# Post up your LOG features!



## blmpkn (Sep 18, 2013)

After a quick search I failed to find a thread showcasing peoples homebrewed/favorite/interesting LOG features.

From mild to wild bridges, roll-overs, skinnies, jumps, doesnt matter it just needs to be crafted from (mostly) logs.

Post em up! Lets make this the go-to thread for inspiration and information for log features.


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

Built a jump this year (my first). Here's a pic from during the build. Didn't have a chainsaw so it took bloody ages. Luckily there were lots of cut logs around so I just had to find ones that were the right length and trim etc with my axe.










Subsequent to this photo the jump was built up within the box with nicer dirt, the stakes were cut flush, and the landing was smoothed (ongoing). Feel free to critique.


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## TFitz (Jun 21, 2008)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...509.1073741827.120241931351611&type=1&theater

This one's sort of a 3-fer: small ramp/jump, log hop and by-pass. Sorry for the link, I don't seem to be able to post pics right now.


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## ABud (Feb 12, 2012)




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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

ABud said:


> View attachment 851366


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## TORQUE-29er (Nov 26, 2008)

Here's a skinny we built last year.Maple Sandwich - YouTube


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## Ridnparadise (Dec 14, 2007)

You know Ninja will post. Until then, here's some that may be a little out of left field. By that I mean they are not bridges or big features.

First I'd like to repent by presenting sins to burners - logs on the outslope. They can work:

A steep seasonal creek crossing is a challenge with our nothing brought in or taken out policy. Sometimes a log can be used as a sightline or mood line, rather than be part of the tread. Here we added stone-fill to catch water, slow flow and prevent "post-trail" damage downslope. Also, the log is hollow and in a fire it may help a critter survive (cross your fingers), but basically it was cut from where it had fallen across the trail line and parts of it had to go somewhere nice. As it is nowhere near the riding line, you can sit on it and check out all the natural beauty!!















My wife saw the next pic and said "That's all wrong"









The log on the downslope is solid hardwood deadfall. It was dug in either end and will rot over time (a long time). It lies on large rocks and in the pic, more water is flowing below the log than over. The sideslope is about what you see in the pic beyond the crossing. The upstream log was added to slow water flow allowing more to run through the ballast than over. 200mm had fallen on the day this pic was taken. In the 2 years since, accumulated silt on pebbles on stones on rocks has created a solid tread, level with the log and the popular trail line is well inslope of the log. One day it will drop, but the trail will remain.









The trail will be alongside this log. It will become an alternate skinny line, but the end cannot be covered as animals will use it in fire. I could survive in this one. The saw is a 1937 double with a hardwood pattern. No large rakers an stuff - we are not permitted to use chainsaws. It is an innocent bystander









Around here, this is the tradition









After the next pic, part of this "bridge" calved off. You can guess where. Someone killed it after that and now there is just a sloping junk pile to ride over









We like to try to keep the traditional style going where possible. Here is the exit of a bouncy bit into creekline that is more often sodden than dry looking from the other side









I can't take credit for the next one. Some people see this as the pinnacle of trail building. Our land manager isn't really one of them. Note the diameter of supporting struts versus wheel and tires, plus parallel tibia and femur breakers adding new and unseen challenge for the average riding bozo















Finally, one we enjoy riding a lot. All these trails are 2 way, by the way





















No idea how the attached thumbnail got here, but the tool pictured had turned solid rock into wet sand. It has no place in this thread


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## ABud (Feb 12, 2012)

Maple Sandwich Very Cool. Where is this? Sprain?


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

Log ride on Red Tail trail in North Conway, NH


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

Ridnparadise said:


> ....My wife saw the next pic and said "That's all wrong"
> 
> View attachment 851435


With all due respect, I agree with your wife. This looks like an ideal place for a drain or grade dip, stone-armored if it tends to get soft.


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## Ridnparadise (Dec 14, 2007)

radair said:


> With all due respect, I agree with your wife. This looks like an ideal place for a drain or grade dip, stone-armored if it tends to get soft.


That's why I posted it. The terrain is the grade reversal and the whole thing is on armouring up to a metre deep right back to the upper log. We wanted silt to accumulate on it. It never gets soft and can be ridden in any condition. The log is a sightline on a fairly hectic bit of trail and not part of the tread. In the last 2 years it has seen lots of use and 3500+mm of rain in dumps up to 200mm (8") in 24hours a number of times. No problems. it's just another way to do the things you suggested.


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## TORQUE-29er (Nov 26, 2008)

ABud said:


> Maple Sandwich Very Cool. Where is this? Sprain?


Yes Sprain ridge park Westchester county NY.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

Ridnparadise said:


> You know Ninja will post.
> View attachment 851439
> 
> 
> The trail will be alongside this log. It will become an alternate skinny line, but the end cannot be covered as animals will use it in fire. I could survive in this one. The saw is a 1937 double with a hardwood pattern. No large rakers an stuff - we are not permitted to use chainsaws. It is an innocent bystander


Nice saw.









Oh yeah, log features. It's a MUT, a natural fall and now over 20 years old. The handrail is only about 5 years. Your bars and pedals will clear it but it still rattles you and is very challenging to ride.


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## TORQUE-29er (Nov 26, 2008)

Portable skinny take it wherever you go.:thumbsup:


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## gmats (Apr 15, 2005)

Hey, nice Turner. Someone stole your seat...........Like the portable log too.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

TORQUE-29er said:


> Portable skinny take it wherever you go.:thumbsup:
> 
> View attachment 851574


Well what do you know? This is part of a portable skills park I took to local schools.








This one is in sections about 8 feet long.


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## jochribs (Nov 12, 2009)

ABud said:


> View attachment 851366


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

We built this at Pace Bend park skills area. I dubbed it "Rock Logster" (after the B52's song "Rock Lobster"). There were two boulders that you can kind of see, and the idea was to make a way to ride over them.

Because of the dirt packed at the bottom (a smooth entry transition), there have been a few guys hitting that and pulling up and basically jumping/skimming the whole thing.









These pics are from Keystone. I want to mention the idea of the log-tabletop. It doesn't take precise engineering to secure the logs in there; once dirt is packed in and around them, they're solid. But leaving them somewhat exposed adds a little bit of ruggedness to it.


















You'll also notice, in places like Ray's MTB Park, in Cleveland, they'll have a smooth up/down ramp then logs. The idea is that it's fun to have a smooth take off, then badabadabadabada over the logs, then smooth landing.

















Found this pic online. A way to add an interesting section to long flat boring sections. By packing some dirt at the entrance and exit, a person can launch all of them....









This was a feature at our local park. Log-over to decline. We ended up rebuilding the logs, but I don't have a pic of that at the moment.


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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

Here's a drawing to further illustrate the idea of having dirt up-ramps (launch) and down-ramp (landing) before and after the log feature. I think it's flowier than having a flat ground log feature.


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## blmpkn (Sep 18, 2013)

Cool cool stuff guys. It's the inspiration I need to spice up the neighborhood


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## jfsh (Mar 1, 2005)

Here is a video I made of a trail full of log features we built.





Here is another video of the same trail.


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## blmpkn (Sep 18, 2013)

jfsh said:


> Here is a video I made of a trail full of log features we built.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks fun! Makes me miss summer blah. How many of those trees did you move around? Or were most of them used as is?


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## jfsh (Mar 1, 2005)

They were all as is. Some were blow downs and some were felled by the forest service. We just built the entrances and exits.


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## dburatti (Feb 14, 2004)

Here ya go! These are the only two I have access to until I open my work PC.

D

This one was called Shallow Grave b/c of the construction method. 








This one used lumber we had milled from oaks we fell on property.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

Still love the shallow grave. I made one on the kid's trails because of this picture. They love it! I even give you credit when they ask.


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## blmpkn (Sep 18, 2013)

Awesome stuff, keep it coming! I need to give the old chainsaw a tuneup, and convince myself it's not THAT scary (laugh all you want lol)


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## radair (Dec 19, 2002)

Log turned into a bridge. The sicko kids originally rode this without decking, then put slats on. This is version 3.2 or so.


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## dragonslayer (May 5, 2006)

*Cedar Bridge*

75' eastern Red Cedar Bridge over old railroad trestle foundation and creek. All materials from dead trees milled with chainsaw on site.


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## aero901 (Apr 11, 2012)

> ...milled with chainsaw on site.


Nice! I bet that took a few chains.


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## dragonslayer (May 5, 2006)

aero901 said:


> Nice! I bet that took a few chains.


The cedar cuts easy it's not too hard on chains but I did use a lot of saw gas and bar oil though.


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## oaker (Oct 15, 2009)

still a few finishing touches to do but heres one we made today, about 80' long.


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## oaker (Oct 15, 2009)




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## cmc4130 (Jan 30, 2008)

bump!


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## TORQUE-29er (Nov 26, 2008)

Built this last fall from an uprooted red oak.

Built up the ramp from dirt from the root flare
getting on from the side can be sketchy and your front wheel wants to go over the side so I carved a curb to prevent this from happening.
At the end there's a three way split your choice.


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