Ottawa, Ontario: Building Trails in Canada's National Capital

Mark riding a newly armored section of trail at Camp Fortune.
This energetic group can't wait to get their hands dirty by working on some trail.
Before the trail work, Mark spends some time showing the group why a re-route is necessary, and explaining what needs to be done.
Lora demonstrates the process of laying out trail using a clinometer and pin flags. Clinometers are essential tools for measuring the percent grade of hillsides and trails.
Like putting the pieces of a puzzle together, volunteers armor a section of trail with rock. The rock here will serve two purposes: 1) it will raise a low spot in the tread between two boulders, and 2) it will protect tree roots from constant trail use.
Lora test rides a newly armored ramp. The armoring makes the exit from the re-route safe and rideable.
La Rocca Mountain Bike School participants cheer on the beginning of a new riding season, and get ready to ride the new trail.
Since they were already in Quebec, Mark and Lora had to make the trip to Mont Ste. Anne for the Mountain Bike World Cup. Pictured here is the IMBA booth at the event.

Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew visits Camp Fortune to teach Trailbuilding Workshop

Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders Mark Schmidt and Lora Woolner traveled to Canada's Capital in June 2003 to help improve the trails in and around Camp Fortune Ski Resort. The visit was the concerted effort of Creative Wheel Consulting, the La Rocca Cross Country Mountain Bike School, and local riders from the Ottawa-Hull region.

Camp Fortune is a privately owned ski resort in the heart of Gatineau Park. The trails at Camp Fortune are used by thousands of riders every summer and are starting to show some impact. With a weekly race series, and several Provincial Cup and National Championship races held there, the trails were ready for some attention.

More than 30 people participated in a two-day Trailbuilding School, highlighting the importance of sustainable trail design, construction, and maintenance. After a half-day in the classroom, those attending the school got to put their new-found knowledge into practice.

The weekend's project consisted of a re-route of a section of Adam's Alley. Faced with some extremely challenging terrain on the edge of the Canadian Shield, volunteers learned how to construct full bench trail and add durability to the tread by armoring with rock.

Thanks to everyone came out to help make a truly rockin' trail. And a special thanks to Bushtukah for supplying beverages for the weekend.

To find out more about the riding in the Ottawa area, check out MTB Kanata, a local mountain bike website and listserv: http://www.mtbkanata.com/