Winter is back! we got some good new snow and more on the way tonight. We should all be able to ride the trails in, but please remember to turn back if you start spinning out and creating large ruts.
UVMBA maintains and expands access to multi-use, non-motorized trails in the Upper Valley of NH and VT, including the towns of Lebanon, Hanover, Hartford, Norwich, Plainfield and others. We are a volunteer, community-driven organization dedicated to being responsible trail stewards.
We have had a few questions recently on trail closures, so we wanted to clear some things up.
If trails are closed we will post in our IG & FB stories, update Trailforks, and update the website. Otherwise trails are open!
Now just because trails are open doesn't mean conditions are perfect. Conditions vary hour by hour and trail by trail, and realistically we don't have the bandwidth to open/close trails multiple times in a week and have a perfect understanding of current conditions.
Please use common sense on questionable days (like today, for example) and turn back if you start creating ruts.
Thanks for the cooperation and understanding, and see you on the trails soon!
That for these great words! Such a good philosophy on it.
Ugh - lets hope the ruts don’t freeze in. Thanks for this great reminder!
The above picture looks like a previously ungroomed trail that is in the process of being ‘ridden in,’ not a groomed trail that received ruts from riding during warmer weather. It also still looks completely rideable, and that it would continue to smooth out and ride well w/ more wheel traffic. I totally understand the position on not riding groomed trails and creating ruts when the trails are soft. But the picture choice for this post seems incongruent w/ the sentiments expressed. What is the position on riding ungroomed trails when conditions are rideable? By definition, riding an ungroomed trail will leave a track unless it is bulletproof crust. But it is also usually (and easily) smoothed out by continued traffic.
Thanks to everyone for joining us at our annual meeting last night. We're really excited for what 2023 will bring and hope to see everyone out on the trails soon!
A couple of years ago we were awarded a very generous grant from @athleticbrewing to construct a pavilion at the nature walk entrance to Landmark (Boston Lot) trails. We are through the permitting and design process, and are looking forward to beginning construction this spring. Look forward to more updates this spring and opening festivities this summer!
If anyone is wondering about the pile of boulders delivered recently to the trailhead, they’re not new ‘features’ for the trail…. B-lot has enough of those. They’ll be placed on the West side of the parking area to delineate parking and help define a path from the pavilion to the trail entrance, as shown in the renderings.
That's going to be fantastic
This is awesome!
So awesome.
Awesome!!!
Amazing!
Good looking work Jon Criswell
Nice!
Mark your calendars for 1/25/23 at 6:30PM for the UVMBA Annual Meeting! This year's meeting will be held at TRAIL BREAK taps + tacos in White River Junction. We'll give an update on our accomplishments this past year and our plans for the coming year. All 2022 UVMBA members get 1 free drink!
We will also be holding elections for the Board of Directors. This year we are looking for candidates to fill 4 seats on the board. If you are interested in joining the board, please email info@uvmba.org by 1/22/23 and be prepared to introduce yourself at the meeting. Candidates must consider themselves to be residents of the Upper Valley and be current UVMBA members.
Landmark (Boston Lot) trails are still open! Generally trails only close to bikes after big snowstorms, thaws, or in the springtime. Some helpful reminders:
Try to only ride when trails are frozen
The two winter only trails (LITB and White Light) are closed until we get a solid snowpack
It's still hunting season so wear bright colors
Currently regular bikes without studs are fine (or even prefered), but that could quickly change with any precipitation.
See you on the trails!
Savouring the last bits of fall with more benching, improving run off, and adding berms on milk run before winter hits.
Got a project in mind on an existing trail for next season? Reach out to us directly. While approval for new trails can be an extensive process, approval for doing some rock armoring, benching, and anything else that improves sustainability and durability (and hopefully also the fun factor!) of an existing trail can be fairly quick.
Thanks! Can’t wait to check it out!
Thank you!
We closed (raked over and covered with logs and branches) a few rogue and unapproved trails/connectors last night. We plan to be out again soon to close other rogue trails.
We do not love doing this. Especially when these trails may add a valuable connection to the network, but none of these trails were approved and thus they need to be shut down. Continuing to let these trails spur up endangers UVMBA’s agreement with Dartmouth to manage this property.
We greatly appreciate your cooperation in keeping these trails closed. By reducing our burden of needing to repeatedly address these trails we will have more time to focus on productive trail projects.
Questions? Concerns? Comments? Feel free to send us a direct message or comment below. We understand that this network has historically been a complicated web of official and unofficial trails, and we will never get this a 100% right, but we’re trying.
The Landmark Trail network (Boston Lot) is owned by Dartmouth and managed by the Upper Valley Mountain Bike Association (UVMBA) under a licensed user agreement. Rogue trail work such as altering trails, building new trails and creating “cut overs” endangers the UVMBA’s agreement with Dartmouth.
Please do not make modifications (such as chipping away rocks as shown in the pictures) to the trails! If you have ideas for modifications to existing trails, please visit UVMBA.org to submit your ideas.
honest question. Were the rocks placed there or naturally there? If placed there why placed there and not on middle of trail or just removed? Why place rocks on the side of the trail.
So frustrating! I ride Boston lot because I love a challenge. If I wanted a wide clear path, I'd ride the rail trail. Obstacles are the name of the game, peeps! Don't modify trails at all, especially in an effort to make them easier - it defeats the purpose!
Might say having "WTF" written on your rock close by is likely as much of an issue as the chipped away rock. 🤷♂️
While the weather is still nice, we're going to sneak in another mini work day:
Sunday, October 23: 9 AM - noon at the DHMC entrance
We'll supply some coffee and donuts to warm everyone up on a chilly fall morning before getting to work!
UVMBA will supply the tools, but bring your own water, bug spray, gloves, etc. No RSVP required. All ages and abilities welcome.
And most importantly, we promise there will no hauling of lumber!
Landmark/Boston Lot trails remain open during hunting season, but they are open to hunters as well. Please wear bright colors and be aware when riding during hunting season!
Hunting and Trapping Seasons | Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
vtfishandwildlife.com
Vermont Hunting and Trapping Dates - printable pdf Big Game Select the species name for more details. Season Dates Species April 23 - April 24, 2022 Turkey: Youth & Novice Weekend May 1 - May 31, 2022...Come help our friends over at WAMBA this weekend!
WAMBA Needs Your Help This Weekend 🚲
mailchi.mp
Your favorite area mountain bike association needs help this weekend! More than 300 enduro racers are rolling into town for the Eastern States Cup on Sunday on Mt. Peg and S6, and WAMBA can’t host a...Come join us for our fall epic ride!
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Mark Mamuszka
Hi folks,
That time of year again--time to think about riding in the beautiful fall weather. Come sweep the course for the Vermont 50 Mountain Bike Race and pull signs on Sunday, September 25. This event is a fundraiser for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports.
Slot 1 will sweep from the start to Greenall's on the 50 K course (13.5 miles)
Slot 2: Full
Slot 3 will sweep from Skunk Hollow to M'ville (14.3 miles)
Slot 4 will sweep from M'ville to Fallons on the 50 Mile course (9.9 miles)
Slot 5 will sweep from Fallons to Johnsons (10.3 mile)
If you are interested, click on the link below:
runsignup.com/Race/Volunteer/VT/Brownsville/Vermont50#volunteerTask-275117
Just a reminder that Fall work day is coming up this Sunday! Join us for a fun day of improving Boston Lot trails. Pizza to follow.
Projects will include Beaver Dam Bridge rebuild, Rail It Too repairs, and general raking/pruning trail cleanup. Bring backpacks for carrying lumber, leaf rakes and loppers, and safety glasses and water.
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.We’ve received reports of riders accessing Hartford Town Forest through private property on Remick Rd, and the landowners are not pleased. Please be courteous to our neighbors and access the trails ONLY from the Reservoir Rd trailhead.
Trail work reminder for tomorrow.
5:30 PM at the Nature Walk Entrance.
We're going to tackle some of the exceptionally rooty sections on lower rabbit hole. We all know how much better this trail flows with even an inch of snow on it in the winter, so we hope to recreate at least some of that flow in the summer by remove dead roots, rock armoring, and adding dirt to smooth things out a bit.
UVMBA will supply the tools, but bring your own water, bug spray, gloves, etc. No RSVP required. All ages and abilities welcome!
New trail day in Boston Lot!*
Warrior Princess drops down from Hardwoods Connect to Bruce Lee. It's full of steep rollers, fun little drops, and some really amazing rock work. We're not going to call it downhill only because I'm sure someone can climb it, but we'll just strongly recommend going down it (start from Hardwoods Connect). Go check it out!
*okay, okay it's not brand new, but we just got around to posting about it.
Well built and fun trail. Worth the climb back out!
Wow!
Absolutely!
Ryan Frost time to go try it!
Calling Artists! As some may have seen, the backside of the Nature Walk changing room has been "adorned" with some unsanctioned artwork. We are looking for a volunteer to repurpose the existing artwork into something a little more appealing. Please shoot us a DM for details if you're interested!
UVMBA had a superb weekend down at Ascutney Flow State getting in lots of great riding and socializing with other VMBA chapters.
UVMBA members James and Jeremy held down the fort at the table and provided the entertainment with homemade random tandem bikes and races!
Thank you so much for bringing shenanigans fun!!! Quality entertainment. 🙌
We had a great, albeit a bit toasty, trail work night last week where we added a couple of small berms on Minor Threat (photos above). We have a couple more opportunities to get involved with trail work in August.
• Tuesday, August 2nd: 5:30 PM
• Tuesday, August 16th: 5:30 PM
Like last time, we’ll go out and do a quick project or two that will help trails flow better and hopefully be more fun for everyone.
UVMBA will supply the tools, but bring your own water, bug spray, gloves, etc. No RSVP required. All ages and abilities welcome!
We plan to go out rain or shine but will cancel if there is thunder and lightning.