February 2016 Road and Trail Conditions – Is there still snow/ice out there?

[Raymo853]

@consularrider 133877 wrote:

Look at the gaps in the “snow” fence, it won’t stop wind blown snow at all.

Yes it will. A few hundred years of use to proof to the contrary. The gaps are key, without the gaps it won’t work. It is about disturbing the airflow so the snow drops out, not stopping the wind flow. If you put a solid fence there the wind just goes over it with being disturbed and the snow is not greatly effected.

[CaseyKane50]

Took a ride north on the MVT from Jones Point Park. The Trail is largely clear from Jones Point Park to the Four Mile Run Trail junction.

There are six spots that might require walking, but today’s rain and another warm day should clear most of them up. Pictures of five of the spots are below. The sixth spot is on the wooden bridge south of the Washington Sailing Marina.

Jones Point Park, just north of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10809[/ATTACH]

Just north of Montgomery Street
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10810[/ATTACH]

North end of cantilevered bridge by the power plant
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10811[/ATTACH]

Just south of Marina Towers
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Wooden bridge just north of Marina Towers
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[consularrider]

@Raymo853 133908 wrote:

Yes it will. A few hundred years of use to proof to the contrary. The gaps are key, without the gaps it won’t work. It is about disturbing the airflow so the snow drops out, not stopping the wind flow. If you put a solid fence there the wind just goes over it with being disturbed and the snow is not greatly effected.

The gaps are about twice as wide as what I see in snow fences in the midwest and they clearly did not work in the most recent snow event.

[Arlingtonrider]

I was really hoping to ride a bikeshare bike home tonight, but looking at the recent photos of the Humpback Bridge (and with an injured toe that makes hiking through snow painful), I’m not sure it’s doable trying to push such a heavy bike through all that. I’d be fine if the Humpback Bridge was reasonably clear. Thanks, dbb, for pursuing this with NPS. Please let me know if it would help to add my voice.

Update: Thanks to melting and the good reports below, I no longer need to go over the Humpback! Thanks, KWL!

[PotomacCyclist]

@Terpfan 133904 wrote:

I don’t know about Arlington, but a stone’s throw across the river, it’s pouring right now. Which is nice if it ends before my commute home later tonight. Of course, these piles of snow don’t seem to be going anywhere.

It has been raining in Arlington too.

[KWL]

Some major improvements to the MVT today. There still are some spots like the first photo between Rosslyn and the Humpback bridge and Trollheim is still a mess. And sorry, ArlingtonRider, Humpback has not seen a bobcat nor a bobco85. But GOOD NEWS!! Both of the National Airport bridges are totally clear. Fourteenth Street bridge to 4MR (and beyond to my house) is pavement, pavement, pavement.

[hozn]

W&OD is in pretty good shape from Falls Church to Reston.

Hill near tennis courts is still a slushy (and now a few inches of water too).

There are still a few slush sections between Gallows and Vienna.

There are some longer slushy stretches between Vienna and Clarks Crossing.

But on the whole I would say 90% of the trail has a at least a strip of pavement. I might even ride slicks tomorrow (but if I do I will take the Beulah detour).

[Pjaxel]

Is the path from Rosslyn to Memorial Bridge along the river rideable?
Hoping to ride in tomorrow but concerned about negotiating the wooden bridge on a road bike. Thanks.

[DismalScientist]

That wooden bridge is called the Trollheim in forum parlance, and it doesn’t sound good. Have you considered the 110 trail as an alternative?

[Terpfan]

How’s MVT from 14th st to OT? Humoback bridge is now down to just a 50′ length of thick packed snow. The rest cleared up. The marina route now has good lines and mostly melted. So now im curious if I hit MVT by Slaters, how many (if any) times will I have to dismount prior to 14th St Bridge? Any word on it south of OT from condos down to Belle View? I’ve noticed most areas except those that had extra snow seem to have melted.

[kcb203]

@hozn 133943 wrote:

W&OD is in pretty good shape from Falls Church to Reston.

Hill near tennis courts is still a slushy (and now a few inches of water too).

There are still a few slush sections between Gallows and Vienna.

There are some longer slushy stretches between Vienna and Clarks Crossing.

But on the whole I would say 90% of the trail has a at least a strip of pavement. I might even ride slicks tomorrow (but if I do I will take the Beulah detour).

If it stays above freezing tonight, I might have to give it a try. Forecast is for 29 tonight in Reston, which could be a disaster with all the water and slush everywhere.

[KWL]

@Pjaxel 133946 wrote:

Is the path from Rosslyn to Memorial Bridge along the river rideable?
Hoping to ride in tomorrow but concerned about negotiating the wooden bridge on a road bike. Thanks.

Today I saw some skillful road bike riders handle Trollheim (the wooden bridge) and other sections of the Mt Vernon Trail between Rosslyn and Memorial Bridge that look like this: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=10817&d=1454369905 but I wouldn’t be able to do it. I think the Rt 110 trail suggestion would be the best route.

Edited to add photo of Trollheim from this evening. You may judge for yourself.

[vern]

@hozn 133943 wrote:

W&OD is in pretty good shape from Falls Church to Reston.

Hill near tennis courts is still a slushy (and now a few inches of water too).

There are still a few slush sections between Gallows and Vienna.

There are some longer slushy stretches between Vienna and Clarks Crossing.

But on the whole I would say 90% of the trail has a at least a strip of pavement. I might even ride slicks tomorrow (but if I do I will take the Beulah detour).

I rode slicks today and was fine. I took the detours at Beulah and Cottage, and rode the WOD from the Custis on in to Reston. The WOD is now clear at least to Temporary Road in Reston.

But if it’s hovering around freezing tomorrow morning I won’t be on slicks.

[PotomacCyclist]

S EADS STREET PROTECTED BIKE LANES – 95% CLEAR

From Glebe Rd to 18th St. A few snow patches still jut out into the lane, including at 23rd St in the southbound lane. Other than that, all the snow is gone. The County plowed through some of the big snowbanks. The others have melted or have receded and are outside of the lane.

[Pjaxel]

Thanks KWL. A picture is indeed worth 1000 words. The trollheim bridge looks like it needs a couple more days of melting.

[Author]

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