Tag Archives: super connector

Mid Summer Trail Work Day

Posted on by

Summer is here – in case you hadn’t noticed – and it’s time for our second trail work day of the season.

Saturday, July 26 is the day.

Continued Super Connector tuning is the plan.

Where: 9am Little John Snopark, Hwy 35
What: Trail maintenance, Super Connector
When: Saturday, July 26, 9am-2pm

HELMETS required! Bring shovels, McLeods, metal rakes, wheelbarrows, gloves, water, long pants, work shoes.

We’ll meet at the Little John SnoPark on Hwy 35 at 9am for coffee and registration. We’ll shuttle up to the work site and get started. There are a variety of projects including continued trail armoring with reject and corner alignment. We’ll break into two or three smaller crews on the trail.

Lunch provided by Hood River’s New York City Sub Shop.

Reach out via e-mail with any questions – 44trails (at) 44trails.org

Trail Work Results

Posted on by

Thank you to everyone who supported our June 14 trail work day! The USFS supplied 10+ yards of reject (gravel) and the 44 Trails crew worked to armor weak spots on the new Super Connector trail linking Knebal Springs to Surveyor’s Ridge. New York City Subs provided lunch and Dog River Coffee set us up with our morning fix!

We made made good progress moving the reject material and saw loads of riders using the trail. It’s great to see the word is getting out and people are riding the new connection.  Next work day is July 26!

Here’s a few photos from the day.

 

June 14 Trail Work Day

Posted on by

44trails_june14webJune is here, the 44 trails are in fine form and it’s time for our first organized work party of the season.

Saturday, June 14 is the day.

Where: 9am Little John Snowpark Hwy 35
What: Trail maintenance, Super Connector
When: Saturday, June 14, 9am-2pm

HELMETS required! bring shovels, rakes, 5-gal buckets, wheelbarrows, gloves, lunch, water, long pants, work shoes, dress for the weather!

We’ll meet at the Little John SnoPark on Hwy 35 at 9am for coffee and registration. We’ll shuttle up to the work site and get started. There are a a variety of projects including trail armoring with reject and corner alignment. We’ll break into two or three smaller crews on the trail.

Reach out via e-mail with any questions – 44trails (at) 44trails.org

44 Trails Meets Forest Leadership

Posted on by
Mount Hood National Forest

Forest Leadership Team

44 Trails Association participated in a congressional review of the Mt Hood National Forest with the USFS Forest Leadership Team for the Mt. Hood National Forest on May 30.

Our favorite corner of the Mt Hood National Forest (the 44 zone) plays an important role in the forest as it holds the watershed for The Dalles as well as the Dog River Pipeline, a vital component of the watershed. Additionally, ongoing fire mitigation thinning work, upcoming Dog River Pipeline upgrades and, of course, the importance of recreation were combined for a tour of the forest for congressional representatives, county representatives from Hood River and Wasco and the full regional Forest Leadership Team (FLT).

44 Trails was able to share stats on our ongoing work efforts to maintain, restore and enhance the multi-use trails accessible from FR 44. The FLT was very appreciative and supportive of our efforts, so we look forward to continued cooperation with the Barlow and Mt Hood districts to further our mission of trail maintenance and expansion!

44 Trails Association Party

Posted on by

Hey 44 Trails supporters, don’t forget the party this Thursday eve (10/17) down at

Fall Riding in the Gorge

Fall in the Gorge

Double Mountain Brewing. We’ve got live music, a silent auction, a raffle and, of course, beer by Double Mountain.

Auction items include generously donated products from supporters like Dakine, Kona, Shimano, Oakley, Timberline, and Mt Hood Ski Bowl (who just kicked down two night ski passes!). Money raised goes directly toward helping to defer costs of EIS work and planning costs associated with developing trails on the National Forest.

Come on down between 6 pm and 10 pm to celebrate the completion of the Super Connector Trail and find out what’s next on the trail development list for the 44 zone.

We’ve got new t-shirts and stickers, too!

Super Connector Success

Posted on by

Wow, what a crew that turned out on Saturday to support the 44 Trails Association! We had a beautiful day in the hills on our third work party of the summer for continued work on the new Super Connector Trail linking Knebal Springs and High Prairie with the classic Surveyor’s Ridge and Dog River mountain bike trails. Forty volunteers dedicated five hours each on Saturday to add another 200 volunteer labor hours to the Super Connector Project!

In addition to nearing completion of the Super Connector trail, we successfully installed a new cedar trailhead sign board (built by Hale Construction of Hood River) that meets USFS spec. The new sign is located near the 1720 and 17 roads junction (near the parking zone on the 17 road).

All told, the 44 Trails Association has rallied over 600 hours of volunteer labor this summer, completed 3.5 miles of new trail and built and installed a new trailhead sign board. The project would have cost $40,000-$70,000 had it been put out to bid using the standard 10-20K per mile cost normally incurred building trails.

Here are some impressive specs on the work and results of the summer’s efforts:

Total volunteer labor hours for three work parties, layout and design:
120 people x 5 hrs each = 600 man hrs! That’s $9,000 worth of labor!

Tangible Results: Three volunteer work parties successfully constructed 3.5 miles of trail, built and installed new trail head board, installed armoring rock work and moved 20 yards of reject armoring material to help maintain tread integrity for multi-use traffic – horse, hiker and biker!

Local business contributions:
Hale Construction materials and labor for trailhead board = $1500
New York City Sub Shop provide 60 lunches at a cost of $7/each = $420
Dog River Coffee provided morning coffee for all three events = $300
Dakine, Dirty Fingers Bikes, and Sellwood Cycle provided raffle items = $1500+. Dirty Fingers Bikes, Sellwood Cycle and Mt Hood Ski Bowl paid employees to be on site to provide assistance.

Total Volunteer contribution labor hours, materials, supplies = $15,000+. Way to go everyone who has kicked in time and resources!

The trail is not quite 100% complete, but Ranger Thornton has some time slated this fall for the required finishing touches including working with local Eagle Scouts on the trail September 22.

Super Connector Work Day Sept 14

Posted on by
Kneabl Springs Trail

Knebal Springs Mt Hood Hood National Forest

The 44 Trails zone was spared any fire damage from the recent Government Flats wildfire, and the riding is as good as it gets right now. Recent rains have knocked back the dust for a primo riding experience.

If it’s not on your calendar already, Saturday September 14th is our next, and hopefully final, Super Connector trail work day. Here’s the beta:

Where: Meet 9am Little John SnoPark on Highway 35

What: Final tread development to link Knebal and Surveyors -bring hand tools if you’ve got ’em – shovels, rakes, McLeods

Required: Helmets and long pants (bike helmets are a-ok), don’t forget gloves and clothing to keep you happy rain or shine – bring water too.

Time: We expect to work til 12 or 1, so you can still enjoy a good ride post work day

New York City Subs is kicking in lunch food, Dog River Coffee is kicking in morning coffee. There’ll also a be a sweet little swag raffle to help say thanks for your work!

44 Trails Super Connector

Posted on by

Thanks to everyone who rallied for the work day on July 14 and thanks to Dog River Coffee, and Dirty Fingers Bike Shop for their support! Trail construction continues, rock work was laid and more tread built.

Mark your calendars, the next round of trail work is scheduled for September 14 to be followed by a fundraising event at Double Mountain Brewing. More details to follow.

Super Connector Trail Work Day #3 – July 14

Posted on by

July 14 Trail Work PosterIt’s time to put tools to dirt again on the Super Connector trail. Sunday July 14, 2013 is the date for the next trail work day. We’ll be building tread on the trail. Meet up at 9am at the Little John SnoPark off Highway 35. There will be fresh coffee courtesy of Dog River waiting for you at the parking lot.

Helmets are required (bike helmet is perfect) and long pants, too. Bring trail tools – rakes McLeods. Pack a lunch and bring water!

Facebook users! Stay in touch with the latest 44trails news with our facebook page

Work day will be about three hours, so be sure to bring your bike and enjoy a ride post trail work!

Another Successful Trail Day

Posted on by

44trailsworkdayA dedicated crew rallied for the June 23 work day and tread development is under way on the Super Connector trail between Knebal and Surveyor’s on the Barlow Ranger District, Mt Hood National Forest. Despite the lingering affects of the Hood River Classic party on Saturday night, the crew put in a good day developing over a mile of trail. Thanks to Dog River Coffee for the morning Java to help motivate the crew and thanks to Mother Nature for the light rain to help keep the dirt in fine form.

The Super Connector trail is NOT yet open for riding, but the next trail work day to get one step closer is July 14. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for details about a possible breakfast ride extravaganza with the Dirty Fingers crew before the trail work begins . . .