Who Owns a Trail?

Not entirely relevant to the North Shore, but anyone who has issues with seasonal closures of certain trails may benefit by reading this.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Who-owns-a-trail-2013.html

From the article:
"We’ve all ridden trails that were built by committee, and they’re horrible"

I loved this line. I think the committee thing can work for blue trails or uphill climbs and have seen it work in the lower mainland/sea to sky corridor. It does work well for maintenance and re-builds (especially when someone is acting the part of foreman). I have also seen its success on incredibly long trails that would take a solo builder forever to complete.

I do trail build, and have to say my greatest enjoyment is building trails on my own. I have tried to build as part of a committee and it felt like community service. Everybody wanted the trail to do something different (usually an attempt to make it do everything - trail that rides both ways, with jumps, and berms, and gnarly sections….) The end result is usually a trail with a personality disorder.

Whereas, when you build a trail - it is your piece of art. People will love it or hate it. That is for them to decide. I dislike it when people "add" to trails I built (i.e. create panty lines, remove moss, etc). But alas I always remind myself it is just a trail. I was jaded a year ago, but things have changed. It seems more and more people are heading out and clearing blowdown, and fixing things. That is a great change.

I always wonder why, people think building a trail in the middle of nowhere is some great evil. Animals do it all the time and no one gets mad at them. I know that liability, private land, and different user groups will always cause trail controversies. Maybe in my next life I can come back as a squirrel and fly through the forest and not require a trail.

I like the graphics

Those charts are hilarious! There's some truth in that article. I was pleasantly surprised, it's worth a read.

Well said slynx..

I OWN every trail I ride, brappin and boppin = ownage

I remember thinking about this when I was actively building, my saying went something like this

"When the trail is in prime condition, it's everyones trail to enjoy, but when it's beat up, corners blown and rutted out it sure becomes my trail again pretty fast."

I should have read who wrote that article before skipping it as i usually skip stupid sounding PB articles.

Good read. Almost makes me want a Diamondback.

Good one

Sponsel gets it….
If you haven't checked out his blog…. http://theteamrobot.blogspot.ca/

Good content. Period.

every one who knows about a trail owns shares in its existence, if you don't know of its existence you have no vested interest.
if you want to own a trail build one and never ever tell anyone. one day a side hill poacher will stumble on it he will blab to all his bros and it becomes community property,

every one who knows about a trail owns shares in its existence, if you don't know of its existence you have no vested interest.
if you want to own a trail build one and never ever tell anyone. one day a side hill poacher will stumble on it he will blab to all his bros and it becomes community property,

say whaatt??

I know of many trails but don't come close to claiming them as mine. Im surprised this issue is so talked about, I think people overstep their boundaries and need to put more time into the trails as opposed to just riding them before they talk 'bout anything close to owning it. Digger built many trails on Fromme that he might not work on too much anymore, I may have ridden it more then he's been working on it (maybe not), but its not mine and I wouldn't touch it, complain bout it, or tell him to do anything 'bout it until he asks or does work himself type deal.

This Pinkbike article is blowing up conversation because Americans have a problem with stepping over their boundaries of what they think is theirs, and even it's not, well, they'll find a way. :usa: :lol:

….Digger built many trails on Fromme that he might not work on too much anymore, I may have ridden it more then he's been working on it (maybe not), but its not mine and I wouldn't touch it, complain bout it, or tell him to do anything 'bout it until he asks or does work himself type deal.

well said..rider entitlement attitudes suck…

every one who knows about a trail owns shares in its existence

no. everyone who works on a trail shares in its existence.

those who only ride it just take from those who work on it. without the people who work on it there would be no trail in existence.