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Knapps Castle

Dec 3, 2004
152
0
San Jose, CA
I heard that Knapps in SB got plowed and basically all the singletrack gone in an effort to create a future firebreak / fire access road. Can anyone confirm this? That was one of my favorite trails in SB... bastards.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
I've heard its been plowed, but to what extent, I don't know.
3 years ago the top portion was plowed, about 1.25 miles. Hopefully thats all that happened this time too. I've been too bummed on the news to go check it out.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
I got more info about Knapps. The USFS has plowed the whole ridgeline Knapps crosses, 4 blades wide. There's sections ofintact singletrack but on the whole its destroyed, a very sad event. RIP Knapps....
 

dwnhiller

Chimp
Apr 26, 2006
48
0
why? they call it rehab! wtf! but if you put in a single track or cut a corner the enviromental impact is huge, but dozing 4 blades wide is rehab:lighten:
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
This was a fire break. This was not a vendetta against MTB or anything like that. The Entire Camino Cielo ridge has been plowed 4 blades wide. Plowing Knapps was probably to defend the few homes on Camino Cielo between Knapps and the Hwy 154.

I don't like any more than any of you, but I understand why it was done. A 250,000 acre fire is nothing to mess around with. One wind shift could have turned it directly to SB with pretty disasterous consequences.

Knapps is one of my favorite trails in the area and I hope it can be rebuilt and even improved. I'm trying to be optimistic about this right now ;)
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
This sucks, but at least it was done for a very good reason. Is Knapps like the front country trails, where you can't just go work on it, w/o a bunch of BS?
 

nanhar

Monkey
Dec 7, 2004
118
0
Riverside, CA
We shuttled Knapps Castle on New Year's Day. For those of you familiar with the trail, it was used to transport firefighting equipment and has been closed up until a few weeks ago. The 1st half of the trail is now smooth double track and very fast. There are a few corners that are still not packed down and are quite loose. Once you hit the singletrack you find that much of the trails had to be recut because of the bulldozing. All in all, it is still a very fun trail. A good one for multiple shuttles and for honing your cornering skills and working on your speed.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
I rode it on New Years Eve. It is still fun.

This trail still needs work and I'd like to encourage people to take it easy on the new singletrack in the plowed areas, they are still pretty soft.
And please stay off Knapps within 5 days of a good rain, the trail turns into gorilla snot that isn't fun to ride and really bad for the trail.

There will be a trail maintenance event on Knapps soon, I'll post it as soon as the date is determined.
 

wydopen

Turbo Monkey
Jan 16, 2005
1,229
60
805
i actually rode my bike for once a few weeks ago..did knapps..its as fun as it was...
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
I hiked it today. It's a lot longer than i ever realized! You cover a lot of ground and elevation on the fire road.

I actually enjoy the trail a bit more now, i think some of the new sections are quite fun. Still a bit muddy down towards the bottom (the steep/rocky part), but the rest of the trail was great, damp but tacky.
 

zmtber

Turbo Monkey
Aug 13, 2005
2,435
0
I think SBMTV just did some work on the trail recently but I could be mistaken
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
Yeah, the trail was great! They did a fantastic job, all of the turns have nice berms, and the trail was in perfect shape. I had to move a few rocks and sticks as I was hiking to the top, but other than that I was blown away with how great it was. I was expecting a trail that wasnt rideable.

My only complaint is it looks like some people are starting to cut an illegal trail that goes straight down the hill and bypasses the switchbacks that are in the trees. Pretty pathetic......

I need to get more involved with the group. I haven't lived in SB for the last year, but now I'm here until August.
 

dwnhiller

Chimp
Apr 26, 2006
48
0
bmcarter how long did it take you to get at the top? takes me 2 hours pushing my dh bike. and your right you get a new respect for the trail hiking it and a i think it makes you faster
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
1:45 minutes. Took 14 minutes to get down..... I made the mistake of wearing my 510 shoes and got wicked blisters on both my feet.

But I actually enjoy hiking trails with my bike. You get much more enjoment out of the ride.
 

Cult Hero

Chimp
Dec 28, 2007
97
0
Santa Barbara
There has always been a trail that cuts the switchbacks. It used to be pretty much an alternate line about 6 years ago and the USFS came and brushed to try and hide it. It has reappeared due to the brush clearing.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
friendly reminder: stay off Knapps when its wet guys! Its been raining a ton and its going to take a LONG time to dry out. Lets not have it dry out with tread marks all over it ;)
 

5150dhbiker

Turbo Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
1,200
0
Santa Barbara, CA
friendly reminder: stay off Knapps when its wet guys! Its been raining a ton and its going to take a LONG time to dry out. Lets not have it dry out with tread marks all over it ;)
Don't worry...I won't go out there. My bike is out of comission anyways. Also, it's too cold to ride :(

But ya...Knapps is freakin' SWEET! I miss some of the parts that it used to have but overall, i'd say it's still way high up on the fun factor!
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Yeah Dan, thats sweet! I'm building up a mini-DH'r myself, 2003 bullit with a 36 talas, shooting for a similar target weight too.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
ya i got 2 wheelsets for it, dt x-430 w/ 2.35 nevegals, and then mtx's with michi DH tires. I just curious if the fork is gonna hold up (entry level zoke 55)
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Knapps Castle mainenance!
February 23rd SBMTV is performing maintenance on Snyder trail.
This will be primarily tread work, not brushing. So if you like shaping corners and rolling grade drainage dips this is for you! Give a little back to the trail thats given you so much fun!

I'll post more specific details as they become available
~N
 

ultraNoob

Yoshinoya Destroyer
Jan 20, 2007
4,504
1
Hills of Paradise
Zark... guess we'll see you in a few. Since you're doing maint on Knapps that sat... will you still be able to ride tunnel? I'll talk to OZ and Sluck to see what's up. They keep saying I need to pop my cherry at tunnel.
 

Abstrakt51

Monkey
Oct 11, 2006
981
1
OC
Some folks and I will be in your hood this Saturdizzle to enjoy the fruits of what SB has to offer. Holler.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
I'll be working on the new dh course at Chamberlin this Saturday. I'd like to ride in SB Sunday, but public transportation is bullsh!t and doesn't happen on Sunday.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
SBMTV event: Snyder (knapps castle) Trail maintenance

In October, after the fire dozers obliterated parts of the Snyder trail, we did a restoration project. Sunday, Feb. 24, we will try to repair any water damage that threatens to undo all that hard work.

Meet: 8:30 at the Sears parking lot near the corner of La Cumbre and Calle Real. We will be carpooling.

Work: Snyder (Knapp's) trail - repairing trailbed rain damage.

Bring: Snacks, water, long pants, work shoes, gloves, bike helmet ( we will supply tools, gloves, helmets also).

Afterwards: 3:00 Late lunch of BBQ chicken, beans and rice. Sponsored by Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch.

to RSVP email pherning@sbmtv.org
 

5150dhbiker

Turbo Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
1,200
0
Santa Barbara, CA
Sounds fun. I'll be in Fontana though.

Ya, I rode Knapps on Monday and it most defenately needs work on the bottom section!!!! Other then that, the turns seem to be holding up pretty well.

It was some great riding too...we met some people that flew out from NH just to ride our trails for the week!!!!
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
So there was a reschedule of the maintenance to this past weekend, and not a huge turnout. I didn't know about it until the night before.

Anyway we reworked the last singletrack segment before you hit the fireroad. The creek overtook the trail and we rerouted higher. Also new are the rock reinforced drainage devices and cleaned up lines in that area.
I'll let y'all know if any other maintenances are coming up.

~N
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
Any maintenence plans for San Ysidro or Tunnel?

San Ysidro is very overgrown right now, and unless something has changed, so is Tunnel.

Please keep us updated, hopefully I will actually be able to make it to a trail work day soon.
 

5150dhbiker

Turbo Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
1,200
0
Santa Barbara, CA
Yep, not only is tunnel overgrown but there are some rocks that still need to be moved (as of Friday). Since my bike is not good to ride right now I'll probably do a hike on there to clean some things up.
 

BMCarter

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
297
0
Santa Barbara
Yep, not only is tunnel overgrown but there are some rocks that still need to be moved (as of Friday). Since my bike is not good to ride right now I'll probably do a hike on there to clean some things up.
I'm down to do that with you since i cant ride for at least 2 weeks. :(

I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder, its so painful, and i have to keep it in a sling until it heals.
 

5150dhbiker

Turbo Monkey
Nov 5, 2007
1,200
0
Santa Barbara, CA
I'm down to do that with you since i cant ride for at least 2 weeks. :(

I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder, its so painful, and i have to keep it in a sling until it heals.
That SUCKS man! So that's why you're not comming down to Fontana this weekend.

Hit me up so we can hike it in the morning sometime before I have to go to work. I'll try to find a day where I don't work till 11 and we'll do it then. Ya, tunnel needs alot of work so I'll bring my cutters and start from the top down.

Anyone else down to help?