Comments on: Unauthorized trail building threatens access on Sumas Mountain

by: Half Cranked Club

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:53:49 +0000

way to go gary … Thanks alot,

by: tom

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:01:24 +0000

The AGM is usually in January. You can join at any time though!

by: Kevin B

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:27:32 +0000

That’s awesome news, Gary. Way to go man!

When is the next AGM? I had meant to go last year but just couldn’t swing it. I totally agree that it’d be awesome for all those who care about the trails to join FVMBA. You’re doing a good thing!

by: Gary Harder

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:08:04 +0000

Good news,
The two new trails , (Devil’s Throat/WorldCup)which built unauthorized will be allowed to stay.
Some work to take the steepness out will be done to the top section.
I have basically asked for “forgiveness over permission”.
The tradeoff will be when it is to be logged ,the fvmba will not ask for compensation or replacement as we would for our other trails.
Big thanks to the woodlot owner, for the flexibility over this issue,and Motsa for their support as well.
A long meeting in Chilliwack today over this issue,is finally over .
The builder is on side ,and fvmba will continue to work for all riders.
The fvmba’s reason for being is to support trail builders ,and to work towards legalization .
Getting a sign on the lower gate stating fvmba /motsa/ woodlot #00045 are working together on trails on the mountain will really be a help,and I look forward to this happening.
Those who have a strong opinion ,over trails should think about joining fvmba ,and work with us.
Our AGM is the time to put that hand up,we are not a closed club,riders doing what’s got to be done for other riders. Lots of work .
Now’s the time to show support
if you feel we are doing what must get done,join the fvmba,put out that small amount of cash,or better yet ,put ” the hand up agm time”.
Big thanks to all the builder directors out there who put so much in for all of us.
g

by: Sick_Trail_Blazer

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:53:51 +0000

So is that new punch-through section of time killer the illigitimate section in question? I rode it last saturday and have to say as a downhiller it was steep and fun, and liked it very much. I did notice the one spot where there is a wide bridge that crosses in to the downfall then over the logging road. Is this what we’re talking about? I know this could sound very uneducated but cant we just build around it? I also noticed a lot of garbage in a few sections, that orange plastic stuff, a fire pit…. it could be what gets us kicked off the mountain! I have to agree 100% with Gary, Tom and SirBikesALot, if we wan’t to continue riding there and not be mildy persecuted, we MUST abide by the rules to fight the good fight in the proper manner.

Builder X you are a coward you tell gary to grow balls but hide behind the shroud of anonymity? Why dont YOU grow some balls, concede, and abide by the silly but all-important rules.

by: Roy

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:43:55 +0000

They have a similar situation in Bellingham at Galbraith Mtn. The Trilium Timber company owns the land and has an agreement with the local Mountain Bike club (WMBC) who build and maintain the trails there. The agreement call for the trails to be built to a standard that the land owner is comfortable with. WMBC keeps track of what is being built and if unsanctioned stunts or trails are built WMBC takes them down. If they didn’t maintain the standard access to the mountain would be lost.

As you can imagine independant trail and stunt builders don’t like this so they build elsewhere.

The result is trail riding nirvana. SirBikealot you would love the singletrack there.

Builder X, get with the program and work with Gary. As Ledgeview gets developed we need access to Sumas more than ever. Don’t mess up a good thing.

Summer’s finally here, lets get out and ride.

by: Tom

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:47:18 +0000

Like Sir Bike A lot says, trails on Sumas and trails on Ledgeview are two totally different things. Ledgeview is almost all private property, and anyone building trails or even riding or hiking is technically tresspassing. The only exceptions are the lower part of SOB and Lebite me below the tile gap, which are on City of Abbotsford park land. The City of Abbotsford has allowed FVMBA to maintain those trails, and sanctioned the building of a new portion of SOB last year to move the trail from private property to city park land.

On Sumas, FVMBA has been in the process for the last few years to legitimize our trails with the Ministry of Tourism, sports and arts (MoTSA). This is the only way we can keep our current trails as well as any future trails from being logged or decomissioned by the government. MoTSA will also give us grants to pay for tools and supplies to maintain the trails.

Builder x - you have received a complaint about the trail…from the woodlot owner. I’d say that’s a pretty serious complaint.

by: sirbikealot

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:40:23 +0000

builder x - just because nobody has complained about the unauthorized trails on Ledgeview does NOT make it okay to do it on Sumas. Complete separate issues, completely separate owners/government officials, and WAY more sensitive for everyone involved. All of us bikers hate the fact that Sumas is getting logged and taking out some weet sections of trail in the process. But Gary’s right… adding more trails willy-nilly is the stupid way to react, and is not good for anyone in the long run. Speaking of getting some balls… next time someone confronts you about the trail building, try not to lie and say that it was sanctioned.

By the way, whoever is/was responsible for building or revising the bottom trail on Sumas close to the gate: IMBA offers some trail building courses that will show you how to do it properly. There are a lot of awesome trails on Sumas and Ledgeview, but there are a lot of crap ones appearing as well.

It’s also sad to see portions of Lost Oakley turning into a big dirt jumping circus. Hopefully one of these days some of the current riders will get a hankering for some old school singletrack instead of the 6′ dirt highways showing up everywhere.

Just my two bits.

by: builder x

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:47:38 +0000

if youre going to number out the builders of this trail then you should also attack the rouge builders on ledgeview. You know who we are gary, get some balls and tell us yourself. We have not heard one bad thing about our trail, infact every one i have talked to agreed it was time for a new trail on sumas. the onlt bad feedback was from you, go figure.