Riding Hardesty in the winter

[dperko]

Greetings,

I just rode Hardesty for the first time, and while most of the trail was okay, there were a few spots that felt wrong to be on.  I’m wondering what the general opinions are about riding this trail in the rainy seasons.

As a followup, are there any trails in that area (including Oakridge) that are considered really good winter riding?  Elsewhere, within an hour or so of Eugene?

 

[pto]

WET TRAIL RIDING ETIQUETTE
The rainy season is upon us and it’s time for DOD’s annual PSA on behalf of our local trails. The main message is that riding many trails when they are wet or muddy causes unnecessary damage and erosion while other trails actually hold up pretty well under wet conditions. A general rule of thumb is after a few days straight of Oregon liquid sunshine or when a layer of snow is melting fast, you should do something else and give the trails a break.
TRAILS TO DEFINITELY AVOID
Goodman Creek, Eagle’s Rest, and lower Hardesty are some of the more fragile trails we have access to. Owing to many small creeks, seeps and even a swale area, the drainage on these trails is poor. Many years they don’t dry out completely until June or July. The more people bike, hike, or bring their horses there in wet conditions the more vulnerable the trails are to long term damage. Please wait to ride these trails until they are completely dry.
TRAILS TO DEFINITELY RIDE
Whypass: AKA Carpenter Bypass, this trail network outside of Lorane was built by mountain bikers as a place to ride year round. Proper construction, drainage, and maintenance along with strategic armoring means that these trails are quite resistant to damage during the winter months.
North Shore: This out and back trail near Lowell is blessed with good rock content and has also received a lot of love from the mtb community over the years to greatly improve the tread and drainage. North shore is a perfect winter riding trail.
Finally, two things to remember: 1) Continued mtb access to multi-use trails is not necessarily guaranteed 2) Trail Elves are not a real thing … Disciples of Dirt, ATCA, GOATS and other trailwork volunteers will be the ones that have to go out and fix the damaged tread in the spring. Please be a responsible and considerate trail user and make good decisions about where and when to ride this winter.

[dperko]

Thanks for the info.  I’m back on a mountain bike for the first time after a 25 year hiatus, so these are my first wet-weather rides in a great long while.  Why the hiatus?  Honestly, I’m asking myself the same question.  I’ve now become a DoD member and will atone in the spring with trail maintenance.

One question though:  If these trails are a definite no-go, is there some reason they are not simply posted as closed like is done at Thurston Hills?

[pto]

Welcome back to the mtb world. There is some good riding to be had at why pass and north shore. Winter trailwork ops on weekdays with a small crew will be ongoing, email [email protected] if you’re available.

Trail closures are at the discretion of land managers and while it is recommended to stay off the Hardesty system trails, there is no closure.

 

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by pto.

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