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Illegal “Skidding” Causes a Ruckus

Jul 28, 2015 By: Mad Trees
5 0

Editor's Note: How hard should we freak out at non-sanctioned trail building? It used to be the norm, but as mountain biking becomes more legitimate, and trail builders seek to maintain good relationships with landowners, building a side hit here or there or shredding in a fresh line is increasingly frowned upon. But what do you think?

"This video has been self-censored by the Mad Trees crew at the request of the State. No joke. After the illegal trails depicted were brought to officials’ attention at the local and State level they asked that the video be removed and trails be closed and repaired." [ mtbvt.com ]

When originally published, this short caused a bit of a stir in the Vermont MTB community.  Mad Trees built a small hit on a vintage trail in one of the more popular trail networks in the state and released a video shot on location.  When the local trail builder and his crew saw the short, their PTSD of building illegal trails on state land back in the day hit them hard and caused an internet frenzy.

MTBVT.com posted an article fueling a much needed debate of a larger problem mountain bikers across Vermont are encountering. "We used to have expert trails that could take 6 years to learn to ride with style. Now we are building expert trails that 6 year olds can ride."

While we're all for the 6 year old groms and get that you can't tear through vegetated slope sides without causing erosion, the VT trails are sure looking a little groomed for our tastes.

So we're sorry for all the skidding, and it was never our intention to inhibit future trail building endeavors, we were just trying to drift in some fresh dirt and catch a little air. Enjoy.

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tags: Vermont, United States | vermont |rogue |mtbvt |mtb |mad trees

I know we are all working with local land managers and IMBA to create a better and legal trail system but the dumbing down of trails is going to lead to the creation of more social trails. It is ok if a trail will need some maintenance over it’s lifetime. I am not advocating building social trails but I am getting pretty frustrated when a trail is dumbed down to the lowest denominator so everyone can ride it both ways.

Let my people go shredding! IMBA makes crap trail. There I said it.

15 years worth of work trying to get permission for trails at a Perry Hill were jeopardized by a few nitwitz. I’ve spent the last 12 years supporting and working on these trails and a couple of fucking douchebags come along and risk my access to these trails??? Fuck them and FUCK you too TGR. You encourage this bullshit.

    And the same to you RT at MTBVT, you’ve done more to fuck up trail access around the area (Mud City) yet here you are with your hand out trying to make $$$ off it. Fuck you too.

      UH, where are they asking for money? Did I miss something? I thought this was supposed to start a debate about social trails vs sanctioned trails? Oh well, you are pissed and probably don’t want to engage in a discussion.

About The Author

stash member Mad Trees

A seemingly minimal, super extravagant family of renegade nobodys living large on small budgets.