i go hiking and riding on Cowles Mountain pretty frequently and every time i hike the face, i can't help but think what an awesome ride it would make. i'm interested in getting involved in the civic action side of the sport to try to get more trails available to bikes. Where do i begin?
As far as specific people I don't know, but contacting IMBA/CORBA to see if they are already working on something in that area might be a good start. If they haven't they might be able to point you in the right direction or even help.
SDMBA is probably your first option for questions about legal local trailbuilding. They recently did trailwork out at Pyles Peak, near Cowles. The SDMBA liaison for Mission Trails (of which I believe Cowles is a part) is Everett Neuman. You can email him here I believe.
You'd think there'd be some Trail Days events going on out there at Mission Trails. All I saw on the SDMBA website was events for Daley, Calavera, LPQ, and Noble. The semi-legal/unregulated riding areas in Carlsbad to Escondido corridor are gradually getting shut down and/or developed - Flightline being the biggest recent example - I'd like to get involved in keeping access to as many of these areas as possible. Let us know what you find out.
Do you mean the west side of Cowles mountain. I think that would make a great ride also, except for the fact that on the weekends that place looks like the 805 after a accident.
you would think huh. The largest open space preserve in San Diego, the most potential and the least attention to detail. For the OP. You can volunteer at the park itself for trail maintenance. This is NOT MTB specific trail maintenance. But the rangers are pretty happy to have a helping hand and are listening for ideas and the like. I have gone straight to the park, talked to the rangers, agreed to volunteer with them 8 hours a month and am hoping to begin to sway their interests to the mountain bike crew. Why I haven't seen an event for trails day there is beyond me. Concerning the pyles trail work... I don't know, I just felt like a lot of other areas could have been hit that need work. (Sycuott, Big Rock, along the 52). Maybe it was a political thing?
That's the one. i'll admit to being tempted to just go for it on a hot afternoon when there are few hikers die-hard enough to scale it, but i don't want to be "that guy" who's the reason we can't ride there to begin with. i don't know, if i lived closer to Iron Mountain, i'd probably be all over that one all the time, but i don't and Cowles is right there and with so many hucking opportunities in its veins...
Suycott needs more love than an abused orphan (don't ask me what that's supposed to mean). It's the best section of the interior of MTRP and also in the worst shape. i would like to get involved in a trail work day for Suycott/Shepherd's Canyon if we can get that in the works. i really want to give the SD land managers a better example of mountain bikers since the majority of the ones i see out here are rather doofish and make hikers hate us all.
I would say SDMBA, yet my emails to them re: helping them to get a pump track started here in SD led to a dead end. I got one email back, responded with the feedback that was requested, and then never heard back from them. I was willing to volunteer and do what I can with my summer vacation, but oh well...:?:
all the makings of a pump track in San Diego Unfortunately I have heard a ton of excuses... (including from the SDMBA folks) "not the right dirt" "no water" "too hard to dig" Rangers tell me they have been looking to have the site improved for years but no one wants to help out. "Keep things within the designated site" is what I have been told. "If you find a way to bring in equipment, working parties, water trucks, we can work that all out." Honestly, the rangers were 110% more interested in having someone take the reigns and make something good of this place than anyone else that i spoke to. All the potential is there. Jumps, pump, rock rides, all of it but it will not magically happen by itself. I've put out a lot of feelers but as mentioned either got a lot of excuses or those that seem to fear commitment. Every now and then I see a couple of guys on dirt jumpers slinging some dirt around. Other than that it is pretty much just rattlesnakes. Have to make the best of what you have and currently this BMX site that hasn't been kept up in years is the best that is available for a pump track (and so much more) As of right now, Im looking to go at it alone. If I can build it they will come. So I ask again, as I have before. If the potential is there and the time is right, who is willing to give up their weekends to help?
i've ridden down to the bottom from the top on that and then back up. going down was absolutely incredibly and i loved the techy climb. there were not a ton of hikers and most just watched in awe. my only excuse i have (and may reserve it again for the future) is that when you're at the top, there is no posted signs saying that bicycles cannot go down it. oops. ellie lane and iron mtn are great alternatives approved by the higher powers.
I will help. Seriously. I have been to the BMX jumps down there and hit the two that I could. There is potential. When I asked about this area, I was told "not enough water". Well, how did they build the dang jumps in the first place??
And what's more, the hikers there are all cool; i usually get cheers from them while riding up AND down Iron Mtn. If there is enough interest and commitment, i would be happy to pester the rangers at Mission Trails about a set of trail work days or grooming Deerfield Park into a pump track and improving the jumps. i've got reasonable access to equipment and even a water buffalo and hose, so all anyone who wanted to help would have to bring would be shovels, hoes (the tool, not the ladies on El Cajon Boulevard) and a good attitude - and strong back
Ditto, but nothing in life is easy and I have been told by the ranger in charge of the trails that if a way could be found for water (water truck, hose to hose to hose to hose or anything) that it is a-ok to do as long as he knows about it first. Unfortunately I feel as if a lot of excuses have been made over the years which is why much interest has been lost (including from the powers that be). I am moving slowly with things but I expect to start making some progress and will be posting for organized help as things progress. Tons of potential but really only a couple of jumps worth their weight. There is 1/3 of a pump track already built across one side of things. Touching back on the excuses, if one waits for everything to be ideal, nothing will ever happen. I wish I had a dump truck though because there was about 4 yards of prime fill dirt in the back of Olivenhain yesterday that needed to be removed. From my recent experience, no pestering is really needed. The rangers are simply looking for someone who is going to be a point of contact for the area, organize maintenance, make sure all hell doesn't break loose with people doing their own thing etc. As mentioned, the wheels are in motion and while it is hot as all hell in that bowl in the summer, it looks like July would be a fair estimate of when action will begin to take place. And yes, any water buffalos or the like can be a huge help. I have a truck, shovels, rakes, not enough ho's... I mean a couple of garden hoes and the like.
