| Author | Message | ||
     Kevin Bridges (Craniac) Member Username: Craniac Post Number: 104 Registered: 02-2003 |
Due to a recent post, trail maintenance is something I have been thinking about. It seems like a catch 22, if you don't "trim them up" every now and again won't they eventually become over grown? If they do become overgrown eventually wont they become impassable? Once they are impassable they might as well close them all togather I know this is hypothetical but watching the way the keep limiting off road use in the DESERT of all places, The mountains cant be far off. Im sure we all want to do whatever is best to keep the trails open, I was just wondering what that might be. I can see good arguments on both sides of the issue. | ||
| Jack Quinlan (Jsq) Member Username: Jsq Post Number: 239 Registered: 10-2002 |
Maintenance should be organized and sanctioned by the forestry/park managment where it occurs. In my opinion anyways. All of the various aspects of keeping a trail passable, or in some cases keeping it difficult are important, but none of them should be undertaken without the expression permission to do so. While it is an essential and responsible part of offroading, it will always be a tricky PR situation when somebody decides to take saw to branch and is confronted by someone who is not a patron of the sport. Picture a well meaning jeeper who is removing branches when a few equestrians ride up and want to know why he/she is "destroying" the vegetation. Always easier to have permission and be part of a widespread effort. That's why clubs like the Rough Riders do so much in SBNF. Even though I've gotten some attitude I'm glad that the signs at the beginning of the trail have their logo to demonstrate to all visitors their commitment to the sport and the park. | ||
| Max Thomason (Lrmax) Member Username: Lrmax Post Number: 140 Registered: 11-2002 |
Kevin, We just had a trail work day at the Uhwarrie National Forest here in NC. What is mainly done is: Build fences, place bales of hay in washout areas, and pick up trash. The fences are used to keep ATVs on the trail b/c they like to go off into the woods and create new trails. The hay bales keep soil from being washed away (pretty straight forward). Then, trash pick up (also very obvious). Kevin, I do not know what kind of climate you live in (never been to Ca) but that is what we did here, and I plan to do it again. The comment about the desert, if the officials were having trouble with stupid idiots going out into the desert then dying, then family suing officials over a BS death claim, then that would be a reason for limiting desert travel. The area might also be home to endangered species or something (depending on desert). The desert might be a live fire shooting range for the military and you do NOT want to be there in the first place. There are reasons for what is happening in the world, some just aren't good. Max T. |
