Columbus, OH: Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew Digs In

IMBA and COMBO partner on the next phase of trails at Alum Creek State Park

The rain-soaked COMBO work crew poses after an afternoon of trailbuilding.
Experienced COMBO volunteers are experts at full-bench cut trail construction.
COMBO has an active NMBP group that has been key to maintaining access to trails in the Columbus area.
Swoopy contour trail and well-constructed bridge crossings are par for the course on COMBO's Phase 2 trails at Alum Creek State Park.
Maybe banana peels on the trail do add challenge.

The Central Ohio Mountain Bike Organization and Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders, Chris Bernhardt and Jill Van Winkle, led an experienced crew of volunteers to turn some serious dirt in Alum Creek State Park July 29 to August 1.

Located just outside Columbus, the park's trails had seen high use from a not always experienced ridership. This heavy use, combined with poor trail design, had led to erosion, social trails, user conflict, and, ultimately, threatened mountain bike access to the trails. COMBO initiated a dialogue with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (who own the land) and the Ohio State Parks (who manage the park) to look at alternatives and assess the trails. COMBO closed the trail, did extensive reclamation and re-routes, and built the trust of the land managers. This relationship recently led to the approval of an additional 15 miles of new trail. More than 7 miles of beautiful contour trail are already complete, including bridges and rock armoring over wet areas which add challenge while protecting the land.

For this visit, the Crew met with COMBO leaders to work on a particularly tricky stream crossing. While most active COMBO members have been through at least one IMBA Trailbuilding School, they showed up for the classroom session and work parties, ready to refresh their skills and build trail. Over two work days, and a short but intense downpour, the work party built over 600 ft of finished trail and roughed in another 900 ft. The weekend was capped off with a fun and fast ride through the park, led by COMBO National Mountain Bike Patrol members.