Golden Cycling Club
News Archive 2009

The first new trail since Arrowhead has now been completed. “Russ Made Me Do It” is a short connector that runs from Arrowhead (just north of the boardwalk on Arrowhead) down to and along Cedar 2 Lake to connect up with Cedar Camp. From Cedar Camp you can then exit at Cedar Lake or you can carry on to North Star. We are still working on that portion of the Cedar Camp trail that takes you from Cedar 2 Lake to North Star but the reroute is in place and rideable. We are hopeful that the long boardwalk that will eliminate that heinous section as you approach Cedar 2 will finally be in place within two weeks time. Alpine Helicopters will be helping us move the materials for this boardwalk and we really appreciate their assistance.

The Cedar Lake trailhead is also going to be started this week. A real parking area and a kiosk will be in place and we expect that a washroom will be available this fall.

The GCC trail crew is now working on creating a reroute on Bear Claw at the south end of the Moonrakers. This reroute will see a new bridge and trail on Bear Claw (just before the exit to Moonraker) and will replace the existing bridge and the steep climb to the west.

The same day that Alpine is flying materials at Cedar Lake, they will also be flying materials into the south end of Cedar Snag from Sander Lake. That portion of Cedar Snag that borders the beaver pond will get a new boardwalk.. This project lends itself really well to a volunteer day so, if you are interested in helping, check this web page or the Cedar Lake Trailhead kiosk. Most likely date will be early in September and hope for a killer frost.

Since our last Moonraker communication, we have been upgrading the Cedar Camp trail between Cedar Lake boat launch and North Star. A ramp has been constructed at the rope sling eliminating the nasty side slope and much of the trail up to Cedar 2 has been straightened and graded. We are still working on a boardwalk (to be finished this week) as well as some other reroutes. When completed, the steep climb up to North Star will be eliminated and Cedar Camp will join North Star at the Dip (a.k.a., The Toilet Bowl by those who can’t ride it). We have also brushed out an old trail that links Cedar Camp to Arrowhead. Huge thanks to those who showed up for the volunteer day to help out with this work despite the heat and mosquitoes. We will likely have another volunteer day around the beginning of August (tentatively set for Aug. 2) to complete Cedar Camp. Burritos will be on the menu for this day.

As well as the Cedar Camp trail, we have started work on the trail infrastructure of North Star and have just replaced the bridge at the upper end. Two boardwalks, one at either end of the small clearcut the trail runs through, will eliminate wet areas. Pioneer Forestry has also been brushing the trails and removing dangerous trees, so while they are working please be aware. They will be brushing the entire system and helping us with other trail work.

We will start GPSing some new trails in August. So far, six new trails are under consideration and once the mapping is completed we will be submitting applications for approval. This is a slow, but necessary, process if we want to obtain funding for further trail development. Once again, if you want info on this issue or on the volunteer day, you can e-mail Rick

Trail crew have completed upgrade to 10k bridge.

All the trails have now been worked on with the intention of removing as many of the roots, rocks, and other obstacles. This is just the start of the ongoing maintenance GCC has agreed to with our partnership with the CSRD and the Ministry of Tourism etc. Thanks to everyone for their positive feedback. We intend to now begin a program of bridge replacement and boardwalk construction. As well, the GCC trail crew is set to begin an upgrade of the existing trail linking Cedar 1 and Cedar 2 lakes with the North Star trail. Coupled with the development of the Cedar Lake trailhead this will give us some new riding options. We are also organizing a volunteer day for Sunday, July 12, to help with this upgrade. More on this later.

In the future, we hope to expand the existing trail network. We have been talking to the managers of the existing woodlot (yes, much of the Moonraker system is within a woodlot) regarding new trails. There’s more. How about expanding the trails to the north or a trail linking the Moonrakers to Golden? All these options are being pursued at this time and applications for trails will be submitted this summer. Now would be a good time for anyone with suggestions or comments to make their thoughts known and you can do so by phoning Rick at 250-348-2533.

Finally, every rider wants Golden to have its own epic trail. No guarantees, but this will only happen with a committed group that’s willing to put in the time and energy. The first step would be joining the Golden Cycling Club.

Thanks to our new trail crew for their work last week on 5k trail on Mount 7 - they have been rebuilding berms and trail raking. Buff conditions!

After almost two years of negotiations, meetings & discussions between MTCA (Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts), CSRD (Columbia Shuswap  Regional District) & GC2 the Moonrakers Agreement has been signed.

This is a 5 year agreement recognizing the Moonraker Trail Network as a managed recreational area. 

GC2 will, amongst other responsibilities, oversee the development, management and maintenance of the trails with volunteer labor contributed to complete annual trail inspections, monitoring and reporting for the Moonraker trails agreement.

MTCA will supply guidance and direction for the planning, construction and maintenance of the Moonraker Trails and will offer financial assistance directly and from alternate sources.

CSRD will carry out planning work considering the recommendations of the CSRD Community Parks and Recreation advisory Commission and will assist with funding and government support.

As part of this program, Pioneer Forest Consulting have been successful in their application for ‘Job Opportunity Program’ grant moneys in the neighborhood of $70,000. 

This funding will assist in significant improvements to the Moonraker Trail Network including improvements to Sanders Lake and Cedar Lake trail heads with new washroom facilities, signage and improved parking.  Trail improvements include a full danger tree assessment being carried out, new board walk sections to alleviate wet area problems, as well as new information kiosks at the two main trail heads.

Part of our Moonrakers agreement is to do some trail inspections, the inspection forms have been finalized and we need to get them done ASAP. If anyone is interested in volunteering some time and helping out it would be greatly appreciated. It will consist of riding a trail and filling out some minor paperwork. If you are interested, please contact Greg Cowan.

The Bowle-Evans FSR road which is used for access to the Mount 7 trails is in rough shape.  The road sees an increasing volume of traffic due to the excellent downhill trail network, hang-gliding and para-gliding and sightseeing opportunities.  Unfortunately, early season access tends to damage the road, when ideally it would be given a little longer in the spring to dry out.

Thanks to the hard work and negotiations by Dominque (a GC2 club member) the road will soon be graded. Ledcor, the firm building the next phase of the Kicking Horse canyon highway project are kindly donating a grader and driver and Kootenay Heavy Haul are generously donating a lowbed to deliver it to site

In partnership with Tourism Golden, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, this year will be the second year of the local foldout biking maps have proved useful for locals and visitors alike.

Funds from CBT, as well as from the development of the new maps has resulted in a new signage program which GC2 are in the process of implementing.

Along with the new information kiosks at the Moonraker trailheads we are also constructing new signs at Mount 7.  The signage at the base area of Mount 7, near Reflection Lake, will be updated and a new information kiosk will be installed at the summit along with a donation box for road maintenance.

Started in 2008, the Golden Cycling Club “water bottle search” offers an incentive to keep riding through the summer months.  Each month we will be posting a cryptic clue in the Golden Star and on the Water Bottle Search page on this website.

The clue gives the whereabouts of the hidden stainless steel water bottle. Once found, the bottles contain prizes kindly donated from our sponsors.  This month along with the water bottle donated by Kicking Horse Gear Exchange, we have dinner for two kindly contributed by Eleven22 Restaurant.

First clue will be appearing both on the website and in the Golden Star on June 10, 2009.

GC2 has recently developed a program to employ a two person full-time trail-crew to work during the busy summer months on our recognized trail network of Mount 7 & Moonraker Trails.

If you are interested in applying for one of these jobs, please contact our President: Andy Bostock.

GC2 would like to thank Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) and the “affected areas program” for their support in getting this program off the ground.  Funding for the trail-crew is coming from CBT and GC2 funds.

Alongside the trail development and management work, GC2 are keen to continue to develop a comprehensive events program for our members and visitors to the area.

Each week we will be offering club rides with different disciplines on a rotating basis.  Our focus is to promote the “fun side” of the cycling club and migrate away from what may have been perceived as a purely competitive and race focus in recent years.

Check out the events schedule HERE.

For more information on events over the coming months, see the event schedule on this page, visit our website, or check-out the posters around town.

The first major development in 2009 is that GC2 is now an IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) affiliated club.  In previous years GC2 was insured through Cycling BC which was more suited to event insurance.  With the completion of Psychosis and the Toonie Race series, the club has migrated its liability insurance and support to IMBA – an organization focusing on trail access and land management which is more inline with the way the club is heading.

If you are out enjoying the trails GC2 encourage you to put some monies in the donation boxes at the Moonrakers and Mount 7 parking lots or better yet join the Golden Cycling Club.

Your membership fees directly contribute to the signing, mapping, maintaining & upgrading of the trails that you use. It also helps to maintain land access and increase the use of crown land. Your contribution to the club is vital to the future of our trails & sport in Golden & Area A.