So what can we do about the impact of the hot and dry weather on our trails? Well realistically, nothing. Western Washington is experiencing extremely dry conditions, which can make trails less fun to ride or actually result in user damage which will take many volunteer hours to fix. This is particularly true for destinations like Duthie Hill—where tremendous usage magnifies these effects—and may even result in us having to close several free ride trails until rains arrive.

Weather can’t be controlled. We’ve heard complaints that the trails at Duthie are getting loose and that ‘someone should fix them’.  Some users have suggested watering Duthie trails to improve riding, but this simply isn’t a practical solution. Not only would this be cost prohibitive, it would also waste water and reflect poorly on our community’s environmental stewardship efforts.  For all these reasons, Evergreen doesn’t support maintaining trails through watering, except in extremely limited situations.  

Fortunately, this is a matter of stewardship, which is where mountain bikers shine. Check ride reports and exercise the same caution you would on wet trails to protect yourself and the trail.  If you think the trails are too loose then explore some less used trails and give that old favorite some time to recoup.

It’s the reality of outdoor recreation. If conditions were perfect all the time, we wouldn’t appreciate those epic days when they surprise us. So before your next ride, check conditions, think of the trail, and remember—be adaptable. That’s what we’re all about.  And don’t worry, the rain will return eventually and the trails will get water the way they were meant to—from the sky.