January 2018 Road and Trail Conditions

[Erin Potter]

@Judd 172469 wrote:

What’s the e-mail address for Arlington Parks and Rec? Happy to send them an e-mail since I benefit so much from the trails being cleared.

Best email for general inquiries and thanks is trails@arlingtonva.us

[Brandon]

W&OD from Vienna to Columbia Pike hadn’t been touched when I rode in around 7am this morning. It wasn’t too slick and I was fine with regular tires and giving myself more stopping distance and time. I thought I saw some pretreating yesterday from Columbia Pike to the Custis turn off. In all, the snow only extended my 20 mile commute by 8-10 min

[LhasaCM]

@LhasaCM 172425 wrote:

The trail part of the MBT this morning (around 8AM) was untreated but passable. Slick in the usual spots (e.g., the R Street zigzag), but overall fine so long as you don’t ride like an idiot and take it easy. Besides – there’s not enough snow cover to make riding like an idiot fun anyway

6PM report – the MBT was very icy and dangerous. In particular, it was almost solid ice between NY Ave and the zig zag, and a lot of icy bands elsewhere on the trail. We ended up bailing at T after our 3rd or 4th near fall (getting caught in a rut in the ice to kick us one way or the other), and the looks of more to come. I’d recommend sticking to the streets until things can thaw out a bit.

Also of note – the M Street cycletrack between 3rd and 4th NE (just east of REI) also was a solid sheet of ice.

[TwoWheelsDC]

The riverside lane of the CCT was a nightmare, with black ice and packed snow for long stretches. I was very glad to have studs. Below Foundry Branch, it was also unplowed and fairly treacherous. The RCP trail also had lots of black ice and packed snow.

[Left Field]

For those who use MVT South, watch out for Dyke Marsh Bridge. It was very icy tonight to the point I had to bail and walk, which was a challenge itself. Tomorrow morning will be rough. Take it slow and easy.

[DrP]

4MRT from Meade to Walter Reed was clear, maybe a few spots here and there to avoid.
W&OD from Walter Reed to George Mason was very clear, except for some very avoidable splotches.
W&OD from George Mason to Columbia Pike had a clear lane down the middle with occasional widening.
W&OD from Columbia Pike to Bluemont Trail was mostly snow with one or two clear patches and a couple of icy areas to avoid – stay on the snow if you can.
Bluemont Trail From W&OD to Fairfax Dr was plowed only occasional patches of snow/ice the machine didn’t get.
Fairfax drive and Quincy were good in Ballston.
Ballston connector was plowed but had many missed areas, some of which were icy. However, all small and easy to not fall.
Custis was plowed from Ballston connector to St Anne’s and only had a few missed patches.

Anyone know what Trollheim is like? Or the bridge in LBJ grove? I would like to do that tomorrow morning.

[komorebi]

@DrP 172547 wrote:

Or the bridge in LBJ grove? I would like to do that tomorrow morning.

Columbia Marina, LBJ Grove, and Boundary Channel Drive were almost completely clear this evening. Just watch out for a few puddles in the slate areas by LBJ, which will probably be ice tomorrow morning.

[Judd]

@komorebi 172550 wrote:

Columbia Marina, LBJ Grove, and Boundary Channel Drive were almost completely clear this evening. Just watch out for a few puddles in the slate areas by LBJ, which will probably be ice tomorrow morning.

NPS is clearing LBJ this year so I’d give it a try when in doubt about your normal routes. The bridge can sometimes frost over night so I always take it slow and avoid turning the wheel.

Stay safe out there everybody!

[dbb]

There was a patch of snowy ice on the MVT between the 14th Street Bridge and the turn off for the MVT up to the bridge. A lady rider had just gone down about 1830 (she was OK). Going to be slick in the morning.

[bentbike33]

@DrP 172547 wrote:

Anyone know what Trollheim is like? Or the bridge in LBJ grove? I would like to do that tomorrow morning.

Trollheim was snow covered this evening as was a good bit of the MVT just south of Trollheim. I decided to run studs tomorrow even though they won’t be needed in the afternoon.

[dkel]

I encountered a few very isolated patches of ice on the W&OD tonight coming from Vienna to Falls Church between 9:00 and 10:00. They were pretty much all in the transitions between snowy areas and clear areas, and after I realized what to look for, I had no trouble spotting them. I briefly considered riding studs tomorrow, but if I ride with due care, I think they would be overkill, and not worth pushing the extra weight around. I did have fat, medium-knobby tires on this evening, and felt that gave me the confidence I needed, as the ride is still 90% thinly packed snow.

[LhasaCM]

@LhasaCM 172517 wrote:

6PM report – the MBT was very icy and dangerous. In particular, it was almost solid ice between NY Ave and the zig zag, and a lot of icy bands elsewhere on the trail. We ended up bailing at T after our 3rd or 4th near fall (getting caught in a rut in the ice to kick us one way or the other), and the looks of more to come. I’d recommend sticking to the streets until things can thaw out a bit.

Also of note – the M Street cycletrack between 3rd and 4th NE (just east of REI) also was a solid sheet of ice.

1/18/18 8AM MBT update – still very icy in a lot of spots and potentially dangerous. It’s slightly better than last night just because of the sunlight/ability to see where the major ruts are and to weave a path through. I was OK going slow on my wider (2 inch) tires, but still slid around a little bit in spots.

[hozn]

@dkel 172576 wrote:

I encountered a few very isolated patches of ice on the W&OD tonight coming from Vienna to Falls Church between 9:00 and 10:00. They were pretty much all in the transitions between snowy areas and clear areas, and after I realized what to look for, I had no trouble spotting them. I briefly considered riding studs tomorrow, but if I ride with due care, I think they would be overkill, and not worth pushing the extra weight around. I did have fat, medium-knobby tires on this evening, and felt that gave me the confidence I needed, as the ride is still 90% thinly packed snow.

I put on the studded-tires wheels. There were lots of sketchy spots, though the worst was probably in Falls Church and entering Vienna. I rode pretty slowly.

I’m a little more concerned about tomorrow AM.

[lordofthemark]

There was ice last night on the Case, which got me quite nervous in the darkness. I proceeded slowly and was safe, but was not happy. So I wimped out and rode to the Pentagon and put the bike on the bus home.

I do not own studded tires, so that is not an option.

I probably would have ridden to WTFCC anyway, and hoped for the best, but I had forgotten to set my alarm back on, got up too late, and decided to take the bus TO the Pentagon and ride in from there. The Pentagon>LBJ>Humpback route was fine.

[Emm]

@Left Field 172543 wrote:

For those who use MVT South, watch out for Dyke Marsh Bridge. It was very icy tonight to the point I had to bail and walk, which was a challenge itself. Tomorrow morning will be rough. Take it slow and easy.

It was surprisingly passable this morning, although I went pretty slow per you post and Adam S’ advice on Strava, and I had slightly wider knobbier tires since I rode my flat bar bike. If it doesn’t all melt and dry up today, tonight might be nasty though when things re-freeze.

On a positive note, all of the ice fields on the MVT south of Old Town were on straight segments, so it wasn’t too bad of a ride. I switched to an on-street route once I hit Old Town though so I can’t comment on anything north of Jones Point Park.

[Author]

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