Black Rock weathering the storm MOST TRAILS OPEN AFTER ICE DAMAGE “We are extremely fortunate to work with the great people at the Oregon Department of Forestry, and for the opportunity to have such killer trails in such a beautiful place,” Black Rock website
48 Explore Polk County 2021
A
global pandemic unleashed by Mother Nature couldn’t dissuade outdoor enthusiasts from riding the trails of the Black Rock Mountain Bike Area outside Falls City. Even her second attempt to lock them out of the forest by sending an ice and windstorm through the region was only a temporary setback for these hardy action junkies. About 40 volunteers hit the trails in March to clear the smaller debris left by the February 2021 ice storm that toppled trees and damaged many of the park’s man-made trail features. Dan Shell, vice president of Black Rock Mountain Bike Association, was succinct on the state of Black Rock. “It’s like a storm happened in a forest,” he said.
With the help of volunteers and assistance from the Oregon Department of Forestry, the trail system — with a few exceptions — has reopened. “We are extremely fortunate to work with the great people at the Oregon Department of Forestry, and for the opportunity to have such killer trails in such a beautiful place,” read message on the Black Rock website. The picture wasn’t so rosy back in March, about a month after the ice storm swept through the area. Shell said then that the system would require a lot of work. “It’s not just about trail features hit by trees. There’s also rot going on,” he said. “We’re dealing with features that have been sitting in the forest for 10 years and they’re made out of See PAGE 50
A Special Publication of the Polk County Itemizer-Observer
