Poor trail ettiquette, stupidity or just a lack of knowledge?

[skiahh]

Whichever it is, if you know of people riding RIGHT after the rain stops, please help educate them. I saw a pack of bikes heading up into Ute this afternoon about an hour after the storms passed. They were too far up for me to say anything, unfortunately.

Last week when I went riding, there were plenty of bike tire tracks etched deeply into the mud and set when the mud dried.

[chrisgardner73]

I know what you mean. I've seen some nasty ruts at both Ute and Palmer.

When I lived in Omaha, we had placed signs at the trailhead (as well as a couple on trails) that read, "DO NOT RIDE WET TRAILS". Maybe something like that could be done here? Just a thought.

[hitechredneck]

Oh dont worry they are not riding on the muddy trails. They are riding just off to the side of the trail in the grass part to stay out of the mud on the trails.......................

[TomP]

Whichever it is, if you know of people riding RIGHT after the rain stops, please help educate them. I saw a pack of bikes heading up into Ute this afternoon about an hour after the storms passed. They were too far up for me to say anything, unfortunately.

Last week when I went riding, there were plenty of bike tire tracks etched deeply into the mud and set when the mud dried.

A shame too that they didn't just go up to Cheyenne Canyon. As I recall when I lived in the Springs--Buckhorn and Capn Jacks drains completely. You can ride there in the middle of a driving rainstorm and the trail traction is the best it ever gets.

Doof-ism.

[zrm]

My personal opinion is the MTB needs to realize we are all too often our own worst enemy. When you read through these forums most people tend to blame hikers or equestrians, or tree huggers, or bureaucrats, or "anti fun" politicians, or any number of others but very few are willing to point the finger at themselves and alter their behavior.

Anyway...Education can't hurt and I also think the industry needs to help out a bit by not glorifying things like mud flying, etc.

[UncleTrail]

Whichever it is, if you know of people riding RIGHT after the rain stops, please help educate them. I saw a pack of bikes heading up into Ute this afternoon about an hour after the storms passed. They were too far up for me to say anything, unfortunately.

Last week when I went riding, there were plenty of bike tire tracks etched deeply into the mud and set when the mud dried.

I used to get annoyed over stuff like this and then I came to the conclusion that Ute and Palmer are both goat tracks with braided social trails every 20 feet and in the big scheme of things it just really doesn't make a lot of sense to worry about it.

In fact I can't wait to blaze new trails on the HP property addition to Ute once they sign the papers. Should be easy with all the rain since the ground will be nice and soft.

[AntiPavement]

It all depends on the trail. Some trails are great after a good rain, some aren't. The same trail could be great after a large amount of rain or could be slop after just a little depending on the moisture already in the ground. You just have to be willing to not ride if you get to the trail and realize the conditions are bad. Some trails are so chunky and torn up you can't do any damage to them even if you wanted to. There is no one rule about riding after the rain.

[Mishtar]

See I am glad I saw this, I am from BC and we have to ride in the rain up here if we want to ride at all in the winter and now that I am moving to COS I wuld not have known that it is harmful to your trails to ride in the rain.

Thanks!

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
Anyway...Education can't hurt and I also think the industry needs to help out a bit by not glorifying things like mud flying, etc.

I've sent email to IMBA and bike manufacturers before after viewing promotional videos which show irresponsible riding behavior (skidding, jumping on to terrain OFF trail, etc.). It's not much, but I felt that it needed to be pointed out.

[p_DuBs]

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to UncleTrail again."

[TomP]

... I am moving to COS I wuld not have known that it is harmful to your trails to ride in the rain...

In CO it's important to know where it is you're riding and what the soil type is.

The OP is talking about a park right in town that's largely hardpack clay. Saturate it with rain then ride and ruts will be created that are visible for years.

Over on the west side of town on the slope of Pike's Peak the soil is pretty much nothing but decomposed granite--kind of a pea gravel thing. It drains pretty much instantly and there's really no way to carve a rut in it.

In Colorado, we typically have either clay-based soil which is sensitive to riding when wet, or sandy and gravelly soil where it doesn't matter one bit. In fact in the latter case, moisture can make the conditions moar better. Up on the slope of Pike's Peak for example, when it gets really dry the gravel is almost slippery. Around where I am we have some trails that roll through dry washes (sand) and when it's wet is the best time to ride. We also have some patchwork soil areas, where on one trail you're riding gravel, then beach sand, then clay, then bare rock, etc.

We have some loamy soil conditions like your BC stuff, but it's really not very common.

So the best bet is just to get tapped in to the people who know whatever local conditions. If it's wet, ask around about whether there are any local trails that can tolerate being ridden wet.

[Bagwhan]

It all depends on the trail. Some trails are great after a good rain, some aren't. The same trail could be great after a large amount of rain or could be slop after just a little depending on the moisture already in the ground. You just have to be willing to not ride if you get to the trail and realize the conditions are bad. Some trails are so chunky and torn up you can't do any damage to them even if you wanted to. There is no one rule about riding after the rain.

Yep, I rode Hall Ranch last night shortly after it rained, and I am quite certain I did no lasting damage to the trail.

[zrm]

I used to get annoyed over stuff like this and then I came to the conclusion that Ute and Palmer are both goat tracks with braided social trails every 20 feet and in the big scheme of things it just really doesn't make a lot of sense to worry about it.

In fact I can't wait to blaze new trails on the HP property addition to Ute once they sign the papers. Should be easy with all the rain since the ground will be nice and soft.

Just watch out for drones, stealth drones, and black helicopters Uncle. They're everywhere.

[Shytie]

I've ridden Jack's in a heavy downpour and it was probably the best condition I've ever seen. I could really rip down too, since the hikers had all run for cover, the moto's weren't out because it was mid-week, and no one likes going up in driving rain. The worst part was gold camp had turned a bit soupy.

[UncleTrail]

The OP is talking about a park right in town that's largely hardpack clay. Saturate it with rain then ride and ruts will be created that are visible for years.

Years? It's not that bad. In summer a couple of weeks tops.

[UncleTrail]

They use spy cams at Ute. You didn't think all those traffic cameras were put up to watch traffic did you?

[UncleTrail]

If I had one place to pick to NOT ride when it rains it would be CMSP.

[TomP]

Years? It's not that bad. In summer a couple of weeks tops.

Yeah you're right. Guess I was thinking of how it is when horses ride through wet clay.

[skiahh]

Years? It's not that bad. In summer a couple of weeks tops.

That's usually the case, with one or two that will stick around for the season. But the boneheads riding up there recently made ruts so deep they may actually be there for a couple of years!

[TheRage43]

My personal opinion is the MTB needs to realize we are all too often our own worst enemy. When you read through these forums most people tend to blame hikers or equestrians, or tree huggers, or bureaucrats, or "anti fun" politicians, or any number of others but very few are willing to point the finger at themselves and alter their behavior.

Anyway...Education can't hurt and I also think the industry needs to help out a bit by not glorifying things like mud flying, etc.

No wai brah, skidding though corners and blowing up berms is so rad looking, why would you ride any way else?

[00frontier00]

Gonna have to say Red Rocks was perfect during today's storm. According to my Strava... Buwahaha.
That's just one of those places a light rain helps.
Palmer was phenomenal at 0500 this morning after it rained all day yesterday.

Like stated above. It just depends on the soil at all the different spots. There is always some where to ride here at all times of the year.

[Jwind]

Complaining about trail etiquette is past time for Front Rangers i've learned. So much crying my ears hurt. Be nice to people and riding your fvcking bike. THere will always be wee-tards. It really is that easy.