Trail Maintenance 101: Trailblazer Sawvivor
(Last Updated On: June 13, 2012)
A wise man once said, “Trails don’t build themselves”. Partially true, perhaps, since many of our finest trails were built by cows and wildlife. But the corollary could just as easily be, “Trails don’t fix themselves”, and that would be undeniably true. Thankfully many popular mountain bike areas have well-established organizations responsible for trail building and upkeep. But if your area doesn’t have an organization, or the trails you ride don’t see many other riders, or your schedule simply doesn’t line up with trail work days, don’t despair. You too can do something simple to keep you trails in tip top shape.
I’ve owned a Sawvivor, pictured above, for many years. At about a half pound, I barely notice that I’m carrying the saw in my camelbak. Granted, I don’t take it every day, but when I have a feeling I might run into some downed trees I toss it in my pack. The blade is stored inside the handle, and once it’s assembled it looks like this:
It’s a pretty amazing little saw. I came across this Aspen tree on the Upper Upper loop last weekend, which was poised to take someone’s head off.
I timed myself and it took exactly 5 minutes to unpack the saw, cut the tree in two places, and then repack the saw. Better, don’t you think?:
So, there you have it- one of those little things you can easily do to help out your local trails, wherever they may be. Pick one up today, and enjoy the feeling of being a good trail steward.
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Frank Konsella
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That is really neat. Haven’t heard of it before and might have to get one. Certainly cheaper and lighter than my dream to have a chainsaw with me on some rides/hikes.