Flagstaff Biking Organization » Trail News

Flagstaff Area Trail needs your help!

Jack Welch, Flagstaff Biking Org — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:11:02 +0000

Flagstaff Biking Organization is asking Flagstaff Trail enthusiasts to help out Timberline Trail with a quick email.

The proposed Timberline Trail is an urban-style trail similar to the Flagstaff Urban Trails (FUTS) that will link Flagstaff to the Timberline and Fernwood Estates in the Doney Park area. The proposed non-motorized trail is intended for hiking, bicycling and equestrian access to popular forest trails along Mount Elden and the Peaks. It will connect to the Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS) and the new Flagstaff Loop Trail. Current alignments place the 10 mile trail on public Coconino Forest land 1000 feet away from adjoining neighborhoods. Here’s a map, and more information about the proposed trail. This is a public trail to be built on public land for all to enjoy and it has already been funded.

FBO thanks those in the Flagstaff community who have supported the Timberline Trail in the past through petitions, e-mails or by attending public meetings in support of the Trail. We appreciate your prior efforts, but we fear our voice has not yet been heard by the decision makers– and the future of the Timberline Trail is in jeopardy. A small but vocal minority may destroy the Doney Park’s community’s opportunity to enhance it’s quality of life with a quality community trail– based on fears that have proven completely unfounded on Flagstaff’s urban trails. We know, and statistics abundantly prove, that urban commuting and recreation trails greatly enhance the quality of life and property values of any community.

We fear that the number of folks who support the Timberline Trail has been under-reported and we thus ask your help to secure this trail system.

Please help us by sending an email to Jack Welch (jack@flagstaffbiking.org) using this format:

“I support the Timberline Trail”; (Plus any additional arguments)

Your name,
Your address (optional but strongly encouraged), or at least your neighborhood,
City, State

FBO will present these tangible support statements at the next public meeting concerning the Timberline Trail. Currently we can’t demonstrate that support — that is why we ask you (and your friends as well) to email FBO your voice of support.

Our goal is provide 1000 e-mails in support of the trail. Please send your e-mail to Jack Welch at Jack@flagstaffbiking.org, and ask your friends to do so also. We can win this trail but we have to be able to prove the public support for the trail is far greater than the opposition.

Thanks,

Jack Welch
Flagstaff Biking Organization
Board of Directors

Loop Trail Day October 3rd at SKUNK Canyon!

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:29:17 +0000

October 3rd’s Loop Trail Day once again returns to Skunk Canyon/Ridge.

We continue to work on the legal issues with the Observatory Mesa easement will delay, so don’t despair… WE WILL RETURN! Meanwhile, we built some great new trail above Skunk Canyon on our last day and we will continue to build this high quality trail toward the Fisher Point trail. Saturday’s long-range forecast? “clear- high 68″-–a perfect fall day.

DIRECTIONS: Take Lone Tree Road south to J.W. Powell Blvd and turn left/east. Go to the barricades and turn into Pine Canyon Club’s NORTH entrance: Important! Get a visitor’s pass at the booth. Follow signs: take an immediate left on Clubhouse Circle, drive 1.3 miles and turn left/east on Del Rae, following it 0.6 miles to the end circle. We will stage in front of “Lot 191″. Try this mapquest MAP.

Please come with sturdy shoes, long pants, water, sunscreen, and a hat or bike helmet; and gloves if you have some. Consider bringing raingear, weather is changesome. We will provide hard-hats, tools and equipment, guidance and training. Kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

You can help us prepare for the Loop Trail Day by pre-registering now so we can estimate lunch, coffee and equipment quantities. Contact Looptrail@flagstaffbiking.org with questions. THANKS!

Board of Supervisors

Loop Trail Day September 19th at SKUNK Canyon!

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:24:53 +0000

Our Sept 19th Loop Trail Day had to be moved from Observatory Mesa to Skunk Canyon.

Legal issues with the easement will delay, but not prevent, completion of our coveted link to Cheshire, so FEAR NOT! We have some great new trail to work above Skunk Canyon that will be perfect for the waning days of summer, which are forecast to be “partly cloudy- high 76″–perfecto.

We will be picking up where the CREC crew left off this summer… you’ll want to check out the sweet trail we have all built so far! There’s about a mile to go for us to reach the Fisher Point trail.

You can help us prepare for the Loop Trail Day by pre-registering now so we can estimate lunch, coffee and equipment quantities. Contact Susan@flagstaffbiking.org with questions. THANKS!

Pedals vs. Pistons vs. Horseshoes vs. Hiking Boots Trail Work Challenge!

Flagstaff Biking Organization — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 02:54:13 +0000

Saturday Sept 5th
8:00am to 1:00pm

Drive up Snowbowl Road to Freidlein Prairie Road and follow the signs to the work site meeting location. If you do not have a high clearance vehicle, please come a little early and park a Freidlein Prairie and Snowbowl and catch a ride with another participant.

See here for a Google Map.

JOIN THE CHALLENGE! Let’s see which trail user group can show up in the greatest numbers for this great trail! A lovely trophy is on the line for thewinning group… they will hold that trophy until next year’s challenge.

Project: New West Secret Trail construction with Coconino Trail Riders, Coconino Horsemen’s Alliance and The Sierra Club

(Fliers showed FS164B as the meting location, which has changed to Freidlein Prairie. We will have someone redirecting folks to the correct location from FS164B. Sorry for the confusion.)

Join this fun event… we ALL WIN when we work together to build good trail and strong trail-user relationships. That said, we really need to get that trophy back from the Coconino Trail Riders!

All Trail events start at 8:00 am and conclude with lunch at 1:00 pm.
Coffee will be served between 8:00 am and 8:30 am, and snacks,
beverages, tasty lunch and FUN are all provided.

Please bring long pants, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and water, and if you
have them, work gloves and a bike helmet. Tools and trail crew
instructions are provided, as well as some gloves and hard-hats.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
You provide the enthusiasm.

Contact Anthony at trails@flagstaffbiking.org or (928) 526-7704 with any questions.

Thank you to our sponsors! Trail Day Sponsor" src="http://flagstaffbiking.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/absolute.gif" alt="Absolute Bikes" width="94" height="74" />

THANKS for great Loop Trail help Saturday

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:34:30 +0000

We had a fantastic turnout for Loop Trail work Saturday Aug 15th. Flagstaff can deliver! FBO, Coconino County, Coconino Forest Service and the City of Flagstaff send their thanks to the 54 generous spirits that donated their time to complete Segment 55 of the Loop Trail on Observatory Mesa.

Next stop… Segment 56… the challenging and beautiful final link to Cheshire. We’ll need your help even more for that final piece, be sure to Save the Dates.. September 19th, October 3rd, and November 7th!

Thanks also to Biff’s Bagels, Late for the Train and Coconino County Supervisor Matt Ryan for sponsoring Saturday’s event. We’ve completed over 1.5 miles of trail this summer!

Lost and Found! A pair of Lady’s eye glasses were found at our lunch site. Please call 928.853.5542 if you lost these!

Loop Trail Day this Sat, August 15th on Observatory Mesa

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:01:43 +0000

The Loop Trail needs your HELP!

We got a great start on this trail in June; but we will need more volunteer trail builders to reach our goal to sew the trail into a Loop by this fall! So please help us! Trail building is fun, you meet great folks who share your love of Flagstaff Trails, and you become part of the legacy of the Loop Trail in this great town. Saturday’s cooling forecast = “Partly cloudy, High 77″.–Perfect!

We are staging once again on Observatory Mesa. Follow our signs 1.8 miles from Thorpe Rd near the Bark Park, north to Kinlani Dr, R on Curling Smoke Rd, R on Hogan Dr to cattle guard on left. Here’s a google MAP. The quarter mile of road after the cattle guard is a little rough. Our passenger car did fine, but some may prefer to hike or bike that last bit or carpool with other trail volunteers.

We will serve coffee at 8am, followed by a short trail safety talk. Work begins at 8:30 and goes until lunch time and a raffle drawing.

You can help us prepare for the Loop Trail Day by pre-registering now so we can estimate lunch, coffee and equipment quantities. Contact Looptrail@flagstaffbiking.org with questions. THANKS!

If there is interest (and energy), we will do a short 5-10 mile Mt Bike ride on Observatory Mesa following the trail event around 2pm.

Thanks to County Supervisor Matt Ryan for sponsoring this trail day.

Board of Supervisors

Loop Trail Day this Saturday, July 11th on Observatory Mesa

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:50:13 +0000

Join our next Loop Trail work day on Observatory Mesa this Saturday, July 11th!

We got a great start on this trail National Trail Day in June; we hope to connect to Cheshire this summer, please help us. Trail building is fun, you meet great folks who share your love of Flagstaff Trails, and you become part of the legacy of the Loop Trail in this great town. Saturday’s FORECAST = “Partly cloudy, High 85″.–Perfect!

We are staging once again on Observatory Mesa. Follow signs 1.6 miles from Thorpe Rd near Bark Park, north to Kinlani Dr, R on Curling Smoke Rd, R on Hogan Dr to cattle guard on left. Here’s a google MAP. The quarter mile of road after the cattle guard is a little rough. Our passenger car did fine, but some may prefer to hike or bike that last quarter mile.

We will serve coffee at 8am, followed by a short trail safety talk. Work begins at 8:30 and goes until lunch time.

You can help us prepare for the Loop Trail Day by pre-registering now so we can estimate lunch, coffee and equipment quantities. THANKS!

The BIKE RIDE has been cancelled due to an injury of one of the ride leaders! We apologize for any inconvenience.

Bring your mountain bike! We will also be hosting a 5-10 mile no-drop group ride on the Mesa following the trail work and lunch. Bring your helmet and Join us!

Thanks to Biff’s Bagels, Late for the Train, and Coconino County Supervisor Matt Ryan for sponsoring this trail day.

Board of Supervisors

Loop Trail Day May 23rd! Skunk Cyn smells GOOD!

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:24:30 +0000

Update: Thanks to all who participated in this successful trail day. See photos on the images page.

Nothing like fresh air, pine trees and dirt to get the summer rolling!

Join us for a Loop trail building day this Saturday, May 23rd.

We will complete a link from YX Ranch road to Skunk Canyon started last fall. To get there, turn north off Lake Mary Road just east of the “Water is Life” treatment plant. Follow the signs on Forest Road 720 to the staging area.

You can follow this link to Google maps for starting locations of the LoopTrail Days.

Coffee donated by Lafe for the Train is served at 8:00, trail work goes from 8:30 to lunch time (generously donated by Biff’s Bagels), and there will be some great prizes raffled off.

Help us plan for food, coffee and equipment by pre-registering for trail days.

Please come with sturdy shoes, long pants, water, sunscreen, and a hat or bike helmet; and gloves if you have some. Dress in layers, weather can be changesome–the forecast calls for a high of 67 and partly cloudy. We provide hard-hats, tools and equipment, guidance and training. Kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Click on this link for more info on the Loop Trail Day

Trail building is fun, you meet great folks who share your love of Flagstaff Trails, and you become part of the legacy of the Loop Trail in this great town.

Sponsors for this event:

Join the first Loop Trail day for the season this Saturday, April 25th!

Psiouxan, Flagstaff Biking Org — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:14:55 +0000

We are kicking off Loop Trail season where we left off last fall… at Skunk Canyon off Lake Mary Road between the water plant and Skunk Cyn trail head. Saturday’s FORECAST = “Partly cloudy, High 63″. Nice.

Meet us at 8:00-8:15 AM on forest road 720. This is just off Lake Mary Road past Powell Blvd, the first left after the water treatment plant; follow the signs to the staging area. Here’s a MAP on where to meet.

We will work until lunch time, and raffle off some great prizes. Trail building is fun, you meet great folks who share your love of Flagstaff Trails, and you become part of the legacy of the Loop Trail in this great town.

Please come with sturdy shoes, long pants, water, sunscreen, and a hat or bike helmet; and gloves if you have some. Dress in layers, weather is changesome. We will provide hard-hats, tools and equipment, guidance and training. Kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

You can help us prepare for the Loop Trail Day by pre-registering now so we can estimate lunch, coffee and equipment quantities. THANKS!

And THANKS to Fratelli Pizza, Late for the Train, Absolute Bikes and the Forest Service for sponsoring this trail day.

Take Action to Increase Opportunities for Bicycling in National Parks

Anthony Quintile — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:12:23 +0000

At long last, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has proposed a rule change which will make it easier for parks to open trails for mountain biking. IMBA, (International Mountain Bicycling Association), urges mountain bikers to register comments in support of the rule change. IMBA has been asking for this change since the 1990s. This rule would still require a full NEPA, (National Environmental Policy Act), analysis to open a trail to bicycles, but would ease the current special regulation requirements.

Go to IMBA’s website to read more details and submit your comments to the National Park Service.

Go to the Federal Register to see the text of the new Rule.

Comments must be received by February 17th, 2009.