Building Bike Trails in Beitostølen 2021
Building mountain bike trails in Beitostølen: access roads, swamp crossings, and a great view from the office.
Introduction
This was our second summer season in Beitostølen building trails. We were given the task of building a set of bike trails, each with a defined start and end point and a designated difficulty level, but otherwise given freedom to choose where they went.
The Process
The first step was building the access road in. This meant carefully peeling back the torv (the top layer of peat and vegetation) so it could be folded back down on the way out. This required a careful touch with the machine: cutting it cleanly and flipping it up without tearing it.
Once the torv was flipped up to the sides, we would shape the local material into a rough road. Then we laid down a layer of geotextile fiber followed by 0–32 crushed stone. This gave the access road a solid, smooth surface for the dumpers, allowing for much quicker material transport and significantly better operator comfort over long days.
Geotextile fiber
0–32 stone on top of the fiber
Timelapse
The Swamp Crossing
The bog was very deep. We considered a few alternatives to get across, including driving piles and building a wooden walkway/bridge. If we went that route, we would have had to build a bridge that was strong enough not just for bikes and people, but for our equipment as well. In the end, the most practical solution was to dump large rocks to establish a solid base. This also meant we could use up rocks that could not fit into the base of the trail. To avoid disrupting the natural water flow through the bog, we installed a large pipe underneath. I’ve checked on the myr a few times with satelite imagery and it seems the crossing has not had an impact on the surrounding area.
We relocated torv from other areas to finish the edges cleanly and blend the crossing back into the landscape.
A New Machine
Part of this season involved getting the delivery of a brand new machine with a set of new attachments, including the Engcon EC-Oil system. EC-Oil works really well, so long as you keep it clean, like any other hydraulic coupling.
Testing the Trail
Test riding the trail
Closing Thoughts
There is something special about building something that will be there for decades. I did not expect to get as much joy as I did from watching others enjoy a trail I had helped make.
Trail building ran from late June until late August 2021. Many trips from Hareid to Beitostølen, with long days for long stretches at a time. It was a fun time building these trails in Beitostølen. Biking to and from work was a great perk.
Equipment heading to the next project