13 Jul 2015
R.I.P. Kitty Charmer Trail–A trail loved by many, closed by City officials
Kitty Charmer Trail, was a freeride trail coming off of Raider Ridge that was known for its challenging yet enjoyable gap jumps.
Rest in peace Kitty Charmer Trail.
City staff finished closing Kitty Charmer Trail today after working for two days covering the trail with debris and removing the dirt jumps on it, said Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Metz at a Natural Lands Board meeting today.
Kitty Charmer trail was a mile-long freeride trail coming off of Raider Ridge in Horse Gulch that was infamous for its gap jumps and drops.
Metz said that Kitty Charmer Trail was closed because it was illegal, it crossed over private property without an easement and people were getting injured on it.
This blogger and 270 other people asked the city through a petition and submitted written comments to adopt Kitty Charmer during the City’s analysis of the Natural Surface Trails inventory last Spring.
The Natural Lands Board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board approved closing Kitty Charmer Trail after the City built its replacements. This, despite a majority of pubic commenters at the May meeting having asked the City to adopt the trail.
In June, Metz said that both Medicine Trail and the Chapman Hill Flow Trail were built as replacements for Kitty Charmer Trail.
So, does the flow trail make up for this?
Jerry Hazard
July 14th, 2015 at 7:21 ampermalink
Metz said that the trade was Medicine and Chapman Hill Flow Trail for Kitty Charmer. We gained some, we lost some, but we now have sanctioned dirt jumps on City property, which in my opinion is a move in the right direction. Medicine Trail was rerouted and sanctioned as a system trail.
Without all of the public pressure to save Kitty Charmer Trail or make these types of trails with features happen, I don’t think that we would’ve gained what we got.
Adam Howell
July 14th, 2015 at 4:26 pmpermalink
The chapman flow trail(s) were approved years ago. That and medicine trail reroute were already in the works BEFORE the Kitty CHarmer delima. We lost a great natural freeride trail that flowed a lot better than these so called flow trails built in exchange. The total distance of new trails is about 1/3 mile? Lots of awkward features that you can’t flow on. But the city and t2000 get good publicity and look like their working with us. Most mt bikers in this town want longer, more natural freeride trails. Its too bad our local freeride advocacy group didn’t even try to save this trail. WEak.
fresher
July 15th, 2015 at 6:57 pmpermalink
Yes, both of the new trails have some awkward features. Can they be fixed? Some can. Some are being built by people who will not be riding those features, much less clean the gaps that they’re creating.
I’m hoping for some trail work days when those features can be fixed, even if the trails are short.
Adam Howell
July 15th, 2015 at 7:27 pmpermalink