[geargrrl]

Howdy, I'm putting together a trail development plan for a local riding area. We've got a lot of great natural granite outcrops, and we are looking for ideas for new trails that might incorporate some ladders and riding the rocks together, maybe ladders as appoaches or ??. If you've got any images you'd be willing to share, post 'em her, send me a pm, thanks
geargrrl

 

[Skookum]

Galbraith has got some really good solid bridges. They're taking a page right out of the IMBA build book. You can take classes on deck building and buy some books on basic carpentry to help you out. Then you have to make it where if there are corners it's rideable within the bikes turning radius. Other than that the skies the limit with imagination.

This is a temporary jobber with 2X4 and cedar 1X4 nailed with galvanized 16 and 8 penny nails. Secured to the fell tree and that's it. If this was a permanant structure one would go with the Galbraith bridge using treated 4X4 with real split cedar, as pictured below.

With 4x4 you can toenail or you can buy brackets to nail them together. Also you can buy concret deck footings to put in dry creek beds or muddy places with an adjustable nut bolt fitting for a 4X4.

Wood is super simple to work with, and make sure you get the turning radius dialed right and let the ideas flow....

 

[geargrrl]

thanks Skooks... I've got so many cool pics of just ladders, and ladder stump combos that I don't' really need any more. What I am looking for is ladders that have lines that go over and around boulders and rock outcrops, instead of over stumps and logs. We don't have a lot of downed timber but we do have lots of BIG rocks.

Anchoring to rocks will be an issue. I'm collecting ideas that incorporate rocks to show how we plan to use the natural terrain features as much as possible.

sample:

 

[Wumpus]

Anchoring to rocks will be an issue. I'm collecting ideas that incorporate rocks to show how we plan to use the natural terrain features as much as possible.

http://www.confast.com/concrete-fasteners.htm

 

[BurlyShirley]

http://www.confast.com/concrete-fasteners.htm

I was going to suggest the same thing. I used to use these alot at work, but I dont know how nature nuts feel about taking a hammerdrill into the woods and boring holes into nice rocks.

 

[Wumpus]

 

[richcreek]

they make this thing, i dont know what it is called but i have one. it is orange and you put a specail nail and a special catridge in it and hit one end with a hammer and it will but a nail into solid concrete, it uses what is basically a .22 caliber shell with out the bullet to put the nail in. it works good to. there is one type like this at this link, http://itw-redhead.com/cobra.asp

 

[PatBranch]

experts only??!??!??

 

[richcreek]

experts only??!??!??

i guess that the 4 year old that rides a trycycle is now an expert?

 

[WSU DH'er]

they make this thing, i dont know what it is called but i have one. it is orange and you put a specail nail and a special catridge in it and hit one end with a hammer and it will but a nail into solid concrete, it uses what is basically a .22 caliber shell with out the bullet to put the nail in. it works good to. there is one type like this at this link, http://itw-redhead.com/cobra.asp

We used these a lot in slab-on-grade framing however they are not as good as the concrete bolts show above, I'd say if they were to try and attach to the rock with a fastener the concrete bolts would be a much better choice.

 

[geargrrl]

experts only??!??!??

hee hee look at the bright side: it's legal

 

[Skookum]

I was going to suggest the same thing. I used to use these alot at work, but I dont know how nature nuts feel about taking a hammerdrill into the woods and boring holes into nice rocks.

You don't have to blast into the rock, just dig posts on the sides from the mid point of the bridge firmly into the ground to support "and anchor" the bridge into place. Ever put up a fence P?

The upper section of the bridge just sits on the rock, it will provide the support. No you want to anchor it in the ground, not anchor it to the rock with a Hilti...

You'll shoot your eye out!