in Middleton Bike Park

In our ongoing effort to minimize the amount of two-way trail and to maximize the fun, and because we discovered a little section of woods that wasn't being used, we're adding a new trail segment this spring. It will be an excellent/challenging/fun climb followed by some pretty decent singletrack, and it will give you a reason to ride the Slice downhill an extra time. We're going to build it by hand (we've already got the climb roughed in, and the singletrack flagged), and the climb especially is going to be a fair but of work, and that's where you come in!  It will be the focus of our April 24 workday; we've already got refreshments from Capital Brewery lined up and we'll work out some food, so put that on your calendar. Many hands make light work, and we've got some heavy rocks to move!  We'll be working at other times as well, post up here if you'd like to get more involved, and we'll post when we'll be out.

The goal is to make the main line of the climb about as challenging as the existing Slice climb; maybe a bit more technical, but it's much shorter, so should be comparable.  There are also some interesting rock outcroppings; once we get the main route done, we will look at those and the possibilities for some expert options.

We have request for those who might be interested in helping out with this project. If you find yourself riding at Pleasant View in the next few weeks (this weekend looks like it will be rather nice!), please consider helping us by gathering up a few large'ish rocks we can use for crib walls on the new climb.

As you are coming down downhill Slice, you will find an orange traffic cone off to the left side of the trail just after the grotto but before the subsequent switchback berms. You will see a few rocks piled up next to the cone. If you could pull off from your ride for just a few minutes to grab a couple of rocks (toward the upper limit of what you can safely carry is probably about right for size) from either the grotto or the creek below and stack them by the cone we would appreciate it. The climb is going to require a lot of work by our volunteers, and this is one way we can spread the load a bit. If everyone who rides by grabs two good rocks we will be in good shape very quickly.

To your right up the hill under the powerlines is where the climb out to the new east-bound trail will be. It is roughed in as Jon said so please feel free to have a look and provide feedback.

The new climb, tentatively called "Chip Shot" is open; the tread is loose and soft, especially at the top, but should get packed in with traffic and maybe a little rain.  It starts between the 'grotto' and the big berms under the powerline on Slice, and ends where the western prairie meets the woods; see maps above and below.

 The hope was to eliminate all of the two way between the prairie and the Slice/Mulligan/Fairway intersection, but the new climb is maybe a little too challenging to make it the only route from Blackhawk to Pleasant View.  So much of that section of Fairway will remain two-way, with only the easternmost section being changed to one-way.  That seems like a decent victory, as that long blind corner was arguably the sketchiest section of two way.  Look for the "Do Not Enter" sign and arrow to point you over to the mellower section of the new stuff.  Continue to ride that blind turn with caution, some riders will miss the new signage, at least for the next few weeks until everyone gets trained.

The new climb isn't that hard, though (call it a dark blue), and should be an interesting challenge for most riders, and it gives you a good reason to do the Slice downhill another time, so we'd like to encourage everyone to give it shot, and hopefully make it the preferred route, so that A) we all become stronger riders and B) we can minimize the two way traffic on Fairway if we can't eliminate it.

We are working on eliminating, for real, more, and possibly all, of the two-way trail; we'll hopefully have some news on that in the near future.

In the meantime, hopefully you enjoy the new stuff!

Here's a map of the changes, approximately.