Province’s health promotion is spending 549,000 in the Halifax area, 2.49 million in elsewhere the province
Macintosh run $20,000 for trails
http://www.publicland.ca/herringcovebacklands.html
http://wikimapia.org/1192704/Macintosh-Run
McNabs island $45,000 for trails
First lake 30,000 for trail upgrades
Cole Harbour parks trail association 60,000 for trails
Just in time for fall riding too…
A trail system is being developed in Earltown Nova Scotia, just outside Truro and has some pretty awesome single track, double track, scenery, deadly climbs followed by even deadlier decents.
A 6km loop, which is really technical and hard but rideable, is located on Rogart Mountain and begins at the Sugar Moon Farm parking lot. It can be riden in both directions but beware of leg numbing climbs.
Another 5 km in-and-out trail has just been completed. It is flat, wide and a great ride for most skill and fitness levels. The trail head is hard to find but by parking on the Kemptown Road on the Earltown side (google earth will tell you how to get there) and riding about 100 meters North East on the paved road you will see a pink flag in the ditch marking the trail.
I figured people might be looking for something new and I wanted to get the word out there so these trails get riden. I don’t mind guiding riders if you want to be shown around the trails. There will also (we hope) be many more kms of trail developed over the next year or so.
Thanks Adam, that new trail sounds like an awesome place to bring some beginners.
How well are these trails marked? I would definitely like to check them out.
Trail heads can be tricky to find but the trails are very well marked. There are no offshoots or diversions so you can’t get lost.
Real beginners would find the rogart trail impossible but the other trail would suit beginners who have only riden crusher dust paths before and are looking for a step up.
Post up the next trip and I may tag along. I’m no racer though, I like a slow pace on the uphills. haha
I have often thought that would be a great place for MTB trails.
I think there is a trail day this weekend on the Pictu end
http://www.capetocapetrail.ca/index.htm
I don’t think these trails are made for mountain biking definitely not IMBA quality
The trails in the Pistou area are not designed for mountain bikes…they are just small paths cut in the woods. The trails in the Earltown area have a well armoured and defined tread suitable for bikes.
I believe that building this trail system will take a lot of hard work from volunteers to complete.
Its a sin that better care is not taken to make sure their efforts are not a waist of time.
The trail builders need to invest in a clinometer
$144 for a Suunto (Their slogan; Replacing luck)
Then follow the rule; The trail should never run more than 50% of the incline unless it is solid rock. The incline should not be over 15% grade with an average grade of 10%.
That section we checked out at Fitz is straight down the fall line of a steep hill.
If this trail gets used at all it will become an erosion disaster.
Looks like it has very little traffic on it, there are lots of trees down, and it looked to be growing in.
There are three separate trail systems in Earltown that won’t have the same problems. Professionals have been hired to complete the work on these trails and they are top notch. No corners have been cut in the Earltown area. A different group of people are working on trails in pictou and their vision is the minimalist approach, which as mountain bikers we know doesn’t work in the long run. An example of the work and attention to detail that is being put into the trails in earltown: about 70 manhours of work was put into armoring a climbing turn about 15 feet in length. As far as quality goes these trails are far above anything I’ve seen in pictou.
We’re heading to Earltown this weekend, I think we’ll need to bring some bikes and check these out!
There are three separate trail systems in Earltown that won’t have the same problems. Professionals have been hired to complete the work on these trails and they are top notch. No corners have been cut in the Earltown area. A different group of people are working on trails in pictou and their vision is the minimalist approach, which as mountain bikers we know doesn’t work in the long run. An example of the work and attention to detail that is being put into the trails in earltown: about 70 manhours of work was put into armoring a climbing turn about 15 feet in length. As far as quality goes these trails are far above anything I’ve seen in pictou.
**I know what you mean by minimalist approach. The main parties involved in the Pictou trail seem to know everything and nothing all at once.
Their line choice is terrible even for hikers and will quickly become crap. Also, they seem to be plugging ahead blindly, while the trail behind them becomes littered with fallen trees.
Is the professional company working on your trail from Economy?
**
I’m intrigued by all of this… 
yes they are from economy.
If you are planning on riding I suggest the trail that starts on the 311 highway. It is an in and out trail but is much more fun then the trail that starts at the sugar moon farm. If you are riding on Saturday I may see you out there.
We rode the trail off the 311 yesterday and all I can say is HOLY CRAP! What an awesome job the builders have done! This is easily some of the highest quality building I’ve ever seen. Between bridges that would put Parks Canada to shame and bench cuts so level and even you might think they were preparing to pour a sidewalk into the edge of the hill, this is an absolutely beautiful trail. It’s definitely beginner friendly and even with the climbs it’s quite fast and flowy. Some of the scenery along the route is spectacular, especially this time of the year. I would encourage everyone to head up to Sugar Moon, fuel up on all you can eat pancakes, and then check out this trail.
The trail isn’t very long yet, only 2.5 km each direction, give or take, but if the plan is to extend it to a decent length it’s going to be hands down one of the nicest mountain bike trails in the province.
Some really awesome work indeed. I think some of it may be overkill but that is a whole lot better than half assed.
Keep up the really great HARD work. I can’t wait to see the finished product.
There are three separate trail systems in Earltown that won’t have the same problems. Professionals have been hired to complete the work on these trails and they are top notch. No corners have been cut in the Earltown area. A different group of people are working on trails in pictou and their vision is the minimalist approach, which as mountain bikers we know doesn’t work in the long run. An example of the work and attention to detail that is being put into the trails in earltown: about 70 manhours of work was put into armoring a climbing turn about 15 feet in length. As far as quality goes these trails are far above anything I’ve seen in pictou.
**I know what you mean by minimalist approach. The main parties involved in the Pictou trail seem to know everything and nothing all at once.
Their line choice is terrible even for hikers and will quickly become crap. Also, they seem to be plugging ahead blindly, while the trail behind them becomes littered with fallen trees.
Is the professional company working on your trail from Economy?
**
I went out with a couple of the Cape to Cape Trail builders in Pictou County on Saturday and got a little history on their trail building techniques. These folks did have Garnet McLaughlin (owner/operator Cobequid Trail Consulting) come out and teach them how to build trails when they first got started in Pictou County. From what I can tell, there are now 2 basic schools of thought in PC as to trail building. The first school (which seems to be most of the women builders and some of the men) would like to stick to Garnet’s instructions for the most part and make a clear, distinct, well built, usable trail. The second school (which is for the most part some of the men) are the ones interested in a minimalist approach. They pretty much just blaze through, snipping here and there, and not necessarily making a clear and distinct trail. Not knowing much about trail building myself, I couldn’t say for sure which method is better, however from a mountain bikers perspective, the first method works better. As Troy already said, these guys in PC have already seemed to abandoned what they have started to move on with making the C to C trail longer. As a result, what they have already done is starting to grow back in since not many people know about the trail. Personally I think they should do one section really well (as in Colchester County - i.e. Sugar Moon etc.) then officially open/launch this section to the public (so it will be used) then move on to the next section.
Also, my experience on Saturday showed me that those blazing through, seem to get ahead of themselves to the detriment of the trail they are building. One spot that we were to work on took us right through a very wet swampy area. I easily convinced them to reroute to a higher, dryer area. Maybe they just need others to help out especially folks with more trail building experience.
Also just for interest sake, here’s one of the sessions being held at the upcoming Recreation Nova Scotia Conference:
%between%Trails 101: From Concept to Completion
This session provides an overview of the trail building process from developing the concept to what it means to the trail managers after completion. Emphasis will be placed on the combination of community and experienced professional resources required to develop and build both environmental and communtiy sustainable trail systems regardless of type or difficulty.
**
Presenter:
*Garnet Mclaughlin, Owner/Operator, Cobequid Trail Consulting.
*
Also this is being presented too:
%between%Skateparks - It’s a Good Thing
This is a rare opportunity to hear from a man who bridges the gap between recreation professionals and ‘those wild skaters’. You wll be treated to an unparalleled knowledge of the functional, social, planning, environmental,design, construction and fundraising aspects of skateparks combined with an insight into the soul and psyche of stakeboarders. You will learn how to ensure the sucess of your skatepark by taking into account the nature of skateboarding and skateboarders. Topics to be covered include: Laying the Foundation, Keeping it Simple with the Chicken and the Egg, Green Stakeparks, Graffiti Managment, and Insurance and Liability.
A tour and live demonstration will follow at Chester’s new state of the art skatepark.
Presenter:
Jim Barnum, President, Spectrum Skatepark Creations Ltd.
**
Also just for interest sake, here’s one of the sessions being held at the upcoming Recreation Nova Scotia Conference:
%between%Trails 101: From Concept to Completion
This session provides an overview of the trail building process from developing the concept to what it means to the trail managers after completion. Emphasis will be placed on the combination of community and experienced professional resources required to develop and build both environmental and communtiy sustainable trail systems regardless of type or difficulty.
**
Presenter:
*Garnet Mclaughlin, Owner/Operator, Cobequid Trail Consulting.
*
Also this is being presented too:
%between%Skateparks - It’s a Good Thing
This is a rare opportunity to hear from a man who bridges the gap between recreation professionals and ‘those wild skaters’. You wll be treated to an unparalleled knowledge of the functional, social, planning, environmental,design, construction and fundraising aspects of skateparks combined with an insight into the soul and psyche of stakeboarders. You will learn how to ensure the sucess of your skatepark by taking into account the nature of skateboarding and skateboarders. Topics to be covered include: Laying the Foundation, Keeping it Simple with the Chicken and the Egg, Green Stakeparks, Graffiti Managment, and Insurance and Liability.
A tour and live demonstration will follow at Chester’s new state of the art skatepark.
Presenter:
Jim Barnum, President, Spectrum Skatepark Creations Ltd.
**
If there is anyone that is a skateboarder here, try and get out to the presentation by Jim Barnum, He is a great guy, and really knows his stuff.