Qld- Nerang trail status

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
As you know, we recently requested riders stay out of the Nerang National Park due to the effects of cyclonic wind and rain. Thanks to those who did. No thanks to the clowns who rode past trail closure signs and three tape barriers to poach Barney's which was closed for a major re-design of the large berm at the top. Fortunately it did no damage.

We went out yesterday and this is the trail status:

Barney's is open. The new berm is faster, has a different exit line and new drain (which is still a tad soft but all good) and the riding surface is buff

Word is that there are many trees down out the back, especially on Pandora and Avatar. Be aware that trees are still falling

Explosions, Neverending including Fun Park and Super Loop will be still wet enough to avoid and likely also damaged by downed timber - we didn't get out there

Bailey's was damp in places but solid

Vertigo will be similar, maybe wetter

GG's is probably not good

Happy Valley is good from B&Bs to Exit trail which is also OK. Happy Valley to Netti and Roys should be avoided to let the streams settle without rider damage for a bit longer

B&B's is OK, but a large tree fell across the log-over 1/2 way down and has damaged the outslope edge. It will fail in time, but is OK for now after we moved all the fallen timber (seeing no-one else cared enough to bother). There was a hole on the upslope line to the little jump from a large branch that penetrated. It has a couple of rocks in it for now. Should be OK except for sissies

Don't know about Three Hills, but there is probably a lot of downed timber. From Exit trail to the bottom is still wet, but we missed all the puddles and had fun doing it

There seems to be some idea getting around that the new section of Three Hills is open. I guess the lack of entry from the current trail, the trailwork sign and the fact it goes nowhere isn't a big enough hint? DON'T RIDE IT. You are pushing in a stupid entry and doing unnecessary damage to the park to ride a closed trail.

Casuarina is good and volunteers spent a lot of time clearing bridges and serious debris in the last week. It's riding as well as it can and better than it did a month ago thanks to the work

Pete's is good to go after repairs down low to rider-made bog holes and a couple of big trees that fell across the trail. Thanks to those with muscles who moved the fallen tree farther up Pete's

Brett's (Mongrel's) is good apart from areas marked for work since before the rains

Wimps and Norco Flow will be seeing regular maintenance work starting this Sunday. Beware of trail closures or you may kill someone working for your fun. This is QPWS authorised maintenance and if you are not on the nominated work party then you will not be doing anything but riding there. Is that clear to whomever has been digging recently?

While not in Nerang, the Hinze Dam trail has been closed due to massive tree-fall. See http://www.gcmtb.com.au/home/ for updates. Interesting that they recorded 700ml of rain in 4 days, so the estimate of >200ml at Nerang is probably very conservative, given the locations are less than 15km apart

Take care riding as there is still a real danger of downed or falling timber even if there is no wind. Take the time to clear some debris off the trail. Try to ride lines on the outslope of puddles as that will be less likely to stop them draining. If you find something big that needs attention contact http://www.mtbtrailcare.com/Contact.asp or better still register to assist as a trailcare volunteer. The registration form is linked on any trailcare day listing in the calendar section of that website and we need as much help as possible to get all Nerang trails authorised (legalised) by QPWS ASAP. More help = better trails forever.

Cheers - go get after it until the next major weather event of the Summer
 
It's REALLY DISAPPOINTING that 99% of all postings regarding the Nerang trail network contain reports of TRAIL VANDALISM/DAMAGE caused by a group or groups of ROGUE REBELS, who call themselves mountain bikers. The trailcare team is working extremely hard to have this trail network upgraded and legalised with the full support of the current land managers (QPWS), this is for "YOU".....the mtb community. Some of "YOU" are screwing this up....WHY ???
 

SPECIALIST

Likes Dirt
on another note i just want to thanks guys for taking the time and great effort to make nerang an awesome place to ride now and future trails :)
 
I feel that 99% of the mtb community is thankful to the trailcare guys....its the ONE PERCENTERS who are continually screwing up the trails, who could not care less.
ROGUE REBELS, ONE PERCENTERS, please explain to the other 99%......WHY..WHY you believe your actions are necessary.
 

kl3ggy

Likes Dirt
I went to Nerang for the first time last weekend for a look on the way home from our holidays. I was quite impressed at how big the place is and the fact we didnt see to many people on the trails even though the carpark was full. My first experience of proper MTB'ing was three hills last weekend, and i loved it. It was awesome. Knowing about the previous downpour and wild weather, I stayed vigilant and went around all puddles and was constantly looking for Trail closed signs, but saw none. Had a great time. One hell of a climb though to get to the top, i went to the left as you step over the gate thingy. Is there an easier way to get to the top, perhaps less steep :p

Hopefully going this sunday of the weather is all good.

Big thanks to the guys that keeps these tracks maintained A++
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Our goal is to make the ride up better for all level of skillset. As soon as we get Brett's and Pete's finished to QPWS standard and offically open, we will return to a new Three Hills line we started some time back, but have not been able to work on for months now. It will probably be a year till we complete to the very top, but we plan to open the second Hill part sooner. The trail is a contour trail with no switchbacks, good views and will be a fair climb and fun descent. For now the first hill will just get maintenance, rather than a re-route. We have other plans as well, but these are yet to be discussed in earnest with QPWS. Will keep everyone posted on progress or you can go to http://www.mtbtrailcare.com for updates
 
Just like to echo the praises here for the hard work being done at Nerang. It had been a few years since I last rode Nerang over the Xmas holidays and I was stoked with the quality of trails there. Went back 4 days in a row I had such fun! It was quite easy to see if a trail was closed and am surprised by what appears to be deliberate damage due to selfish people/ groups.

Keep up the good work lads and I will keep my eye out for maintenance days if I am in the area.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Hate to be a wet blanket, but things are going to get excessively wet this week all over SE Qld. We are expecting 100-200mm by mid week, moving from north to the south. It's not going to be a week to ride Nerang, Hinze Dam, Mt Joyce or any of the Brissy or Sunshine Coast locations either. All being well it may come good by next weekend. Thanks for your consideration.

Edit

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR662.loop.shtml#skip

Looks bad. The first little wave through the Gold Coast dropped up to 80mm. That's just a taste of what is coming. There will be gale force winds again. More limbs and whole trees will come down again. Anything hung up after ex-cyclone Oswald will probably come down. The ground is soft and even sound trees will fall.

Please do not ride in SE Qld until things settle.
 
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rj-c

Squid
Any updates on Nerang seeing as we did not get as much rain as we thought at the beginning of the week?
 

wavike

Likes Dirt
Any updates on Nerang seeing as we did not get as much rain as we thought at the beginning of the week?
Seemed to have a fair of rain bit still, and no sun. Best to keep well away from anywhere soft or low. Be very carefull if this wind is still blowing. Soft ground + big wind = trees and branches coming down.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The trails are too wet to handle use Please stay away

Put another way - It's too fucking wet to ride and if you are riding Nerang (or have been in the last few weeks), you are a menace and a cockhead. This must be sounding like a bad record to you, but it is just killing us.

Against my better judgement, a new section of Pete's trail was opened 4 months ago. It cost us a lot of time going back to do minor maintenance, because it is fun to ride and popular. In the last 3 months, the weather has turned on us. Apart from multiple tree-falls and lots of minor deadfall, there has been rain. Lots of rain - remember the three serious floods so far this year???

Guess what? Trails don't cope with flooding rain and subsoil springs that run like hoses, weeks after the rain stops. But they cope with that better than they cope with a multitude of trail vandals who put themselves ahead of the rest of the MTB community. I'm not talking about motos or horses. I am talking about us. MTB riders who think they are big dudes who ride in any condition, just because they can. After all, "I always ride on Xday morning or arvo.... It's my right".

Please read this link and take the time to scan back over recent weeks or months of trailcare news in Nerang

http://www.mtbtrailcare.com/BlogPostView.asp?BlogPostID=78

We might look like some professional outfit with our website and how often we get up your nose, but we aren't. We don't get 20 or 30 volunteers to our dig days. We get 2 or 3; if we are lucky 5 or 6, once every month or two. We need help and we are under pressure to complete Pete's and Brett's trails so QPWS can reinspect them (they were rejected last time due to evidence of erosion and inadequate drainage) and arrange a ministerial opening.

Most people don't know or care that nearly every trail in Nerang is illegal and could be closed by the rangers any time, but they know it and we know it. It has taken years to sit down around the table and work with QPWS toward legalising all trails in the park. QPWS is more sensitive about our ability to make trails sustainable and keep them that way then they are about the issue of MTB in the park. Fair enough.

We just don't know what to do to ensure QPWS sees what we all want - quality trail being managed well. They have us confined to zone 1, before we move on the the other three zones being ridden on old (historical, illegal, pirate, rogue or call them what you want) trails. Zone 1 is meant to be for every rider - families, beginners, recreational riders and those improving, plus all riders looking to access the tough trails farther out, or enjoy a fun ride home at the end of day. We know zone 1 trails are riding better - they should after 1200+ hours of work since July last year, but when you work over long distances, cannot close the trails to allow hardening, plus get constant and heavy rain after months of drought, you need everything on your side.

Too many riders are not on your side. Why is it we jump up and down about horse damage, dog crap and moto damage when it us US causing all the trouble? For decades, councils, parks and other land managers have been blaming us for damaging their property and we have been trying to prove them wrong. Come on riders; don't prove their concerns to be accurate!

We know Pete's and Brett's trails are a good ride and we understand people want to get after them. We also know that trails that have not experienced massive and continuing work over the last few wet months are more sound than the ones we have worked on. Unfortunately, you cannot remodel trail without removing the hardened surface. That leaves it vulnerable. Left alone, a well drained, new trail will handle any weather. However, it will not handle use that repeatedly compresses water to the surface, creates ruts that prevent drainage and leads to new lines around the bog holes and further damage to a National Park.

Sorry for the long sob story, but there are potentially 600 000 people on the Gold Coast, plus visitors, Brisbane and Logan locals who want to ride Nerang into the future. Why is it that we are not able to stop people screwing it up for the rest of us? Please take this message to everyone you know. It isn't going to stop raining tomorrow and the trails are not going to be solid on Sunday. It is going to take a major change in the weather and a lot more work by use to repair all the damage done before things are good to go.

We will keep you informed. Believe me, no-one wants to ride Nerang more than we do, so we are holding fingers crossed for all of us.
 
Come on.....ONE PERCENTERS, explain yourselves. Don't just sit in silence you spineless little bastards, explain to all, why it is neccessary to destroy trails. Maybe it's time to photogragh you fuckwits in action, then publicly "name & shame".
 

trailsnail

Likes Dirt
If you ride and you change the trail surface then it is too wet to ride.

If you are set in a training plan and don't wish to loose your fitness by riding less often, then ride the road circuit at the velodrome instead.
If you are concerned that you will loose the ability to ride tough trail lines then ride up the erosion ruts in the fire roads as the fire roads get resurfaced by men in big machines.
But... STAY OFF WET TRAILS!

If you ride soft trails then you are a not a good rider, you are a burden on our sport.
A good rider respects trails and also the guys who build/maintain these trails for you.

There is more to life than just the things that benefit you, consider others and RESPECT our National Parks.
Respecting our national park is how we will get legal access to it.
Currently we have access to only a tiny % of what we are asking for, don't make QPWS regret allowing MTB use on their land.
Nothing is set in stone with regard to trail access, if we are seen to be doing the wrong thing we could loose ten years of negotiations.

And once it all dries out again, Happy Trails!
Ash.
a4.jpg
 
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krtbrd

Squid
Trail Malisha

FUCKERS, why don't we all head out to the velodrome and wait there with shovels and pick axes and ask the people to explain themselves as the come out of the trails....the gutless little worms are going to make any noise on internet forums because they know they will get blasted
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
The sad thing about the pic above is that that section of trail was built with significant outslope. The terrain is very gentle and finding a way to make and drain large rolling grade dips is a problem in that situation. Do you dig so deep that a ravine is needed to get water away? Do you pile the diggings on the trail to make high points that are less stable and more prone to wheel damage whether dry or wet? Do you armour the trail completely (with no access to imported materials)? Do you just carefully align the trail in a way water can sheet off? We chose the last option. Clearly the saturated surface has deteriorated over the last month after coping pretty well for 3 previous months. There is one reason why - riders using it when all common sense says stay at home. Should we just close the entire section of trail?

We have another section of trail sitting and waiting for completion. Only the ends need to be done to link through from old Pete's trail to the section in the pic above, providing riders a really fun descent from the end of Brett's all the way to the velodrome. Despite making it obviously closed, it too was being ridden. Lately that seems to have ceased thank goodness. Still, we are stuck. We have an open section we cannot expect QPWS to pass and will now probably cost us a month or more of work we hadn't planned on and a closed section we are not even game to complete and leave closed, knowing it will be attacked despite the closures.

Anyone in the area knows we have just had more than 12 hours of continuous and heavy rain. Gold Coast Seaway has recorded 80mm since sundown. Coolangatta over 100mm. I live very close to the Nerang Forest Reserve and it is certainly more than 100mm here. It is honestly too wet to work at the moment in answer to the question above. We will cause more damage just walking on the trails and bush than we can justify. I just don't know how we can deal with all the new damage and have that sinking feeling there will be even more this weekend despite the ongoing drenching.

Over the last 5 years, we and the trails have been able to cope with very heavy rainfall, including numerous falls of more than 200-300mm. The reason was that we worked on isolated areas of trail and limited what we did to single jobs and minor trail hardening techniques. Trying to get Pete's and Brett's up to par has done two things. Firstly, we have extensive works over a 5km section of what is essentially one trail. Secondly, rider response to the trailwork has increased the use of these trails dramatically. They get no chance to rest after work and everyone is riding there 'cause they are more fun than alternate lines into and out of the park. By trying to help make a better trail system we have essentially opened the door to the trail abusers. They have now set our work back by months. That was already an issue over the last 2 months, but now we have devastation on a grand scale (for our little team of trail fairies) and it can only get worse unless riders keep off the trails. I hate to even think what we will find up on Brett's where all of our recent works have been in problem, wet areas.

There is nothing wrong with the standard of work that has been done. It is all to IMBA standards and there has been no attempt to cut corners in our rush. Now, however, we have the old school influence wanting to put in traditional Nerang rock drains because it looks like our work has failed to drain the trails. We are talking buried rock here, not open drains with embedded stone. There is no such thing as a buried rock drain - it should be called a water bar and all it does is focus erosion around stones that become exposed, loosened, turn into ruts anyway and bugger the riding line. However, we cannot stop people doing it, so get ready for that flowing section to be turned to shit. Oh, that's right, it already has been turned to shit, but this will be a kind of shit that causes riders and trailworkers grief for years. It has taken years to deal with all the pointless old rock crap on Casuarina and now we face the same "solution" on lower Pete's. We can almost hear the other old school, pirate-building element laughing at us. All that work and the trails are screwed - what a waste of time. More power to the concept of a trail made by kicking debris and sticks to the downslope side of a scratch-line and riding it in. It's like we have set back the concept of quality trailcare in Nerang rather than improved it. I feel like we have shot ourselves in the foot.
 
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walkietalkie

Likes Dirt
FUCKERS, why don't we all head out to the velodrome and wait there with shovels and pick axes and ask the people to explain themselves as the come out of the trails....the gutless little worms are going to make any noise on internet forums because they know they will get blasted

I know its hard and sure as hell there are a few that don't care, but this is starting appear like the words of a vigilante group and that's the last thing you want. Fair enough, there are those who ride when its wet. How do we stop that, by educating. "Fuck youze" and "cockheads" are not going to change anyone's perspective. I commend what MTBtrailcare do and what they are about......but put that name where it belongs and not drag it to new lows by working to overcome rather overpower. Dont get me wrong.....just saying how I see the last few posts. If I were new to this community, I'd be staying clear of Nerang if I didn't completely understand what you guys were on about.

Regards
 
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I agree, lets start the re-education process. How about those who damaged the trails front up on the next trailcare day and repair their mess. You don't need to confess to the damage caused, just front up with the trailcare crew and fix it. This issue is a very serious matter as it could affect the future of MTB facilities on the Gold Coast.
 

walkietalkie

Likes Dirt
Yeah, Nomad......do the trailcare guys have a tent or something to setup one morning at Nerang? Would be a huge advantage to inform those that dont know or watch the forums(thats probably a lot!) about who trailcare are. I'd be happy to help out in some way.
 

Ridenparadise

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Pending a final OK, mtbtrailcare has been offered a table at the Specialized Demo Day at the velodrome 23 March. We have a banner, business cards and will have volunteers there all day to educate those interested. We are looking forward to chatting with the public, but it also means no digging (or riding) for another day.

I don't agree that mtbtrailcare is trying to create a vigilante attitude. We only have time for trailcare (and our full-time jobs). All of our volunteers are enthusiastic, hard working and friendly. However, we see the same faces out there, riding in bad conditions over and over, while we are repairing the damage they make. Many more we don't see, but we are not talking about visitors to the area or families who did not know what they were in for. The damage is being done by repeat offenders - locals.

The word has been out about trail damage for years, so education is not a panacea for the problem of selfish and destructive riding habits. Nevertheless, you are correct that our image in this forum should be positive. Exactly how you positively communicate the same message about deliberate trail abuse week after week, I don't know. We try via our website. We try by communicating with local riders and the local bike shop. We tell everyone we know who know riders. Short of taking out a full page ad in the Gold Coast and Brisbane papers, we are running out of options.

Sorry if the frustration is coming across walkietalkie, but I would not presume all you have read has come from active participants of mtbtrailcare. However, I am one of them and my personal opinion remains that the entire Gold Coast MTB community is being disrespected.

The extent of that disrespect is about to become obvious. Pete's and Brett's trails will be closed tomorrow until sound. It may be weeks or even months, depending on the weather and soil conditions. We cannot keep pace with damage caused by the "few", so we now have to inconvenience the many.

In my books, the riders who forced this action are - well, they are cockheads.
 
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