The MTB Future of Fromme Mountain is NOT Sustainable

The MTB Future of Fromme Mountain is NOT Sustainable

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NSMBA Advocacy and Funding Director (also, lead Content Manager for NSMB.com), Matthew Lee, on the serious subject of erosion and "sustainability" of the mtb trails -- (sometimes, the Truth does emit from MTBer mouths...they DO know the damage they do)

Source: http://www.pinkbike.com/u/carletonman/

"Erosion and sustainability are complete polar opposites. Part of the reason the DNV and Metro went after mountain bikers for years was the fear of causing erosion and landslides on both mountains.Trail systems can be built to last for decades (the work that was done by Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression is a testament to that), but the methods that were used in North Vancouver weren't.Punched-out creek beds are a sign of failure and long-term environmental damage, not success. Other stakeholders on the mountain love to hammer us with this at every single opportunity they can."

"Compounding the problem is the high rate of both traffic and precipitation that the Shore sees in comparison with other trail networks.”

“Areas like Whistler or Squamish will see time over the winter to recover, **while NS trails will see heavy usage year-round regardless of the weather.”**

(**this is an ongoing and grave problem created by poor DNV management of MTB**)

(con't) "Most of the trails on the Shore were originally loamers, or built in an unsustainable fashion. If you come out to trail days and talk to the ORIGINAL builders as they work on the trail, their intent was never to have punched-out river beds; increased rider traffic and a difficult climate created those chutes."

(But, "loamers" make up the bulk of what the NSMBA is trail building, today! Increased and increasing rider traffic is being encouraged by DNV via Fromme parking lot proposals! And a "difficult climate" continues...)

(con't) “Being oppositional to the DNV also gets us nowhere when it comes to things like expanding the trail network, and receiving funding for repairing the existing network. Many of the builders, including (original scofflaw MTB trailbuilder) Digger were able to be paid to repair trail on the Shore; something that even five years ago was unthinkable, and was only possible by CO-OPERATION. Further re-construction of existing advanced and expert level trails relies on ongoing good relations with land managers. Fighting with them, rogue building, and antagonizing other user groups will get us kicked off the mountain, and looking a lot like Marin County. Nobody wants that to happen. Finally, if you attended this year's AGM, you would have heard that phase one of TAP is being wound down, and that phase two, which will include thereconstruction of advanced and expert level features built to Whistler standards, will be ramping up over the next few seasons."

It is ALL unsustainable, folks. Mark my words. The "landslide threat" still looms, under the "right" conditions. The old erosion problems have not gone away, but have only become worse, as non-stop NEW trail building and four season a year riding continues: rain or shine, day and at night. Along with "sanctioned" trails, rogue trail MTB trail building still goes on.

Until there is some tough love, and strict containment of this wily MTB sport in our midst, we are all just trying to paddle a canoe up a creek without a paddle. It is a grand MTB ruse being played on all of us. And someday, DNV will be paying dearly for its failed appeasement of MTBers.

And, DWV is following DNV's foolish "NSMBA wheel ruts", on the North Shore... 

"Oh what a tangled web we (NSMBA) weave,

When first we practise to deceive!

~Sir Walter Scott, "Marmion, Canto vi. Stanza 17"