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3/23 Trail Update: Please continue to ride elsewhere for now

3/23/2014

The RIDENOX Council was out today at the trailhead working on several projects including cleaning winter debris in the parking lot and a drainage issue just past the kiosk. As evidenced by a virtually empty parking lot, the Council is grateful to all those who are either continuing to hold off their riding season or else are riding elsewhere with better early-season drainage.

On the positive side, minimal trail traffic combined with relatively dry conditions in the past few days are beginning to minimally dry out the areas that historically firm up first. That said, much of the system remains fairly wet with some partial tree blockages. Please continue riding elsewhere until further notice and let's hope that dry weather with sun and wind continue to prevail.

-RIDENOX Council

3/16 Trail Update: Respect the Trails - Don't Ride.

3/16/2014

The RideNox Council was out near the Tower Road trailhead today working on a trailside improvement and wanted to thank all of those who are respecting the current trail closure. Only a few have ridden (most likely on Saturday, 3/15, despite the obviously extremely muddy conditions so close to the thaw and they have left severe rutting waiting to trap upcoming rainfall.

In fact, the few out today themselves acknowledged the trails were in no way ridable with mud, very slippery patches of remaining ice in shady areas, and numerous cedar trees partially blocking the way. Even "drier" areas freezing a little on colder nights are turning slimy by mid-morning at the latest now - the cold weather riding season's basically done.

Please check back here weekly during the next month to month-and-a-half to see how conditions hopefully improve.

- RIDENOX Council

3/11 Trail Update: Don't Even Think of Riding Here Now.

3/11/2014

RideNox Council members were out on the trails this past Sunday. Deep, icy, hard-to-melt snow of at least 6" to 10" remained in place. Bowed cedars partially block the trails in many places observed along with likely down branches or possible trees in other areas not visited personally by the Council.

Warm temperatures on Monday, today, and tomorrow followed by heavy rain will likely melt most of the remaining snow leaving the trails severely wet and completely unridable for the foreseeable future. Rainfall the rest of March and well into April will likely only aggravate the situation created by nearly six feet of winter precip melting into the trails in recent weeks.

Please DO NOT ride at Nockamixon when the snow melts! Current soil conditions on the trails will NOT sustain ANY traffic whatsoever right now. The trails WILL get rutted into mudholes, you/your bike/the interior of your vehicle will be coated in mud, and all of this will only add to the work of the Nox trailbuilders who would rather focus on making permanent improvements rather then fixing unnecessary damage.

The trails are checked regularly and updates will be posted regularly as we move further into spring and the trails begin drying out.

-RIDENOX Council

Trail Report 2/9/2014

2/10/2014

Members of the RideNox Council were out hiking the Cold Spot loop yesterday and noted substantial storm-related work of the type that emphasizes the importance of the Nockamixon Adopt-a-Trail Loop Trail Maintenance Conference on 2/22/2014.

Numerous trailside cedars have been weighed down with snow and ice from this past week's storms which will likely be aggravated by the midweek northeaster on Wednesday-Thursday. It is very likely that this condition exists throughout the trail system and that at least some of what are a substantial number of these bent trees currently obstructing the trails will need to be trimmed prior to the riding season.

As far as the trail conditions themselves - essentially unridable even on a fatbike due to the deep snow and thick, collapsible crust, none of which will be helped either by the storm later in the week or the thaw that will eventually follow. Do not plan on riding at Nockamixon any time soon

Trail Meeting Sign Up Sheet

2/8/2014

South Park loop trailwork, 1/12/2014

1/12/2014

RIDENOX Council members were out today on the South Park loop undertaking work to remove several storm-damaged trees partially obstructing the trail as well as a number of invasive species in the form of autumn olive bushes that were threatening to either grow into the trail or to break apart in storms and fall across it.

Trail conditions are indeed as posted below - wet in most areas, icy in others, frost-heaved and thawing elsewhere with mud being a major factor nearly everywhere - definitely NOT ridable this week

Dreary weather and wet trail conditions continue, 1/11/2014

1/11/2014

The dramatic cold-warm/snow-rain cycle continues at Nockamixon leaving the trails unridable except for during true freeze periods. The melting of a six-inch snowfall, rain, the melting of another two-inch snowfall, and now today another projected 1" of rain with no warmth, sun, and/or wind to dry things out have NOT helped.

Please continue to NOT ride at Nockamixon for the forseeable future unless you have the opportunity to get out there during freezes early in the morning when temps are in the high teens-low 20s or lower.

The Nox trailbuilders will be out tomorrow, Sunday 1/12/2014, working in select areas.

Thank you for your continued help in respecting the trails during these difficult weather conditions.

-RIDENOX Council

South Park loop update, 12/29

12/29/2013

The Nockamixon trailbuilders were out on the South Park loop this early this morning working prior to the rainstorm on drainage issues as well as flow improvements requiring the trimming of brush and old stump removal in the trail corridor/trail tread.

It was observed that the South Park loop is extremely muddy from weeks of rainfall, freeze-thaw, and melting snow, a condition that today's nearly inch of rain has only aggravated.

Fortunately, very few people have been riding at Nockamixon as of late and rutting is relatively minor - this is keeping damage to be fixed to a minimum. Please continue avoiding riding at Nockamixon until the cold snap at the end of this upcoming week makes early morning rides possible again.

-RIDENOX Council

12/28 Update

12/28/2013

Thanks to all who avoided riding at Nockamixon today - the Tower Road lot was empty as a result and yes, the trails were extremely muddy as predicted due to the thaw.

On a separate note - the Nockamixon trailbuilding crew delivered two picnic tables to the Tower Road trailhead this afternoon for everyone's use this upcoming riding season. We also undertook our bi-annual Adopt-a-Highway cleaning of Route 563 (Mountainview Drive) in the area of the bridge near the Tohickon-Haycock boat launches/the Route 563 trailhead.

Tomorrow's outlook still looks poor with over an inch of rain forecasted

Warm conditions and rain this weekend . . . .

12/27/2013

Riding conditions have been relatively good first thing in the morning the last couple of days whenever temperatures were in the teens at night. However, "Capt'n Crunch"-style frost heaving and scattered wet spots have posed some challenges for the early-morning riders. By noon temperatures approaching 35 degrees or so made things too greasy for responsible riding.

Warm temperatures into the 40s this Saturday will render the trails unridable as the frost heave melts - please do NOT ride.

More than an inch of rain is projected on Sunday - again please refrain from riding during or in the days immediately after this rain event unless a hard freeze is underway.

RIDENOX Council

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