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Trail Conditions in the Seattle Area?

1K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  traffic002 
#1 ·
Is there anywhere online (or on MTBR) where I can find semi-regularly updated trail conditions for the Seattle area? Evergreen is failing me.

PS: It's beautiful outside, go for a ride.
 
#4 ·
FWIW I suspect nobody really does much 'conditions updating' because there isn't much to tell... it's winter. Everything in the Seattle area is wet. News at 11! In the meantime you start here: http://evergreenmtb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Good_Winter_Areas

There are a couple lines closed down @ Duthie, but I've been told there's some worth getting. I rode Tolt MacDonald last spring while there was a bit of standing water here and there and it wasn't too bad even with my Pythons. I'm trying to remember the couple other places Borneo had recommended the other day, but I'm having a Momzheimer's attack....
 
#5 ·
Verslo is right on. Seattle wintertime trail conditions report:

Above 2500 feet: snow, closed for the season.
Below 2500 feet: Wet with mud in places.

If you are interested in riding Galbraith, you can check the Galbraith Mud Index:

http://yorktown.cbe.wwu.edu/sandvig/docs/WeatherPlots.aspx

Good places to ride in the winter include Tokul E and W, St. Eds is usually not too bad. Paradise Valley will be good if you give it a day or two to drain after lot of rain, Tapeworm, Sawyer are also good places nearby.

Welcome to the area, buy a good set of fenders, and just go out and ride.
 
#7 ·
It would indeed be really nice if we had just even a few people that rode their local areas "regularily" and kept all others up on all the minute issues concerning conditions, etc. I've noticed that this does indeed seem to happen elsewhere in areas with less opportunity than we have or with particularily bad soils like around the Bay area on CA for example. There are indeed some areas that drain better than others and also are more sustainable in the wet season.

Curvedwallride, maybe we can help narrow down your options if you let us know where you live and then we can dial it in to what is close...
 
#10 ·
Borneo said:
Curvedwallride, maybe we can help narrow down your options if you let us know where you live and then we can dial it in to what is close...
Thanks everyone!

I'm just outside of downtown, in the Central District. I went out to the Tapeworm in Renton yesterday and it seemed fine. I didn't stick around too long b/c I sucked. the last time I was on my MTB was sometime in August.

I'm totally open to suggestions for where to ride. The more the better. Well, maybe just a few here and there to get my bearing and go from there I guess.

I gotta take advantage of the good weather we've been having.
 
#12 ·
Actually, it's probably worth noting that if you're new to the area, do NOT get used to the current conditions and think every January is like this.

This is by far the driest January I can recall. We rode Tolt on Tuesday night and my bike came home clean. Same goes for recent Tokul rides. That's typically unthinkable.

Tokul East was absolutely perfect last Tuesday and I suspect West will be tomorrow. Hell, even Grand Ridge was pretty dry last weekend.

But, um, yeah... buy some fenders. And welcome!:thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
I ride once or twice or thrice a week YEAR ROUND at Black Diamond/Lake Sawyer. Ride east of the highway and you get less mud than the west side. LOTS of sweet trail built by my bro's with an occasional hand from me. My routine is.. ride for 2-3 hrs, hit the Swingin' Arm afterward for a tasty beverage, hose down the bike, dry and lube the chain, shower for me. That's typical PacNW mountain biking. Trail conditions are always the same: expect mud. Learn to enjoy it.
 
#15 ·
The problem is that trails conditions are going to be like the weather report. Unpredictable until you are there.

It was nice and dry Sunday at Tolt and then last night was muddy because some localized rain came through.

Prep for muddy conditions and then be pleasantly surprised when it's dry.
 
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