IMBA Laguna : Building Sustainable Trails

About six weeks ago I attended an IMBA workshop on building sustainable trails (and creating sustainable mountain bike communities).  The purpose of the workshop was twofold 1) to educate local Laguna Wilderness riders about building sustainable trails 2) to create a dialogue between bikers and the land managers.  The event was well attended.   Max Borella, the head of the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (LCWP), was very receptive to our group.  Amongst the bikers there was Hans Rey, Brian Lopes and Richie Schley.  The SHARE folks were there, joined by some of the RADS, and other active members of our  mountain bike community.  The meeting went well , if not perfectly well.  There are lot of problems in the LCWP that can't be solved overnight, if ever.

Population and available resources are a major issue.  We only have so much park space, and a lot of potential users.  Like other users the mountain bikers have their own set of demands.  The trail system in Laguna generally consists of "fall line" construction, trails which run straight down ridges i.e. they are subject to erosion and are not necessarily sustainable.  The other issue with the LCWP is that many of the trails are unofficial or illegal.  Many of the illegal trails are very popular, and some of the illegal trails are better constructed than their legal counterparts.

IMBA's objective is to get the land managers and the trail users to work together to create a legal, sustainable and fun trail system.  There has long been an impasse between the local mountain bike community and those who manage the land.  Of course there are many obstacles.  Some of the problems are based on historical issues: much of the trail system was developed when the wilderness areas were still private (and officially off limits).  Some park lands, after being made public, were slow to be developed for public use (Some such as the Irvine Ranch Conservancy still have many use restrictions).  These historical problems need to be worked through. On the  mountain biker side, riders need to be convinced that legal and sustainable trails can also be fun and challenging trails.   Land managers need to recognize mountain bikers as a significant user group, and understand, by and large, that they are a responsible user group.  The surrounding cities should also recognize that developing mountain biking-friendly parks can be a boon to the local economies.

There has already been some success in the area of trail development.   2010 saw the Car Wreck trail  opened in Aliso Woods.   In 2011 Mentally Sensitive was  opened in Aliso Woods.  These are both mountain bike-centric trails, fun downhills that are adaptable for intermediate to advanced level riders.  Larry's Trail (the western section of Stagecoach) was  completed in the LCWP in 2011.  A rerouting of the Camarillo Trail is already in the works and should be open in 2012.  These are both cross-country oriented trails adaptable for beginner to advanced riders.  These trails also enable fun and effective connections between different regions of the LCWP.

What does the future hold in store?  As I said there are many obstacles.  If it is possible to develop or repair 2-3 trails per year, then this would be a major success.  Ideally we want to create a complete trail system that is both sustainable and mountain-bike friendly (of course it would also have to accommodate other user groups).  Realistically, the re-working of the trail system will only probably happen step by step, trail by trail.

What can we do as mountain bikers?  Keep riding -  easy but important.  Respect other user groups.  Help maintain the area we ride:  Attend trail building events.  Join IMBA and help start a local IMBA chapter.  Volunteer your time to trail advocacy groups:  SHARE is one; the Warrior's Society does great work in the Cleveland National Forest.  Talk to others on the trail and spread the word.  Let park rangers and park officials know you support sustainable trails.

The most positive thing here is that we have an active community, and many skilled individuals who are willing to give their time.  The worst thing riders can do is to forget the value of our public lands and trails.  Just because trails exist today, does not mean they will exist tomorrow.  We need to value our local resources and make city and county officials understand the value of having a vibrant and active mountain bike community.

It would be ideal if we could create a forum for mountain bikers to contribute their ideas.  There are many issues and many points of view.  Please feel free to add input.