Rochester, MN: Jump Starting Lift Assist Riding

First local downhill trail is built with the help of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew

This log ride acts as a qualifier for the expert trail ahead. The entry onto the log is a steep and thin log ride that acts as a filter to discourage amateur riders from riding the trail. Of course, there is a b-line around the log ride for those not in the mood.
This is the first big rock drop-off. A b-line to the side is rollable as is the rock drop itself. The drop has great flow though the landing and swings the rider right around the berm turn maintaining just enough speed to take on the jumps ahead.
The tabletop jumps were built with a rock base. The largest boulders that could be found were buried into the ground and used to build up the rough shape of the jump. Then, soil was filled on top making sure to compact in 2-inch layers for maximum compaction. The shape of the takeoff and landing transitions were tested by riders and adjusted as needed.
This is the biggest insloped berm turn on the trail. Only the lower half of it had to be built up by soil. The top of the berm is carved into the naturally compacted slope of the hillside and is rock solid. This natural compaction will aid it the turns' longevity. Read about the keys to a sustainable insloped berm turn in Trail Solutions
The berm turn above leads into a series of three tabletop jumps then one last berm turn brings you into the final four jumps. The last set up jumps starts with an 8-foot platform, the next a 10-foot platform, the third a 12-foot platform and the final jump on the run is a 14-foot platform that pops out of the woods and can be viewed from the ski slope and chairlift base. Making part of this trail spectator friendly was a goal, because Steeplechase would like to hold races at the park. Along with this downhill course beginner, intermediate and advanced/freeride trails are being constructed as well. Steeplechase will have a trail experience for every type of rider.
Special thanks to Jeff Robertson who pioneered the relationship with Steeplechase and made this trail possible. At more than seventy years old he rides, races and builds a mean log ride!

Get ready to line up at Steeplechase Ski Area near Rochester, Minnesota, for the newest trail in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew had an exciting weekend working with local bike clubs MORC and MORC affiliate, Rochester Active Sports Club (RASC), constructing an awesome expert level downhill trail. An action packed 3/4-mile trail was designed by Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders Nat and Rachael Lopes and IMBA's Southern Minnesota Representatives Tim Wegner and Erik Gerrits. They didn't think it was possible, but the entire trail was constructed in just two days by the clubs' wonderful volunteers and with the help of local trail consultants Trail Source who pitched in with their mechanized trail construction expertise. More than 550-hours of volunteer work was devoted to this trail and now it's ready to ride!

The trail descends the slopes' 240-vertical feet and is kept entirely in the trees. It has 28 hits from top to bottom including a 65-foot-long, 5-foot-high log ride as the entry move into the trail. This qualifier is followed by a series of tabletop jumps, then a couple turns to shed speed leading into a 7-foot rock drop into a massive berm turn. The trail continues into a rhythm section with numerous tabletop jumps that increase in amplitude as you descend intermixed with hip jumps, rock launches and more berm turns. The weekend was unbelievably successful, drawing over 40 volunteers to IMBA's trailbuilding school. The Crew taught the basics of sustainable trailbuilding along with techniques to building sustainable downhill trail features.

So what makes it a sustainable downhill?

1. It's a contour trail. The average grade of this trail is seven percent. Steeper sections were designed into the trail to include some drop offs and step-down jumps.
2. All hits and jump features are built to last. The tabletop jumps are armored with large rocks and filled over with dirt to shape the transitions.
3. It's rollable. All technical trail features can be rolled over or avoided by taking b-lines. The trail is rideable even for an intermediate rider. Tabletops can be rolled over until a rider figures out how to jump it best. Also, all fall zones were cleared of vegetation for safety.
4. It's still singletrack. The trail is about 3-feet wide and winds through the trees. Because it's on the contour it won't get eroded and widened like many "downhill" trails built on the fall-line. This trail will protect the environment by giving the expert trails a place to ride that isn't impacting the land any more than a typical cross-country trail.
5. It's fun. The riders who were asking for a downhill trail like this one helped design and build it. Now these riders have a place to ride that is fun which will reduce potential social trails being built.