Part of the Royal Gorge Public Outreach Process. John Svahn, Stewardship Director of the Truckee Donner Land Trust, and Randy Martin, Owner of Trailscape put on a presentation about Trail Construction and Use-Conflict Minimization.

1. For Royal Gorge Public Process
July 21, 2013

2. Introduce Randy Martin of
Trailscape
Why trails?
The Real Estate Value
Added of Trails
 The parts of the trail
Presentation on use conflict
and the causes of it
How to manage use via
designations
How to manage use via
design

3. Sample Projects
14 miles Multiuse trail
Susanville Ca. 2009
14 Miles Hiking Primarily Trail,
Genoa 2011
Guest Trail Builder Jamaica,
2009
Sugarbowl, 6 miles design, 2
miles built from Disney to Lake
Mary, 2010
Tahoe Donner, Euer Valley, 2
miles, 2012
Market Studies and
Premium Analysis
Advisory Board Hidden
Falls Regional Park, CA
Frequent Speaker:
California Trail Symposium
California Park and
Recreation Society,
Urban Land Institute
International Trail
Symposium
Professional Trail Builders
Association
Professional Highlights

4. • Brings people to a
place of interest
• Keeps people away
from sensitive areas
• Meet recreational
needs of people
• Economic benefits
• Public Health
• Introduce people to
the outdoors

9. When constructing trails, the Land
Trust follows stringent federal and
State standards

10. Donner Summit Canyon Trail December 4, 2012

12. Meandering low-gradient
trails
• keep speed down
Grade reversals-
undulations in the tread
 Keep water from running
down tread
• Slows bikes and
minimizes skidding
Grade dips
• Easier to build than a
water bar; therefore more
get built!

13. • Make them
smooth- no hoof
or tire-catchers!
• Rock-hopper
stones next to it
for hikers?

14. • Most maintenance on
modern trails occurs
because of the
original design and
layout
• A well-built trail
should need mostly
annual spring
cleaning-not much
more
• Major maintenance
needs after flood
events (maybe)
Sustainable?
Sustainable

15. GUILTY
HAVING THE
VOLUME UP TOO
LOUD FOR SAFE
TRAIL SHARING
GUILTY
TRAMPLING STREAM
BANKS AND WALKING
SIDE-BY-SIDE ON
SINGLE TRACKS
GUILTY
CUTTING
SWITCHBACKS AND
LEAVING ‘ROAD
APPLES’
GUILTY
NOT YIELDING
TRAIL AND GOING
TOO FAST

16. Why?
P.S. EXTRA CREDIT IF YOU
KNOW WHAT IS WRONG
WITH THIS SIGN…

17. According to the Forest Service it is defined as:
“Goal interference attributed to another's behavior”
Huh?

18. •Varying rates of speed by trail users

19. Out for a
workout
Thrillseeking
Bird/critter/wild
-flower viewing
Family/Friend
time
Enjoyment of
Nature
Solitude
All of the above can happen here!

20. Perceptions of who
should rightly be
able to use the trail.
Lack of clarity or
understanding of
regulations
Poaching
It’d be tough to lay out a multi use route through here!
Use-Conflict-Why do we have it? (cont’d)

21. Considerations in
designation:
•Single-user, or several
users?
•Resource preservation
and/or use-conflict
mitigation?
•Ordinance or voluntary
compliance?
•Enforcement plan?

22. The Good:
Segregates use however
designed
Provides a level of
security against potential
use-conflict
Allows a clear line for
enforcement
Can mitigate erosion by
singling out high impact
users (particularly on older,
non-sustainable trail)
The bad:
Does not necessarily
mitigate user conflict; may
actually cause an increase
in it
More trails to satisfy all
users= redundancy, larger
footprint of impacted area,
greater costs
Tough to enforce

23. The Good:
Less trails needed= less
impact to watershed
Easier navigation
Use conflict minimized
through design
Larger pool of potential
funders and volunteers for
construction and
maintenance
Easier enforcement
The bad:
Varying rates of speed by
users WILL occur
Design critical to
minimization of use-conflict
Potential for user-group
dominance

24. Sustainable design employs:
Low overall gradient
Maximum grades determined
by soil type
Follows contours
Meanders designed to slow
users
Lots of grade reversals*
* But not to the point of having P.U.D.’s
Design is critical on this section of trail as there is no place to yield

31. •Slow fast-paced trail users
down, provide extra
durability where there is
high-use

32.  Multi-use trails in the
backcountry- (the majority
of the trails)
 Single-use on flatter terrain
for accessibility and walking
 Single-use (proposed) trails
for mountain bikes
 Single-use routes (potential)
for safer travel to areas with
steep or exposed access.

33. See you on the trail!