As soon as I read "The network will not be designed to provide opportunities for highly technical riders, all-mountain or downhill riding" I got concerned. The last thing I want to see is more boring family-friendly Celine Dion type trail without a single drop, jump or ladder bridge. I can only speak for myself, but I prefer tight technical over flow trail any day. There is room for everyone's needs.
I have read the Dirt Art report that this appears to be based on, and while the report points out (several times) the growth of the all-mountain category, none of the trails it proposes have a difficulty rating of black diamond. Adding to this, a clear exclusion of opportunities for highly technical/all-mountain/DH riding is actually offensive to me. I can understand excluding DH trails, there isn't the elevation drop to provide an actual DH experience, but preemptively limiting the area's trail difficulty potential (and thereby limiting future users skill advancement) is not the way forward for a growing sport with such potential.
A few elements I have pointed out in my response:
- The kids using beginner trails today will continue to advance in skill. Not providing advanced trails now will re-create the illegal trail problem in the future.
- Page 25 of the TAR claims that The all-mountain category will continue to grow as will the demand for more challenging, descent focused trails.
- Page 66 of the TAR states 54% of the 2015 survey participants indicated their skills as intermediate, and 38% indicated their skills as advanced. Excluding advanced trail gives no opportunity for the intermediate to increase their skills at the same time providing nothing for the already advanced.
- Page 66 of the TAR also states that 47% of the 2015 survey participants claimed they prefer XC, while 44% prefer all-mountain and 3% prefer DH. 44+3=47, which is the same interest in XC. Not designing the trail network for 47% (as stated) is ignoring a very significant amount of participants that will be using the trails.
- Page 70 of the TAR notes that 2015 survey participants had common themes in additional comments, including concern over "dumbing down" of the trails and making them unnecessarily easier.
- Stating "opportunities will be explored" in regards to the involvement of the community, volunteers and others in regards to development, management, etc. is a purposefully passive and vague statement. Either the people who are passionate about the trails and will be using them are invited to be involved or they are not.
-It needs to be clear who is finalizing the decisions and how they are coming to these decisions.
-It needs to be clear what metrics are being used (ie: subjectivity can really alter trail creation - how are trail features classified?)
Does the RNP need better MTB trail management? Of course it does, and I can understand the need for a more comprehensive plan. Advanced/technical trail exclusion is something I feel needs to be corrected for the progression of our sport. I hope this acquires more attention before we all end up with every trail becoming a flow trail with no features.