$2,000 Challenge Remaining to be Raised
Please help CAMBA its singletrack trail building initiative by making a donation to the “Save the Trails” fund facilitated by the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. When you do, Trek Bicycles will match your donation.
The Save the Trails fund is a program that allows mountain bikers to make donations to be directed to support CAMBA’s trail development efforts. Trek has generously agreed to match up to $10,000 of these donations. To date this year $8,000 has been received. That leaves $2,000 to be raised in order to qualify for the full matching donation from Trek.
Make a Donation Online
You can help CAMBA reach this goal by making a generous donation to the Save the Trails fund. To do so please send a check payable to Save the Trails and mail it to Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, P.O. Box 267, Cable, WI 54821.
As you may know, CAMBA has been building an extensive network of singletrack trails in northern Sawyer and southern Bayfield Counties. In just the last four years close to 50 miles of new trails have been constructed. This is an ambitious and expensive proposition, however, costing $3,500 to $4,500 per mile!
Your assistance is greatly needed and greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping us make the Chequamegon Area one of the best places to ride a fat tire bike in the country.
Feel free to forward this appeal to all of your mountain biking friends, business associates and others who you feel might support this effort.
Thanks.
CAMBA Mountain Bike Trails Blog
Showing posts with label New Trail Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Trail Development. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Friday, September 25, 2009
Patsy Lake Singletrack Progresses
A new section of single track is now open for riding from N 15 to FR 203. This trail is easy riding and designed to be very scenic. Here pictured are Stan Walczak and Chuck Wolske working on the trail. CAMBA work day, October 10, will extend this trail to N 17.
John Leighton
John Leighton
Friday, September 11, 2009
MAKWA TRAIL COMPLETED
The Makwa Trail from Mosquito Brook to the Birkie Cabin at Hwy OO is finished. We tamped the golden shovel of dirt at the foot of the picnic table hill on Thursday, Sept 3. What seemed an optimistic dream four years ago is now a reality. You can now traverse the woods on bike or on foot via 21 miles of sweet single track between Hatchery Creek Park in Hayward and OO. Through the fall there will be some volunteer work tweaking the details on this summer's 7.8 new miles of Makwa from Gravel Pit to 00. But the trail is all open and ready to ride. Volunteer opportunities will be on Monday evenings at 00 at 5:30, weather permitting.
Thank you, one and all, who helped on this epic CAMBA project. We employed 32 people during the four summers. The volunteer hours numbered in the thousands. (Which means we lost count, but we're sure there were at least that many.) The project was funded entirely by CAMBA through grants and contributions from enlightened business owners, wise governmental bodies, interested groups and organizations, cycling enthusiasts and generous CAMBA members. (If I am leaving anyone out, my apologies and Thank You.) Contributions are still needed, both to replenish the CAMBA coffers for this trail and to fund more trails in the planning stages. Send your dollars to CAMBA, P.O. Box 141, Cable, Wi. 54821.
Access the Makwa at the Birkie rest cabin at OO 3 miles east of Seeley, at Gravel Pit Rd. east of Hayward (100 yards south of the Birkie Trail/Gravel Pit Rd. crossing), and at the Birkie parking lot at Mosquito Brook Rd. The Makwa is a two way trail except for a 3/4 mile loop that starts and ends at the Birkie Cabin on OO. Hatchery Creek Trail extends from Mosquito Brook Rd. to Hatchery Creek Park two miles east of Hayward off Hwy 77 and is a one way trail with loops at both trailheads. Both trails are challenging but non-technical, meaning no major obstacles to ride over, and suitable for riders of all abilities. The easiest section, for beginning off road riders, runs south from Gravel Pit Rd. The most difficult sections are from Hatchery Creek to Mosquito Brook and south from OO. The loop at OO is rated easy to moderate.
The trails are entirely on Sawyer County Forest land. Expressing your appreciation for the use of the forest to the Sawyer County Forestry Committee would help build our rapport with a governmental body whose support is crucial to our goal of building cycling opportunities in the area. Email the county forester and the chairman of the committee and tell them where you are from and what the trail means to you. By the nature of our activity, we are invisible to them unless we make the effort to let them know we exist. The more aware of us they are, the more willing they are to work with us in the future on new trails, protecting our existing trails from logging and motorized use, etc. Here are the links: greg.peterson@sawyercountygov.org and james.bassett@sawyercountygov.org.
Ride on, Steve Morales for CAMBA
Thank you, one and all, who helped on this epic CAMBA project. We employed 32 people during the four summers. The volunteer hours numbered in the thousands. (Which means we lost count, but we're sure there were at least that many.) The project was funded entirely by CAMBA through grants and contributions from enlightened business owners, wise governmental bodies, interested groups and organizations, cycling enthusiasts and generous CAMBA members. (If I am leaving anyone out, my apologies and Thank You.) Contributions are still needed, both to replenish the CAMBA coffers for this trail and to fund more trails in the planning stages. Send your dollars to CAMBA, P.O. Box 141, Cable, Wi. 54821.
Access the Makwa at the Birkie rest cabin at OO 3 miles east of Seeley, at Gravel Pit Rd. east of Hayward (100 yards south of the Birkie Trail/Gravel Pit Rd. crossing), and at the Birkie parking lot at Mosquito Brook Rd. The Makwa is a two way trail except for a 3/4 mile loop that starts and ends at the Birkie Cabin on OO. Hatchery Creek Trail extends from Mosquito Brook Rd. to Hatchery Creek Park two miles east of Hayward off Hwy 77 and is a one way trail with loops at both trailheads. Both trails are challenging but non-technical, meaning no major obstacles to ride over, and suitable for riders of all abilities. The easiest section, for beginning off road riders, runs south from Gravel Pit Rd. The most difficult sections are from Hatchery Creek to Mosquito Brook and south from OO. The loop at OO is rated easy to moderate.
The trails are entirely on Sawyer County Forest land. Expressing your appreciation for the use of the forest to the Sawyer County Forestry Committee would help build our rapport with a governmental body whose support is crucial to our goal of building cycling opportunities in the area. Email the county forester and the chairman of the committee and tell them where you are from and what the trail means to you. By the nature of our activity, we are invisible to them unless we make the effort to let them know we exist. The more aware of us they are, the more willing they are to work with us in the future on new trails, protecting our existing trails from logging and motorized use, etc. Here are the links: greg.peterson@sawyercountygov.org and james.bassett@sawyercountygov.org.
Ride on, Steve Morales for CAMBA
Monday, August 17, 2009
MAKWA TRAIL NEARS COMPLETION TO OO
It's mid August, and a long held vision of riding single track from Hayward to the Birkebeiner warming hut east of Seeley, is about to become a reality. Less than half a mile of tread remains to be dug. Two crews are working toward each other. The Golden Shovel Full of Dirt (spikes are a bad idea on a bike trail) should be tamped into place by the end of August. CAMBA's paid summer crew of 9 college and high school students, supervised by volunteer Steve Morales, have worked hard all summer pushing the trail north from Gravel Pit Rd., where the Makwa terminated at the end last summer's building season. A crew of volunteers from the Seeley area, supervised by Jeff Schmid, began working south in June. The new section of the Makwa trail will add a total of 7 to 8 miles of sweet new single track to the CAMBA system. The new trail includes a 3/4 mile loop starting and ending at the OO warming hut. The loop is signed for one way traffic only, and it intersects the two way Makwa at the southernmost point on the loop. The new loop was completed in July.
The Makwa was designed to be a great ride for all abilities. The rocks and roots have been removed to smooth the tread and enhance the flow. The climbs, descents and corners allow riders to maintain momentum. The trail has been open to riders all summer as the construction has continued, and from the positive comments the trail crews have been receiving from riders, the goal of creating an exciting, sweet ride has been achieved. The trail has been signed by volunteer John Saunders as the construction has progressed. The Makwa can be accessed at the Mosquito Brook Rd. Trailhead, the OO Trailhead, and several points between. It's a beautiful, sinuous ribbon tying the trails in the Hayward Cluster to those in the Seeley Cluster. In the Hayward Cluster, access it by vehicle on the Loop Descent Trail just south of H8, or at Gravel Pit Rd. just south of the Birkie Trail. Access it by bike at two points where it intersects the Bar Stool loop. In the Seeley Cluster, access the Makwa where it crosses the snowmobile trail south of OO. The Makwa crosses the Birkie Trail eight times as it winds through the county forest between the two trailheads, creating multiple options for riders to create their own loops.
Beginning the scouting process on snowshoes in the middle of last winter, Steve Morales and Darren Winchester took into account trail sustainability, timber type, and rideability in locating the route. It took a month of early spring hiking before they were sure the trail would meet the project goals. A .4 mile section of Birkie Trail on either side of the Birkie 28K marker will serve as a temporary piece of the Makwa until a suitable route off the Birkie can be located after the leaves drop in October. The entire 7.2 miles of trail was brushed and chainsawed by volunteers as the digging began in May. The loop at OO and the first mile to the south was dug by a mini-excavator operator CAMBA hired, then was finished by hand. Volunteer Butch Grainger used a CAMBA rented excavator to dig about 3 miles north from Gravel Pit Rd. This section was also finished by hand. The roughly 3 miles of trail between was dug and finished entirely by hand by the CAMBA crews.
The addition of the Makwa to the single track already built in the Hayward Cluster brings the total distance of trails to well over 20 miles. The Makwa alone will total almost 13 miles, making it one of, if not the longest continuous piece of point to point single track in the Midwest.
The Makwa was designed to be a great ride for all abilities. The rocks and roots have been removed to smooth the tread and enhance the flow. The climbs, descents and corners allow riders to maintain momentum. The trail has been open to riders all summer as the construction has continued, and from the positive comments the trail crews have been receiving from riders, the goal of creating an exciting, sweet ride has been achieved. The trail has been signed by volunteer John Saunders as the construction has progressed. The Makwa can be accessed at the Mosquito Brook Rd. Trailhead, the OO Trailhead, and several points between. It's a beautiful, sinuous ribbon tying the trails in the Hayward Cluster to those in the Seeley Cluster. In the Hayward Cluster, access it by vehicle on the Loop Descent Trail just south of H8, or at Gravel Pit Rd. just south of the Birkie Trail. Access it by bike at two points where it intersects the Bar Stool loop. In the Seeley Cluster, access the Makwa where it crosses the snowmobile trail south of OO. The Makwa crosses the Birkie Trail eight times as it winds through the county forest between the two trailheads, creating multiple options for riders to create their own loops.
Beginning the scouting process on snowshoes in the middle of last winter, Steve Morales and Darren Winchester took into account trail sustainability, timber type, and rideability in locating the route. It took a month of early spring hiking before they were sure the trail would meet the project goals. A .4 mile section of Birkie Trail on either side of the Birkie 28K marker will serve as a temporary piece of the Makwa until a suitable route off the Birkie can be located after the leaves drop in October. The entire 7.2 miles of trail was brushed and chainsawed by volunteers as the digging began in May. The loop at OO and the first mile to the south was dug by a mini-excavator operator CAMBA hired, then was finished by hand. Volunteer Butch Grainger used a CAMBA rented excavator to dig about 3 miles north from Gravel Pit Rd. This section was also finished by hand. The roughly 3 miles of trail between was dug and finished entirely by hand by the CAMBA crews.
The addition of the Makwa to the single track already built in the Hayward Cluster brings the total distance of trails to well over 20 miles. The Makwa alone will total almost 13 miles, making it one of, if not the longest continuous piece of point to point single track in the Midwest.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
New Trail Open in Namakagon - additional one mile section opened
An additional one mile section of easy riding single track was opened on June 24. It runs on the Patsy Lake Trail from N14 to the Namakagon Trail, and is now designated the Patsy Lake Cutoff. The intersection of the new trail with the Namakagon Trail has been designated N16. The old Patsy Lake Cutoff to FR 206, and the road ride to the intersection of FR 206 and FR 203 have been decommissioned. All Patsy Lake return traffic is routed onto the new trail.
This completes a total of 2.3 miles of new easy riding single track in the non-motorized area west of FR 203/206. Work has resumed on the difficult single track from N29 to N11. So far this year the total hours spent on trail construction and maintenance in the Namakagon Cluster exceeds 1,000 hours. Thanks volunteers, paid crew, and the National Forest Service interns.
This completes a total of 2.3 miles of new easy riding single track in the non-motorized area west of FR 203/206. Work has resumed on the difficult single track from N29 to N11. So far this year the total hours spent on trail construction and maintenance in the Namakagon Cluster exceeds 1,000 hours. Thanks volunteers, paid crew, and the National Forest Service interns.
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New Trail Open in Namakagon
A 1.3 mile section of easy riding single track from N23 to N14 was opened for riding on June 10. The location of N23 has been moved 50 yards west on Wilson Lake Road to the start of the new trail. N24, N25 and the use of snowmobile trail #3 have been decommissioned. All traffic on the Patsy Lake Trail south of N14 will be routed onto the new trail for the return. This eliminates contention with ATVs using snowmobile trail #3, and logging which is scheduled east of FR 206 this summer.
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Single-track trail from N29 to N11 on the Rock Lake Trail is open
The single-track trail from N29 to N11 on the Rock Lake Trail has been completed and is open for riding (ribbons will be removed today.) The double-track going to N12 has been decommissioned. All traffic from N29 is directed down the new trail.
This trail has many long stretches of easy riding with some drama from time to time, e.g. Wall Street. All trail features on the trail are easily cleared with the chain ring on my hard-tail. This includes the Bactrian Backbreaker which I rode 5 times yesterday during construction.
We began work on this section almost a year ago. There have been many who helped in the construction. Thanks to all who have given a part of themselves to this trail, and the National Forest Service for making this trail possible.
John Leighton
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