Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Thanks for posting gnarly_rider. By the end of today there may be a major development. Will keep you all posted when given the Police OK.
Qld- Nerang trail status
- Thread starter Ridenparadise
- Start date
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
It's been a long time since I updated the trail status in Nerang National Park. During that time the trail saboteur has gone quiet, presumably scared off after meeting a number of riders who let him know the police were after him. In addition, it has been mostly very dry and all the trails have been good to go. However, things have changed.
The week before Christmas we received an early present in the form of 2 new sections of trail on Three Hills, built by Trailworx. The trail lines were mapped out some time ago and the works funded by a Friends of the Park grant and the Specialized Every Metre Counts raffle. Anyone riding Three Hills Singletrack this week has been on the new trail, because it is the only connecting line from top to bottom. It does not start at the top signpost anymore, but opposite the start of Baileys and Brett's trails.
This is really fun trail and makes for far better climbing and descending. We inspected it in the rain yesterday and it was looking pretty good apart from a few muddy spots at the bottom end of the first hill section. That was after about 40mm of rain. Since then there has been a heap more. While Southport Seaway has only registered another 25mm or so, Coolangatta has had more than 150mm and Nerang would have received something between those readings - a lot of rain for established, let alone new trail.
I will give you some tasty pics on the proviso you wait for a few days after the rain before going to check it out! Trail respect is needed if we all want the best riding after this weather. Regardless whether made by hand or professionally by machine, all trail has limits when new, so please wait and we will all be better rewarded. In the meantime the older trails at high elevation are the go.
To show what can happen when riders disrespect new trail, following is what happened on the very bottom of Three Hills yesterday. This section of trail is not open. It is not complete. It is signposted explaining why we need riders to keep off.
Unlike Trailworx, MTBtrailcare is not allowed mechanised building of any kind. It takes a very long time to build technical trail features that are fun, sustainable and acceptable to the land manager - Qld Parks and Wildlife. 20 hours of work went into the following section of doubles. The plan is for an 8-pack of doubles followed by a gentle shooter into the flowing turns below. There is extremely limited outslope and a bed of clay under fine surface soil. It allows us to craft features only with great care. Drainage and durability of these rollers is dependent on time to cure with the help of wetting from rain.
While the Nerang saboteur may have gone quite, apparently MTBtrailcare has attracted vandals of our own. Every day we return to work our trail signs are removed and thrown into the bush some distance from the trail. It's not as if we are causing inconvenience by closing an existing section of trail - this is a part of the park that never had trail and what we are building is neither complete, nor ready to be opened. It is to replace the badly degraded bottom end of the current Three Hills Singletrack and without rider cooperation the opening will be delayed as we repair stuff we hoped was complete.
It hurts coming back to find this sort of thing: wheel ruts and foot damage too wet to repair (because it all goes to jelly if you try), drains not draining because water is held up in ruts on delicately prepared tread above them, boggy ruts between the rollers on the line less experienced riders will use and skid ruts going off the trail all show how poachers had a sh!t ride at our expense. Unlike when ready for riding, there is no jumping over doubles, only slugging through wet mush.
It may not look like much damage, but with the current weather and attitude of some riders, we expect to waste a lot of hours getting things back to standard when all this rain settles. Unfortunately we have no reason to believe our repairs will survive before we have to repair even more damage. It sucks. Therefore, please pass the message around - this trail construction is not open and needs protection. Please do not ride it. Also, if you know the f***tard who keeps tossing the signs away and making the trail look like it is open, get the message to them. This person(s) is a bloody menace, putting their own selfishness ahead of our desire to do the right thing for the park and ahead of every rider who uses the park. Sorry for the rant, but trail builders feel these insults in our muscles and loss of our spare time as well as in our hearts.
The week before Christmas we received an early present in the form of 2 new sections of trail on Three Hills, built by Trailworx. The trail lines were mapped out some time ago and the works funded by a Friends of the Park grant and the Specialized Every Metre Counts raffle. Anyone riding Three Hills Singletrack this week has been on the new trail, because it is the only connecting line from top to bottom. It does not start at the top signpost anymore, but opposite the start of Baileys and Brett's trails.
This is really fun trail and makes for far better climbing and descending. We inspected it in the rain yesterday and it was looking pretty good apart from a few muddy spots at the bottom end of the first hill section. That was after about 40mm of rain. Since then there has been a heap more. While Southport Seaway has only registered another 25mm or so, Coolangatta has had more than 150mm and Nerang would have received something between those readings - a lot of rain for established, let alone new trail.
I will give you some tasty pics on the proviso you wait for a few days after the rain before going to check it out! Trail respect is needed if we all want the best riding after this weather. Regardless whether made by hand or professionally by machine, all trail has limits when new, so please wait and we will all be better rewarded. In the meantime the older trails at high elevation are the go.
To show what can happen when riders disrespect new trail, following is what happened on the very bottom of Three Hills yesterday. This section of trail is not open. It is not complete. It is signposted explaining why we need riders to keep off.
Unlike Trailworx, MTBtrailcare is not allowed mechanised building of any kind. It takes a very long time to build technical trail features that are fun, sustainable and acceptable to the land manager - Qld Parks and Wildlife. 20 hours of work went into the following section of doubles. The plan is for an 8-pack of doubles followed by a gentle shooter into the flowing turns below. There is extremely limited outslope and a bed of clay under fine surface soil. It allows us to craft features only with great care. Drainage and durability of these rollers is dependent on time to cure with the help of wetting from rain.
While the Nerang saboteur may have gone quite, apparently MTBtrailcare has attracted vandals of our own. Every day we return to work our trail signs are removed and thrown into the bush some distance from the trail. It's not as if we are causing inconvenience by closing an existing section of trail - this is a part of the park that never had trail and what we are building is neither complete, nor ready to be opened. It is to replace the badly degraded bottom end of the current Three Hills Singletrack and without rider cooperation the opening will be delayed as we repair stuff we hoped was complete.
It hurts coming back to find this sort of thing: wheel ruts and foot damage too wet to repair (because it all goes to jelly if you try), drains not draining because water is held up in ruts on delicately prepared tread above them, boggy ruts between the rollers on the line less experienced riders will use and skid ruts going off the trail all show how poachers had a sh!t ride at our expense. Unlike when ready for riding, there is no jumping over doubles, only slugging through wet mush.
It may not look like much damage, but with the current weather and attitude of some riders, we expect to waste a lot of hours getting things back to standard when all this rain settles. Unfortunately we have no reason to believe our repairs will survive before we have to repair even more damage. It sucks. Therefore, please pass the message around - this trail construction is not open and needs protection. Please do not ride it. Also, if you know the f***tard who keeps tossing the signs away and making the trail look like it is open, get the message to them. This person(s) is a bloody menace, putting their own selfishness ahead of our desire to do the right thing for the park and ahead of every rider who uses the park. Sorry for the rant, but trail builders feel these insults in our muscles and loss of our spare time as well as in our hearts.
Last edited:
Flow-Rider
Burner
Thanks for the update, never ridden there myself but it's looking nice from seeing the pics you posted. Sorry to hear about the wankers, might go over and have a look if the weather dries up.
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Trails are very good today. Had a good ride on Casuarina, Pete's, Brett's, Three Hills Singletrack, Happy Valley, Roy's, and Exit trails. There's a few puddles and a few muddy bits on the new Three Hills work, but they aren't on the riding line, because riding in a bog is not worth it in every way.
To update our vandal issue: the trail signs were removed again yesterday. This time they were thrown into lantana near the velodrome trailhead. It took quite a while to find them. We had also covered the entire length of trail with logs etc. They had all been pulled aside or off the trail. More muddy ruts wheel were on the trail. :frusty:
Considerable effort seems to be going into this project of nuisance. If the trail is that attractive, why not help build it, or do some other trail maintenance in the park? What a waste of energy, including ours!~
Today there must have been frustration when the signs were locked to trees. Both were pulled out anyway, but they must not have had the energy to remove all the logs again. Also, we have had to change the way we work to make the trail look obviously incomplete. Maybe finally they have given up? I don't think so. My guess is they will smash the signs next time. Why? All we want to do is make cool trail for them and everyone else.
We are on a big push to get more done this week. If you are riding Nerang this week and see us working below the very bottom bit of Three Hills Singletrack, walk down and have a look. Weather permitting (the soil was wet 50cm down yesterday), we want to get this section of trail open ASAP and we are happy to show it to visitors. We just do not want to have issues with poachers.
To update our vandal issue: the trail signs were removed again yesterday. This time they were thrown into lantana near the velodrome trailhead. It took quite a while to find them. We had also covered the entire length of trail with logs etc. They had all been pulled aside or off the trail. More muddy ruts wheel were on the trail. :frusty:
Considerable effort seems to be going into this project of nuisance. If the trail is that attractive, why not help build it, or do some other trail maintenance in the park? What a waste of energy, including ours!~
Today there must have been frustration when the signs were locked to trees. Both were pulled out anyway, but they must not have had the energy to remove all the logs again. Also, we have had to change the way we work to make the trail look obviously incomplete. Maybe finally they have given up? I don't think so. My guess is they will smash the signs next time. Why? All we want to do is make cool trail for them and everyone else.
We are on a big push to get more done this week. If you are riding Nerang this week and see us working below the very bottom bit of Three Hills Singletrack, walk down and have a look. Weather permitting (the soil was wet 50cm down yesterday), we want to get this section of trail open ASAP and we are happy to show it to visitors. We just do not want to have issues with poachers.
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
It-is-good---
fridgie
Likes Dirt
Do you talk without breathing or pausing between words? The way you hyphenate everything makes me think you do
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Nerang has had your typical Gold Coast Summer weather. Since my last post we had some massive rain starting at 12 midnight Jan 1st 2015. Luckily since then it has been hot and humid with light rain at night. Riders were wet and muddy until today, when things looked schmick.
The main reason for this post is that MTBtrailcare completed building the bottom section of Three Hills Singletrack today. So unless there is unexpected weather we want to open it from 9AM tomorrow morning January 4th for a few hours. We will have to close it again after because it is still pretty wet and soft down near the bottom of the park. We will see how it copes, make repairs and get the thing properly opened ASAP.
It is so cool to have a new Three Hills Singletrack, top to bottom. Since Trailworx did their thing up higher before Christmas, all that is missing is the bit down to the velodrome and now it is (almost) done too. Forget what you know about this trail; things have changed.
Want a peek? Top down
Hope to see some burners tomorrow morning.
The main reason for this post is that MTBtrailcare completed building the bottom section of Three Hills Singletrack today. So unless there is unexpected weather we want to open it from 9AM tomorrow morning January 4th for a few hours. We will have to close it again after because it is still pretty wet and soft down near the bottom of the park. We will see how it copes, make repairs and get the thing properly opened ASAP.
It is so cool to have a new Three Hills Singletrack, top to bottom. Since Trailworx did their thing up higher before Christmas, all that is missing is the bit down to the velodrome and now it is (almost) done too. Forget what you know about this trail; things have changed.
Want a peek? Top down
Hope to see some burners tomorrow morning.
Hellyeah
Likes Bikes and Dirt
yeah-yeah-my-space-bar-is-cactus,-what-do-you-want-a-*-or-somethingDo you talk without breathing or pausing between words? The way you hyphenate everything makes me think you do
more-special??
I've-had-a-look-twice-now,-that-rhythm-section-is-going-to-fark-some-people-up!!
Good-stuff!!
Track-is-good-better-than-before,-still-the-good-old-rocky-nerang
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
That rhythm section does odd things to me too, but I hadn't ridden it until Sunday. The boggy section at the junction of hill three and two has been armoured and other drainage areas improved a bit after all the rain and wheel rut effect. The creek will need more rock yet, but generally there is enough rock in most of the new trail (except the very bottom) to maintain the old Nerang feel. We closed up the very bottom above the velodrome again yesterday because of increasing rain. Should have it open officially as soon as the ranger is back on the 19th Jan and does an inspection.
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Weather and trail update
Hi from Nerang. Things have been pretty good lately despite a couple of massive rain events with damage from the water and fallen trees. The ground remains very soft and trees are falling without any wind, especially the hollow ones that have been attacked by termites etc. The trails closest to the velodrome have been cleared of fallen lumber, but eyes up.
We rode this afternoon and most of the creeks are wet. There are muddy areas and anywhere there is a clay layer is vulnerable right now, because in Nerang subsoil water flows along roots that run on top of clay layers delivering maximum water onto the trail. In many places trails expose or are on top of sections of clay, especially the newer sections of trail at low altitude. That includes parts of the latest sections of Three Hills which have done really well after 150 and 200mm in three hour rain events since New Year due to emergency maintenance from MTBtrailcare. However, if the rain keeps coming things will swell up and then get badly mashed by riders.
We are still waiting for QPWS Rangers to inspect the very bottom section of Three Hills. Until then we cannot open it. The senior ranger is booking an inspection date soon. It won't be this week, which is good really, because I think we are going to get more rain than predicted. Too much for any new trail, especially one made on terrain with nothing other than wet, organic soil in most places. We know riders want it open because today the closure logs were removed again and there were lots of ruts in the (clay parts of the) tread which got another good soaking this morning. Please stay off. It is signed as a closed construction zone at both ends. We have no idea what the legal and political ramifications of a rider being hurt on unopened trail will be, but you can kinda guess it won't be good in a National Park. Please understand we want it open too because when Three Hills new lines are open top to bottom, it's gunna be siiickkk.
Just further to the weather. If it does rain lots this week, the Nerang trails will cop a beating. There is a lot of water in the soil and more rain will escalate the amount of vulnerable trail very fast. If you must ride, use the fire roads to get up higher where older, rocky trails like Bailey's, Neverending, Vertigo, most of Brett's (Mongrel's), most of Pete's (but not Pete's Extension to Casuarina) and the back trails like Pandora and Avatar (which people seem to want to remain in marginal shape) will cope with heavy rain and rider use. If you have to use Three Hills Singletrack when it is wet, please try climbing it. That is what is is actually designed for, it just happens to be great fun descending. From the top you can access trails that were seasoned many years ago.
Cheers everyone. Lets hope for gentle wettings :kiss::kiss: rather than Noah's Ark rains this week.
Hi from Nerang. Things have been pretty good lately despite a couple of massive rain events with damage from the water and fallen trees. The ground remains very soft and trees are falling without any wind, especially the hollow ones that have been attacked by termites etc. The trails closest to the velodrome have been cleared of fallen lumber, but eyes up.
We rode this afternoon and most of the creeks are wet. There are muddy areas and anywhere there is a clay layer is vulnerable right now, because in Nerang subsoil water flows along roots that run on top of clay layers delivering maximum water onto the trail. In many places trails expose or are on top of sections of clay, especially the newer sections of trail at low altitude. That includes parts of the latest sections of Three Hills which have done really well after 150 and 200mm in three hour rain events since New Year due to emergency maintenance from MTBtrailcare. However, if the rain keeps coming things will swell up and then get badly mashed by riders.
We are still waiting for QPWS Rangers to inspect the very bottom section of Three Hills. Until then we cannot open it. The senior ranger is booking an inspection date soon. It won't be this week, which is good really, because I think we are going to get more rain than predicted. Too much for any new trail, especially one made on terrain with nothing other than wet, organic soil in most places. We know riders want it open because today the closure logs were removed again and there were lots of ruts in the (clay parts of the) tread which got another good soaking this morning. Please stay off. It is signed as a closed construction zone at both ends. We have no idea what the legal and political ramifications of a rider being hurt on unopened trail will be, but you can kinda guess it won't be good in a National Park. Please understand we want it open too because when Three Hills new lines are open top to bottom, it's gunna be siiickkk.
Just further to the weather. If it does rain lots this week, the Nerang trails will cop a beating. There is a lot of water in the soil and more rain will escalate the amount of vulnerable trail very fast. If you must ride, use the fire roads to get up higher where older, rocky trails like Bailey's, Neverending, Vertigo, most of Brett's (Mongrel's), most of Pete's (but not Pete's Extension to Casuarina) and the back trails like Pandora and Avatar (which people seem to want to remain in marginal shape) will cope with heavy rain and rider use. If you have to use Three Hills Singletrack when it is wet, please try climbing it. That is what is is actually designed for, it just happens to be great fun descending. From the top you can access trails that were seasoned many years ago.
Cheers everyone. Lets hope for gentle wettings :kiss::kiss: rather than Noah's Ark rains this week.
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Here it comes and it's not just moist. It's pissing it down right now and looking to continue for days. Please use fire roads to get up higher to rocky trails and avoid the new Three Hills trail in this wet weather. It's going to be crap riding anyway, so why not watch some riding vids instead? Thanks
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Well, the BOM said this morning it was a weakening system. I guess that's why we've had 185mm so far with much, much more to come. The goldie is going under with many roads flooded. We will get to 300mm by tomorrow. Don't even think about riding for the next 4 days at least. The trails will all be vulnerable for at least a week, although some of the rocky ones may come good sooner. The fire roads are like wobbly jelly (what hasn't washed away), so as per the last post - give it a miss and drink beer instead. Looks like no MTB for Aussie day in SEQ.
Pretty much it...
If you have mates are looking to head out, just remind them that if you can see your tyre prints, it's too wet (same goes if you can't see your tyreprints cos the mud just sloshed back over the rut!)
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Sunny this morning. That's a recipe for disaster. Today we will be out closing old trail lines on Three Hills and repairing a bridge on Happy Valley damaged by flooding last rain event. It is going to be slop and I really hope there's no need to have a discussion about common sense with passing riders. There will be though because the Gold Coast has a very big history of fuck you I'm riding what and when I want, open, closed or not yet fully built.
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Amazing
Rainfall figures for the Gold Coast say we had 230-380mm in this 36 hour event, with Burleigh Waters topping the credits. That is on top of approximately 350mm since New Year. Despite that and to our great surprise, even the relatively new and very vulnerable section of Casuarina Loop to the velodrome trailhead was good this afternoon.
The new sections of Three Hills have suffered some minor damage, mainly scouring to a solid base, but we have to say:
"Looks like MTB is back on the menu boys!" Go get after it for the rest of this long weekend. Any really vulnerable bits will be obvious and limited.
The trails are good to go with one exception.
The bottom of Three Hills Singletrack to Casuarina Loop is still closed pending QPWS Senior Ranger inspection. Don't go there past the closure signs! I feel a bit sorry for the 2 guys we shocked by ordering them off the trail when they were just having a gander late this afternoon, but you know you should not have been there! To the guys who removed all the trail obstructions to ride that bit of trail earlier today (yes we do know who you are even if we didn't get you before you left the scene), please just wait!!!!!
FFS it rained so much yesterday almost everyone stayed out of the bush today and we were impressed by this new MTB community attitude. Have respect. That bit of trail will open very soon and no-one wants it more than the bozos that built it and don't get to ride it!
Anyway, no more negatives. Tomorrow will be a good day to ride Nerang and unless something unexpected happens, we can all enjoy an Aussie MTB day on Monday - YIPPEE:dance::dance::dance::dance:
Rainfall figures for the Gold Coast say we had 230-380mm in this 36 hour event, with Burleigh Waters topping the credits. That is on top of approximately 350mm since New Year. Despite that and to our great surprise, even the relatively new and very vulnerable section of Casuarina Loop to the velodrome trailhead was good this afternoon.
The new sections of Three Hills have suffered some minor damage, mainly scouring to a solid base, but we have to say:
"Looks like MTB is back on the menu boys!" Go get after it for the rest of this long weekend. Any really vulnerable bits will be obvious and limited.
The trails are good to go with one exception.
The bottom of Three Hills Singletrack to Casuarina Loop is still closed pending QPWS Senior Ranger inspection. Don't go there past the closure signs! I feel a bit sorry for the 2 guys we shocked by ordering them off the trail when they were just having a gander late this afternoon, but you know you should not have been there! To the guys who removed all the trail obstructions to ride that bit of trail earlier today (yes we do know who you are even if we didn't get you before you left the scene), please just wait!!!!!
FFS it rained so much yesterday almost everyone stayed out of the bush today and we were impressed by this new MTB community attitude. Have respect. That bit of trail will open very soon and no-one wants it more than the bozos that built it and don't get to ride it!
Anyway, no more negatives. Tomorrow will be a good day to ride Nerang and unless something unexpected happens, we can all enjoy an Aussie MTB day on Monday - YIPPEE:dance::dance::dance::dance:
Ridenparadise
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Marcia
Here we go again. Another deluge coming. The third big one this year. This time it sounds like a guarantee of prolonged, strong winds and heavy rainfall. Estimates are for 300-500mm in the Gold Coast hinterland. Experience suggests there will be trail damage from water and falling timber. Trees will continue to fall for at least 4-7 days after the storm passes if we get the predicted rainfall because most have shallow root systems sitting between clay and a rock base.
Apart from the obvious risks to riders in the bush during the weather event, please respect our trails and your own safety after the storm. Nerang soil becomes super-saturated in the days following big rains. Water flows below the surface, along the roots and everything swells. Even rocky trails develop boggy areas and some of those are still just settling after January rains.
Yesterday we moved a cache of rock to near the creek crossing between hills 2 and 3 on Three Hills Singletrack because we believe this rain will blow the entire creek crossing out. Regardless of whether we get the upper creek crossing sorted (and we have no desire to be crushed by falling debris), that spot will be vulnerable because of this weather. We also moved gravel near to the rhythm section on the bottom of Three Hills Singletrack where clay forms the base of the rollers and jump transitions. We will try to embed the gravel late tomorrow, but the process will make the trail like jelly with lots of gravel in it and it will take days before it sets soundly. In that time riding will leave deep ruts.
For those who noticed, we have an incomplete new trail line linking Exit Trail to Three Hills Singletrack. It was partially completed yesterday and traverses some vulnerable, black soil. It is not marked closed but is another section of trail sensitive to rider impact. We will close the old line ASAP, but until then, please use the current link from Exit to Three Hills so we don't have as much work finishing the new line after this weather. Thanks.
In short, riding Nerang and anywhere south of Gladstone looks to be completely out of the question until further notice.
Here we go again. Another deluge coming. The third big one this year. This time it sounds like a guarantee of prolonged, strong winds and heavy rainfall. Estimates are for 300-500mm in the Gold Coast hinterland. Experience suggests there will be trail damage from water and falling timber. Trees will continue to fall for at least 4-7 days after the storm passes if we get the predicted rainfall because most have shallow root systems sitting between clay and a rock base.
Apart from the obvious risks to riders in the bush during the weather event, please respect our trails and your own safety after the storm. Nerang soil becomes super-saturated in the days following big rains. Water flows below the surface, along the roots and everything swells. Even rocky trails develop boggy areas and some of those are still just settling after January rains.
Yesterday we moved a cache of rock to near the creek crossing between hills 2 and 3 on Three Hills Singletrack because we believe this rain will blow the entire creek crossing out. Regardless of whether we get the upper creek crossing sorted (and we have no desire to be crushed by falling debris), that spot will be vulnerable because of this weather. We also moved gravel near to the rhythm section on the bottom of Three Hills Singletrack where clay forms the base of the rollers and jump transitions. We will try to embed the gravel late tomorrow, but the process will make the trail like jelly with lots of gravel in it and it will take days before it sets soundly. In that time riding will leave deep ruts.
For those who noticed, we have an incomplete new trail line linking Exit Trail to Three Hills Singletrack. It was partially completed yesterday and traverses some vulnerable, black soil. It is not marked closed but is another section of trail sensitive to rider impact. We will close the old line ASAP, but until then, please use the current link from Exit to Three Hills so we don't have as much work finishing the new line after this weather. Thanks.
In short, riding Nerang and anywhere south of Gladstone looks to be completely out of the question until further notice.