Newsletter 5 3.10.14

Newsletter 5: New Richmond MTB Trail Development
 

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MTB Trails Trust Newsletter No. 5 October 3, 2014

New Richmond trail development 

The Trust has been in discussions with Rick and Sarah Griffin who are keen for us to develop a network of (multi-use) mountainbike trails on their Sylvan Forest property at the top of Champion Rd. The contours over much of it are conducive to building a good variety of trails, and their property links directly with the TDC's Kingsland Forest.

We will be walking over the property with Rick and develop a trail plan for Sylvan which will network through to Kingsland Forest, and the rest of the Richmond trail network.

We are also working with the NZ Recreation Association's Jude Rawcliffe on preliminary planning for a trail network in Tunnicliffe Forest at Wai-iti to serve the Wakefield and Brightwater communities.

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In this issue
Click for Current Hancock Harvesting Schedule updated to 29th September

Also in this issue
Keep up to date with trail news on our website Trail News page, we are constantly updating it.
A great chance to get out in the hills

 Next Beebys Working Bee

We called off the last Beebys' working bee due to forecast low snow levels, so we will try again on Sunday 12th October.

As usual meet at Park HQ St Arnaud at 9am, bring a grubber if you have one (limited supply of tools available), gloves, lunch, water and warm clothes.

Phone Alan 027 543 9055 if you are intending to come so we can keep you posted on weather conditions and 4wd transport.

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 A look at the proposed Nelson trail network plan
The map below shows the various existing and proposed trail clusters in the Nelson area with the red lines showing how existing routes and the proposed Epic Trail network will link them up.
To make this happen we are need to raise funds. You can help by making a donation here.
Thank you all those who have already donated and become Friends of the Trust.

   

Key

1. Sharlands Creek, Hira Forest  2. Codgers  3. Fringed Hill  4. Grampians  5. Pipers Reserve  6. Marsden Valley  7. Sylvan Forest  8. Kingsland Forest  9. Tunnicliffe Forest  10. Rabbit Island

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Waimea Plains from above Eves Valley

 Moutere Forest Rides

If the singletrack is too wet or you just enjoy exploring forest roads, there are plenty of loops you can do in the Moutere Forest. Access points are Upper Moutere, Eves Valley, Teapot Valley, Pigeon Valley or Hoult Valley. Check them out on the map on our website.

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 A bit of history discovered

A few weeks ago we came across an old survey peg on the ridge between Beebys Knob and Red Hills. Scouting around in what we thought were likely places, we found three more. Being curious I sent photos and the locations off to LINZ who promptly got back to me with a copy of the original survey plan.

The surveyor was H Maitland (no doubt after whom the adjacent Maitland Creek was named) and the plan was filed in 1918, so the pegs are 96 years old. Amazing how well they have been preserved in the dry rocky ground. You can still see the letters carved in the sides of one of the pegs and one has a tack in the centre, which is the exact point the surveyor would have centred his theodolite over.

Another mystery was also solved. Part of our track followed what was obviously an old cut line and we couldn't figure out who had cut it. Now we realise it was actually the line cut by the surveyors. In those days there would have been quite a large survey party who would have camped out on the job for weeks at a time.

    

The first peg we found and the old survey line that our track follows for a distance.

The original survey plan was a work of art in itself and drawn by J.L D'Arcy Irvine

   

Red circles indicate the location of the old pegs, while "Cut line" is the line 

shown in the second photo above  

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Old spiral wound culverts - replaced with modern big diameter plastic

 Heaphy Upgrades

Chris and Mike Brien took advantage of the fine weather during the final three three days of the Heaphy MTB season to ride through the Heaphy and back. 

There are a lot of trail improvements since he last rode it three years ago.

Read the full report here.

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 Trail Updates

Big Bush

The ridge on the Big Bush Loop has now been cleared of windfall.

Malcolm Edridge's team have pushed the new uphill track at Big Bush up to the ridge. The next stage is for the diggers to work their way back down doing final finishing work to improve drainage. After that there will be some hand finishing to do before the track is open for riding.

In November we will be putting the Ground Effect Trail Crew to work on a new downhill trail from the top of Big Bush at the east end down towards St Arnaud village. We will be flagging those routes soon so that DOC can inspect them for approval.

Other Trail Opportunities

The Trust is working with DOC and the Marlborough MTB Club towards expanding the Epic Trails network in Marlborough. A meeting is to be organised soon between the interested parties to identify the opportunities in the region and develop them into a practical plan. Watch this space.

The Kaiteriteri MTB Park run regular work parties which are a feature of this park and easy to get involved. 

The Marlborough MTB Club also has an active trail crew running in the Wither Hills - keep track here 

Latest  Nelson MTB Club Trail News with information on how to get involved with trail work at Codgers and the Sharland's Creek, Hira Forest. AFM also advise that summer gate opening hours start this weekend: the main gate at the forest entrance off Maitai Rd will be locked at 9pm Sat/Sun nights and Public Holidays. For anyone who gets locked in, Armourgaurd will now be charging a $52 fee to let them out!


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