Fall Is Here: Oktober At Glacial Hills
After a warm and sunny September, October has rushed in with a little rain, a little wind out of the north, and the changing of leaves all over! There are few times as enjoyable to be out in the woods, and when you’ve got trails like these, you probably want to spend as much time as possible enjoying them.
You probably don’t need any more incentive to ride, run, or hike Glacial Hills this weekend, but we’ve got some for you, just in case. This Sunday is our own little version of Oktoberfest. At 10:30am, we’re inviting everyone to meet up and head out; on wheels, on your own two feet, and with all your friends, we’re taking off from the Vandermark Trailhead for a few hours of fun. For riders, expect a no-drop, ride-at-the-speed-of-fun shred of the best singletrack in the state!
At noon, we’ll fire up the grill. It’s a potluck, so bring your favorite autumn dish to pass and hang out for a while. After a wet and soggy week, Sunday is looking like the nicest day of the weekend and ideal for a day for some solid miles...and a hearty meal as a reward. A big thanks to our trail crew for helping out with this, as well as Patrick and the gang from Paddles and Pedals.
That’s not all! Our crews have been working for weeks to expand the novice-friendly trail at Echkardt Road. With the additional distance, this wide, flat loop is up to 1.5 miles. Another big project this fall is thanks to Americorps. With their extra muscle, we had nearly two dozen volunteers on hand to build a new berm that drops riders down to Never Neverland. We also added a short reroute from posts 18-7, making the Knuckle Buster segment of the trail a little safer and a bit more fun!
We’re looking ahead, too. This past weekend, Glacial Hills hosted groomers from here in Bellaire and from Traverse City for lunch and a ride. This Groomer’s Symposium was a great chance to reconnect before the snow flies and share ideas, thoughts, information on new equipment, and prepare for the new season. It might be crazy to think about, but snow isn’t far away. In 2018, northern Michigan saw its first flakes in mid-October; in Traverse City, fat bikes were the order of the day just a week after the Iceman Cometh Challenge!
We have so many great things going on here at Glacial Hills, and it’s all down to the support of donors, volunteers, and business partners that understand the value of a world-class natural experience. You can help by donating to the Friends of Glacial Hills, and by becoming a member of Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association. You make all the difference, join us!
