3 replies to this topic

[seamonkey]

A few folks have asked about the Bluff View / working title Zombie Trail concept map. Our trail steward / designer Sam Mitchell distributed this over 3 years ago so the final layout has changed a bit since then but you get the idea. If Sam sees this post he might chime in with a few more details (or corrections).

 

Length: To be around 8 miles starting at the top of Bluff View, looping Zombie and returning to the top of Bluff View

Interesting tidbits: Crosses about 22 drainages/creeks

 

The thing to note about the completion of this trail is that it is directly determined by the number of volunteers that come out to help GORC and STLCo / Wildwood at each publicized trail building day - usually two in the spring and two in the fall. You can expect this project to take at least two more years  to build out even with the awesome Americorp helping us along. And that's a slightly educated guess. Could take much longer or a bit shorter, just depends on many variables.

 

I'm thinking based on the topo that the trail is currently about an 'inch' below the "R" of rock on the map kinda right where the red dots do a small and subtle 'swerve'. Not too scientific, eh?

 

Err, Sam, this is when you clean up my unsubstantiated facts....

Attached Thumbnails

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[pilznr]

The map on the Trails page has been updated to reflect current trail state as of 5/2/14.

http://gorctrails.co...ails/bluff-view

[Samit]

There will be about 8 miles of new trail built for this system, but the trip from the the trailhead off Old State Rd. around the loop in Rock Hollow and back to the trailhead will be 11 miles.  3 miles to the loop, 5 miles for the loop, and 3 miles back to the trailhead.  The skilled Americorps crew this spring did about 1.2 miles of the hardest part of the loop, finishing almost at the drainage right under the R in Rock Hollow.

 

At the farewell lunch for Americorps Crew, I had a chance to say that if more crews come this fall, and spring and fall of 2015, and GORC has 2 workdays spring and fall of 2014 and 2015, this trail might be done, but without that effort, it might be years.  The next workday this fall will get us into a section of flat rock that will be unusual and spectacular.  It is Rock Hollow after all.

 

I had originally wanted the trail system to have one name, but the naming of the Bluffview Trail seemed to end that idea.  I like 22 Creeks Trail, not because there are that number of creeks, but because we do not have a good definition of "creek", there are plenty of drainages, and 22 is alliterative.  The Parks Dept. has suggested "Americorps Trail", but it might be too early to do that; what if they do not come back.  If they do complete the trail, I am all for that.  How about GORCtrail?  

[95vtr250]

I would much rather see it named for Dennis Hogan or yourself than Americorps. You two are the one's that made this trail happen. Americorps is simply a means to get it built, they are not the driving force behind the design and initiative to move it forward. GORC is going to call it Zombie Trail, what St. Louis County does is up to them.