[3Pin Rider]

Does anyone care to comment on the condition of the trails? Muddy Beast?

I haven't been out to the Gulch in awhile but I have an itch to hit the DJ's and the step-up line. Maybe some trail riding too. I'm hoping it's not too muddy tomorrow so I can hit it up after work.

 

[bent^biker]

i was out there quite a bit last week. if it is raining there are puddles everywhere but otherwise its pretty much good to go. That place drains so so quick, even in the pouring rain as soon as you dig in 6 inches it is bone dry. but i wasn't digging out there so I wouldn't know *whistles innocently*

 

[aktallguy]

Pretty much what bent^biker said. If you just want to get out the west side up top tends to be better in the wet. The east side has more clay and can get slick.

 

[muddy beast]

I havent been out in a little while, especially since I dont have a bike to ride anymore.

sorry I cant comment.
But generally, like they said, a day or two after it rains your usually good. Most of the locals, including myself, usually wont do the drop into the step-up the day after it rains, because your tires sinks into the landing. But yeah...


P.S. Stephen, next time your up there, when I have a bike, hit me up man!

 

[3Pin Rider]

Don't worry, I won't hit any of the lips or landings if it's too soft. And, I always repair my damage, and the damage of others if I see it.

Thanks for the beta guys. I'll be heading out in half an hour and the weather looks perfect. Everyone should get out there and ride today.

 

[bent^biker]

I'll be out for some trail riding tomorrow if the weather is good, too much homework today

 

[aktallguy]

Went out on the west side for about 1 1/2 hours this morning. Good conditions, damp, but no muddy spots. We did run across a couple surveyors. They said they had been sent out by a developer, so who knows how much longer things will stay the same. They were cutting a surveying path where the trail runs along the edge of the west ridge just south of where the washed out switch backs head down to the tracks.

 

[muddy beast]

Went out on the west side for about 1 1/2 hours this morning. Good conditions, damp, but no muddy spots. We did run across a couple surveyors. They said they had been sent out by a developer, so who knows how much longer things will stay the same. They were cutting a surveying path where the trail runs along the edge of the west ridge just south of where the washed out switch backs head down to the tracks.

knowing the way things have been...their probly just checking to see what the possabilities are to build back there, but I doubt anything will happen.

The trick to why that place has been around is because you cant build very easily on that land. There's way to much sand in the soil, and it makes it slide easily, not to mention the drainage back there is crap for structures.

However, as I've said before. I've heard rumors of people wanting to run a road threw there, and wanting to build houses, but they never happend.

 

[bent^biker]

ya, no way they're gonna build. i don't know how they'll keep a whole house from washing out if we cant even armor a hillside well enough to keep a trail from washing out in there.

 

[aktallguy]

BTW, any plans to fix the giant wash out at the bottom of the switchbacks coming down the west side? I figured it wouldn't be worth it before winter, but come spring grab some shovels and a sunny afternoon. Also was going to bring out some 2x4's for the bridge on the south end by the junk yard. Almost ate it going across the 2 board hole the other day.

 

[muddy beast]

I dont personally have any plans to fix that, as I'm not 100% sure what wash-out your talking about.

But, if I find it, and can, I'd be glad to put some work into it.

 

[aktallguy]

Hard to describe. If you're at the bottom by the gravel lot near the tracks looking south (ie up the gulch) on the west (right side) there's a trail that goes up through a series of switch backs to the various loops up top. Near the bottom on of the switchbacks a tree blew over and the root clump took out 15 ft of trail. Someone has tied up a notted rope and you have to carry your bike through. It looks like a new trail could be cut slightly higher and avoid the whole washout. That'd probably be much easier than trying to fill the thing in. Hard to describe, but you can't miss it once you see it. :^)

 

[muddy beast]

oh that wash out has been there since last year.

I rode down that trail once in the snow without knowing that washout was there (it was the day after it happend)...needless to say, the results werent good. Me and my friend had to drop our bikes down it and climb back up though, it sucked.

Anyhow, the thing about that washout is, unless that tree falls down the hill, there's really no way around it. And any way around it would end up getting washed out in half a year anyways. Best way to go would be to make a new trail above it, I think...but I havent checked it out in awhile...

 

[aktallguy]

Yeah, I was thinking about going above as well. There's no good way to clean up the wash out. You'd end up with a super steep section to climb up. It looked like the trail could be cut above the wash out and then switch back to get down to the trail just after the wash out. The roots from the tree should hold things below where they are now that the tree's over. We went by there about 2 maybe 3 weeks ago having forgotten about it. :^) With 4 of us we had to shuttle the bikes down.

 

[bills.name]

As far as a road going through Japanese Gultch goes, I think this website pretty much explains it:

http://www.ci.mukilteo.wa.us/Page.asp?NavID=22

The city wants to put a road along the west side of the Gultch in order to get more people and $$$ down to the waterfront once they tear out the old fuel depot and develop it. The good news is that they say the road is still "years away from being funded or constructed".

 

[muddy beast]

Well the city WANTs to...but good luck doing that, keeping the trains, and keeping it stable.

It will cost so much money, and do so little, I still doubt it will happen. I mean, even on a bad day, the traffic isnt that bad down the blvd. and ferry lanes.

 

[bills.name]

I agree. There's way too much wrong with all the other road projects in Puget Sound to start worrying about the Whidbey ferry boat waiting line. This project will probably never make it off the plannign sheet.