The Overland Mountain Bike Club is planning an extensive revamp of the Mountain Bike Skills park at Spring Canyon. The club hopes to turn the current observed trials oriented skills park into a destitution location within Spring Canyon with hopes of expanding to other parks. The focus of the park will be on beginner and intermediate riders with a special section for children.
Volunteers will be needed on Oct 31st to start the work. Work for the day will be primarily adding rock features for beginner, intermediate and advanced skills lines. Volunteers will meet at the bike park at 8:30 am and work until 12:30 pm or so. Sign up here: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eboy9ythd5c5972d&llr=ew46ilcab
The proposed improvements include:
– Features that are progressive. This is a key attribute. In other words, there are easy lines or sections for the novice/beginner rider and the features increase in difficulty on other lines/sections as the skill of the rider increases.
– Rock/log overs, of various types. Beginner lines have relatively low rocks/logs a couple of inches high, while other lines progress to much bigger rocks/logs for the more advanced riders
– A step-up/down on flat ground. The rise and drop off would progress from a couple of inches for the beginner to a couple of feet for the more advanced riders. This will allow riders to practice climbing the rise as well as going off the step-down.
– Skinnies. Lengths of slightly raised flat rock allow riders to practice a critical skill of maintaining a controlled line. Widths would be wider for the beginners and skinnier for the more advanced riders.
– A ledge on a hill side. The ledge would be only a couple of inches high for the beginners and progress to a couple of feet for the more advances riders. Riders would climb or descend the ledge based on their ability.
– A hillside to practice climbing and descending. On one side it would have only a little steepness for the beginners, and progress to a steeper hillside. Rocks, rock/log overs, and possibly a rock garden, could be added for the more advanced portions.
– A rock garden. The riders would cross the rock garden based on their skill level. For beginners the rocks are low and spread out, progressing to dense rocks with some greater change in height from rock to rock for the more advanced riders.
– A “play area”. A play area is a collection of very large, mostly smooth surface rocks and mounds where riders can practice riding open stone areas, and climbing and making transitions from one level to another.
– Switchbacks. Tight left and right turns will allow practicing both climbing and descending turning skills.
– A pump track. A circuit of dirt rollers that allow riders to practice “pumping skills” and develop a sense of trail flow. With experienced pumping a rider may not have to pedal. Racers use pumping to increase their speed.
– A tot track. A short loop, that is relatively flat and smooth, designed to accommodate very young children riding with training wheels or on a Strider.
– A public viewing area. A designated area for non-riding park users to view the activity in the park and for riders to take breaks.
The full proposal can be seen here: http://www.overlandmtb.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/Overland-Spring-Canyon-MTB-Skills-Park-Proposal-10-24-2014.pdf
