There are still lots of bears around, especially in and around the lower clearcuts (berries!), so keep an eye out and try not to end up in a wrestlin’ match with an angry momma bear.

The woodlot owner is very upset this has occured, and has asked the Provincial Government to remove any tenure we have on trail within the woodlot, this includes Time Killer and Time Out.

When the woodlot owner discovered this trail, he was told by the builder the trail was approved by FVMBA, that was not true.

Please do not ride this trail, tell the builder he is no hero. We all want more and better trails, this is not the way to get it.
GARY

Race results:

DH:
Bear DH 2008 Results

XC:
Bear XC 2008 Results

Lots of bear sightings up there, particularly in / around the clearcuts near Shotgun and Hoots. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t poke an angry bear. Feel free to post new sightings in the comment section below.

Note: If you can’t ride something, please get off your bike and walk past the problem area! Do not create your own line around something that’s giving you a hard time; instead, drop us a line and we’ll consider an around line if it’s deemed necessary. Remember that if you’re just learning how to ride off road, you can’t expect to ride every trail out there!

The weather was awesome, and after breaking the large group into smaller groups in the parking area, we moved up Shotgun in procession, cleaning out water drains and dirting up a couple of the jumps and berms that haven’t seen any attention for a few years.

Hoots was next, and we spent a bit of time raking a loose section of rocks and dirting up the lips and transitions of the jumps after the rock face. Gary and his group were working a little higher up, adding soil to a couple of spots on the trail and working a couple corners in the clearcut.

We called it at about 12:00pm, with the intention of giving all the volunteers a chance to get out for a ride in the afternoon.

End-of-day refreshments were provided by Experience Cycling. Thanks guys, and thanks again to everybody who came out and gave up part of their day.

Photos from the day

100 Volunteers Combat a Mountain of Garbage

Sunday April 27 saw the Vedder Mountain Trails Association host the annual Vedder Mountain Trails clean up and trail maintenance day. VMTA representing the interests of Fraser Valley Mountain Bike Association, Back Country Horseman of BC, Vedder Running Club, Pacific Northwest Motorcycle Association, and Chilliwack Outdoor Club on Vedder Mountain coordinated the efforts of nearly 100 recreationists to revitalize the well used and well loved trail network.

Individuals from the various user groups lent more than 700 man-hours of volunteer labour to the effort. This yielded 5 metric tonnes of garbage and about 350 man-hours of trail maintenance to improve drainage, reduce the effects of erosion and to augment the sustainability of the trails.

There have been ongoing and disturbing incidences of illegal dumping that continues on Vedder Mountain. The ease of access and proximity to Chilliwack has made this popular recreation area an easy target for this illegal activity. “What is most disturbing about illegal dumping on Vedder Mountain is that the Bailey Road Landfill is only a five minute drive away and provides a legitimate and inexpensive means of disposal”, stated VMTA treasurer Mark Steinebach.

“While continued illegal dumping is discouraging, the enthusiasm and passion shown by the volunteers for this area is overwhelming”, said Steinebach. A broad range of support came from the community and government and this ensured a successful and effective outing. The local Ministry of Tourism, Sport and Arts recreation officer Mike Peters not only provided a large portion of the funding for the event, but also lent a hand with the clean up effort. The Chilliwack Lions Club provided lunch for the volunteers and Valley Tank and Container provided disposal services. Additional support came from the following: Vedder Mountain Trails Association, Fraser Valley Mountain Bike Association, Valley Veterinary Services, Jack’s Cycle, NSMB.com, Pinkbike.com, Norco Performance Bikes, Race face, McDonalds Restaurants (Vedder Crossing), Kona Bikes, Raceface, Specialized Bikes, Fox, Camelbak, Powerbar and the City of Chilliwack (Pitch-In Program).

VMTA Treasurer Mark Steinebach enjoying the sweet & newly buffed Dilemma Trail (photo by L. Steinebach)

FVMBA Rep Gerald Lankhorst removes a dangerous eyesore from our trails (photo by T.Hovde)

So next Saturday at 9:30am, bring your shovel or a rake and some work gloves and help us do the routine maintenance that keeps the trails running nicely. This is a great opportunity for people to learn about the easy maintenance they can do on the trails (on their own time).

Trails to see work include:

• Shotgun
• Hoots
• Giant Killer
• Others, if time allows

Starting time: 9:30am, parking area at the north end of 287th
Location: BCIT Woodlot, park at the north end of 287th in Maple Ridge

If you have any questions, email woodlotbuilders@gmail.com?

Refreshments provided by Experience Cycling.

Goldmine / Cabin Trail - the trail head is under at least 3 feet of snow. Access to the trail can only be gained by pushing up the trail. The lower 3/4 is clear of snow but the top 1/4 is under heavy snow. (photo below shows the depth of the snow on the road at the trail head of Goldmine / Cabin Trail)

Snakes and Ladders - Clear from top to bottom.

Shotgun - clear from top to bottom.

The logging that took place on Sumas recently wiped out the Freeway Bob section of TimeKiller. Over the past few weeks, we’ve done alot of work putting the trail back in and now that the trail’s been generally cleared of debris, alot more effort is needed to make it ridable. We need you!

Come on out this weekend for a quick and dirty trail day.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

9:30am

Meet at the lower gate. Bring rakes, shovels, gloves, lunch.

Green is the Original TimeKiller

Yellow is the new Freeway bob section

Red are 2 new roads.