When Shimano employees want to ditch their road bike for lunch and ride MTB, Whiting Ranch is our local spot. After weeks of rain, OC Parks announced that Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park is closed with no reopening date at this time due to “major storm damage making many trails impassable and unsafe.” We knew immediately this was the next spot we needed to commit our time to so we could repair, and enjoy, the lunch loop once more.

Steve Larson, SHAREMTB President, helped Shimano to organize a dig day with the Rangers and we set out to make a dent in the much needed restoration.

Though the damage hasn’t been completely reversed, the park is on its way back to being reopened.

Shimano can’t emphasize enough how important it is as mountain bikers to give back to your trail networks. We have a nonverbal agreement to be kind to the areas that provide us so many hours of outdoor enjoyment, and that means digging and repairing when things have gone sideways.

Remember to reach out to your local parks to find out how you can help maintain trails in your area.