Tree Clearing Day at North Park

[Deluxe]

If you would like to help clear recently fallen trees at North Park, please meet Don Schmitt at the North Park Administration Building at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wed) July 7.

Additionally, recently several tree roots and smaller, long-standing, logs have been cut, damaged, and/or removed. There is no way of identifying who is doing this short of catching the actor, however, PTAG's NP stewardship team has received several recent complaints from local riders about this problem. Hopefully, it is no one in the biking community. In one instance, someone actually took the time to cut a U-shaped section out of a half-buried, 4-inch diameter tree root, presumably to flatten the trail along North Ridge.

Everyone very much appreciates the time that trail users spend clearing trails, however, this behavior is simply unacceptable. PTAG is trying its best not to be the heavy, but rather to provide fun trails for everyone's enjoyment, but altering the trails and damaging flora without prior approval is a criminal offense subject to fine and suspension of park privileges. More importantly though, the trails belong to everyone, so please consider this before cutting tree roots and removing long-standing TTFs.

Thank you for your continued support.

[Deluxe]

North Park trails are generally now clear of deadfall. There are two large oaks that remain blocking the White w/ Yellow Dot trail heading up to Round Top that require removal with heavy equipment. It is possible that they may be removed today. Please be advised that go-arounds have been closed once the original trail section was re-opened. Please respect the land in those locations. We would like to prevent further erosion around the base of the trees in those locations.

Additionally, a few logs were left as new "technical" terrain features, but in locations where the soil was not appropriate for such, or where trail widening and erosion was a risk, or where the log became untorqued and elevated as it was cut, said trees were removed. Essentially, the trails are the same as they were with 3 new small log roll features.

Please report any questions or concerns to:

www dot ptagtrails dot com slash drupal slash

[gearhead313]

I wondered what was going on with the "overly" cleared parts of some trails.. If it was ptag, i wouldnt care but if its some 29er douch then that makes me angry... no hard feelings of course though

[Deluxe]

I don't know what is meant by that, but only 3-4 small logs were illegally removed and two small roots were cut this year. It is discouraging and somewhat silly that this happened, but I don't think anyone could reasonably argue that such behavior has affected the "technical" nature of North Park's trails. The character of the trails really hasn't changed all that much in the past 2 years. Although PTAG commonly puts out advisories to riders concerning trail alteration, it would be very presumptuous to decry 29ers or even another rider as the culprit. Although I am a dyed-in-the-wool 26er, it is not a function of tire size, I assure you.

I have not seen anything strange enough lately such that it really stood out in my mind, besides the silliness of those who took a planing saw to two small roots on the Back 9 and North Ridge. Annoying, but the visual is comical. I am sure a small tree branch will fall somewhere soon, so we'll leave them lie just to even the score...

The most technical trail in the park is Dr. J, and I am fairly certain that this trail will be safeguarded from vandalism given the frequency of its use and its officially recognized status.

[Shred303]

I heard gearhead was the culprit. He was using the tree roots to weave a handle bar basket for his 26" Session 77.

[Deluxe]

Wrong. Excessive taint hair was used to weave the basket. The roots were actually cut to milk balmy trees oils which he employed to sooth the razorburn of his freshly shorn posterior scrotal netherlands...

[gearhead313]

oh sheesh.. im just joking around!


the back 9 trail was the first smoothed root i thought of..


now all i need is toto for my bazket!!!!

[Shred303]

And don't forget the pink handlebar streamers and a bell.

[Deluxe]

You're just such an easy target!

[gearhead313]

im totally shredding the downhill with a basket on front...

[cracked]

lmao!

I can't get the picture of the 77 bouncing down a recently over trimmed trail with a basket hangin' off the bars whilst the little free-riding gram whore himself holds on for dear life.