Ride while you can...rain is a comin'!

[PacMan]

All very true, but that is no excuse to tear up trails.

[denmother]

Wanted to go skiing, but can't get there.

The Big Bad Blizzard

Snow Report for Friday Jan 4

It's dumping in Mammoth! The snow started around 11pm last night and is really coming down now. We've already got over six inches of snow on the ground and the brunt of the storm hasn't even hit yet.

At 6am at Main Lodge it is 26 degrees and the winds are low at speeds around 10mph. Don't expect that to last however, as winds are supposed to increase in intensity to 45mph or more and heavy snow will continue all day. Highs today are in the low 30's. At the summit wind gusts have picked up to over 80mph and the mercury is sitting at 20 degrees.

Visibility currently looks to be decent at 9000 feet and the plows have been at work all morning keeping the roads mostly clear. There is a Blizzard Warning in effect until 10am Saturday morning. Traveling during this timeframe could potentially be dangerous with heavy snowfall, strong winds and low visibility. Please be safe and avoid driving if possible.

Upper mountain lifts are on weather hold, however the lower mountain is expected to open.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by PacMan

All very true, but that is no excuse to tear up trails.

Don't fool yourself, bikes also tear up the trails. Look at the Luge and San Juan, do you think that those trails where like that. Years of bike riding have worn those deap luge like trails. When you see dust we are wearing down the trail. To see the difference, walk into the San Mateo Wilderness behind the candy store off Ortega Highway and see the difference between trail used by horses and no bikes...very enlightening...San Juan is a highway in comparison.

[allison]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Don't fool yourself, bikes also tear up the trails. Look at the Luge and San Juan, do you think that those trails where like that. Years of bike riding have worn those deap luge like trails. When you see dust we are wearing down the trail. To see the difference, walk into the San Mateo Wilderness behind the candy store off Ortega Highway and see the difference between trail used by horses and no bikes...very enlightening...

Almost sounds like you need to sell your Turner for a horse!

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by allison

Almost sounds like you need to sell your Turner for a horse!

No just riding in Arizona has changed my attitude toward horses. Besides if I sold my Turner I would still have two Niners.

[el_d00der1n0]

Who opened this can of worms???




Sheesh.

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Don't fool yourself, bikes also tear up the trails. Look at the Luge and San Juan, do you think that those trails where like that. Years of bike riding have worn those deap luge like trails. When you see dust we are wearing down the trail. To see the difference, walk into the San Mateo Wilderness behind the candy store off Ortega Highway and see the difference between trail used by horses and no bikes...very enlightening...San Juan is a highway in comparison.

Where did I say bikes don't tear up trails?? Basically, all I said was that equestrians are just as big a culprit as bikes in my experience.

I still say that building a trail does not give you the right to mis-use it when it is built for the consumption of the general public.

[2wheel_lee]

Back to the "ride while you can....rain is a comin'" discussion.

[Ladd Jasper]

We all need to get off our high horse as it seems to be skewing our perception. We are all responsible for tearing up the trails. Why do we always find it necessary to remind fellow cyclists to stay off the trails after a rain? Because we know there are those that will be out there regardless of conditions, but hope that somehow the message will get through this time.

It is in no way a horse vs. bike problem, as far as trail damage is concerned--it's simply a human nature issue. We are selfish creatures at heart, and want what we want when we want it. Some feel they have the right to ride a trail without regard for the consequences others will suffer by their actions, and nothing will dissuade them.

In this matter, the only difference between equestrians and bikers is their choice in transportation. For every pothole a horse has made, there is an equestrian somewhere that could point out three ruts bicycle tires have created.

Folks, nobody is innocent here. Enough of the finger pointing already.

Yet again, I digress.

Now, where's all this rain anyway?

[2wheel_lee]

Originally Posted by Ladd Jasper

We all need to get off our high horse...

hehe....

[denmother]

But wait, you forgot to include the damages done by cows/cattle. Have you ever seen Chino Hills after a rain (over by the fenceline trail). We were laughing when we got to the Chamberlin Cattle Ranch to ride on New Years day as we were driving the shuttle truck over all the cow patties and commenting on the gigantic hoof prints in the berms.

[Marshall Willanholly]

If anyone is still interested in the rain, it's coming down pretty good at the moment in Santa Monica.

[Abui]

Originally Posted by Ladd Jasper

In this matter, the only difference between equestrians and bikers is their choice in transportation.

Wrong. My observation (from a lot of rides) is that immediately after a rain you are more likely to see horses on the trails. It's as if they figure the trails are soft enough for the hooves of their precious animals.

On December 28th there was a light rain, no standing water or mud. On the 29th we rode Pt Mugu and saw the mounted volunteer patrol riding/post-holing(1) the singletracks. I've never seen them on dry hardpack days. Then the MF's short-cut the trail where the trees were too low for them to follow(2). Thanks for reminding me to complain to the State Parks.

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by Marshall Willanholly

If anyone is still interested in the rain, it's coming down pretty good at the moment in Santa Monica.

Rain is coming? Someone should start a thread on that.

[slowSSer]

Originally Posted by PacMan

All very true, but that is no excuse to tear up trails.

back in college, I did a project determining environmental impact. just to be a little silly, I actually did an analysis of impact on trail based on the following situation:

physical impact on a trail based on psi
physical impact based on time in an area

who came out with the least impact? mountain bikers. we've got less PSI on a trail than horses and move thru an area quicker which also minimizes impact on the surrounding area. hikers were the worst impact when it came to time in an area.

biased? kinda. it was a little silly, but the professor dug the thinking.

[allison]

Originally Posted by slowSSer

who came out with the least impact? mountain bikers. we've got less PSI on a trail than horses and move thru an area quicker which also minimizes impact on the surrounding area. hikers were the worst impact when it came to time in an area.

biased? kinda. it was a little silly, but the professor dug the thinking.

There's a big study on that somewhere.. maybe on IMBA's site? No one seems to really care.

Hikers should have less impact while moving (a LOT less weight, but perhaps they wander more from the trail because it's easier? I also tend to think they leave more trash than others.. I see half empty water bottles all the time, and mountain bikers don't usually use a big Dasani bottle). Mountain bikers I would think stay on the trail, and pass quickly through an area.. and clearly a horse and rider are going to weigh more than anything except a tractor.

[slowSSer]

my thinking went a little differently- a MTBer has approximately 150-200 pounds on average over a contact patch double the size of a human foot.

so, a hiker puts more physical impact as that same weight is dispersed over half the surface area.

I told you my thinking was silly...however, I cant remember what measurement i came up with for the square inches covered by a MTB tire...

[boboso]

All So Cal Weather"persons" need this



Love the weather rock!