7.1 PRSR 09-09-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Hillside Park Singletrack & MORC Partnership Activities, 2020 Trail Improvement Planning for 2020 Timeline:  November 2019 – MORC volunteers from Hillside Park and Bertram Chain of Lakes in Monticello (these trails share many of the same volunteers) met to identify trail needs and improvement opportunities at both parks.  December 2019 - The Hillside trail stewards met with Elk River Parks to communicate these plans, and discuss park business including the CSAH 12 construction project.  May 2020 – Feature plan options were presented to park staff, some materials provided by the city.  July 2020 – present: The volunteers execute the plan for 2020 work on the trail. Trail Work Prioritization: The volunteer group discussed the main priority was to mitigate and resolve the identified three significant issues (below) and to keep up general maintenance. Additionally, based on feedback and rider demand, the group discussed building some smaller challenge features as time and resources allowed. What is a trail feature? A trail feature is something that is engineered or constructed to manipulate the natural environment for a given purpose. It may be dirt, rock, or a wooden structure. It may be used to address or prevent erosion, corral or guide riders away from sensitive areas, provide a technical challenge to riders, or help communicate the difficulty level at the entrance of a trail area. Constructed technical challenge features on singletrack trails are indicated with the same rating system as ski trails (green circle = beginner, blue square = intermediate, black diamond = advanced). In areas not marked as “advanced/most difficult”, constructed features are built to be optional to ride, and not mandatory to ride for trail users to continue on the trail. MORC volunteers have not installed any mandatory technical challenge structures at Hillside City Park. Other Definitions:  Trail Tread – the compacted surface of the singletrack trail.  Dirt Grade Reversal – mounds of dirt for erosion control to keep water off the trail tread, can also enhance rider experience.  Armoring – the use of rock(s) in areas to reinforce dirt and assist in erosion control.  Dirt Boss – Certified trail workers who have training and expertise in sustainable trail standards.  Trail Steward - Dirt Bosses who also assist with park master planning, trail projects and volunteer coordination.