Squamish - Mashiter Trail CLOSED due to Vandalism

Great to see the bridge destruction has been fixed.. however it looks like more issues are afoot.

Roller Coaster has had some recent sanctioned work on the switchbacks which as filled a few braking bumps and generally smoothed things out. More recently, the last section has had some 'work' and all the tricky bits have been pulled out! No more line choice, no more roots, NO MORE FUN

Effectivly vandalism? Privateers? Sanctioned trail work - whatever it was it has pretty much ruined the end of the trail!

While I've not seen the work (but have ridden the trail a lot), surely the clue is in the name? If it was meant to be hard it would be called GnarGnarDieBastardDie!! or whatever….Roller Coasters are smooth and flowy, with no line choice ;)

I know trail modifications/improvements/changes in Squamish or any town can be a contentious issues.

I have to disagree with wall eater on this one though.

I hate approaching a trail and suddenly finding it dumbed down.

Some improvements I love - some I despise.

The roller coaster and jack trail improvements I hate. I am pretty sure it was done for the test of metal racers (I am one as well). I love novelty and interesting sections, for me that makes a trail.

The test is a funny course. 90[HTML_REMOVED]#37; road-style with some technical bits. I am worried to see the technical bits disappear and the road percentage/style get higher. Thank god the Plunge is considered sacred. For me the run out of roller coaster to the road always was that last little dose of fun before entering suburbia.

However, I am old enough to know that this issue comes up everywhere. It seems like only yesterday when the skinny off the old road to function was improved and every one was furious as it was the fun technical thing to be done on the way to work. I still miss that thing. Who did cut the trees?

I love the trail builder moto "build back better". I guess "better" for some means easier and less technical. Lets not make things too easy out there, otherwise I might as well get back on my road bike and jump rail tracks for fun instead of mtn biking.

NOT to hijack the thread - the new bridge is truly a work of art. I am in awe. Makes me want to vandalise my front porch to see if I can hire the team to re-build it.

just to clear up any misconceptions here about the trail work done on roller coaster and jacks.

they were not done by anyone associated/authorized/encouraged/directed/told/advised by either sorca or test of metal. there are countless people doing what they think is best for trails in the area. be it as they may be misguided at least they are out doing something other than bitching about changing a trail.

barry and nick have done over 200 paid hours of trail maintance to the tom course this year since mid april. they have to the best of their abilities only raked, drained, cut trees or built up areas that are on going maintance issues. they do not nor will not on purpose dumb down sections of the trail.

these paid hours are in response to the critism of what has the test put back into the trails after so many riders have pre ridden and ridden the course.

at least the test is putting something back into the trails unlike other adventure sport races or tour companies.

I've learned many lessons this year…

The most prominent lesson being that theres a lot of bitches out there.

We (Squamish trail builders) have accomplished more work this year than ever before. The community stoke and involvement this year has been phenomenal. Through the SORCA trail days alone we've generated 900 labour hours in the past 2 months. Renegade building this year has easily tripled, and has developed some of the best loops Squamish has to offer.

Because there's so much more work happening, simple math would indicate there's gonna be a lot of bitching going down. I used to think that maybe 10[HTML_REMOVED]#37; of people complain after trailwork. Sadly it now appears to be more like 50/50.

The trouble is what people "like" and what trails "need" are different a lot of the time. Sustainability and personal preference are going to differ, and it's always going to be easier to BITCH than it is to DO SOMETHING.

Barry McLane
(604)848-1180
[email protected]

Barry,

I learned a long time ago to ignore complainers and accept advice from people who came out to help me dig or haul rocks. The complainers might be well-intentioned but the way they're delivering their criticism it comes across as a bitch fest.

No matter what you do someone will be unhappy. Unless you're in public office (god help you if you are - that means you Shakes) you can pretty much say fuk em to the complainers.

Ask your dad how many people bitched about the guidebooks the first time he put them out…

Good work. I remember when you were building manky crap on Meet Your Maker. Maybe that means i've been around too long

To jonny and slynx. I'll reply and try not to be aggro since I don't have anything emotional in this.

I remember riding RollerCoaster and the Plunge when most of it was very smooth, loam and not all that rooty. Then they got ridden (as do most fun trails) and became technical, rooty and rough.

So now they're back to being smooth. How is that wrong?

If you want rooty and technical, Don't tell Jude and the old Tracks from Hell extensions aren't very far. If you want downhill continuations, then turn on to Trestle Trail and instead of going right to the golfcourse benchcuts turn left and take the old root fests all the way back down to Perth. If you want really rough then stay high just after crossing Mashiter and go up Border Patrol which also is also not very far.

Is that reasonable?

Shit - That went off the rails!!!

Barry and all trail builders, sorry. The last thing I want to do is piss you guys off. I know how f#$kin hard you guys work. I also admire your work. Sorry about my post above - it was just a reaction to the surprise regarding the bottom of roller coaster. It is quite obvious that it was well intentioned. I should have lived by the old people's mantra "have nothing nice to say, shut the f^%k up!"

Leelau you make valid points. There are a shit load of trails. Don't like it ride something different and we all have seen trails change from an easy loamy ride to a root infested, rocky nightmare.

My post was not directed to the professional (yet unpaid trail builders such as Barry, Brt, Rob, Steve, Clarke and Gary). IT was directed to well intentioned riders who sometimes choose to fix something that was not broken. I am all for sustainability and do appreciate/respect the hard work being done out there.

My tail is firmly planted between my legs.

Dammit - the thread on the wonderful work on the bridge got hijacked.

hahaha… sorry slynk, I just wanted to stir the shitpot a little… mostly inspired by Jonnyboy there.

Trust me when I say theres 0[HTML_REMOVED]#37; animosity on my end. To be honest I find all the bitching more comical than aggravating. Some people work, some people bitch. I've learned to just laugh and point at all the bitches.

We build trail for fun, and for people to enjoy them. Even if it was 75% bitching it would still totally be worth it.

:heart:

Jonnyboy - don't like what we're doing?

Do something real about it and show up Sunday with the rest of the vollie crew…