I know RH will be posting his findings and photos of our reconnaissance trip on Saturday but just wanted to let you know that we took some tools with us and “lopped” the trees branches after the left turn at the intersection to go to the playground. That has bugged me since riding Whopper as I always get a branch to the face or get my light caught up in the branches. We went in as far as the bridge that goes over the downed tree past the rock garden on the way to the power lines. It was a fairly good ride but there was alot of ice patches and we didn’t have our studded tires on.
I’m thinking saturday morning at 10 To start hauling the bridge materials to the site on the lake loop.
If I can get some volunteers we can haul the 16ft pieces in. I need to get 4 of them in before we can start building the frame.
I loved ducking under those branches! 
Gotta look after the 90-percentile, though. LOL.
Jeff - I will plan to be there. Hope it doesn’t rain.
Rally - It’s all fun and games until someone gets clotheslined. 
I know what you mean tho.
Here are the results of my Reconnaissance at Whopper:
Main Trail:
1st Bridge (hardly a bridge) - the little structure over the rock and mud puddle - OK
2nd Bridge (Prof’s bridge) - Needs 3 cross-pieces replaced. Someone has already replaced a few with 2x4’s. The stringers are 23" apart. Cross-pieces should be 26" or wider.
3rd Bridge (short bridge just after Prof’s bridge, just before Playground turnoff) - OK
4th Bridge (CG and I called it the “Tween Bridge” because it’s between two climbs)
This bridge is in rough shape. Stringers actually seem pretty solid, but 13 cross-pieces are in need of replacing. The bridge is 22’4" long, and stringers are 24" wide, so cross pieces should be at least 26" wide.
I forgot to take pictures.
Boulder Bridge. - This is what’s left of the bridge over the big boulder.
Not sure if it’s very useful as an elevated bridge for use elsewhere. The stringers start at 5" diameter and taper to only 2". Cross-pieces are only 0.5" or 1" thick. Could possibly use as a bridge resting on the ground somewhere. It is 16’ long. It does have some useable 2x4 supports.
5th Bridge (Whopper Bridge) - Bridge that goes around the Whopper Dropper Drop.
Needs one 32" wide cross-piece.
6th Bridge (Rock Garden Bridge) - Bridge on the ground in the Rock Garden - OK, but most people seem to ride around it anyway.
There is a decommissioned bridge on the ground in the Rock Garden - used to be the elevated bridge to the side of the Rock Garden. Not sure this bridge is terribly useful in its current location. There are some useable 2x4’s still nailed to the tree, and some 1x6’s (or 2x6’s (?) ) lying on the ground.
7th Bridge (Below the Rock Garden Bridge) - Bridge after the Rock Garden that goes over the fallen tree (just before the Death March intersection).
The part of the bridge that goes over the fallen tree is actually not in bad shape. The lead-in to it is not in great shape. Missing cross-pieces and not well supported/stable.
There is a semi-crappy 6’5" section, followed by a crappy 12’ section. The next 10’ to the top of the fallen tree, and the 12’ back to the ground aren’t in bad shape.
Need new stringers on crappy parts and a few cross-pieces.
There are a couple of useable 1x6’ lying on the ground near the Below Rock Garden Bridge, lengths 5’ and 6’.
The picture below is looking towards the powerlines, with the rock garden at my back. In the distance at the top of the picture is the fallen tree. The semi-crappy and crappy sections are in the middle of the picture.
Bridge to Playground/No Man’s Land
The main bridge has been decommissioned, and is lying to the side. The remainder of the bridge is somewhat rideable, but sketchy. It’s not well-supported. The distance to cover is 12’ to the rock in the middle of the puddle and then another 10.5’ to the Playground.
The old bridge that has been cast aside actually has some fairly solid stringers - 6" diameter. They are 18" apart and 12’9" in length.
Options:
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Rebuild the old bridge. Would need a whole lot of cross-pieces, but the stringers might be OK.
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Reroute - the bridge spans a gully that runs for quite a while. Rerouting doesn’t look very promising, although there might be a route just below the current crossing point. There is still a small waterway that would need to be crossed.
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Drain the puddle. Might be able to dig a drainage channel on the downhill side of the puddle.
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Build a causeway out of rocks and dirt. There are a few rocks around, although the big ones might be hard to move. I’m thinking the water flows downhill (right to left as you enter the Playground), so might need to put in a culvert to prevent damming the flow. Might need to put in a transition as the ledge drop off is fairly high.
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Build a ford of rocks. Similar issues to the causeway.
Again, need to consider how much work is worthwhile to do here, as the trail will eventually be developed.
View looking back from Playground towards ledge drop-off.
A crew worked on the Lake Loop bridge today.
Dismantled old bridge:
Worked on new bridge:
Load tested:
Done:
Thanks to JeffV for organizing the build, Bornagainkenfor materials, Devinci and Kinger for the hauling and build work!
So… if you feel like complaining about a trail… Like CyclingGirl sometimes says…
…build a bridge and get over it!
By the way, there are two alternative routes around the decrepit “Tween” bridge. If you’re facing the bridge, on the near side (going in to the trail), look to the right and you’ll see a trail running uphill. This trail takes you to the top of the next climb. There is a muddy spot in the middle of this that has some rock armouring, but the armour could be improved.
The other route is on the far side. Again, if you were facing the bridge, this time heading out, look to the right. This trail goes down to the Playground connector trail.
Considering there are two alternative routes, perhaps the bridge isn’t worth rebuilding.
Nice work, and thanks to all involved!
Can’t wait to get out sometime soon and see/ride it all. Been a long time…
Awesome work guys!! Just wanted to mention that RH and I rode Whopper on Sunday afternoon. RH has dug a drainage trench at the mud hole into the Playground. The water was flowing out pretty good and we helped it along further. If we can keep the water draining out enough, RH was thinking of building up rocks to the entrance into that area so that you ride down into the hole and out the other side to the playground. We’ll see how it goes.
I have been sourcing some wood on kijiji for free, seems to be a bit around town (people tearing down pations etc.) plan to pick some up this weekend, see what we have to work with.