in Quarry Ridge (Moderator: Schrader)

I rode QR the other day and noticed what was the downhill portion of the outer loop trail was now marked as a climb. The new downhill part of the outer loop had really good flow and was quite fun for the few times I was able to ride it.

-I'm curious as to why this was done. ie. an explanation

I don't believe there was ever a "new downhill part of the outer loop", but some were riding it that way.

This thread touches on the subject...assuming this is the section you are refering to.

http://www.madcitydirt.com/index.php?topic=1470.0

Correct.  It was never a downhill.  It was built to be an alternate (to the sandy climb) way up.

Perhaps signage at the "trident" fork once you cross the creek would be helpful.

Perhaps signage at the "trident" fork once you cross the creek would be helpful.

Totally agree.  It's an entrance with 3 ways you could go, two right ways and one wrong way, and no way to know.

BWarren makes a point about the two classic downhills which are in close proximity to the new machine cut awesome climb.  When you are coming from the top bluff and want to do the 2 historic downhills there was a confusing wrong way sign there making it look like the old flowing moderate downhill, the one which ends at the trident, was closed.  The problem is fixed now, the are 2 wrong way signs to prevent someone from accidentally going down our new climb. 

In sum there is a new climb which has good signage now at the bottom (the start) and top to insure no one gets confused.
The historic 2 down hills on that side are still there and are in great shape.

Jeff did a really nice job mowing so the trails are stellar right now.  Who ever put out the signs- good job and thanks.

Although my chainsaw is fast and furious, I am a true believer in heavy equipment after seeing to perfect the up hill climb is.

I agree the signage is good to prevent anyone from going down the new climb.

I'm wondering when you get to the top of the new climb, where it T's into the existing trail is the intent to go right and up to the top or left and start back down through the section that had the small rocky drop?....or is it riders choice? I've gone right and was wondered if someone could possibly be coming down. However there are two signs at the very top that both direct you away from that section and take you to the rocky switchback out in the open before heading back down. It would seem that the only way to go through the section that had the small drop is at the top of the new climb it meets the old. Or, is that section being eliminated altogether? 

I put up those signs. I had limited sign material and posts to work with, so pardon the partial confusion until we completely resign and map the place, hopefully this fall.

At the bottom, once you come out of the long downhill, you can either turn left and go uphill, straight and go back to the parking lot, or right and end up back at the sandy climb. The new uphill takes you back to the flat top of the hill. The intent is to go right at the T and end up at the top. At that point, you can chose to do whatever you want. Turning sharp left will take you back down the long downhill to do the uphill again, or do whatever you want. Just please don't ride down the new uphill.

The real plan is to eliminate the T and you will go straight and end up with a less steep climb the rest of the way to the top. A new entrance to the old downhill (the rocky stuff to the left) will be built off of the long downhill trail, eliminating all of the confusion. The old downhill will have a bridge over the cross country loop and end up on a flowing downhill line with natural jumps.

I added several redundant "do not enter" signs at the top, and a one way arrow pointing up the hill at the bottom. I also changed the arrows at the top indicating that you can go either way at the fork to only going right to the downhill. Hopefully this clears things up. If I still find people riding downhill, I have some plans for obstacles that will be annoying to ride down, but easy to ride up. Hopefully I don't have to build them.

Long term, possibly this fall, I want to build a connector from near the bottom of the Sandy Bowl back to the bottom of the new climb. That way, you can ride in a kidney-bean shape in a 2-3 mile loop without having to do the sandy climb, or you can do the sandy climb and skip the new return and uphill. It will be your choice.

More mowing will happen this Thursday-Saturday. I have a few more sections to improve. I think I need to leave one section bad just so people appreciate how much better the cleared stuff looks.

More mowing will happen this Thursday-Saturday. I have a few more sections to improve. I think I need to leave one section bad just so people appreciate how much better the cleared stuff looks.

I love this idea Jeff!
Do you think users will be happy 90% of the area is improved....offer to help get the work done....or just gripe about the 10% that isn't perfect

I was out at Quarry Ridge for the first time since last year and all the new trail is awesome! I love the distance added by the new XC trail and the new climb is fantastic (however, there is currently a tree dangling over it near the bottom). Thanks for all the hard work and the "real plan" of eliminating the T intersection at the top of the new climb sounds great, can't wait!

I like your plan Jeff-this place just keeps getting better.   

 I think we need to award some special prizes for people who ride frequently at quarry ridge. Everyone gets a prize, even if you are last- a  $5 hand saw.  There will always be stuff blocking the trail.  First try to rip it out like a raped ape, if that doesn't work pull out the handsaw.

I mowed everything that is going to be mowed today. I won't cut anything back until fall.

In the future, I'm going to start leaving a section of trail and printing a sign that says "CORP volunteers built and maintain this trail. Without CORP, this is what the trail would look like. We need your help. Find us on madcitydirt.com - pm jeffb if you want to help at Quarry Ridge."