IMBA Slideshow: Trail Care Crew Builds Technical Trails in Oregon

by Joey Klein

We wrapped up our 2001 Trail Care Crew season in Ashland, Oregon. This was our last scheduled visit after three years on the road and was one of the best ever! Our friends from the Southern Oregon Mountain Bike Association and the Rogue River District of the US Forest Service hosted this stellar event. Everything came together, including creative new trail work methods, welcoming downhill cyclists into the trailbuilding fold and increasing our trail partnerships in Ashland.

Ashland is blessed with good music, great beer and tons of primo singletrack. Most of the trails are silky-smooth, allowing for a faster style of riding. As with many places in North America, Ashland has a growing population of downhill mountain bikers. These riders seek steep, technical routes that can be shuttled. Our goal was to work with this user group, while keeping the trail sustainable and fun for everyone. We brainstormed ideas for this project last year with Mike Ricketts, who is the Recreation and Trails Specialist for the Rogue River National Forest. Mike is one of the most proactive land managers in the west who believes strong partnerships with all user groups can solve trail issues.

Working with SOMBA, we made last year's ideas a reality. We worked on something called the "Caterpillar Trail."; The trail maintains an overall grade of 8%, yet features lots of technical challenges, including log rides, rock drops and a six-foot gap jump. The final result: a sustainable trail that's fun and challenging to ride, run or hike. Ashland’s plethora of trails, enthusiastic volunteers and the positive energy was intoxicating. The visit was the perfect end to a long journey, and a new beginning for an exciting style of trail building.