Silvan

treble

treble

Likes Dirt
I'm moving to the Yarra Ranges area in the new year and its looking like Silvan is becoming my local. Was hoping someone could give me the rundown. As I've been a couple of times to check it out but always end up a bit lost.
I rode up and tried Temple of Zoom a while back but then ended up climbing back via some really steep fire roads which was no fun. I'm guessing I missed a better way back.
Also went out for an explore yesterday and tried to follow the route @leitch shared in this thread. I climbed up to the top of Lyre Lyre, but couldn't find the entrance. there were about 5 trees down over the fire road on the way up. and the area where Lyre Lyre was looked like it had all been cut down. I ended up backtracking to Tchans and riding that down. I was going to keep following the route but there were too many trees down so quit while I was ahead.

I know the whole area has been smashed with the storms over the last while. and it looks like Parks are in the process of clearing the fire roads. But who maintains the trails? are they legal? and would anyone be upset if I was to clear some of the trees over the trails?

I've also noticed that a lot of the ride logs of the area on Trailforks have hidden maps, so I'm guessing there are some trails of contention in the area. If that's the case and I shouldn't be posting about it on a public forum. PM me and take I'll this down.
 
Pretty sure Yarra Ranges MTB (they have a Facebook page) look after the Silvan trails, it's a bit of a mix of sanctioned and unsanctioned trails and yes people will be upset if you start clearing trees.
 
treble said:
I know the whole area has been smashed with the storms over the last while. and it looks like Parks are in the process of clearing the fire roads. But who maintains the trails? are they legal? and would anyone be upset if I was to clear some of the trees over the trails?

I've also noticed that a lot of the ride logs of the area on Trailforks have hidden maps, so I'm guessing there are some trails of contention in the area. If that's the case and I shouldn't be posting about it on a public forum. PM me and take I'll this down.
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Sorry to send you all over the shop... the Lyre Lyre side is still pretty blasted as far as I know (and you've confirmed anyway)... This is pretty much what's good and open at the moment:

www.strava.com

Afternoon Ride | Strava

View Andrew Leitch's ride on October 25, 2021 | Strava
www.strava.com www.strava.com

Bottlecaps, True Grit, Igor/No Strava, To the Valley Below, Temple of Zoom (not in the loop linked) and Broken Hoe. JJs, Lyre Lyre, and the old Delta 3 (along the river toward Lyre Lyre from the Grey Gum carpark) still closed.

There's a pretty active trail building group, @CHEWY is the unofficial king. YRMTB is officially in charge but has had their hands ties by the fact that the park is still technically closed as far as PV is concerned. Sign up on Parks Vic volunteer network if you want to get involved with the next working bee.
 
Thanks @Mattyp , Yeah I saw Yarra ranges MTB, don't have facebook though so might have to get involved another way.
I figured about the tree clearing, just like to try lend a hand where I can.

And thanks @leitch for the link, I'll have another explore with that area in mind. Will check out the parks volunteer network too
 
treble said:
And thanks @leitch for the link, I'll have another explore with that area in mind. Will check out the parks volunteer network too
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Happy to arrange a meet up and show you around but I'm out of town from end of this week til mid-Jan, so wouldn't be for a while.
 
There's a Yarra Ranges MTB Xmas ride coming up next Thursday, might be a good chance to introduce yourself to a few locals and learn your way around.
 
It's a little bit of a mixed bag in there at the moment.
As the others have mentioned YRMTB are the official club, but stop short of only really being directly involved in the couple of sanctioned trails.
Then an active few who work hard on maintaining a couple of the other trails, who may or may not be involved with the club also ;)

To complicate things further is the parks situation, which has the clubs official line that all single trail is closed, though have acknowledged its not being enforced and to ride at your own risk.

Lyre Lyre is smashed at the top and not likely to be riding again for a long while yet, though you can push up and ride the bottom half.
Since the storms I've mainly been staying on the main group of trails, all of which are running very well. JJ's is close to being finished and off limits for the moment. New trail along creek seems close to being complete again too.

Would be happy to show you around mate, easy to get your head around once you know where each of the 4 main climbs are and how they relate to the descending trails. Let me know, could even make it a minor meetup with a few of the others.
 
I rode here last weekend with the kids.
Bit sad to see how wrecked the place was by the storms. It seems the worst hit area was exactly where the trails are - in one section I'd estimate 90% of the trees have come down.
Temple of zoom was great, but both the other trails we went to ride were closed and totally unrideable, including the DH track (which was a shame cos that was a long slog up the hill for a 10yo.)

Not complaining, but it'd be helpful if the websites (I'm looking at you Parks Vic and YRMTB) could update their websites to let us know that half the trails are shut. Parks Vic have nothing anywhere about the closures. YRMTB tell you to 'keep an eye on their facebook page', and if you wade through dozens of posts you eventually come across a few posts saying some trails are closed. I mean, in todays day and age, how hard is it to update a website?
 
Any advice on the condition of Silvan trails?
It's been a while since I've ridden there but am keen.
Muddy and unrideable or mint?
Somewhere in between?
 
Its about as wet as it gets everywhere at the moment, even my "wet weather" spot down the coast was soggy and watter logged today, after just 1mm of rain overnight... Its definitely been a wet start to winter this year.
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Mattyp said:
Its about as wet as it gets everywhere at the moment, even my "wet weather" spot down the coast was soggy and watter logged today, after just 1mm of rain overnight... Its definitely been a wet start to winter this year.
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Yeah but at least the party bus got to go for a spin!
 
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