Operation Wilder

Words by Dave Robinson Imagine driving north on Highway 1, about a mile past the Westside Pumptrack, and wait a minute, there’s a huge intersection! You look to the right and there are four lanes heading up a gradual hill, and there is a massive housing development that stretches as far as you can see. How in the world could that happen? A developer purchased Wilder Ranch in 1969 and the City Council approved their plan for the development of 10,000 homes over a twenty year period. If it weren’t for a group of inspired citizens who went by the name “Operation Wilder”, mountain bikers may have never experienced the scenic beauty and challenges of riding Wilder Ranch State Park. Wilder Ranch now offers the most singletrack in the entire county and the rangers at Wilder are some of the biggest supporters of mountain biking in the region. They have realized that the mountain biking population is one of the most actively engaged trail user groups in the county and truly love the park. Unfortunately for the trail network and users, state parks budgets have been drastically cut since 2008 and most trail maintenance and building projects have been shelved. Now, nearly fifty years later, Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz is stepping up and helping to fill that gap to build and maintain trail at Wilder. You can join "Operation Wilder" at MBOSC’s Dig Day with Another Bike Shop this coming Saturday, March 24 by signing up here. There is nothing as satisfying as riding a trail with your friends and realizing you helped maintain or build a part of it. Those of us who worked on the Enchanted Loop re-route get to appreciate the fruits of our labor every time we wind our way out of the trail through the oaks instead of dodging ruts on the ultra-steep old fireroad. So join us on the next Dig Day and enjoy that sense of pride that comes from being part of a team that is making our trails great!