Lower Big Sandy Trail Alternate Build (Teanaway Community Forest, Kittitas County)
We are starting the Phase 2 Trail Builds in the Teanaway Community Forest
Kittitas Evergreen, in partnership with WTA, Mountains to Sound Greenway and the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington are working together the improve the uphill and downhill experience at the bottom of the Lower Big Sandy Trail (BST).
If you have ridden the Lower BST, you know that going up the bottom portion of the trail means pushing, not riding your bike. The lower trail also has poor sightlines for two-way traffic given it's steep character.
We are aiming to fix these issues by building an alternate trail that will be open to two-way traffic, but features reasonable grades (think Upper BST) and is mainly meant for uphill traffic. Our goal is to make lower BST a climable connection to Upper BST and the Cle Elum Ridge. (The existing line will be left open for downhill-only traffic).
We have the route flagged and DNR has given us approval for corridor clearing. With help from the Backcountry Horsemen, we started work on May 13. But we need your help to keep the momentum going because we want to start machine building this spring!
Corridor clearing is simple - we are clearing a corridor wide enough for a mini-ex to get through while building the trail. That means cutting small tress and shrubs, trimming branches and swamping the larger stuff out of the trail line. It's easy and we welcome any and all help.
Where to meet:
Meet at the big turnaround at the end of the West Fork Teanaway Rd. If you put these coordinates into Google Maps, you'll get there: 47.259748, -120.904917. Park off the pavement in the turnaround, and if you'll leave your car, don't forget your Discover Pass.
At the trailhead, we will have a brief safety meeting and it's a short walk into the work site. If you leave your car, you need a Discover Pass. If you can't stay for the entire workparty, that is OK, we welcome any and all help for as long as you can stay!
What to bring:
- Discover Pass if you are leaving your car.
- Loppers, hand saw, or just yourself if you don't have anything. We will have plenty of work for everyone!
- Water, snacks, lunch.
- Dress in layers for the weather!
I plan to work even in light rain. If heavy weather comes in I will cancel here and by posting in the Kittitas Mountain Bike Forum on Facebook.
Questions?
Send me an email: brian at crowleynet.com