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Nice write up of Vermont riding in latest Dirt Rag

7K views 69 replies 25 participants last post by  PRCVT 
#1 ·
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the article on the development of the various trail networks in Vermont. It was a decent read.

Seems like there is a lot of momentum building for mtn biking in VT.

I own a house near Sunday River and wish there was as much buzz about mountain biking/trail building as Vt has. That being said, Sunday River itself is doing a decent job with the downhill side of things and there is a new parcel in Bethel that is in the planning stages of trail development.

Congrats to riders in VT, nice effort.
 
#45 ·
Not being from VT, I love heading up for the best mounting biking in New England (IMO). Earlier this week I rode Stowe and hit the New Bears. Do you guys think (or hope) that is the new vision for trails in VT? While Bears was a lot of fun, it's not what I would travel to VT for. Not a hater and no disrespect, but I would much rather see the traditional - rocky, rooty, tight singletrack. I could care less about guide rocks, I would prefer rocks in the trail. Regardless, keep up the amazing work up there.
 
#46 ·
Just wanted to say I enjoyed the article on the development of the various trail networks in Vermont. It was a decent read.

Seems like there is a lot of momentum building for mtn biking in VT.

I own a house near Sunday River and wish there was as much buzz about mountain biking/trail building as Vt has. That being said, Sunday River itself is doing a decent job with the downhill side of things and there is a new parcel in Bethel that is in the planning stages of trail development.

Congrats to riders in VT, nice effort.
with nh and n-con within an hour of your house (I lived in bethel for 7 years) you have easily just as good riding with less folks/wear on the trails. you ride n-con area much?

rog
 
#54 ·
They are big fat chunky stones burried 2/3 in the ground, basicaly planted. The tread on these trails is about 24-30 inches wide. They are hand build benchcut singletracks. The purpose is to keep people on trail and attempt to maintain a tight trail despite heavy use and it has largely worked except where people have removed them. There are guidestones about every 50 feet or so along this trail. They are only a problem if you go off the trail. Where I grew up riding, the trails were lined with natural guiestones. In Vt there is nothing stopping people from widening the trail as small roots become exposed in the tread. Over years sections of trail become VERY wide. You might not even notice if you don't hike bike trails, but I think people would be suprised if they walked their favorite singletrack in their local park with a tape. I'm not saying this is the only solution, or even the best one for a trail people bring beginners on. Part of the poblem with Kimmers is the SMBC was calling it a DH trail while it was under contruction and so people were expecting some ripping fast DH. In reality, the top 2/3 of the terrain is steep with alot of wetness requiring many switchbacks. All attempts were made to keep people's speed down and to armour and harden the tread, then keep people on it. If you try and go fast down it, you will find the top 1/2-2/3 pretty challenging. If you just chill out and stop tryin to race it, it is a beautiful flowing trail with long sections of coasting and pumping. If you want to rip a high speed run....climb Kimmers ad go down Hardy Haul. If you enter theswitchbacks on Kimmers too fast, you will be jammed up at the end of the turn and the guidestone that marks the exit will cause you to stop or slow down dramatically to not crash. If you Brake properly and corner properly and exit theturn on trail, the straght aways that follow flow wondefully. You can't ride it like a teenager gettin laid for the first time. You have to slow it down. Take what it gives you and enjoy the technicality of the corners. If you do it right it's like a casual sunday afternoon couch sesh when the kids are at soccer practice and the phone is of the hook. No rush. What's the hurry anyway?
 
#55 ·
So what's in the works at Cotton Brook? I run and flyfish out there all the time, but besides a few snowmobile sidetrails and footpath offshoots, I never seem to see much. Is there an acceptable way to make a loop of the Reservoir? I know some people ride that trail that connects the fire road to Little River SP (Ricker Farm Trail?), but it's posted no bikes. There is a side-trail before that that's marked for dog-sleds and sno-mo's, but I've never ridden all of it to see where it wound up, since I don't want to be riding where it's not allowed.
As for guidestones, I think people should accept them as part of the challenge of the trail. I really don't think there's much more that needs to be said about it.
Totally agree with your assessment of Kimmer's/Hardy Haul. If you rush the upper part of Kimmers, you'll blow the corners, and judging by the rutting and skid marks, that happens a lot. If I'm riding my 'cross bike, I generally go down Hardy's... it's a much smoother descent than Kimmers. They're both pretty fun to go up.
 
#57 ·
The last plan I saw for CottonBrook was for some new trail on the little river side then basically a high traverse up the south side of the Cotton Brook and dropping down once north of it to reconnect with the road near the Moscow end. Would be an awesome connection of singletrack. As far as the loop goes on the east side of the res., alot of it is there on either vast or private land/dirt road.
 
#62 ·
I like the fast, smooth trails like this. The rocks have to go somewhere so the edge of the trail is okay by me. It did strike me as odd when I first saw them because they could turn a minor crash into a bad injury. Still, you can't lose the trail when they are marked this way and they may decrease erosion.
 
#70 ·
Wow, that got me so amped to ride. Snow aint on the ground yet! Its been hard to stay focused on dirt when all i am thinking about is snow....This helps! Thanks Matt.

I am a FOTW rider and absolutely love my "home" trails. I have only ever ridden at Perry Hill. I have to say though, i cant wait to ride some of these SMBC trails and enjoy them the way the builder inteded them to be ridden, guidestones or not. So many great trails and trail builders here in VT. Lucky to ride here.
 
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