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TRAIL WORK OPPORTUNITIES
Come help make
your trails better
Some of the trails that were
inaccessible are now coming open for work crews. There is much more work
to do this year than in years past.
The usual members who do the trail work WILL NOT be able to get all the needed
work done.
We will need the YOUR help to get them into shape for the upcoming season.
Please contact us and volunteer to help.
NOTE: There are plans to add two
new trails to our system this year. We will need additional hands with
this. We also have bridges to build that were swept away by the
flooding. Please volunteer to help out with the trails, we really need
your help.
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Here are a few pictures of damage
to the trails.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please volunteer to assist in getting these trails back
into riding condition.
Trails 4 and 4a between Solon and Ely
This bridge is down because 10' of the
bank under it was washed away.
Water has washed away the trail just
south of the bridge shown above.
This trail was under nearly 10' of
water. There is much more debris on the trail than we show here.
This bridge simply vanished. The
water here was over 20 feet deep.
This 30' bridge was lifted and now sits on
the far bank.
We will need YOUR help to get
these trails back in shape. If we cannot get more help (people and
equipment) we will be facing trail closures this year. Don't let that
happen. Contact us today and ask how you can help.
Thank you!
Here is the preliminary list of
trail improvements for summer 2008. They are listed in approximate order
of importance.
If you'd like to help with any one
these future improvements just contact us at Sledmeister@iowa-snowdrifters.org
These improvements have two purposes.
1. Widen the trails to make them easier to groom, safer and have better sight distance.
2. Make all the bridges groomer capable so the groomer doesn't waste time
driving around a crossing.
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Repair 45' bridge in Macbride park on trail 1. This bridge was
expected to settle and now needs to be leveled out.
Truck
accessible with some walking.
Ground
is too soft to do this at this time.
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Remove bridge from trail 8 where tube was installed last year and place
on trail 1 just east of highway 382. Low water crossing is too steep for
sleds.
Water level in the reservoir has gone down but the trail is too soft to get a
truck back to the bridge. The bridge is still there.
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Trail 4a next to Lakeview Atv area. Replace bridge with groomer
capable one.
Truck accessible.
The
water level is down and we can proceed with this any time.
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Trail 1 in the causeway. Build two 10' pallet type bridges over mud
holes.
The
ground is very soft in this area. We are seeking a trail reroute for one
of these locations. It will still need a bridge but should stay drier in
the future.
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Trail 4 south of highway 382. Finish clearing the rail bed and run the
trail up to the highway.
This needs to be evaluated before work goes
forward.
Truck accessible.
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Trail
4 next to Ely Road (east side). Possible trail re-route until the two
missing bridges on the rail bed can be replaced. More to come on this.
Truck accessible.
Water level is
down
but the ground is too soft at this time.
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Build 60’ stick
type bridge in 3rd gully on trail 1 near MacBride
Lake
causeway.
Dig in piers, lay on stringers, install decking.
Accessible by ATV or foot (3/4 mile).
Postponed for this year pending DNR work on adjacent area.
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Study the feasibility of a cross country trail from the bottom of
Mohawk hill to Shueyville. This is in the "dream" stage at the
moment. We will need volunteers to help build and maintain this segment
before proceeding further.
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Study the feasibility of a cross country trail from Mid-River
Marine on highway 965 to Highway 151 through the Coral Wildlife
Area.
Preliminary planning and DNR contact has already been made. Members willing to
take charge of this trail segment are needed before proceeding further.
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Here
is a list of the work and improvements done during the summer of 2006.
*** Widen
Multi-use trail 8 from the end of Mowhawk Ave to ATV area.
Approx 3 miles. Clear brush and medium sized trees to widen trail.
Truck accessible.
THIS TRAIL SEGMENT WAS COMPLETED 10-7-06 !!!
A total of 9 different people worked on this section at various times from 6-3-06 to
10-7-06. It took 13 working days during that period to
complete.
The time spent was 105.75 total
man-hours.
You can follow the progress below.
6-3-06
Work started from just east of
Sandy Beach Road to the west bridge. Before, during, after and mowed shots.
This section of
the trail is now 25' wide all
the way through.
Mark Cleppe, Doug Cole and Mel Rinehart worked on this phase. It was completed in 4 hours.
6-9-06 Before,
after and mowed shots. This view is typical of this trail. Very
tight and poor visibility.
The trail is
now wider and safer.
Mark Cleppe, Chase Samek and Mel Rinehart worked on this section. It was
completed in just under 4 hours.
6-17-06 Continuing to work west. MR
6-24-06 We reached the east bridge and started on the middle
section. Chase Samek and Mel Rinehart worked on this phase.
6-30-06 Work is progressing - MR
7-2-06 Work is
continuing - MR There is only about 1200 feet
left to do.
7-3-06 Trail
mowed to east bridge.
7-8-06
Before and After shots of a typical section of this trail. Some parts were
one sled wide. Now they are 15' wide minimum. This will be mowed
later.
Greg Mulherin and Mel Rinehart worked on this section.
7-22-06
Before and after shots of next segment. Two Dogs (in orange) and Mel
Rinehart worked on this section.
7-31-06
Top row are pictures of placing tubes in the creek next to the bridge.
The bridge is too narrow and light for the groomer. This drive around
will allow the groomer into the next section of trail.
Second row of pictures shows Greg Mulherin (on skid loader) and Thad King (in
mower unit) taking a break. We re-routed this part of trail through some
heavy brush and made it wide. Thad mowed the entire middle section of the
trail.
Yeah it was hot! Mel Rinehart on camera.
8-5-06
Top row are pictures of final section of trail being widened. Second row of pictures shows
(from left) Chase Samek, Kelly Sherman and Dave Sherman. Last picture
shows Thad King mowing a turn around area at the east bridge.
Mel Rinehart on camera.
10-7-06
The LAST detail was completed today! A bridge was replaced with a tube so
the groomer could cross.
The pictures above show the equipment coming in, removing the old bridge,
digging and re-routing the creek to reduce erosion,
placing the tube, covering the tube, and removing some stumps in the trail on
the way out.
The bridge removed will be re-used in another
location.
While this tube work was going on Mark Cleppe was
mowing the trail segment next to the ATV area. Quite a job as the brush
was thick!
Special thanks to Greg Mulherin, Chris Handley and Mel Rinehart for completing
this task.
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Widen
trail 4a from Twin View to ATV area.
Approx 2.25 miles.
Clear brush and
medium sized trees to widen trail.
Partially Truck accessible,
better with an ATV.
THIS TRAIL SEGMENT WAS COMPLETED 9-30-06 !!!
8-12-06
Work has started. There is less logging needed than trail 8. There
is lots of small brush to take out but it should go easier than trail 8 did.
MLR
8-18-06
Mowed single path to the north to define the trail.
MLR
8-19-06
Widen north portion of trail. We finished almost
the entire trail. Only a few hundred yards to go. Mel Rinehart,
Mark Cleppe, Thad King.
9-1-06 Brush
clearing work is almost done. Only 50 feet to go. Top row of
pictures is before, during and after of a narrow corner section. Second
row is before and after shots of the next section just around the
corner. MLR
9-1-06
Clearing final section of trail. Two sharp corners
were eliminated and the canopy opened up so will get more snow cover.
Thanks go to Two Dogs, Marke Cleppe, Chuck Ruth and Mel Rinehart.
9-30-06
National Public Lands Day.
Bulldozer work was performed on this trail by Chris Handley to remove ruts
and improve the safety of the trail.
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Place 45’
trailer bridge on Multi-use section of trail 1 at intersection with trail 4a.
Install 10’ wide decking on bridge.
Track hoe can place the bridge. A crew will be needed to install decking and
clear brush from approaches.
Truck accessible.
THIS BRIDGE PLACEMENT
WAS COMPLETED 11-18-06 !!!
10-8-06
Clearing area where bridge will be placed. Above
are before and after shots. MLR
11-18-06
Looking
south and north. Lifting trailer off, moving to the site, and placing it.
Decking
going on. Shovel and rake work to smooth approaches.
After
shots. Looks real nice!
The
crew. From left, Dennis Volesky, Doug Cole, Mark Smyth, Mark Cleppe, Brian
Stannerson, Andy Bockenstedt, Mel Rinehart, and Chris Handley. Bruce
Voight taking picture.
Special thanks to Chris Handley and Andy Bockenstedt for the use of their
excavators.
This work was completed in 2.5 hours!!! AWESOME JOB!!!
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