in Blue Mound (Moderator: Walt Hougas)

The DNR is moving ahead with the Master Plan amendment process for Blue Mound. We had our first stakeholder meeting with Jeff Prey and Mike Repyak. We were given the opportunity to present our plan to improve the bike trails, and provide answers to the DNR's concerns about how we plan to care for them. There will be public hearings on:

July 21 5-7PM

Mount Horeb High School 305 South 8th Street in Mount Horeb.

This is one way for members of the bike community to show their support for the bike trails.

You can also leave comments at the DNR's website:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/Lands/MasterPlanning/BlueMound/

I need your support now!

My proposal to the DNR includes completing Pokerville trail and expansion of the trails to 20+ miles of trail inside the park. There was interest about Pokerville, but the DNR is not enthusiastic about additional trail expansion. There is room for an epic trail at Blue Mound without overcrowding, but when we presented the proposal to the DNR representatives, they countered with the option of siting trail in Brigham.

CORP is happy with its relationship with Dane County. But adding more trail on the Mounds into Brigham is a second best alternative for a couple of very important reasons. One is that getting funding support from Dane County has been difficult. Our volunteers are stretched to the breaking point, and there are projects that are more essential to CORP than Blue Mound. (It pains me to say that, but CORP is going to gain more new members from Seminole and Middleton/Blackhawk than Blue Mound.) The Friends of Blue Mound State Park are interested in supporting at least the beginner trail redevelopment, and maybe more than that.

The other reason I prefer to work in Blue Mound is the topography in Brigham, while nice, is not as spectacular as the area on the north side of Blue Mound. Few people have seen it, because it's a difficult hike to get out there. Bike/shared use trails would make a beautiful area in the park accessible to the public.

I'm not opposed to eventually building bike trail in Brigham Park. It has some nice wooded areas, and there are some well drained ravines that would be very nice to have trails in. But not having the right priorities is a big mistake in my opinion. Blue Mound should be the focus for CORP in this region. We will see what shakes out of the Master Plan amendment process and adjust our plans as needed.

Walt

Thanks for the update Walt! It sounds positive. This is when we really need to show what CORP can do. People NEED to plan on attending this meeting. Please get it on your calendar and make it if at all possible.
And if you can not make this meeting, please fill out the survey with the opinions Walt stated above as the focus. No excuses to not do this.
Thanks for all your work out there Walt. This is where all of us in the mountain biking community need to come together and show how important trails are for us. Even if you do not ride Blue Mound, the effort shown here will greatly reflect in other projects that we have in the works. Believe it or not, government does respond to the demands of the people, at least on a local level

Attached please find a copy of my trail development proposal for Blue Mound (edits thanks to Gary Schweisthal and Michelle Barker). I have presented it to CORP's Board of Directors, the Friends of Blue Mound State Park, and to the DNR at the CORP stakeholder meeting.

It's important to keep in mind this is in the proposal stage. Nothing has been decided by the DNR, CORP, or the Friends of Blue Mound. If anyone in a position of authority has made a decision it has not been communicated to me.

What you can take away from this is the priority for trail development at Blue Mound starting in 2016 will be the Beginner Loop*. This will happen regardless of whether or not the DNR authorizes any new trail in the park. We're hoping that the Friends will see fit to help fund professional work on the proposed redevelopment of the Beginner Loop, but I want to go this direction regardless of what anyone else does or does not contribute.

For the few people who lie awake at night worrying that their favorite bit of trail at Blue Mound is going to get sanitized, note that we are planning to leave the big rock features intact. The gnarliest bits of Chert Dip will continue to exist as alternate routes for "expert" riders.

If nothing else, I need a way to bring in beginner riders at Blue Mound to expand my base of potential helpers. It's a lot of work keeping the trails in good riding condition, and the current volunteer base in CORP is stretched too thin.

Walt

*There will be continuing finish work on the Holy Schist reroutes from 2014 and 2015)

Man I can't believe I am missing this. Walt, Gary and everyone else involved I sincerely apologize. I really hope it is going well and there is a good contingent of CORPers out there.
My work that was supposed to be done today by 1p just wrapped up, and I am still in Kewaunee. I am going to be staying over another night.
Again I hope I is going well. I will be posting up to the DNR my thoughts.

Man I can't believe I am missing this. Walt, Gary and everyone else involved I sincerely apologize. I really hope it is going well and there is a good contingent of CORPers out there.
My work that was supposed to be done today by 1p just wrapped up, and I am still in Kewaunee. I am going to be staying over another night.
Again I hope I is going well. I will be posting up to the DNR my thoughts.

Not too late. This was an open house format with comments submitted to the DNR via the forms they had and you can do it until July 30. It is vital to get your comments in by then. We would love support for the trail master plan that's part of this but also consider commenting whether or now you want snowmobiles in the park.

http://dnr.wi.gov/news/releases/article/?id=3643

Hi Chuck,

Not to worry.

The DNR changed the format of the meeting. In order to head off a shouting match between the pro- and anti-snomobile trail forces, they banned all public speaking. Instead they met individually with people and are taking written comments from the public.

Until July 30th, you and anyone else can send an email to the DNR in support of the CORP Proposal for Mountain Bike Trails at Blue Mound. Write to:

paul.zajackowski@wisconsin.gov

Tell the DNR you support the CORP proposal which follows here:

A Proposal for the Improvement and Expansion of the
Mountain Bike Trails at Blue Mound State Park


Goals:
1.   Build a bigger, better trail system at Blue Mound State Park. CORP seeks official approval of all existing and currently incomplete bike trails. In addition, we propose the construction of a new trail loop, to be located in the north-west boundary area of the park. We want Blue Mound to achieve “Epic” trail status.
2.   Increase ridership by converting some intermediate trail into beginner-friendly trail. CORP has done a great job of providing expert riders with challenging trails. More beginner-level trails are needed at Blue Mound to attract a wider range of trail users.
3.   Increase the profitability of the park. Improved trails with better accessibility for beginners, and more trail miles for everyone, will increase visitation and result in selling more trail passes and vehicle stickers.
Proposal:
1.   Improve accessibility for beginner riders by modifying the Short Mound Loop (see attached map) to make it easy to ride.
a.   Nearly all small and medium rocks will be removed from the tread.
b.   The tread will be widened.
c.   Large rock features will have alternate, easy ride-arounds built.
d.   Stream bed crossings will be improved to make them less challenging to cross.
e.   Areas with steep climbs will be rerouted with reduced slope for greater sustainability.
f.   Reroutes to the Short Mound Loop built in 2013 and 2014 have begun the process.
2.   Upgrade trail in other areas of the park.
a.   Over Lode will be improved to reduce overall difficulty, but increase fun.
i.   Steep trail sections will be rerouted to have their grade reduced.
ii.   Trail will be rerouted around old roadbeds.
iii.   Climbing turns will be improved to in-sloped turns.
iv.   The result we will aim for is “flow trail”, accessible with optional challenge.
b.   Holy Schist will have eroded trail sections rerouted or repaired, but will remain expert.
i.   The endmost section was rerouted in 2010, eliminating heavily eroded trail.
ii.   The boundary adjustment reroute built in 2014 was designed to eliminate some more eroded fall-line trail, and some great new features were added.
iii.   Another reroute to eliminate eroded, fall-line trail has been approved and work began in 2015.
3.   Expand the trails to complete CORP’s long-term vision of the trail system.
a.   Finish the Pokerville trail loop. This will add expert, sustainable trail to the system.
b.   Add a new loop in the northwest area of the park (see attached map).
c.   Some additional trail in Over Lode and Holy Schist will be added to meet the 20 mile requirement for International Mountain Bicycling Association’s Epic status.

I just got home from work and sent a sincere and detailed e-mail explaining what I would like the future of Blue Mound State Park to be.

As a nearby homeowner and land owner I hope Blue Mound state park can become a silent sports mecca!

Thanks Bear!

Lots of good riding to look forward to.

Walt

If anyone would prefer to send in their comments the old fashioned way, here is the comment sheet they handed out at the open house. Just make sure you send it so it's received by 7/30.
 

A late update: I met with Mike Repyak recently. He told me the mountain biking community sent in more comments to the DNR than either the skiers or the snowmobilers. Nice work people.

A late update: I met with Mike Repyak recently. He told me the mountain biking community sent in more comments to the DNR than either the skiers or the snowmobilers. Nice work people.

Well done folks! We are really getting the attention of the powers that be in the state!

To follow up on Walt's recent comment, the DNR recently put up a on the amendment page that includes hard numbers.  I am very, very thankful and proud of the MTB community for stepping up in its show of support!

According to the , we are currently in Phase 2 of 3.  The next opportunity for input should come in the form of public review and comment on the draft master plan amendment, which could be released soon or in the next couple months.  The last opportunity will be when the Natural Resources Board considers the draft for approval.

BMSP Master Planning (DNR)

Those numbers are awesome!  I too extend a huge thank you to everybody who submitted comments in favor of mountain bike trails at Blue mounds.  Please continue to be involved in this process as it moves forward!


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Impressive showing CORP! That is how you get attention wand get things done. Now we just need to pay attention and keep it up until this process is complete, and we will get the results that we would like.

I also think it of a testament to the good relations that exist between mountain bikers and other trail users that there weren't many (any? There weren't any in the stats) letters etc against the development of mountain biking in the park.