Blackhawk Mountain Biking Goals and Projects for the Summer of 2024

Goal #1: Improve the Westside trails to make them more fun and accessible for riders of all abilities. This will not only improve the riding experience at the Club but will encourage riders to gather at the West trailhead, thereby relieving the congestion at the East trailhead. We propose that most of this work will be done by a professional trail builder. 

1.    Develop Ziggy Down to make it more fun for beginners and not conflicting with snowmaking (Witek). We'd like to make this trail more fun, but we can't add big berms on the slope. We could on the left (west) side going down, as that's off the ski slope. But we'd need some other option on the right (East) side. Maybe portable berms? Or just slight uphill berms? 

2.    Improve the Gully Jumps to make them more accessible (Witek). We've discussed this in the past, and we think that we could get more riders actually jumping, if we added a "B" line, or somehow made it more accessible. We like the fact that a few really skilled riders like these jumps, but only right after we've worked on them. 

3.    Add fun rollers and tabletops at the start of the Springs Trail (Witek). We think that the Springs Trail, that starts near the last big U-berm on the Gully, could have a few fun rollers and/or tabletops. 

4.    Improve the bottom of parts of Howling Wolff and Be Happy (Witek). This is the last section of trail that has not been "refreshed."

5.    Re-build the top of Fenceline to make it more rideable and sustainable (Witek or volunteers). The top part of Fenceline erodes out and is too narrow to groom in the winter. We'd like it wider, and less steep. We could do this work, but not sure we'd do it right. 

6.    Add skills features to Ziggy Up (e.g., rock fields, step-ups) (Witek or volunteers). This will improve the rider experience and help build skills, without causing erosion. 

7.    Bring back the Gully Creek Trail (volunteers). This may have been the first single-track trail, hand-built in the 1990s. About half of this trail is still intact. We propose completing this work during our Spring Trail Work Day (April 27th). 

Goal #2: Improve the existing Eastside trails for riders of all abilities. Several of the trails on the eastside can be improved with relatively minimal work. Most of this work will be done by volunteers. 

8.    Add a few more tabletops to the Pines Jump Line (to be renamed "You Can Do This") (Witek). We think that we could have at least one more before the wood structure, and one more after. And we'd like to add a 180 large berm so that riders can session this part of the trail system.

9.    Improve the entrance to Deer Run to start at the top of Hill #6 (Witek). At present, the only entrance crosses snowmaking pipes and is not visible from the East trailhead. At some point, we’d like to improve this area, perhaps adding another downhill line with mandatory drops (double-black diamond).  

10.    Improve the Drop Features at the top of Hill #5, with progressive difficulty (volunteers). This skill feature will help build an important skill in mountain biking – the ability to ride over a drop without flipping over your handlebars. Our pilot drop feature was very popular last year, and we plan to add 2 additional, progressive drops. 

11.    Complete the construction of the Pines Wood Skills Park (volunteers) 

12.    Fix the turns on Switchbacks (volunteers). This trail has held up very well in the five years since it was built (2019). This work will be done by volunteers. 

13.    Improve signage throughout, including adding kiosks at Erdman trail and the Northwest Hub (volunteers). 

Goal #3: Improve the gathering places at both the East and West trailheads. This…

1.    Design and build a gathering place on the East side (TBD). This project is made possible thanks to a generous gift from the estate of our longtime member, Dirk Racine. We plan to match this gift through a contribution from the Club and through additional donations.  

2.    Improve the gathering place at the West side (TBD). This project will be done by Blackhawk volunteers. We will mark off the space near the front door of the West Chalet.