It’s a line all too familiar to many trail associations…
“Why’d you change it, the old one was way better!”
To paraphrase Heraclitus, the only thing constant with trails is change. Between wind & rain, foot traffic & wheel traffic, trail maintenance is never ending; wood stunts are no exception. Around here, rot is usually the main culprit of a feature’s demise; and of course, the goal is always to replace it before it becomes a hazard. Replacement is up to the imagination of the authorized trail builder (working of course, within the constraints of the relevant Land Manager). We’re lucky to have a good supply of Western Red Cedar; its resistance to rot and insects as well as its mechanical properties make it an ideal building material for the creative features Vancouver’s North Shore is famous for. But even still, cedar doesn’t last forever. So how do you know if you need to rebuild or repair a stunt?  

You know it’s time when…

All structures depicted have been replaced or repaired as appropriate.

Cross-posted from www.petrichortrails.ca with permission. Photo credit: P Deck