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Rode Crawford on Sat the 12th – trails are in great shape, very little mud, FOSS has done a great job of clearing – even way out on race Classic. BEST NEWS OF ALL – there are hundreds of small pine seedlings about 18 inches high in many areas especailly around Teddy bear junction. Very exciting to see some new life there. In a few years, it will feel a lot different in there with little 3 and 4 foot pines to zip through. Chuck

KVR to approx 1km down has about 12-15 trees down. A few a big ‘uns. Spoke to BC Parks lady on Sat pm she is going up there to remove the windfall. Not much fun for the first 1km. Rest is fine, we cleared all the smaller trees.

Saturday – had 8" snow for the first 0/5 KM then patchy for the next 0.5 km. Should be fine for this weekend. Trails had mud/slime spots in places but on the whole super tacky conditions.

As of last night Vapour from Out House to Pink Hwy was cleared by Mike kittmer, Laurens Campbell, Lee Mackay and St Evans. Also cleared Grassy, Lost Lake from Teddy Bear to Out House and Fair Lane from Teddy Bear to Pink Hwy.

On Fair Lane there are a few huge tree that couldn't be cleared so caution is required. 

Vapour was ripped tonight to test and evidence has been obtained that Vapour is most certainly a) clear and b) rad.

On the weekend, my wife and I were visiting Kelowna and rode in Crawford for the first time since the fires. We used to ride there all the time, so it was bittersweet to see the damage, and weird to recognize some things but not others — such a changed landscape. The fireweed and new undergrowth was beautiful, even with the burnt matchstick trees in most sections.

Anyway, we went up past Flamingo Flats, then across on that overgrown connector to Hillbilly, so we just got the little bit of Hillbilly above the Race Classic. For a while after crossing the Race Classic, the trail was in decent condition, but the blowdown just got worse and worse as we continued. Around the junction with the Earring Trail, we were getting off our bikes constantly. So I wouldn't recommend anyone doing the bottom section of Hillbilly until it's been cleared.

Has anyone been to up there yet?

Blown down in three places on Lost Lake above Grassy to Swap Thing.  Swap Thing to Doc Savage clear.  Race Classic from Lone Pine clear.  Klassen is impassable.  Pink Hwy open. 

2 face-smash-level trees down on connector just below the first rocky/steep/ loose section.

another large one down just past the entrance off pink highway.

Having ridden a lot in Crawford and encountered countless deadfall both on Pink highway and trails like Reace Classic, it begs a question. Would it not be less work in the long run for FOSS and mtbco.ca to clear most of the trailside deadfall once and for all as opposed to the constant clearing than needs to be done.

I am not suggesting a clear cut but the burnt trees will fall, if we cleared 20 to 30 feet of the trails especially on the Pink Highway, it could result in a clearer, safer trail that is much easier to maintain……..

Chuck

Fair enough. It is a bigger project. I just feel that it would be better use of time than whoever has to constantly drag up a saw and clear the deadfall every week. That takes more time and money in the long run as it is a band aid solution.

My theory is that by properly clearing the trees adjacent to the main trail(s), you would eliminate the danger of constant deadfall. Someone will get hit one day by a tree.

I figure if the city considers putting $6 million into concrete pontoons for yachts that a few hundred dollars and some elbow grease wouldn't break the bank. However, I do understand that it is a bigger project and time and money are the real issues.

Sometimes it is better to fix up what you have than spend money on new projects.

Thanks for your input!

Chuck