There is a new trail starting from the gate on Spiral Drive that re-connects to Spiral Drive behind Tenderfoot Hill (currently known as Christmas Mountain). Salida Mountain Trails built this trail and has plans for more trails and trail improvements in the area. Salida Mountain Trails is a local not-for-profit and a chapter of the Arkansas River Trust.
The new trail, tentatively being called Little Rattler, is meant for non-motorized users: walkers, trail runners, and mountain bikers. In April of 2006, with the help of a huge group of volunteers, we built the trail that leaves Spiral Drive on the southeast side of Tenderfoot as the road makes its first trip around. We have been calling this trail Tenderfoot Trail.
Salida Mountain Trails has an agreement with the City of Salida to develop trail resources on City-owned land around Tenderfoot. As part of our agreement, we have developed a plan to manage the open space around Tenderfoot.
One of the assertions that we made when analyzing this area is that it has a very high density of trails and double-track routes. Social trails, those trails that are made by people as they simply run, walk, or ride from place to place, are prolific. Tracks made by four-wheel-drives and OHVs (off-highway vehicles) including steep hill climbs are very common.
Often when we design a new trail it is planned to be a replacement for one or more existing trails. Trail closure can be unpopular, and since we wish to serve and represent trail users in Salida, we want to be open to public feedback regarding trail closure and other land management policies.
A key principle that Salida Mountain Trails brought to our role as land management consultants is that erosion is a large problem on public land in our area. Vegetation tends to be spare and fragile given the aridity of the area. Soils tend to be sandy and rocky. Salida Mountain Trails’ trail development philosophy is based on the assumption that trails can be built in a way that avoids erosion. Erosion can be avoided almost completely if trails are routed in a way that avoids following the fall line (the straightest way up/down the hill).
There can be conflicting opinions about trail design and trail resource management as a result of this assertion that fall-line trails should be avoided. Some trail users like the challenge and exercise involved in hiking or running on steep trails. Some trail users simply want to take the shortest path from point A to point B, and often this path is straight up the hill. Sustainable, non-erosive trails tend to follow contours. This means that they tend to meander around, following land features. They can be relatively steep, but a fall line trail is the steepest possible, by definition.
A key assumption that has driven the existence of Salida Mountain Trails since we formed early in 2004 is that Salida has a high demand for trails. Our desire has been to build more miles of trails, to meet the demand for trails in a sustainable, environmentally responsible way. When demand is not satisfied, trails will be built. Some of them will be built in a sustainable way, others will be new sources of erosion, and will become less usable and desirable following every thunderstorm and snow melt.
Salida Mountain Trails seeks to serve and represent all trails users and land stakeholders. If there is demand for steeper, more rugged trails, we will work to produce trails of that type using the design principles that make a trail sustainable and non-erosive. Our plan calls for a trail system based on the stacked loop concept; shorter, easier and less-steep trails are found nearer the trailhead (the bottom of the stack). As you move further from the trailhead (further up the stack) trails become more difficult and longer.
We want to be open to feedback and responsive when possible, but please keep in mind that we also have a responsibility to care for the land and satisfy demand for trails in a manner that is as sustainable as possible. Please send us your feedback through http://salidamountaintrails.org/contactus.php. You will be able to send your message anonymously if you choose. But either way, please send feedback if you have it. We want to hear from you if you have something to say.
Thanks for all the hard work, Tom!
Bravo on all the great work Tom! I hope people will look at the map on the salida mountain trails website to see all the trails in the works. That may help alleviate some of the concerns about closure of some unsustainable sections. Thanks again to all the SMT folks!
Tom you and Andrew and the rest of your crew deserve a huge thank you for the hard work you have been putting in the for the last 4 years. Little Rattler and Tenderfoot have greatly improved the recreation on “S” Mountain. Change is always hard, but what you have planned will be one of the most treasured improvements our community has ever seen. My 6 year old son rode Little Rattler yesterday. How fun to have a single track ride in Salida that I can use to pass on my love of mountain biking to my kids. I’ll be out there swinging a pick this weekend!
Agreed – mad props to Tom, Andrew and all the volunteers who have contributed their time and energy. Shawn and Absolute Bikes should also be commended for underwriting Salida Mountain Trails.
gents, It’s truly a remarkable achievement. I am blown away every time I go up there. Andrew, get that wrist healed, I know it’s killing you not to be digging right now. Tom, thanks for being a part of the Citizen. Keep the posts coming.
Dido folks! Great work you guys. Hope to get up there again to move some dirt!!
It’s one thing to have a vision; another to have the willpower and manpower to make it come to life. Salida Mountain Trails has all three. Thanks so much for a job so well and thoughtfully done.