Downhill What’s going on at TW? (Merged threads)

I’ll tell you what’s going on at TW, aka Ted Williams. The San Diego Mountain Biking Association, SDMBA.com, received a letter from Mr. Jason Price who manages a portion of the Ted Williams area. Mr. Price works for the California Dept. of Fish and Game and it turns out some of the TW area is classified as a “reserve” and is managed by the DFG under Mr. Price’s jurisdiction. To sum up the letter, Mr. Price has kindly asked the DH / FR citizens who use and enjoy the adrenaline pumping trails at TW to please not build any stunts on the reserve land. Dirt jumps, doubles and singles, wood structures and non-natural rock drops would fall under the definition of “stunts”.

What portion of the TW area is classified “reserve” you ask? The good news is the maps provided by Mr. Price show the area labeled as “reserve” does not include the pond jumps, step downs and road gaps in the pond area. There was a jump adjacent to the road leading up to the lower portion of TW (next to the easy roller wall into the cul-de-sac) that was in the reserve. This jump has since been removed by the DFG since this area to the south of the road is DFG property. Most of the reserve property, by the looks of the map, is to the south of the pond area with a “thumb” heading up towards the northern end (where the upper houses are). There may be some trails that cross the DFG land but it seems that the DFG is not that concerned about those at this time. They are only concerned with non-natural “stunts” being made and maintained. What Mr. Price has asked SDMBA to do is get the word out to the DH/FR community that

1. TW is not a secret spot to authorities which means it can be shut down, and
2. To keep it from being shut down please do not build anymore stunts in and around the area known as Ted Williams.

The DFG will be walking the TW area sometime soon; monitoring the trails and stunt building, and will tear down anything that is determined to be in reserve under DFG jurisdiction. If the DFG finds stunts in reserve land during these walkthroughs they will remove the stunts. To keep what access we do have at TW it is recommended not to rebuild any stunts removed or to find new places to build new stunts.

Enjoy what we have, ride hard, stay safe, but please respect what Mr. Price is asking and let’s try to police ourselves with what’s been given before someone else becomes the police and takes that away. :beer:

 

Update on Ted Williams

As some of you know Department of Fish and Game is making us evaluate all the trails on DFG land at TW, DFG originally wanted to close all the trails but with some persuading from SDMBA and others DFG has agreed to allow some of the trails to remain open, DFG is asking us to evaluate which trails should remain open and which trails should be closed.

Here is a map showing some of the trail that have been GPS, http://www.mtblocos.com/cms/images/stories/twp/twpmap_drawing.pdf it's not complete we still need to GPS additional trails.

For additional information go to Italo D'Alessio blog http://www.mtblocos.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=35&Itemid=57

Here is a link to view images I shot on Saturday, click on thumbnail to view the larger image. http://www.lambertphoto.com/TW7_18_09/

Please forward this to others who ride TW


Greg

 

If I were you, I'd take down those photos. They look like supporting evidence to prohibit cycling in the area. I see trampled vegetation, rogue trails, illegal jump building, and the bridge/berms seem questionable. It also looks like you guys are getting too rad for a multi-use trail. I'd hate to be a hiker coming around the bend as you're 6' in the air... If you need to wear a full face helmet and ride an 8" travel bike then you should probably be riding at Big Bear or Mammoth... Just my two cents as a 29er riding, landscape architect, tree hugging hippie...

 

yeah better take it down. and call it ssdh#2

great pics.. was just there yesterday, at the old hamburger factory for din..


:clap:

 

One_Track_Mind You bring up a good point, for the last 8 years or so Ted Williams in San Diego has been well known as a DH and FreeRide riding area, and the DFG is will aware of the DH and FreeRide activity going on at TW, the trails we are assessing will be DH and FreeRide specific trails, that’s why I posted it in the “Adrenaline Factory” forum and not the 29er forum , SDMBA needs input from the DH and FreeRide community to help identify which trails should stay open.
Part of the assessment is to identify unnatural structures, redundant trails and to formulate a comprehensive DH/freeride trails plan.

 

TCB - Ah, OK, I see... well said. I'll shut up now...

 

Looking at the map I would say thats a good selection of trails. I live very close to the trails and was one of the first to build up there back in 02. When split rock was the only trail.. I was unaware of the new plans for the hill. Im really interested. Will there be any meetings for this topic?

 

How coincidental that I'm on the way there and will be riding at 1pm. I won't ride any illegal trails though.

 

[email protected] specifies the potential or inevitable closure of the most sickest dh trails in SOCAL. This is bad...

 

i think all of the trails there are illegal. they're either on dfg's property or private property and the owner has not provided permission to ride there.

that's why they just so damn goooood!

 

Wow - that would be a shame to lose any of those trails. I've ridden 5 or 6 of them and they are terrific - I don't know the names though. Lots of steep roll-downs, berm turns, rocky sections and of course, the doubles at the bottom. Nice. I'd say keep a variety of features and levels, but maybe close off some redundant trails.

 

Saturday meet with . B. L. M at ted Williams 6pm

Very important to have as many riders as possible.

 

View www.somewhereinsocal.com. If you have not been here, come out and enjoy....

 

Hey those are cool videos where did you find those?lol

 

Ted Williams department of fish and game update

Met up with mtblocos.com dudes . Itailo, . J, . Kent and discussed what the department of fish and game has planned and it is not good for us mountainbikers that like the black diamond type trails that are there. The. D. F. G want to close almost all of it especially the jump area. This area is a flood plain and some of the jumps may affect the run off in rainy seasons. If you go to mtblocos.com you will see the potential closure of this area. We discussed cooperation with . S. D. M. A and it appears they want to out of this subject, but please correct me if I'm wrong. This area is an ecological preserve, and it must be respected. There are no trails like this in socal. No more trails are to be built, if you see abuse of the area as in additional trail building you must take action, and advise the kids how important it is to keep this place open and protect the current habitat. Let's do our part and pick up trash. A fence has already been erected seperating private property to the east of meadowbrook ave. We discussed placing signs on the trail system identified as one way or through traffic. Your input is highly suggested. This place is a gem, both to enjoy the outdoors and incredible views of San diego and the incredible trails that can be extremely dangerous for the inexperincrd. On this trail system you must know your limits, the first rider that has to get rescued out if there will add to increase the fate of the trails.

After our meeting we shuttled to the top and rode 4 g,s , than I got a pinch flat and had to walk the rest damn it.

Again let's do our part ada special group of stewards to the environent and gravity pirates to keep this place open and respected.

Thanks!

 

You really went to a land mangement meeting with a group calling themselves the mtblocos?
Mike, that is classic :lol:

 

I've never ridden there before, but thanks for representing...

 

The trails are so sick and obstacles are so big, we cannot lose this place.

 

Thanks for your efforts. I agree TW is great. We can be our own worst enemies at times.

 

Good to hear there is progress being made. I love this place. I used to ride there all the time.

I do think it is funny that the jumps might affect water run off.



Yes thats Ted Williams. He was jumping off one of the Pond Gaps.With enough rain its the natural terrain that affects run off.
http://dirtfocus.com/photos2005/03-12_pond/pond_index.htm

It might not do anything, but if we could prove that with or without the jumps there is run off issues would it change anything. I know where more pictures and videos of the pond full of water are.