New Downhill Trail for Rochester, Minnesota

IMBA Trail News
Volume 18, Number 2
Summer 2005

At the Steeplechase Ski Area, downhill riders are lining up for mountain biking thrills. The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew worked with local bike clubs this spring to construct an expert-level trail. Trail Care Crew leaders Nat and Rachael Lopes designed the action-packed 3/4-mile course, with help from IMBA's Minnesota reps Tim Wegner and Erik Gerrits.

Constructed in just two days by volunteers, this is the first lift-serviced downhill trail in the region. The tree-lined route descends 240 vertical feet, offering 28 hits from top to bottom. Riders enter the course with a 65-foot-long, 5-foot-high log ride. This skills-qualifier feature is followed by a series of tabletop jumps. Next, tight turns help riders shed speed before encountering a 7-foot rock drop into a massive berm turn. A rhythmic section with numerous tabletops follows, with an increase in amplitude in the final run.

The spring work weekend was highly successful, drawing more than 40 volunteers to IMBA's Trailbuilding School. The Crew taught the basics of sustainable design, along with techniques for constructing challenging downhill trail features.

Special thanks to Jeff Robertson who pioneered the relationship with Steeplechase and made this trail possible: 70 years old, he still rides, races and builds awesome trails!

5 Tips for Sustainable Downhill Trails

1. 1 Build a contoured trail. The average grade of the Rochester trail is 7 percent, but the terrain varies to create flow, add challenge and aid sustainability.

2. Hits and jumps should be built to last. Tabletop jumps can be armored with large rocks and topped with dirt to shape the transitions.

3. Make it rollable. Give intermediate riders (tomorrow's experts) a b-line to follow.

4. Design a singletrack experience. The Rochester trail is about 3 feet wide and winds through the trees. Because it's built on a contour it won't erode like trails built on the fall line.

5. Bring on the challenge. Giving expert riders a place to test themselves helps curtail the development of unauthorized trails.

More tips can be found in Trail Solutions, IMBA's 272-page trailbuilding book available at imba.com