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Wet weather riding guide, provided by TORCA: (Please read)
Riding in the Wet – A message from TORCA Trail Director
February 28, 2015 at 8:58 pm
We are fortunate living where we do; mild winters and a lot of different riding destinations to choose from, which means riding is a round the year possibility. This benefit does come with a couple of drawbacks, firstly, and most prominently, it rains here… A lot! Recently, we’ve seen record rainfalls, and the heavy rain events have been frequent enough that adequate drainage has not occurred, leaving the ground totally saturated, the lack of snow also means that trails don’t get a rest period, so they are seeing heavier than normal traffic for this time of year because people aren’t able to ski, two events that can be problematic.
With modern trail building practices that follow the IMBA and Whistler trail standards, the trails are able to withstand bad weather and heavy traffic better than ever, but building to these standards is incredibly labour intensive, not always the most ideal solution for a particular area, in turn, this means that the trail will not necessarily be able to handle high traffic or wet weather, so it’s good to know how to identify trails that will handle the rain, and also to understand what trails are best left for drier days. It’s really difficult to tell someone not to do something, and the aim of this article is to educate so that you can make an informed decision on when and what to ride.
Before You Ride:
Think about what trails you are going to ride:
-Soil Type: Are they typically muddy?
-Trail Grade: How steep are they?
-Special Restrictions: Are there any special restrictions put on by the builder or trail group?
-Plan Your Ride: Do you have a backup plan in case conditions are worse than anticipated?
Soil Type:
The type of soil on the trail bed contributes to how well the trail will drain. In it’s natural state, the forest floor is made up of sticks, pine needles, leaves and other organic debris that is in various stages of decomposition. This material is known as duff, and if you pick it up, it’s loose, doesn’t pack, can hold a lot of water like a sponge, and when worked will break down into a black, sloppy muck that takes a long time to dry out. It’s the trail surface that is typical for ‘loamers’, the primitive trails that when dry are the dirt equivalent to skiing on a powder day, but in the wet, they are greasy, fragile and waterlogged. If you finish a ride and are covered in mud, then that mud has come from the trail, and it’s not going to be replaced without intervention, it’s a good marker for erosion!
The gold soil that has become ubiquitous with modern trail building is the local mineral soil. It’s a mixture of fine gravel, sand, silt and a small amount of clay with minimal organic matter. It is technically called loam (which is often confused with duff as mentioned above). When it’s worked, it will compact down, and the clay and silt will bond everything together forming a hardened layer that can shed water and is very resistant to wear from foot and wheel traffic. Building trail with this is labour intensive, generally consisting of removing the duff, back filling with rock, and crowning with soil to form the trail surface.
Rock is fantastic, it doesn’t really wear (although it can get polished), it doesn’t change, it can handle any amount of weather, but it can also channel water onto the rock-trail boundary, and the end of rock sections will often be rutted because of braking and water erosion.
After a heavy rainfall, it takes time for the trails to dry out to a rideable level. With armoured mineral soil trails, they can sometimes be good through the rain event or up to two or three days after. Organic surfaced trails can take weeks to dry out properly depending on the slope of the hill, sunlight and other factors.
Trail Grade:
Water on a trail is generally bad, but it becomes an erosive force when it’s moving, and as it’s speed picks up, so does it’s potential for damage. A well built, well maintained trail will have out-slopes on the trail bed to sheet water off to the side without it picking up much momentum, as a backup, there will also be grade reversals, small speed bumps or changes in grade from downhill to uphill that force the water off the trail before it can turn into a creek.
Standing water is generally not an issue unless the ground is totally saturated, at which point it will soften and riding through will create channels that could either promote water flow/channeling, or more common, people will choose to ride around the puddle because they don’t want to get wet, which turns that lovely narrow single track into a wide swamp.
If a trail is very steep, the water will pick up momentum quickly, meaning that it’s more likely to channel and erode if the water isn’t managed properly. Not a problem if the trail is down to hardpan, but also, not the most desirable trail surface to ride on. Channeled water is also unpredictable, so the trail surface, when eroded, could be hazardous.
Special Restrictions:
Sometimes, because of conditions, fresh work that needs to bed in and set, or a variety of other reasons, a trail may be temporarily closed. Check with the local builder or organisation to find out if there is any current issues before starting your ride. If you come across something like this mid-ride, please respect the closure, even if it does mean you don’t get the ride you like. Letting trails rest now means that they will be better in the future!
Plan Your Ride:
Before you start your ride, know where you are going, plan some contingencies in case conditions turn bad and your destination is now not suitable for the conditions. If it is wet, tread lightly, don’t ride full speed and skid everywhere, as conditions will be a bit more fragile as well as unpredictable.
Have Fun!
Every day of riding this time of year is a bonus day, since we haven’t really had a traditional winter. If you treat every ride like this following the guide above, then you will be able to have a fantastic ride and save the trails for prime spring conditions!
If it’s really wet, consider going for a hike (although the same problems still exist), or contact your local organisation or builders to see if they need help, digging in the rain is really satisfying.
Please note the new ‘Events‘ page – accessible from the menu at the top. This will list upcoming trail maintenance dates, notices (like logging operations), and dates/info for the annual Route of all Evil Fun Ride and Member/Volunteer Appreciation rides.
Next Trail Maintenance day to be announced shortly – please show up (end of 256th street) for 9:30am to help work on the trails! 2021 dates: Apr 25, May 30, June 27, Jul 25, Aug 29, Sep 26, Oct 24, Nov 28 and Dec 5
Welcome!
The Blue Mountain MotorcycleClub is a registered non-profit society mandated with stewardship of the off-road trails on Blue Mountain, in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. We promote safe, responsible, and sustainable use of this trail system to negate environmental impact and ensure the riding area remains open for future generations of off-road motorcycle enthusiasts.
The trail system was formed in the 1970’s, and is one of British Columbia’s premier riding areas. While many of the trails along the base of the mountain can be enjoyed by most riders, trails at higher elevations are much more challenging, requiring greater technical ability, fitness, and intestinal fortitude.
Our members invest thousands of man hours collectively each year to maintain the 100+ kilometer trail system. We keep a running dialog with local government, property owners, the British Columbia Off-Road Motorcycle Association (BCORMA), and BC Forestry Services. We are funded by member donations, fundraising, and event revenue. Our events are a great way to get to know the trails, meet fellow riders, make new friends, and hone your craft. Speaking of events, our signature ride is The Route Of All Evil Fun Ride that takes place each spring.
Additionally, we typically meet on the first Thursday of every month to discuss club business, appropriate funds to various projects, and plan trail system maintenance. Login to our forums to check for news updates. We encourage all Blue Mountain riders to register with the Blue Mountain Motorcycle Club, and be proactive about your sport and favourite riding area.
Keep the rubber side down!
For new members, please download and read the Welcome Package:
BMMC Welcome Package
Maps:
Please go to the Trail Information page for trail listing, difficulty ratings, maps etc.
