LOHS - Lake Orion High School Trails

[Steve_Kinley]

Perfect trail conditions today at LOHS. Tacky dirt and no mud. I closed off the old, short section to force everyone onto the new and longer section. Hopefully that will help smooth it out

[bikesatori]

Great! What time will you be out there? I plan on riding around 4:00 or so. It is pretty easy to follow the normal loop by staying on the worn in dirt path, starting from the edge of the upper parking area close to the soccer field and riding clockwise. But, there are a couple of sections that are easily overlooked since they branch off the main loop, sort of subsections of trail that could be bypassed.

ah, didn't see this until now. I rode it around 6.
Great trail! Really gonna be good when it gets packed and grooved in (and a bit easier to follow).

There were a couple sections where my friend and I did get turned around a bit, most notably when we came from bald mt, around the pond then up the hill towards school, then trail fades out... so we just rode along by the back of the school on the dirt road until we were by the baseball diamonds, I'm assuming this was right?
then a couple of cross trails towards the back.... but not nearly as bad as bloomer.

But on the fresh section (very fresh and lumpy!) we met up with a local guy and rode with him, was a good guy to ride with and good way to see rest of trail by someone who knew most of it. Thanks Brad.

Overall seems like a pretty good trail for working on fitness, as well as a bit of technical handling skills. Pretty windy, but still some good sections of reward and flow.
...and don't mean to criticize harshly, just my opinion, but back sections through grassy paths are a bit mundane and slow to me, but nothing that will keep me from coming back!
Might even try to make this a weekly ride since I'm fairly close, and bring some friends out too and try to get this grooved in!

[Steve_Kinley]

Glad you were able to find your way around. Hopefully you found the sections that ducked off the two track into the woods once you passed the obstacle course. The main section of trail has a pretty well worn in path most all of the way around; if you get started correctly it's pretty easy to follow. The grass section is slow this time of year while it dries out completely. But you have to get from point A to point B somehow.

The trail definitely gives a good cardio workout and the more you ride it the more you will find the lines and learn the flow. It is not nearly as tight as it looks on the first ride. I believe the trail has been measured to have more climbing per lap than most trails in the area. No real big climbs but the little ones keep coming at you and add up.

[Steve_Kinley]

BTW, we occasionally ride the trails at 7:00 on Friday nights, meeting at G's restaurant on Lapeer Rd. You just need to check the ride forum for updates.

[bikesatori]

Glad you were able to find your way around. Hopefully you found the sections that ducked off the two track into the woods once you passed the obstacle course. The main section of trail has a pretty well worn in path most all of the way around; if you get started correctly it's pretty easy to follow. The grass section is slow this time of year while it dries out completely. But you have to get from point A to point B somehow.

The trail definitely gives a good cardio workout and the more you ride it the more you will find the lines and learn the flow. It is not nearly as tight as it looks on the first ride. I believe the trail has been measured to have more climbing per lap than most trails in the area. No real big climbs but the little ones keep coming at you and add up.

I hear you on that. Was just mentioning my thoughts out loud. reminds me of many races where they have to reroute the laps over grassy fields, and I hate it.

Yeah, I was able to see lines pretty good, for the first time out anyway. Most downhills you are able to carry speed and ride with momentum nicely, unlike Highland for comparison where many sections you just have to jam on the brakes and kill all speed. I really don't mind a bunch of burst climbs, can be fun, and I much prefer it over long drawn out shallow climbs.

Maybe I'll swing out to G's this friday then... hopefully weather holds out this week.
So you just meet up in the parking lot there, then ride in down greensheild to bald mountain, or down m24 to the school??
Greensheild was complete DUST BOWL yesterday, haha. Was wheezing on a dust cloud the entire time I was just unloading and loading from the truck there!

[Steve_Kinley]

Yes, we park in G's gravel lot and then will ride into Bald Mountain or through the sub up to the school, depending on how wet Bald Mountain is. in another month or so the field sections will be hard and fast. Plus it is a chance to get a drink or pass someone

[Steve_Kinley]

The trail is if great shape. I was walking it this evening taking out the little stumps that have been exposed and was surprised how much smoother the newest sections have gotten over the weekend. The soil conditions have been perfect for packing it down.

[bikesatori]

yeah I rode it with a friend on thursday and it was definitely getting better and better.

There is still one corner in the new section where everyone (including myself the first time I rode it) I ride with seems to lose the trail, where you reach the bottom of a little twisty descent, then turn back about 150deg back uphill to the right and it's still all grassy there, very contrast to all the rest of that little section...

[Steve_Kinley]

I know the corner you are talking about. In a few weeks, once the grass grows it will be more visible but for now I can put out a few more flags in the corner.

[Steve_Kinley]

The newest section of trail is getting some reshaping of the jump and adding a berm in the downhill along the old septic field fence line. The pic doesn't really show the slope but you can see the start of the berm at the top of the picture. This will be a fun section before you start climbing. Come out and ride it this Friday night at 7:00.

[Steve_Kinley]

Trail was in great shape this afternoon, dry and fast. I picked up the branches of significance and only one tree down across the trail. But it is easy to spot and can be ridden over, about 8" in diameter.

[Steve_Kinley]

The tree has been removed and the trail is in great shape. I finally got a chance to measure the complete course since the newest addition and the race loop is now up to 8.1 miles. The new section is a little over .5 miles.

This is the elevation profile of the entire loop. My monitor, which usually reads low, had almost 700 feet of climbing. I heard that there was a ride on Saturday and they measured over 1,000 feet. Nothing really big, but a lot of little climbs that add up.

[kcnado]

I assume the new sections you speak of at the beginning of the trail (starting behind the football field)? Seemed like some fresh cuts out there.
I got a little confused around the first 1.5 miles. It seems there is a section that runs off the old road (to the right) that wasn't groomed, but there was still a reflector marker on the tree. Is the intention to shut that section down or was just not raked yet? I rode a few feet in then turned around and continued past it.

BTW - trail is in awesome shape! Thanks to those who care for it!

[Steve_Kinley]

got a little confused around the first 1.5 miles. It seems there is a section that runs off the old road (to the right) that wasn't groomed, but there was still a reflector marker on the tree

That is a short cut that is used in the winter races or when we need to cut from one section to the other. The snowmobile will pack it down for us in the winter so we have the reflectors for night riding. We don't rake it and we mark it off during the races. If you stay on the worn in path you should now have a problem. Glad you liked the trail.

[Steve_Kinley]

As of this morning the LOHS trail is about 95% dry. Still a few squishy sections and even some water in a few spots but overall pretty dry. But watch your speed, there are a few normally dry corners that will spit you off the bike in a heartbeat