Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm. –John Muir
Spring is nature’s way of saying ‘Let’s party!’ –Robin Williams
Spring has always been synonymous with rebirth and new beginnings. And that couldn’t be more true than during this post-pandemic spring of 2021. Earlier this spring, we welcomed a new addition to the MTF family; Race Belieu Smith, son of our own Chase Smith and his better half, wife Colie.
We also welcomed a new crew member, Alec Johnson, to the MTF team. Alec brings with him 5 years of trail experience working for Mountain Bike the Tetons, in Driggs Idaho, and we’re stoked to have him on on-board.
We have an ambitious dirt agenda this season, one that includes 5 new trail projects in addition to our general maintenance program. Each of these projects is unique and they are all “purpose-built”, meaning that they all serve a purpose.
Chris “Vandy” Vanderlinde and crew are currently chipping away on the unique (and rocky) lunar landscape of SkyRidge Peak, on the northeast side of the Jordanelle Reservoir. This continuation of the multi-use, Milky Way trail, will enable mountain bikers to ascend over 800 feet to the summit of the peak. We will follow that up with a “bike-only” descent back down to the trailhead this fall or next spring.
Just west of SkyRidge, Chase Smith and team are working on a new directional connection from Park City Heights up to the Fox Tail/Skid Row area. This is phase 1 of a multi-year trails plan that will include a connection from the Woodchip Trail down to Skid Row as well as a downhill directional flow trail that will descend over 500 feet, back down to PC Heights.
Other projects on the dirt docket will include:
– A directional “uphill only for bikes” continuation of the Treasure Hill trail that will provide a new, moderate route up to the Mid Mountain trail from Old Town.
– A directional, downhill, flow trail that will connect the new 9K to Mid Mountain in the Black Forest area.
– The completion of the Bonanza loop; a 5+ mile long, directional, multi-use loop, that will be the first mountain bike-friendly trail in Bonanza Flat.
We’re super-excited about each of these projects and confident that they will provide meaningful connections and create unique, smile-inducing experiences for trail users of all types.
After a year of social distancing, we’re eager to once again engage the local community. With that in mind, we’re looking at organizing a locals volunteer day the 3rd Thursday of each month. This will likely be a post-work, ride/hike/run to the work site, dig and socialize for a few hours with our friends and neighbors, old and new. Stay tuned for details…
Have a great one out there!
