Winter Park area trail improvements just keep on rolling in

There has been quite a bit going on with the trails. In just the last few weeks several trail improvements have been made. It is incredible to see all of the trail improvements done this year, maybe more than the last several years combined.

There is a new bridge on the South Fork Loop. You need to see this firsthand to get an idea of how much work went into putting this in. You will now be able to cross that stream at any time of the year. It may not seem like much now but flash back to last spring when the water was a few feet deep and you will appreciate the effort. This will also protect the native trout in the stream This was one of my favorite places to take my son when he was younger. We would always stop at the stream to look for the fish.

The Meadow Trail through Rendezvous has had a major makeover. This huge project was completed during the weekend and was long overdue. You will now be able to use the trail without having to go through the small springs that are common in that area. This should greatly enhance user experiences.

Creekside has had work as well. This was done to provide for a better entry level experience. Often experiences for the entry level rider are overlooked or skill of the entry level rider is overestimated. There are still challenges along the ride but options for the less skilled rider. This also makes for a great ride with kids as there are plenty of places to stop and check out St. Louis Creek with its many beaver ponds.

Grand Mountain Bike Alliance is having its monthly meeting Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 6:30 p.m. in Beaver Village Lodge. There are lots of ideas on tap for the future including road to trail conversion of some of the old logging roads (i.e. Sunset Pink), reroutes of current trails for better experiences and connectivity and new trails to offer better experiences. Come to the meeting and learn about some of these visions and more.

Hunting and riding

Fall brings the change of seasons and some new visitors to the woods. The main hunting seasons start this Saturday. Trails and prime hunting habitat are often one in the same. I wanted to give a few tips for continuing to enjoy the trails while taking a few precautions to be safe.

Wear something bright, orange, red, pink, bright green or similar. Avoid brown, yellow or similar colors. You may even put a bit of surveyor flagging on your helmet. Being visible is a sure way to increase your safety. Be extra aware when riding at dawn or dusk. These are prime hunting times and offer the least amount of visibility.

Enjoy the fall riding. Have fun, repeat as often as you can.

Group rides

Beavers Sports Shop at the Best Western in Winter Park does a weekly group ride on Friday’s at 5:15 p.m. (new time) Intermediate and above skill level. Come join in! Call 970-726-5988 for details.

Looking for more information? Like Grand Mountain Bike Alliance (GMBA) on Facebook. GMBA is your local mountain bike group. Check out Mountainbikecapitalusa.com. Great site by the Winter Park Chamber!

Keith Sanders is the President of the Grand Mountain Bike Alliance, 3x US National Mountain Bike Champion and owner of Beavers Sports Shop. You can reach him at keith@winterparkskirental.com.