Out of Sight
Trails are such an elusive thing. Far from the sights of civil society a group of people put in limitless amounts of hours and energy, molding and sculpting a large area into a work of art. The methods vary from one area to another, because you need to consider the type of soil you are digging in, the terrain, access to water and sun, seasons, and a slew of other factors. The skills and experience are developed slowly. The gains from all this are days with friends cruising the jumps; the excitement around someone  going for that next set or adding in a new trick.
The northwest has a hidden empire of trails known worldwide. Portland has had its history of trails, but within the last few years there has been a rebirth. The old Grotto jumps were brought back to life, pump tracks and back yard trails have begun popping up, and within the last few years a new spot has grown out of the forest. Â Kale and Pat, two midwest transplants began the construction with Kurtis, another transplant for near by Washington.
The backbreaking labor these guys put in during all types of harsh weather to create this place shows with that first step down the hill into the trails. Everything is formed with precision, and with good reason. The steep grade and large sets get you moving fast and mistakes result in some scary scenarios.
Roman made the trip out to the trails yesterday with me. My time was mostly spent shooting some photos of the session. Here are some of those photos.
