Tanner Mantei loves spending time outdoors on trails 鈥� mountain biking, walking, hiking, jogging and other activities.
He鈥檚 not alone, either. Others have joined him in the activities.
So he鈥檚 part of Estevan and Area Trails Association, a group of outdoor enthusiasts who like to use trails for outdoor activities. They鈥檝e been constructing trails for a little more than two years, and they鈥檙e eager to promote the existing trails while seeking support for new ones.
The amount of time needed to complete a trail depends on terrain and what you鈥檙e looking to get.
鈥淚t can go anywhere from weed whipping and raking a section, or it can go all the way down to hauling rocks in, wood, cement, whatever you need to make the terrain rideable and fun,鈥� said Mantei. 鈥淚t depends on where you鈥檙e at, but it鈥檚 anywhere from a month to two per kilometre.鈥�
Based on the reaction so far, Mantei and the other trail builders are doing pretty well. And they鈥檙e having fun with the names.
The Twister Totter trail down at the Woodlawn Regional Park is likely the most popular one that they鈥檝e constructed; Mantei believes it鈥檚 due to the trees that line the trail. Another, Bipolar, is in the vicinity of Willow Park Greens Home Park and is also very popular.
鈥淚t鈥檚 grass, there鈥檚 not much for trees. That one doesn鈥檛 get quite as much use, but you definitely see people walking their dogs there, and hiking,鈥� said Mantei.
The name usually comes from the building process, the terrain or another attribute. Twister Totter comes from the natural twists in the trail. Mantei didn鈥檛 want to cut down any trees.
鈥淚 routed the trail around what was available,鈥� said Mantei.
As for Bipolar, there鈥檚 no consistent style to the trail. He built it over a year and a half. It was the first trail Mantei built, and the style changed a bit.
Mantei has built trails around Estevan and Roche Percee, with names for Roche Percee trails like Louie鈥檚 Lookout and Powder Cow, and at Rafferty Dam and Smart Lake.
鈥淚鈥檝e got a couple good friends that are a really good help, and we鈥檙e always looking for more,鈥� he said.
A two-kilometre trail in the Roche Percee area, named Cattle Cradle, is nearing completion, and will run parallel to Powder Cow. He hopes it can be finished this month.
The next project will be in the valley near the Estevan Humane Society鈥檚 animal shelter and the old brick plant building.
鈥淚 might try to get a little bit more of a community project going on that build,鈥� he said.
The trails that he has constructed are in addition to those that have been built elsewhere in the community.
A Facebook group for the association already had more than 620 likes as of Monday afternoon, impressive considering that it had been around for a little more than a week.
鈥淚鈥檓 definitely surprised with the feedback on there, and seeing a lot of people using the Estevan trails the last couple of days,鈥� said Mantei.
It鈥檚 for anyone who wants to learn more about the trails that the association maintains, and the opportunities that exist in the Estevan area to enjoy wildlife.
鈥淚f you want to go see the birds and the animals, it doesn鈥檛 matter. If you want to use the trails, it鈥檚 geared towards you.鈥�
It鈥檚 also used as an opportunity to encourage people to clean up after themselves when using the trails, and to stop littering.
Mantei is an avid mountain biker, but he enjoys building as a nice alternative.
鈥淚 got into mountain biking about three years ago out in British Columbia, and of course, coming back, I wanted to continue riding my bike, but there wasn鈥檛 much for venues to do so, so I started going up to Moose Jaw a lot and travelling within southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba.鈥�
Once that became a regular occurrence, he started building the trails of his own as a hobby, and it grew from there into a lifestyle.
He finds there has been a significant increase in people taking part in outdoor activities since COVID-19 hit. Many team sports have been shut down or curtailed, and indoor recreation facilities have had to close or alter their operations, so outdoor areas, including trails, have become more popular, because they break the cycle of spending time at work and at home.
鈥淎nybody who wants to use them, you鈥檙e welcome, and if you need some information, we鈥檙e always willing to give it, and if you want to help out, swing some iron at the ground, you鈥檙e always welcome.鈥�
The Trailforks app will show you the map and all the info you need to know of the trails in the Estevan area.
