6th the City of Santa Barbara and the County of Santa Barbara will be hosting a public meeting to present, discuss, and take public comment on a proposal recommended by the Front Country Trails Working group. This proposal concerns the management of the Santa Barbara Trails. The proposal can be found here - http://www.sbtrails.org/Documents/TWG_Proposal.pdf
HISTORY:
SBMTV was invited by Forest Service to participate in the Front Country Trails Working Group (FCTWG) as a representative of the mountain bike community because of SBMTV's 18 years of volunteer service as first a Mountain Bike Patrol in the late 1980's, and then as the major organized volunteer force regularly maintaining SB area trails, developing and hosting a bicycle bell program, developing trail etiquette information for trailheads and bicycle shops, developing MTB rider education programs, as consultants on local trail issues, and successfully working with the Forest Service to avoid closure of Snider trail in year 2000.
SBMTV members that participated in this process included Chuck Anderson past SBMTV president, Chris Orr current SBMTV president, Kelly Steelman as a industry representative, and Dave Phreaner as another local rider representative. Other individuals and organizations that were represented in the FCTWG included the Montecito Trails Foundation, Mission Canyon Home Owners Association, Los Padres Trail Riders (equestrians), SB chapter of the Sierra Club, Safetrails, County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee (Crahtac), the Trails Council, and Los Padres Forest Association. Also representatives from the Los Padres Forest Service, City of Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara, a paid mediator, and UCSB Bren students attended the meetings.
FCTWG participants were assembled by the Forest Service to address the issues of trail user safety and trail user conflicts. The Forest Service asked this group to develop a "recommended" trails management proposal to assist them in reducing those safety and conflict issues.
And this is what the FCTWG did - submit to the City, County, and Forest Service a "recommended" proposal for trails management.
The FCTWG first met in September of 2002 and then on a semi monthly basis until (October 2004) when FCTWG submitted their recommended "FCTWG Proposal". These meetings at times were quite heated and included discussions on a broad range of trail issues, the full spectrum of trail usage from completely closed to completely open, and used trail information and trail data from around the world to develop the proposal.
SBMTV is proud of its involvement in the FCTWG process and proposal.
This work represents the first time in the history of MTB usage (20+
years) on Santa Barbara trails that the varied trail groups were able to work together and develop consensus on important trail issues and trail management. In the late 1980's and early 1990's when the agencies called together public hearings (like the one coming up)on these same issues - the meetings were emotional shouting matches, no cooperative work was done, there was no consensus, and our trail system did not change. Many consider this status quo best. SBMTV does not. With the growing population, additional trail users of all types, and reduced agency resources, the three local trail management agencies need to actually start "managing" their trails - with assistance by concerned trail users.
SBMTV STATEMENT ON THE RECOMMENDED FCTWG PROPOSAL:
SBMTV supports the whole of the FCTWG Proposal which includes the creation of a "Trails Alliance", the creation of a broad user based trail hosting/education program, the installation of useful and informative trail signs, and an interim odd/even plan for mountain bikes in the Santa Barbara trail system.
Specifics of recommended FCTWG proposal:
- The Trails Alliance (supported):
This group has been created and has been functioning as a loose umbrella organization for trail users/groups to work within since 2004. This is the most important aspect of the FCTWG as it is creating the opportunity to improve the trails and reduced user conflict through cooperation by the varied groups. SBMTV visions this Trails Alliance as replacing the repeated
5 to 7 year cycle of trail use battles between trail users with improved relations between users, providing for additional trail maintenance, and assisting the agencies in the creation a "trails management" plan.
- Trail hosting and education program (supported):
The proposed trail hosting/education program is a natural extension of SBMTV's Trailhead education program to a broader based multi-user information program. For the last five years SBMTV volunteers have spent time at trailheads and on trail educating users about current trail issues, conflicts, trail etiquette, trail maintenance events, and distributing bike bells to mountain bikers. SBMTV's education and bell program has made significant improvements in bettering user interactions on the trail. A larger program could alleviate much of the user conflicts on trail and would include the same functionality and additional participation by all user types and may provide additional interpretive information and safety features (First Aid).
- Trail signage (supported):
Santa Barbara trails are poorly signed in the way of trail route, etiquette, safety, and interpretive information. To help, SBMTV has also for the last five years posted FS approved trail etiquette/responsiblity signs for mountain bikes at trailheads. SBMTV has long pushed for better signage of our trails by the agencies and through the Trails Alliance signage has finally started to happen. New signs (made to be as unobtrusive as
possible) will provide trail route, etiquette, interpretive, and saftey information. Finally trail users will have a better idea of where they are going, their responsiblities, what type of plants, animals, rocks are on the trail, and what other types of users they can expect to encounter.
- Odd/Even Plan (supported):
The FCTWG proposal calls for an interim Odd/Even plan for mountain bikes on Santa Barbara trails - but this plan is not defined or detailed in the FCTWG proposal. SBMTV supports the idea of odd/oven on a trail or trails within the Santa Barbara trail system, but does not support an immediate trail system wide odd/even mountain bike plan. SBMTV believes that even for odd/even to be interim on a single trail a number of important actions need to take place:
1)Data needs to be collected to determine the best location for an interim of odd/even.
2)The public and trail users will need to be notified and educated that a change will be taking place.
3)Appropriate signing would need to be developed.
4)The start and end dates for an interim Odd/Even plan need to be well defined.
5)Possibly most imporantly, SBMTV and the MTB community need to see that progress is being made by the Agencies (and the Trails Alliance) to develop a comprehensive trails management plan that will provide access, enjoyment, and safety for all users - without the loss of trail miles(Yes, this means additional trails built). SBMTV strongly believes that if an interim plan for odd/even does not closely follow the points above that the plan will cause more conflicts on the trail and is doomed to failure.
Although the FCTWG proposal is very controversial, SBMTV views this proposal and Trails Alliance as major building blocks in the improvement of our trail community and system as a whole. The time has come for new management plans to meet user's needs, more public involvement, more agency involvement, the adding, modifying, changing of trails, and this process represents the first time in 20+ years of multiple use trails the public and agencies can work together to meet the needs of our growing population.
We encourage you to consider the Santa Barbara's past trail history, SBMTV's involvement, the current issues of user conflict and safety, your trail usage, and most importantly a trail system that can fit the overall needs of the community.
Please attend the April 6th public hearing on the FCTWG proposal and write/email your local representatives with your input on improving shared use - multiple use trails system. The list of representative contacts is found here - http://www.sbmtv.org/docs/representatives.pdf . Also, please review the Trails Alliance website here - http://www.sbtrails.org .
Thank you,
The Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers Board.
"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the countours of a country best since you have to sweat up them and coast down them" - Ernest Hemingway
posted by Chris Orr 9:23 PM
Friday, January 20, 2006
Last November 19th SBMTV, LPFA, and Kalon Kelly organized a trail work day on Upper Romero Canyon Trail. With about 15 volunteers we did an excellent job of repairing shale slides, fixing water control structures, and cutting back brush. Pictures of this event can be found here:
http://www.sbmtv.org/gallery/2005-11-19-Upper-Romero-Canyon-Trail-Maintenance?page=1
This Saturday January 21st, SBMTV and the Forest Service will again be working on Upper Romero Canyon trail and continuing down the trail toward the connector. Work will be the removal of shale slides, repair of waterbars, and brush cutting. We welcome any and all volunteers and encourage you to come out and care for your trails!
Meet at Skofield Park at 8:30AM and then a carpool to Romero saddle.
From there we will hike east along the ridge and work down the trail.
We will break from work in time to be back at the cars about 2:30.
Bring a lunch and plenty of water as this upper trail can be toasty.
Sturdy high topped boots help keep the gravel out. Helmets, gloves and
tools will be supplied (ok to bring your bike helmet). Poison Oak is
always a possibility.
SBMTV will have an early dinner of Chicken Ranch BBQ and drinks waiting at Skofield Pk. upon our return.
RSVP (if you can) with Paul Herning at 962-8415
RATTLESNAKE: Jan 28th, 9am, Meet at Skofield Park:
Part of a regular series of projects in Rattlesnake Canyon sponsored by the Alliance, SBMTV and All Saints by-the-sea Church. Last spring with the help of more than 20 volunteers, we built a new switchback through the pine forest and retired the old eroded part of the trail. This year we will be working on finishing a new route up out of the creek just as it heads up into the pine forest.
Please bring water, lunch and protective gear. Long pants and shirts and eye protection are recommended. Gloves and helmets are required. We will have both available for those who need them. Bike helmets are acceptable.
The Alliance will provide additional water, tools and equipments and treats for afterwards.
See you out there,
Chris Orr,
SBMTV www.sbmtv.org
LPFA www.lpforest.org
Trails Alliance www.sbtrails.org
posted by Chris Orr 11:02 AM
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
October 1st 2005 SBMTV and IMBA's 2nd annual "National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day"
October 14th-16th, California Mountain Unicycle Weekend
http://www.sbuni.org/2005cmw
October 21st-23rd, 24 Hours of Chamberlin Ranch, 24 hour racing near SB!
http://www.ridesb.com/24hourschamberlin.htm
IMPORTANT NEWS:
Los Padres Forest Service releases it's "recreation plan".
http://sbmtv.org/docs/socalforestplansNRsept2305.pdf
Last year was the first "National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day" and here in the Santa Barbara area and it was a great success! We had 50 kids and parents show up to participate in the event that was held on Ellwood Mesa. SBMTV volunteers put together a ride that consisted of a bike checkup by UCSB AS bike shop employees, a great ride around the mesa with a nature stop near the Ellwood Butterfly preserve and tour by Chris Lang, a nature stop on the Ellwood Cliffs with a ocean life talk by biologist Carol Blanchett, and a nature stop near the Coal Oil Point reserve with a talk by docent Ed Easton. After the ride, Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch BBQ was served...and everyone went home with a ride, some food, and a smile.
This year's event will be very similar, Ellwood was again chosen as the location - in the not to distant future many of the Ellwood's trails will be closed by housing and park development. The route and the speakers will be different, but the event promises to bring out as many kids and be just as fun! Schedule will be posted soon!
Ride well!
Chris Orr
SBMTV
posted by Chris Orr 10:44 AM
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Hello all,
Within the next month we have two very different bicycling events! On Sunday, September 4th is the Mercury Lounge's "Bike Show" and on Saturday October 1st is the SBMTV hosted 2nd Annual "National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day" event. Details Below.
Sunday, September 4th 2005
Mercury Lounge's 1st Annual "Bike Show"
5871 Hollister, Goleta (and the parking lot behind Larry's Auto Parts).
Possibly one of the SB area's first bicycle subculture events outside of the 25 year long Ford Fiesta Cruiser ride. The Merc will have the BBQ all fired up, Fat Tire Ale will be on tap (one free one if you ride your bike), a short and sweet Goleta Beach ride, and then...a bike show consisting of any type of bicycle you bring: Vintage, lowrider, monster, chopper, krate, recumbent, road, mountain, downhill, trials, pedal car! Anything and everything will be shown off! Following the start of the show there is rumored to be a (look up "bike kill" on the Internet) bike toss, tricycle races, and bike jousting...yep jousting so bring your armor.
1:30pm Goleta Beach Ride and BBQ'd food becomes available.
3:00pm The "Bike Show"
4:00pm Toss'n, Tricycle'n, and Joust'n.
*Show up if you are not faint of heart...
Saturday, October 1st 2005
SBMTV and IMBA's 2nd annual "National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day"
Last year was the first "National Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day" and here in the Santa Barbara area and it was a great success! We had 50 kids and parents show up to participate in the event that was held on Elwood Mesa. SBMTV volunteers put together a ride that consisted of a bike checkup by UCSB AS bike shop employees, a great ride around the mesa with a nature stop near the Elwood Butterfly preserve and tour by Chris Lang, a nature stop on the Elwood Cliffs with a ocean life talk by biologist Carol Blanchett, and a nature stop near the Coal Oil Point reserve with a talk by docent Ed Easton. After the ride, Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch BBQ was served...and everyone went home with a ride, some food, and a smile.
This year's event will be very similar, Elwood was again chosen as the location - in the not to distant future many of the Elwood's trails will be closed by housing and park development. The route and the speakers will be different, but the event promises to bring out as many kids and be just as fun! Schedule will be posted soon!
* August/September LPFA and SBMTV trail maintenance events had to be cancelled due to Forest Service archaeological issues. Hopefully October events will be back on schedule!
Ride well!
Chris Orr
SBMTV
posted by Chris Orr 1:23 PM
Monday, July 18, 2005
Trail Care Series Saturday July 23 2005, 8am, Upper Romero Canyon Trail.
Hello All,
Please note the change of date for this trailwork project!How about a little trail work Saturday after next!Upper Romero, from the water tank down to the trail crossing, is in need of brushing.We will be hiking, riding bikes, and BOB trailering the tools down from the top. When we're done in the early afternoon we will have Chicken Ranch BBQ and cold ones waiting.So, come on out and if you're hiking you can offload your tools on a BOB when we're done and have a pleasant hike back. If you've got your bike then you're in for a 'free' ride down.We will meet at the bottom trailhead at 8am and be shuttled to the top.We will supply helmets and gloves and tools of course. There is very little poison oak on this upper trail so don't let that stop you. Bring plenty of water!
Sat July 23rd, 8am, Meet at Lower Romero Trail Head.
Paul Herning
962-8415
pherning@cox.net
posted by Chris Orr 8:25 PM
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Hello All,
Below we have a pretty exciting list of events for the rest of June and July, even after the 1st Santa Barbara Bicycle Festival! Take a look...
June/July Events - check each link for more information.
Sat June 18th: Trail Maintenance - Jesusita Trail! This will be the 5th volunteer event this year on Jesusita. Our diverse groups of volunteers have almost completed repairing all the rain damage, mudslides, and brushwork...and the trail is looking better than it has for some 10 odd years... C'mon out and lend a hand on the final push through the brush:
http://www.sbmtv.org/calendar.php
Sun June 19th: King of the Hill Mountain Bike World Championships, San Luis Obispo
http://www.jeepsports.com/jeepmtn/home.aspx
Fri June 24th-Sun June 26th: Bicycle Film Festival in Los Angeles.
http://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com/dev/schedule.html
And to go along with this a great "BikeSummer" shindig in LA:
http://www.bikesummer.org/2005/
Sat June 25th: Trail Maintenance - RedRock Trail (Gibraltar Trail)
http://www.sbmtv.org/calendar.php
Sat July 16th: 3rd Saturday SBMTV Trail Maintenance, TBA.
http://www.sbmtv.org/calendar.php
See you on the trail,
Chris Orr - SBMTV
www.sbmtv.org
posted by Chris Orr 2:13 PM
Friday, April 08, 2005
Another weekend full of trail building opportunities! Come on out and contribute a little time!
(Hey, take care of your community service hours needed for School!) Both of these courses could use a little bit of your elbow and spirit.
Saturday 4/9, Elings Park trail (new).
- 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Meet near Elings Bmx/soccer fields, look for the bike helmets and tools.
- Will be building some of the funner features of the trail...berms etc.
- Bring water and lunch, wear long pants, gloves, and helmet.
- Tools will be supplied
- Contact Dave Phreaner at phreaner3@cox.net for more information.
Sunday 4/10, Firestone MTB Race Course:
- 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
- Meet at 7:30 am Java Station on Hollister to carpool or caravan to the Firestone Ranch.
- Continue working on downhill and crosscountry courses.
- Bring flat shovel or McCleod, water and lunch, wear long pants, gloves, and helmet
- Contack Mike Hecker at hecktone@cox.net 896-0673 and visit www.ridesb.com for race information (April 23rd and 24th!).
! This is also an opportunity to check out the spring flower explosion in the SB backcountry and over at Fig. Mtn !
posted by Chris Orr 9:10 AM
Friday, February 25, 2005
During the weekend of February 12th and 13th the International Mountain Biking Association and the Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers held a very informative, instructional, and productive trail building school for local trail users. Thank you Chuck Anderson for recruiting/hosting the IMBA Trail Care Crew and thank you to Dave Phreaner, Ed Brown, and Mike Warren (Elings Park) for planning and coordinating the new trail. Pictures are at http://www.sbmtv.org/gallery/album19.
Friday Feb 11th:
Local land managers (city,county,FS) and Nat and Rachel Lopes of the IMBA Trail Care Crew (TCC) met to discuss issues of user management and sustainable trails. The morning included a slide show by the TCC highlighting sustainable trail features and management techniques from across the US.
Saturday Feb 12th IMBA Trail building School, Day 1:
In the morning the IMBA TCC crew presented a short video of all the trails they visited in 2004, a slide show who/what/how IMBA is, and a slide show on sustainable trail features and maintenance techniques. This included questions and answers from the participants and an introduction training to using an inclinometer to measure trail grade and slope. The morning session also provided an opportunity for trail volunteers from various organizations to become better acquainted. The mornings coffee and pastries where supplied by the Java Station coffee housse. After lunch, the group moved to Elings park for on trail training. One half of the volunteers headed out with Nat Lopes to learn about layout, check grade/slope of trail location, and flag a new section of trail on the west side of Elings. The second half of the volunteers repaired a section of existing trail on the east side of Elings Park under the direction of Rachel Lopes. These volunteers had a little more inclinometer training, full benched the trail section, and did some excellent work on the first stages of re-vegitation around the trail (The young volunteers, 11 to 15, picked this up right away...)
Sunday May 13th IMBA Trail building School, Day 2:
Thirty Five volunteers from ages 13 to 60 came and built the new section of trail that we designed and prepped on Saturday. Nat and Rachel instructed the volunteers on how to work in a "fire line" i.e., first group clears initial organic matter, second group delineates the trail, 3rd group loosens the soil, and the forth group actually cuts the "full bench" of the trail into the hillside. Volunteers also learned about putting grade reversals into the design of the trail to keep water flowing off of the trail and the volunteers also built two really nice climbing turns (climbing turns are used when the grade of the slope is shallow and does not require a switchback). All said and done, over 1/3 mile of trail was created. At the same time at the trail building - Ed Brown, Dave Phreaner, and Mike Hecker chainsawed and hacked their way thru poison oak entwined chaparral to open a corridor for the next section of trail. Tech-Nu was in high demand after this work. The volunteers where treated to an after trail building dinner by the Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch which included their savory chicken, beans, tortillas, and excellent salsa.
This is the first time volunteers have had the opportunity to build new trail in Santa Barbara and actually consider how to minimize erosive factors on a trail before they begin. A number of additional workdays will be needed to complete the new Elings Park trail and a good number volunteers will be needed each day. Dates and information on the next workday(s) will be emailed and posted on www.sbmtv.org soon. I encourage everyone to come out and lend a hand, learn a little bit about sustainable trail building, and eventually enjoy the trail!
Chris Orr
SBMTV
www.sbmtv.org
posted by Chris Orr 5:14 PM
Monday, January 31, 2005
On January 29th 2005, the first volunteer trail maintenance of the year took place on lower Jesusita Trail. The Trails Alliance volunteers consisted of individual community members and members from the LPFA, SBMTV, and Sierra Club organizations. Ray Ford, Kerry Kellogg, Jim Blakely Jr. and Chris Orr led the volunteers in the reconstruction of water control structures and of sections of trail destroyed by recent mud slides. Take a look at the before and after shots of the two major slides that were repaired (Many more to repair in upcoming maintenance) and the waterbar/rolling grade dips that were installed.
http://www.sbmtv.org/gallery/album17
Jesusita Trail Maintenance Sat Feb 5th. Jesusita Trail Maintenance put on by the Trail Alliance (A coordinated effort between the LPFA, SBMTV, Sierra Club, LPTR and other outdoor groups!) Visit www.sbtrails.org for more info.Start Time: 8:30 am End Time: 3:00 pm (Time Zone: US/Eastern)Category: Volunteer Project Description The Trails Alliance will be hosting a volunteer project on the Jesusita Trail to begin repairing the trail, clearing out debris, adding erosion control features and fixing washouts. We will be meeting at the trailhead just above Cater Filtration Plant at 8:30AM and be out on the trail by 9AM at the latest. Please sign up ahead of time via email so we can plan for tools, etc. Bring lunch, plenty of water and lots of enthusiasm! You should wear long pants, sturdy shoes or boots and bring gloves, eye protection and a helmet. Bike helmets are fine. Contact Ray Ford Email: ray@sb-outdoors.org More info: sbtrails.org IMBA Trail Building and Maintenance SchoolDate: Saturday, February 12th and Sunday, February 13thStart Time: 9:00 am End Time: 5:00pmThe IMBA Trail Care Crew and SBMTV will be hosting a two day trail building and maintenance school. The TCC is acclaimed as the most knowledgeable trail maintenance crew worldwide. This two day class will focus on building and maintaining sustainable trails - trails that are environmental friendly, control water flow, reduce user conflicts, and improve all users enjoyment. Saturday 12th: The morning will consist of in class lecture, slides, questions, and training. Sat afternoon will consist of hands on trail layout and design on a trail. Sunday 13th: This day will consist of all hands on trail building construction and repair techniques on trail. More information (times, locations) and signups will be available shortly. Please reserve these dates!
posted by Chris Orr 5:24 PM
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Our trails are taking a heavy hit from the recent rains. Slides have covered many sections of the trails, trees are down, and water has rerouted the trail. The start of the volunteer trail maintenance season begins with two Jesusita trail maintenance days and then the best two day trail building/maintenance class that you could ever take - the IMBA Trail Care Crew trail school here in Santa Barbara. Please come out for the Jesusita maintenances listed below (sign up!) and more info on the IMBA TCC school will be out shortly.
Jesusita Trail Maintenance put on by the Trail Alliance (A coordinated effort between the LPFA, SBMTV, Sierra Club, LPTR and other outdoor groups!) Visit http://www.blogger.com/app/www.sbtrails.org for more info.
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2005
Start Time: 8:30 am End Time: 3:00 pm (Time Zone: US/Eastern)
Category: Volunteer Project Description The Trails Alliance will be hosting a volunteer project on the Jesusita Trail to begin repairing the trail, clearing out debris, adding erosion control features and fixing washouts. We will be meeting at the trailhead just above Cater Filtration Plant at 8:30AM and be out on the trail by 9AM at the latest. Please sign up ahead of time via email so we can plan for tools, etc. Bring lunch, plenty of water and lots of enthusiasm! You should wear long pants, sturdy shoes or boots and bring gloves, eye protection and a helmet. Bike helmets are fine. Contact Ray Ford Email: ray@sb-outdoors.org More info: sbtrails.org
Date: Saturday, February 5th, 2005
Start Time: 8:30 am End Time: 3:00 pm (Time Zone: US/Eastern)
Category: Volunteer Project Description The Trails Alliance will be hosting a volunteer project on the Jesusita Trail to begin repairing the trail, clearing out debris, adding erosion control features and fixing washouts. We will be meeting at the trailhead just above Cater Filtration Plant at 8:30AM and be out on the trail by 9AM at the latest. Please sign up ahead of time via email so we can plan for tools, etc. Bring lunch, plenty of water and lots of enthusiasm! You should wear long pants, sturdy shoes or boots and bring gloves, eye protection and a helmet. Bike helmets are fine. Contact Ray Ford Email: ray@sb-outdoors.org More info: sbtrails.org
Date: Saturday, February 12th and Sunday, February 13th
Start Time: 9:00 am End Time: 5:00pm
The IMBA Trail Care Crew and SBMTV will be hosting a two day trail building and maintenance school. The TCC is acclaimed as the most knowledgeable trail maintenance crew worldwide. This two day class will focus on building and maintaining sustainable trails - trails that are environmental friendly, control water flow, reduce user conflicts, and improve all users enjoyment.
Saturday 12th: The morning will consist of in class lecture, slides, questions, and training. Sat afternoon will consist of trail layout and design outside on a trail.
Sunday 13th: This day will consist of all hands on trail building construction and repair techniques on trail. More information (times, locations) and signups will be available shortly. Please reserve these dates!
Thanks,
Chris Orr
SBMTV
posted by Chris Orr 5:42 PM
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Hello All,
Snow Summit is closing it's lifts to DH mountain biking for 2005. Liability and environmental concerns have required this closure. The BigBear area has had no organization like SBMTV to maintain trails, mitigate damage, and educate users on proper trail use ethics.
http://www.velonews.com/race/mtn/articles/7280.0.html
http://teambigbear.com
The closure of Snow Summit will mean an increased number of Southern California riders on our local trails. In order to offset this increase of riders and the possibility for more trail conflicts or trail closures, you, our local riders and our local shops will need to practice, teach, and (yes) preach responsible trail ethics / soft cycling techniques and bell use to the fullest extent. SBMTV will need your help in this education, will need help distributing bells, and will need your help on the trail.
As SBMTV revamps it's planning for mitigating possible trail conflicts, I urge you to consider joining or donating to SBMTV and study/practice IMBA's soft cycling techniques at:
http://imba.com/resources/soft_cycling/index.html
More info soon...
Thanks,
Chris Orr
SBMTV
www.sbmtv.org
posted by Chris Orr 1:51 PM
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Reminder,
Responsible riding ethics such as those from IMBA and SBMTV suggest that riders stay off of wet and/or muddy trails until they have drained sufficiently (a couple of days). SBMTV encourages everyone to follow this ethic. See below for reference:
IMBA:
http://imba.com/resources/soft_cycling/index.html
SBMTV: (Taken from Trail Responsibility card)
WARNING! Reckless riding is threatening trail access. Help keep trails open by:
-Always yielding to other trail users.
-Wear a bell to warm others of your approach.
-Maintain controllable speed and slow down around blind corners. Assume someone is there.
-Front country trails can be extremely crowded. Use extra caution!
-Take time to say “hi” to other trail users.
-Keep group size small.
-Avoid skidding and other activities that tear up the trail.
-Ride open trails only! Never damage fencing,water control structures or trail signs.
-Stay off trails when wet and muddy.
-Show up to volunteer trail maintenance events.
Thanks,
Chris Orr
SBMTV
posted by Chris Orr 2:22 PM
Thursday, October 28, 2004
New photos in the SBMTV gallery!
http://www.sbmtv.org/gallery/
posted by Chris Orr 5:28 PM
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Events this weekend:
Sat Oct 9th: Trail maintenance on Alder Creek (backside Franklin) Trail. More information below and at at: http://www.swt.org/temp/sierraclub/trailwork-oct2004.pdf
Sun Oct 10th: Goleta Valley Cycling Club "People Powered Ride"! 30mi, 100k, and 100mi rides. More information at:
http://www.goletabike.org/2004PPR.htm
Alder Creek / Franklin Trail Maintenance:
Carpinteria will soon have its own trail again! The Franklin Trail, which has been closed for years is on track to be reopened next year. We will be working on the north side of this trail that runs from the base of Alder Creek up to Camino Cielo. We'll drive to the
trailhead and work our way up this beautiful canyon to a great camp and beyond. Join us as we ready this side of the trail in anticipation of the opening of the front side.
Date of Project: Saturday October 9th
Start Time: 8:30am for coffee and rolls. We'll be heading out at 9am and carpooling to the trailhead.
Location: Meet at the B of A on upper State Street.
Wear: Long pants and sturdy shoes. We will provide the tools if you don't have your own.
Bring: Water, lunch, and sunscreen. There will be poison oak, please dress accordingly.
Contact Tony Biegen at 687.1929 for any questions or more details.
posted by Chris Orr 1:44 PM
Success! Last Saturday's National Take a Kid Mountain Cycling Day
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=z5pex5v.2nskc1lb&x=0&y=h732ye
Hello All,
Last Saturday's first National Take a Kid Mountain Cycling Day was a great success! Approximately 50+ participants gathered at Ellwood around 12:30pm. First, mechanics from the UCSB AS bike shop checked up on the bikes that arrived, participants signed in and picked up bike route maps supplied by Ralph Fertig of the SB Bicycle Coalition.. Then, a short introduction was given and the riders split into two groups led by Kim Lyons, Dave Phreaner, Chuck Anderson, and Jed Hirsch. By that time, the young riders were stomping on the pedals and ready to go...they took off in a spin of little feet! The SB Mountain Unicycle Club was also in attendance and rolled off down the trail one wheel at a time.
Three nature stops were included in the route around Ellwood Mesa. Chris Lang from Friends of the Ellwood Coast gave an great talk and tour of the Ellwood Monarch Butterfly Grove. Carol Blanchette, a local marine biologist described the marine animal and plant life from atop the Ellwood cliffs. Ed Easton of the Coal Oil Point Reserve talked on the importance of Snowy Plover habitat that the reserve protects.
All the riders, old and young had great time. A few (note the white helmet and small pink bike at the end of the picture gallery) had so much energy after the two hour tour that they continued to ride around the group gathered at the refreshment table setup by SBMTV'er Dorothy LittleJohn. Peanut butter, jelly, bagels, fruit, sodas, and juices where all set out and devoured by the riders...
Lastly, we had a small gathering at Johnny Martin's Java Station Coffee house to view a couple new videos. Matt Whilhelm of the SB Uni club presented the new uni video "Universe" and the iinfamous local videographer Matt Collins showed off his new MTB video "Focused". Matt Collins also provided posters, stickers, and a hat to the Java Station participants.
Kids and parents riding bikes on trails, having fun, and learning about local natural resources! What more could you want? Can't wait until next year...
Ride photos on this link will eventually be up at www.sbmtv.org
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=z5pex5v.2nskc1lb&x=0&y=h732ye
Thanks!
Chris Orr
*Special thanks to volunteers Kim Lyons, Dorothy Littlejohn, Erika Zavala, Ralph Fertig, Dave Phreaner, Jed Hearsh, Christina Sandoval, Chris Lang, Carol Blanchette, Matt Whilhelm, Matt Collins, and John Martin. You guys made it happen!
posted by Chris Orr 1:39 PM
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
National take a Kid Mountain Cycling Day Saturday, October 2nd at Ellwood Mesa
Parents, Teachers, Friends! Introduce your kids to the wonders of cycling in the great outdoors!
Take an easy kids ride (ages 7 - 17, all skills) around the Ellwood mesa and bluffs. Includes nature stops with explanations of the local plant and animal diversity. Drinks and snacks will be provided. After the ride, everyone is invited to the Java Station Coffee House for three short cycling videos (Real Simple, UNiVERsE, and the premiere of Matt Collin's new "Focused"). To reserve a spot contact Dorothy Littlejohn at dlittlejohn1@cox.net / 962-8415,637-7350 or Kim Lyons at 895-2411.
Details:
No mountain cycling experience necessary. Bring your own
bicycle, it does not have to be a mountain cycle, kids bikes are
fine. For a bicycle functionality/checkup, please show up 1/2
hour before the event (11:30a). Extra bicycles can not be
supplied (this year). Helmets for both kids and parents are
required.
Schedule:
12:00n - Meet in the dirt parking area at the end of Cannon
Green rd.* Show up at 11:30a for bicycle functionality/checkup!
12:30p - Ellwood Kid's rides starts.
2:30p - Ride ends back at the Cannon Green parking area.
3:30p - Gather at Java Station coffee house for video showing.
5:30p - All done!
Ride Location: Cannon
Green and Phelps rd.
-101 N. to Storke South.
-Right on Hollister.
-Left on Cannon Green.
-Park in dirt at end of Rd.
Java Station
4447 Hollister
-101 to 154 South.
-Right (N.) on Hollister.
-Left into Java Station.
posted by Chris Orr 11:47 AM
Sunday, August 01, 2004
The Forest Plan update process for Los Padres NF is entering its final phase. The USFS identified its preferred alternative and have completed the draft environmental impact statement. It is now time for us to make comments. This is critically important since the Forest Plan will guide all aspects of Los Padres management for the next 15 years. The USFS’s preferred alternative is a good plan from the perspective of mountain bikers. It affirms the need for Los Padres to meet the growing recreation needs of the public while still protecting the land. However, we do need to comment on the specific details outlined below.
The comment period ends Aug. 11th, so take some time right now to look the plan over and make your comments! The USFS constructed a website where you can review the plan and submit your comments electronically. The plan contains three parts and it quite lengthy. However, by using the built-in search capability you can quickly finds everything that related to mountain bikes and trails.
The Los Padres plan is located at: http://scfpr.esri.com/scfpr/builds/build947/index4.htm.
If you ride in the other southern California forests, please check out their plans at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/scfpr/draft/publication/index.htm
You can also submit written comments to:
Southern California Forest Planning
Re: (Specific forests you're commenting on: Cleveland, San Bernardino,
Angeles, and/or Los Padres)
USDA Forest Service Content Analysis Center
PO Box 22777
Salt Lake City, UT 84122
You may also fax your comments to: (801) 517-1015
Specific Comments:
Designated Trails
Background: Currently the forest is open unless posted closed. We can theoretically travel anywhere within the forest except where we are specifically excluded. This current situation happened by default because the existing forest plan was created before mountain bikes existed.
Change in proposed plan: The new plan restricts bikes to “designated/classified” trails.
Details: Independent of the forest plan update, there is a USFS wide initiative to assess all trails, both official and unofficial (social trails). The assessment will determine which trails should stay and which are unsustainable and environmentally damaging. The assessment will also determine what use is appropriate for each trail. Eventually this will result in trails that are closed unless posted open to bikes (and other users as well). I think this change is a good thing and will hopefully stem the out of control construction of poor trails. However, the assessment must be fair and based on sound criteria. The details of how the assessment will be conducted will not be in the Forest plan and are a battle to be fought another day. However, there is a real danger that bikes, and only bikes, will be excluded from current unofficial trails (i.e. the “new” Cold Springs trail east of the canyon) while the trail assessment is being completed.
Location in plan: Part 2> Land management Plan Strategies> Prospectus> Strategic Program Emphasis & Objectives> facilities Operation & Maintenance.
Comment to make: The new forest plan should not restrict bicycling to official, system trails until and unless a thorough inventory and travel planning process occurs with public involvement. Until then, the plan should only require bikes to stay on existing trails.
Wilderness
Background: Wilderness designations are not made by the USFS, only an act of Congress can designate Wilderness. However, the USFS is required to assess their lands and make recommendations on areas that suitable for Federal Wilderness designation.
Change in plan: The preferred plan contains a number of recommended Wilderness additions. They all appear to be in areas that do not contain trails used by bikes. This is definitely true in the Santa Barbara ranger district. Those familiar with the other ranger districts should take a close look at the recommended Wilderness in those areas and let me know ASAP if the recommended Wilderness areas contain trails used by bikes.
Buckhorn-Madulce addition: There is an error on the map. The map indicates that the Wilderness area extends south across the Buckhorn trail. The text clearly indicates that the recommended Wilderness stops north of the Buckhorn trail.
Location in plan: Part 2> Appendices> Wilderness> Recommended Wilderness
Comment to make: It is well worth commenting about the Buckhorn-Madulce map error and the importance of the Buckhorn trail for mountain bike riders. Also comment on any recommended Wilderness that you think will negatively impact riding. Please pass this Wilderness info on to me as well.
posted by mtbchuck 12:26 PM
Thursday, July 22, 2004
The next time you ride/hike up the old Romero Rd. you'll notice the results of last Saturday's trail work. The crew consisted of Paul Cronshaw, Mitch Sereda, Nate Mackenzie, Tom Dibley, Tom Urquhart, Blake Fuentes, Tosh Bulger, Chuck Andeson, Susan Leska, Paul Mihalec, Otis Calef, Dave Everett, Michael Moise, and Dorothy Littlejohn & Ken Hughes, who made sure we were fed really well. We met at 8AM at the trailhead and after a breakfast supplied by Java Station we were ready to drive through the gate to the end of the powerline road and start workin'. We split into two groups with one hiking a couple hundred yards past the canyon trail crossing and working back down while the other group worked up from the cars. The two groups met with just enough time to hike back to the cars for a 3PM rendezvous at Manning park for well deserved BBQ from Chicken Ranch. Everyone who attended also earned a red raffle ticket good for the big prizes at our next SBMTV bash. Special thanks to the Montecito Fire Department for the gate key which allowed us more time working and less time walking.
posted by sabotosh 8:17 PM
Sunday, June 06, 2004
Damm successful trail maintence day today. If you made it, THANKS! If you didn't, enjoy the wide open, 'no poison oak getting' goodness of the newly cleaned Jesusita Trail and hopefully we'll see you next month.
Enjoy the ride! (as hecker would say)
Dr. Dave
posted by sabotosh 10:13 AM
Monday, April 26, 2004
The Los padres NF forest plan revision process is running way behind schedule, but the Forest Service is finally ready to publish the draft environmental impact statement and draft forest management plan. Many of you have attended earlier meetings on the forest plan revision process. For those who have not, the forest plan is the document that will guide Los Padres NF management for the next 10-15 years. There are public meetings coming p where you can see the draft documents and make comments. It's very important that we show up in force to check out the plan and recommend changes if there are problems. Follow this link, to learn about the meeting in your area. For those in the Santa Barbara area, the meeting is Thursday May 20th at the Goleta School District Administration Center Chamber Room. 401 N. Fairview Ave. from 6-8:30pm. Hope to see you all there.
posted by sabotosh 9:47 AM
Monday, December 01, 2003
Thanks to everyone who volunteered on the November 15th Blue Canyon trail maintenance. We had 35+ volunteers from LPFA, Sierra Club, and SBMTV. We successfully brushed and cleared debris from water bars over most of the trail. The trail is in beautiful shape, and now safer for Hikers, Mountain Bikers, and equestrians. Check out the photos from the event in the photogallery.
posted by sabotosh 7:34 PM
Monday, October 27, 2003
SBMTV supports the SLO Chris King Trail Daze event. Chris Orr, Tosh Bulger, and Paul Herning traveled up to SLO to help build a NEW trail with the Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers (CCCMB). This Chris King sponsored event drew about 90 CCCMB volunteers who under the guidance of Greg Bentencourt, John Cutter, and SLO City Parks and Rec rangers built a new multi-use public trail. Greg, John, and the rangers spent 10's of hours beforehand defining the route, flagging the trail to proper trail building specs for grade and switchbacks. And additionally followed natural undulations of the terrain to make the trail interesting and slow bicycles down. About 30 of the volunteers hiked heavy prebuilt sections of bridge up the trail and installed it. SLO has the great fortune of having both the dedicated volunteers of CCCMB and a City Parks and Rec department that is excited about building trails. We hope our City and County will this excited about trails in the future. It was quite an amazing feeling to build a new trail... The King's were also honored by great TrailDaze jersies from CCCMB and a plaque from the FS/SBMTV. (And thank you Erika and Monica for your travel support!)
The trail will be opened by the City Parks Department after final review.
  
  
 
posted by sabotosh 10:55 AM
SBMTV thanks James Merrick for replacing and stocking the bell box at the top of Gibralter. The box had been vandalized repeatedly the last year and half that it's been there, but recently it was set a fire and then torn off the post. Bells are now again available on Gibralter.
Here is a picture of the box on Saturday before James fixed it. Notice - there is no box!!
posted by sabotosh 10:54 AM
SBMTV members support to the Summit For Danny fund raising climb. As part of a 14 mile hike, participants hiked up Gibralter Road to La Cumbre Peak, then down Tunnel Trail.
During the event Organized by Adventours of Santa Barbara, SBMTV was able to divert all mountain bikers off Tunnel Trail. Although this mean't some had to abandon their rides, all mountain bikers cooperated. None left without Bells and information about the next Maintainance Trail Day. Thank You DownHillers!!!
Additionally, SBMTV was also able to provide water to hikers, to Echelon road club riders, and to various others who found themselves at the top of Gibraltor without water. Members even helped one rider fix a flat.
Chris was up the mountain before daylight, setting up the canopy, signage, and Fire & Ice grill. SBMTV members who have not seen what he can do with Fire & Ice grill are missing out.
Thanks to Chris Orr, Ken Hughes, Paul Herning, Tosh Bulger, James Merrick (SnR), and Linda (SnR) for eating eggs, chocolate chip-coconut pancakes, burgers, and dogs while persuading a number of fellow mountain bikers to find alternates to Tunnel and Jesusita while the hikers participating in the Climb for Danny were on trail. This was a great example of trail users supporting one another.
Special thanks to the 40+ volunteers who kicked butt cutting brush back on Tunnel and (all of) Jesusita in the last couple of months. It has definitely made these trails a great deal easier and more pleasant to use.
  
posted by sabotosh 10:24 AM
Saturday, October 11, 2003
SBMTV members help the Sierra Club's Arroyo Burro trail maintenance. SBMTV members were able to contribute tools and time towards the Sierra Club's effort. We were able to clear the bottom portion of the trail. As we cut back significant brush we uncovered a trail in great condition. Hopefully, future efforts can be organized to clear the entire trail.
It was a very positive experience working with the Sierra Club - supporting their trail clearing program. We will continue to coordinate and cooperate with the Sierra Club to provide ongoing support for their future trail maintenance efforts.
- Tosh
  
 
posted by sabotosh 3:09 PM
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
A big thank you to all those who volunteered for September 20th's Jesusita trail care / National Public Lands Day. We had a good turnout with over 20 volunteers, easily enabling us to brush the entire trail (of mostly Poison Oak).
According to IMBA, nationwide more than 70,000 volunteers worked on 500 National Public Lands Day projects. Event organizers estimate that volunteers contributed approximately $8 million in public land improvements this day alone. Click here for more information (from the Daily Nexus).
  
posted by sabotosh 10:53 AM
Monday, August 25, 2003
Saturday September 20th is the SBMTV Trail Care Series Event #3 on Jesusita trail.
Meet 8:00am at the lower Jesusita trail head (near the Cater water treatment plant on San Roque Road). We will be brushing as much single track as we can - with enough volunteers the entire trail. Rotating teams of 3-4 volunteers will be cutting brush, pulling (throwing brush off side of trail), and then lopping the spikes or punjis down.
Please invite all your riding, and hiking friends - Click her for a printable flyer with more information (please distribute).
Thanks,
Tosh Bulger
SBMTV
posted by sabotosh 9:48 AM
Monday, August 11, 2003
Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time Sunday (August 10th), to brush the Romero Trail. I'm happy to say we were able to make this trail significantly safer for hikers and mountain bikers. I talked to a half dozen hikers - all expressed gratitude towards SBMTV for our continuing work. If you were not able to attend, we will be having another trail maintenance event next month.
 
Elliminating blind corners on Romero Trail by clearing brush
 
posted by sabotosh 12:27 PM
Friday, August 08, 2003
Hello Everyone,
This Sunday is the SBMTV Trail Care Series Event #2 on Romero Canyon.
Meet at the lower Romero trail head 8:30am Sunday the 10th. We will be brushing the section of single track between the "end" of the Romero fireroad and the canyon connector trail. Rotating teams of 3-4 volunteers will be cutting brush, pulling (throwing brush off side of trail), and then lopping the spikes or punjis down. We may be pulling the tools up the trail in BOB trailers and you are invited to ride your bike up to and down from the work area.
Please see the attached flyer or email for more information.
Thanks,
Chris Orr
SBMTV
posted by sabotosh 9:12 PM
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Have you read this weeks Independent (July 24-31)? What's your opinion? Click here to comment on Santa Barbara Trail issues.
posted by sabotosh 3:54 PM
Monday, July 14, 2003
 
SBMTV members and several concerned citizens atteded Monday's CRAHTAC meeting to voice concern about their May 12th trail position statement. It's not too late to submit your comments - Here are copies of some of the letters already submitted to CRAHTAC:
Dear CRAHTAC committee members:
CRAHTAC’s May 12 trail usage position is not the position of the majority of trail users. Over the past year, I have been volunteering on the front country trails as a trail educator. I have had dozens of conversations with hikers; while some expressed concern about safety with cyclists, none suggested the prohibition of mountain bikes. Furthermore, almost all felt that the bell program, started in 1999, has made hiker/cyclist interaction significantly safer by alerting them to the presence of bikes before they could see them.
In ten years of riding cross-country and downhill mountain bikes on the front country trails, I have never collided with or come near to colliding with a hiker or equestrian. I always slow to the hiker’s speed and/or stop to let the hiker pass. I always acknowledge hikers with a hello and on most occasions I receive a similarly positive greeting. As a hiker hiking with my family, I have never had a bike collide with me or have had a near collision. I believe this to be the experience of most cyclists and hikers.
In the absence of input from the greater trail community, CRAHTAC’s position is based on the opinions of a few interest groups. The position is an easy one to take, prohibit bikes - no more hiker/cyclist conflicts. The position, however, excludes a large portion of trail users from recreational opportunities. These trail users are also your constituents – they are Santa Barbara community members and they have just as much right to recreational opportunities as any other user group.
I challenge CRAHTAC to take the harder road and reconsider its position on this issue and find creative solutions that serve the greater trail community - not just the interests of a handful of your members.
Respectfully,
Tosh Bulger,
Hiker, Cyclist, Environmental Biologist.
posted by sabotosh 8:43 PM
I just wanted to say thanks to all those who showed up for Sundays (July 13th) trail work on the upper part of Tunnel Trail. For a group of twenty, a lot of work got done! The brush was cut well back from the top to the Rattlesnake Connector and a few sections of damaged tread was reestablished. It was hot and the flies took more than their fair share of blood but the results were well worth it. Afterwards the food from Chicken Ranch was a life saver! Please show up for next months project, with this kind of work we could really get the trails back into shape!
 
 Tripwire? I hope not!
posted by sabotosh 8:23 PM
Friday, July 11, 2003
Sunday (July 13th) is the first SBMTV Trail Day. The plan is to meet at Java Station at 8:30, carpool to upper tunnel, work until about 2PM, then party at a private park on San Marcos Rd.
The party should be fun. We have food donated by the SB Chicken Ranch, pool, shower, beers, sodas and a raffle. Please bring water and lunch for on the trail. It will be hot!!
Loppers, hand saws, McClouds might come in handy in case the FS tools run short.
Please try to make it!!
This is our last ditch effort to help keep Tunnel open to bikes.
posted by sabotosh 4:43 PM
Wednesday, July 09, 2003
ACTION ALERT - WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO KEEP THE TRAILS OPEN.
To voice your concerns about CRAHTAC’s May 12th trail usage position please write a letter or attend their next meeting - Monday July 14, 3:00 at the County maintenance yard (by transfer center). There is scheduled time for public comment at the beginning of the meetings. Please keep statements to 3 minutes, written comments will also be accepted.
Here are some points I feel are cogent:
Safety issues - Do you think the problems are being exaggerated? Have you ever been involved in an incident with a hiker or mountain biker?
Trail prohibition – Do you think CRAHTAC recommending total bike prohibition on the front country trails is an extreme solution? Do you have better recommendations?
Environmental concerns - Do you think mountain bikers cause significant more erosion than hikers or horses? Do you think that natural erosion forces predominate?
Documentation – Do you think any recommendations should be made in the absence of any documentation of user conflict (i.e. trail questionnaire)?
Please refer to the news section on www.sbmtv.org for updates on this issue. In the coming weeks, letters also will need to be submitted to the LPFA Santa Barbara Trail Working Group, City Council members, and the Forest Service. Please check www.sbmtv.org for info.
posted by sabotosh 4:09 PM
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Please contact these people and tell them if you agree with CRAHTAC'S (County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee) position (read the following posts, if you don't know what I'm ranting about).
County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee (CRAHTAC)
(805) 568-2461
CRAHTAC was established by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors in an advisory capacity to review programs, policies and procedures affecting county recreational riding and hiking trails and their use. Committee members are concerned with the location, development and maintenance of the recreational trails system countywide, to provide public access and links to the Los Padres National Forest, parks, beaches, and other public recreation areas. The committee is comprised of a maximum four members from each of the five Supervisorial Districts, and serve at the pleasure of the appointing Supervisor. CRAHTAC meets regularly on a bi-monthly schedule.
CRAHTAC Claude Garciacelay CGarcia@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
CRAHTAC Director of Parks Jennifer Briggs briggs@co.santa-barbara.ca.us
CRAHTAC Kalon Kelley kalon@mtnimage.com
Please contact our local Sierra Club chapter (especially if you are a card carrying member) and let them know if you support their position.
Las Padres Chapter Sierra Club
South - Santa Barbara Group (805) 962-2042
Chapter Wide Phone: (805) 966-6622
email: los.padres.chapter@sierraclub.org
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 90924, Santa Barbara CA 93190
Please bookmark this page. I will be updating this page regularly, as new information becomes available.
posted by sabotosh 7:09 PM
FYI,
Our local Sierra Club and CRAHTAC (County Riding and Hiking Trails Advisory Committee) have recently adopted the following positions (Please read all the way through):
The Sierra Club approved and adopted the following position statement regarding mountain bike use on front country single-track trails at
their executive meeting on 9 June 2003.
Sierra Club position on Front country trail use by non-motorized vehicles
The Sierra Club recognizes that bicyclists can be legitimate users of
many non-Wilderness backcountry trails and supports responsible off-road
bicycling. In an effort to find common ground and work for positive and
shared environmental and recreational goals, the Sierra Club and
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) agreed to a set of
principles (Park City Agreement). The Sierra Club affirms its
commitment to those principles.
The Sierra Club believes that mountain bicycling is a legitimate form
of recreation and transportation on trails, including single track, when
and where it is practiced in an environmentally sound and socially
responsible manner. In the Park City Agreement both the Sierra Club and the
International Mountain Biking Association agreed that not all
non-Wilderness trails should be opened to bicycle use.
When a land management agency reviews suitability of a trail for
bicycle use, bicycle use should not be allowed where it would cause the
following measurable effects. This list is not all-inclusive.
1. Significant soil erosion or significant damage to streams or fish habitat.
2. Rutting, impairment of trail drainage, breakdown of trail shoulders,
and other forms of damage not correctable using U.S. Forest Service
trail maintenance standards and techniques.
3. Significant disturbance of plants or animals or their habitat.
4. Damage to archaeological, scientific, historical, or other
significant resources, including rare natural features of interest for
scientific study.
5. Danger to the safety of bicyclists or other users because of
bicycle speed, steep grades, steep terrain, sharp curves, slippery or
unstable trail surfaces, or limited visibility. See Appendix D for
design features that can improve safety.
6. Significant displacement or annoyance of other non-motorized
users.
With respect to the single track, front country trails under
consideration by the Trail Working Group, there are serious safety issues because of
the high speed, steep grades, steep terrain, sharp curves, and unstable
trail surfaces with limited visibility. The Sierra Club observes that there
has been significant displacement and annoyance of other users because of
mountain bike use on these trails. There has also been evidence
presented showing damage to trails from the use of mountain bikes.
Therefore, The Sierra Club recommends:
1. That the single-track trails on the front country be closed to
mountain bike and other mechanical use. This includes Tunnel,
Rattlesnake, Cold Springs, McMenemy, San Ysidro, Pueblo Viejo, Buena Vista, Arroyo
Burro, Jesusita, and the single track trail through Romero Canyon.
2. All trails should be closed to mountain bike and other
mechanical use unless posted 'Open.' This has been successful in other areas to
reduce vandalism of signs.
3. That appropriate signage, education, and enforcement procedures be
put in place to accomplish the above closures.
4. That the County, City and the Forest Service cooperate with the
Mountain Biking community to identify an appropriate location for the
construction of a primary mountain biking trail that can serve that
community. The Sierra Club will actively support this process.
5. That standards for mountain bike and mechanical use on trails
not closed be established and published, e.g. speed limits, usage
practices, environmental standards, types of mechanical vehicles, etc.
6. These recommendations should not be construed as
recommendations for closure to mountain bikes and mechanical use of front-country fire
or power access roads (such as exist at Tunnel and Romero) nor backcountry trails outside
of designated wilderness. (In particular, the historic
Romero Canyon road, while now single-track in its upper portion, is not recommended for closure.)
At the CRAHTAC meeting on May 12th, the following position statement
was adopted. It is hoped that this will be useful as our working group deliberations proceed.
CRAHTAC POSITION ON FRONT COUNTRY TRAIL USAGE
May 12, 2003
Whereas there is a fundamental safety issue when heavily used
single-track hiking trails are used by both hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers,
the following recommendations are made:
1. That front country single track trails from Jesusita to Romero
Canyon (and including Tunnel, Rattlesnake, Cold Springs, McMenemy,
San Ysidro, Pueblo Viejo, Buena Vista) be closed to all mechanical usage
(bicyclists,roller boards, etc.).
2. That appropriate signage, education, and enforcement procedures be
put inplace to accomplish the above closures.
3. That the County, City and the Forest Service cooperate with the
Mountain Biking community to identify an appropriate location for the
construction of a primary mountain biking trail that can serve that community.
4. That standards for mountain biking use on trails not closed be established and published.
5. These recommendations should not be construed as recommendations for closure to bicyclists
of front-country fire or power access roads (such as exist at Tunnel and Romero) nor backcountry
trails outside of designated wilderness. (In particular, the historic Romero Canyon road, while now
single-track in its upper portion, is not recommended for closure.)
posted by sabotosh 6:45 PM
Regarding the Sierra Club's position on front country trail use by non-motorized vehicles
Here is an executive summary.
Between their new policy of acceptance of mountain bicycles as a legitimate user group and their conclusion to recommend the prohibition of mountain bikes on all front side trails (except the lower portion of Romero), there is the following statement:
"With respect to the single track, front country trails under Consideration by the Trail Working Group,
(1) there are serious safety issues because of the high speed, steep grades, steep terrain, sharp curves, and unstable trail surfaces with limited visibility. (2) The Sierra Club observes that there has been significant displacement and annoyance of other users because of mountain bike use on these trails. (3) There has also been evidence presented showing damage to trails from the use of mountain bikes."
Here is my response:
Retort(1) It's a matter of perspective. There are serious safety issues and excluding all users except hikers could limit these issues. On the other hand, excluding all users except bikers will also reduce safety issues. Closing the trails entirely to all users will be the safest, however.
Retort(2) Is this documented? Has there been a survey of trail users conducted by a third party? My anecdotal evidence volunteering for SBMTV (posing as a hiker) has yielded only minimal observation of annoyance.
Retort(3) There is not sufficent science on this matter; however, many "scientists" agree that "Natural processes predominate, overshadowing the ruts and churned soil produced by trail users" http://www.imba.com/resources/science/science_dirt.html
Tosh Bulger,
Environmental Scientist
tosh@sbtrails.com
posted by sabotosh 6:32 PM
Monday, May 19, 2003
Thanks Volunteers for all your work! We did some major work. Here are some before and after pics I took on Tunnel Trail.
 
 
I'll post more images as I get them!
EVERY TRAIL USER I TALKED TO ON SATURDAY WAS EXTREMELY GRATEFULL FOR OUR WORK !!!
posted by sabotosh 4:16 PM
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Thanks to all the volunteers for making the Spring 2003 Chris King Trail Daze a success. We had over 100 volunteers spread out over five front-country trails! Romero, San Ysidro, Cold Springs, Tunnel, and Romero are safer and more fun than they were a couple of days ago.
posted by sam 1:56 PM
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