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Post by Angela on Mar 13, 2020 11:16:36 GMT -5
Per USFS directive FATS is officially open!
Some points to note>
There are two to three dozen wet/mucky spots or seeps on the trails that were checked prior to opening. Please stay on the trail going through these areas to avoid widening the trail. If you don’t want you or your bike dirty, please dismount and walk around those spots.
There are trees down on lower Skinny, Great Wall and Brown Wave they are on the list and removal will begin soon. One tree, shown below fell straight down the trail and that has been removed.
Be aware that there is debris on the trails and there is some erosion from all that rain. If everyone would remove a stick or branch the trails will be clear quickly.
The USFS will be conducting a prescribed burn at some point. The conditions have to be nearly perfect The prescription for a prescribed burn is correct relative humidity, winds, temperature and fuel moisture so the final decision is made day of. Portions of FATS will be closed for our safety during these burns but they are generally for very short periods of time. We will advise as soon as we receive word.
There is caution tape at the intersection of the connector trail and Skinny since there is an active stream still running down the trail, please stay off this area until it dries out.
Scouts concentrate on the most vulnerable trails so lower Skinny, Brown Wave and Great Wall were checked. If you ride the other trails and can provide feedback about hazards, trail conditions or trees down, please reach out to us at sorba.csra@gmail.com
Yes if we get significant rain on Sunday and Monday the trails could be shut since they are not totally dry but we have moved into the time of year when the foliage is actively growing and temperatures are warmer so a more normal spring, summer cycle.
Go get your ride on! You’ll have natural social distancing on your bike with your buddies so this is the perfect activity during these uncertain times!!! Many thanks to all the awesome trail users who stayed off the trails during the closure!
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Post by Angela on Mar 22, 2020 21:55:22 GMT -5
A system rolled through early evening. Due to the speed it only dropped between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of rain, please give the trails at least 24 hours to dry out. Thank you!
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Post by Angela on Mar 24, 2020 6:52:33 GMT -5
It rained lightly most of yesterday until the hours leading up to and just after midnight when much heavier rain blew through. Fortunately the heavier rain drifted south so gauge at airport reports about an inch but the gauge north of FATS reported 1/2 an inch. This does add to the rain we received on Sunday. Please give the trails about 48 hours to dry out before using! Thank you.
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Post by Angela on Mar 24, 2020 11:48:18 GMT -5
This notice just in from the USFS, the bathrooms at the FATS trailhead will be closed until further notice.
For now the trails will remain open (unless we get a lot more rain)!
Stay tuned for updates!
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Post by Angela on Mar 25, 2020 6:50:16 GMT -5
Another system rolled through last night dumping over an inch of rain. That adds to the rain we received on Monday and Tuesday (app 2 inches total). Please stay off the trails and give them time to dry out. We have 3 days ahead before the weekend with warm temps and spring foliage growth underway. We will give updates as soon as possible.
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Post by Angela on Mar 27, 2020 6:55:46 GMT -5
FATS should be good to ride, rain is absorbing more quickly now with foliage growth & evaporating with higher temps. Still wet/mucky spots please stay on the trail to avoid widening. Thank you!
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Post by Angela on Mar 27, 2020 12:38:54 GMT -5
We cannot emphasize the following enough!
Most of you know that once on the trail you rarely encounter other riders. HOWEVER sometimes on a Saturday or Sunday morning the parking lot is jam packed. Other agencies alarmed by crowds (DuPont State Forest for one) simply shut the whole place down.
Please consider and pass along these recommendations so we can safely bike, run or hike on our local trails for as long as possible!
- stick to your local trails (DuPont was overrun by out of town visitors) - change up your trail time so we don’t have trail users filling up the parking lot (Saturday and Sunday mornings are peak times) - be a parking spot hog for now, park far enough away from other vehicles so people can safely exit their vehicles while keeping a safe distance but not so far someone can cram in between (this will naturally reduce the number of vehicles in the parking lot) - find other places to park rather than fill up the parking lot. All of our trails have more than one input point! - be aware that there might be new trail users out on the trails and maintain safe distances from other users (pretend that everyone out there is infected with Corona Virus). - SC Governor McMaster has given law enforcement officials the right to break up groups of 3 or more people. Now is the perfect time to spend time on the trails with your favorite buddy maintaining the CDC recommended safety distance, not the time for group rides. - stay abreast of CDC recommendations and of rapidly changing local mandates
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Post by Angela on Apr 1, 2020 8:02:02 GMT -5
We had about half inch of rain when this system rolled through yesterday afternoon. Trails should be fine by this afternoon but this will have invigorated those wet/mucky spots along the trails.
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Post by Angela on Apr 11, 2020 12:50:51 GMT -5
Trails in good condition, most mucky areas have dried out.
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Post by Angela on Apr 13, 2020 7:48:10 GMT -5
Last night a system roared through our area between 4:30 and 6:30am, lots of wind and over one and a half inches of rain. FATS will need about 48 hours to dry out, other trails slightly less. There will likely be trees down as well. Please give the trails time to dry out some before using! Thank you.
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Post by Angela on Apr 20, 2020 6:59:29 GMT -5
Please don’t use FATS for the next 48 hours to give the trails time to dry out, other local trails at least 24 hours. The system that rolled through dumped over an inch and a half of rain. Please help spread the word. After that time there will still be mucky spots, please stay on the trail and don’t widen the singletrack. If you don’t want the mud dismount and walk around or wait a little longer until the trails dry out thank you!
There was not a lot of wind generated by the front that rolled through so don’t expect a lot of additional trees to be down.
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Post by Angela on Apr 23, 2020 16:49:22 GMT -5
Another front rolled through (11am - 3pm) but we received less rain than projected (near the trails). The gauge we use showed about 1/2 inch of rain, most of the heavier rain went south of Augusta. Trails should be good for the weekend although heads up, the wind was gusty today so expect to find an additional tree or two down on the trails.
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Post by Angela on Apr 23, 2020 17:21:28 GMT -5
Stay tuned for another update, apparently another front is sliding through!
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Post by Angela on Apr 30, 2020 6:27:00 GMT -5
Rain started app 7pm last night and continued with various intensity until around 6am this morning. One gauge shows 2.25 inches another 4 inches. Please do not use FATS until we can give an update (will give on Friday). Other local singletrack trails will also need some time to dry out.
The trails are getting a lot of use by users who simply do not know what it takes to keep our trails in good condition so please help spread the word about the amount of rain to those we can influence. Thank you!
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Post by Angela on May 1, 2020 15:01:00 GMT -5
FATS apparently received rainfall on the lower end the scale when that from and the trails are good to go!!
Again there is about 500 feet of trail on lower Skinny that is wet/mucky out of 24,816 feet of trail. Like it a little drier wait until Saturday or even Sunday afternoon!!
Please stay on the trail in the wet spots, keep singletrack single!! Thank you
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Post by Angela on May 20, 2020 13:42:12 GMT -5
Another front rolled through bringing the rain total on the gauge we use to nearly 3 inches of rain. Give the trails at FATS about 48 hours to dry out, outlying trails will probably be good in about 24 hours. Warmer temps, dry up until the past 24 hours and foliage in growth mode will dry the trails out relatively quickly. Thank you!
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Post by Angela on May 23, 2020 7:43:05 GMT -5
Trails should be good to go, will have the usual sloppy spots. Please stay on the trails through the sloppy areas to avoid widening the trails. Thank you!
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Post by Angela on May 23, 2020 7:43:09 GMT -5
Trails should be good to go, will have the usual sloppy spots. Please stay on the trails through the sloppy areas to avoid widening the trails. Thank you!
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Post by Angela on Jun 25, 2020 8:06:10 GMT -5
Have had pop-up thunderstorms hit FATS nearly every day this week but nothing like the waves of heavy rain coming through overnight. Have not fully assessed how much rain but safe to say the trails are too wet to use for at least 24 to 48 hrs, stay tuned for updates!
Other area trails will need at least 24 hours to dry out.
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Post by Angela on Jun 26, 2020 9:11:13 GMT -5
Closest gauge indicates about 2.5 inches of rain in the FATS vicinity. Given the rain in the days leading up to that it will be Saturday before the trail is ready for use and expect sloppy conditions even then. Please give this trail system time to dry out some. Thank you.
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