cewtwo
New member
Trail Repair…
You know, it has been awhile since I've been on the forum. Mostly due to the trails still being closed for the season.
Yesterday was an exceptional day and it was a lot of fun. We did trail repair on one of the trails near the Denver area.
Off-Roading is often a hot topic between the users and those who are assigned the protection of out federal lands (National Forest Service <NFS> or the Bueau of Land Managemen <BLM>). At times, Jeep forums on the internet can hurt the reputation of the people that follow the sport. Not only do Jeep Users follow the boards but so do organizations like the Sierra Club and the NFS and the BLM. When a negative comment is made or a picture is posted, interpretations are made of what is presented. Right or wrong, opinions are formed.
How can we ensure a positive experience both back-country and online? By putting our best foot forward and presenting a positive image. For Jeeping and off-roading, afficianados of the sport need to “Stay The Trail†and exercise proper back-country etiquette. Online? Be careful what you post and the manner in which it can be interpreted. Off-road? Volunteer for trail repair.
That is what my friend, Tom, and I did yesterday. We joined a volunteer work group to perform trail repair on Slaughterhouse Trail located in the Pike National Forest. This was a joint effort between the NFS, the Colorado Go-4’s Jeep Club and the www.colorado4x4.org website.
The objective was to repair some trouble spots on the access road to the trail. They are spots on the trail that filled with water during the spring runoff. The water caused the trail to wash. Several vehicles rolled in to the spot only to find themselves either mired in mud or their vehicles would sink down and high center making it difficult to get back out. Tom and I have pulled a major sized SUV out of there ourselves.
There were 3 pickups and several Jeeps that came out to help. We got (larger than) bowling ball sized rocks from one area and transported them back to fill in the holes.
It took several trips by each of the pickups and the jeeps to load and empty large, heavy rocks. We also moved freefall logs to block a go-around created by off-roaders that did not want to get stuck.
Tom and I wanted to thank everyone that came out to help, so we charcoal grilled hamburgers with cheese and served potato salad. Others chipped in and provided ice-cold water, chips and twinkies. Here I am grilling those burgers!
It was a great day and it served a great purpose. Everyone worked very hard, but had a great day. The finished filled-hole was tested by trucks, jeeps, cycles and ATVs as we ate our lunch, so we were sure that it would work for all areas. The finished project looked great!
See you on the trail!
You know, it has been awhile since I've been on the forum. Mostly due to the trails still being closed for the season.
Yesterday was an exceptional day and it was a lot of fun. We did trail repair on one of the trails near the Denver area.
Off-Roading is often a hot topic between the users and those who are assigned the protection of out federal lands (National Forest Service <NFS> or the Bueau of Land Managemen <BLM>). At times, Jeep forums on the internet can hurt the reputation of the people that follow the sport. Not only do Jeep Users follow the boards but so do organizations like the Sierra Club and the NFS and the BLM. When a negative comment is made or a picture is posted, interpretations are made of what is presented. Right or wrong, opinions are formed.
How can we ensure a positive experience both back-country and online? By putting our best foot forward and presenting a positive image. For Jeeping and off-roading, afficianados of the sport need to “Stay The Trail†and exercise proper back-country etiquette. Online? Be careful what you post and the manner in which it can be interpreted. Off-road? Volunteer for trail repair.
That is what my friend, Tom, and I did yesterday. We joined a volunteer work group to perform trail repair on Slaughterhouse Trail located in the Pike National Forest. This was a joint effort between the NFS, the Colorado Go-4’s Jeep Club and the www.colorado4x4.org website.
The objective was to repair some trouble spots on the access road to the trail. They are spots on the trail that filled with water during the spring runoff. The water caused the trail to wash. Several vehicles rolled in to the spot only to find themselves either mired in mud or their vehicles would sink down and high center making it difficult to get back out. Tom and I have pulled a major sized SUV out of there ourselves.
There were 3 pickups and several Jeeps that came out to help. We got (larger than) bowling ball sized rocks from one area and transported them back to fill in the holes.
It took several trips by each of the pickups and the jeeps to load and empty large, heavy rocks. We also moved freefall logs to block a go-around created by off-roaders that did not want to get stuck.
Tom and I wanted to thank everyone that came out to help, so we charcoal grilled hamburgers with cheese and served potato salad. Others chipped in and provided ice-cold water, chips and twinkies. Here I am grilling those burgers!
It was a great day and it served a great purpose. Everyone worked very hard, but had a great day. The finished filled-hole was tested by trucks, jeeps, cycles and ATVs as we ate our lunch, so we were sure that it would work for all areas. The finished project looked great!
See you on the trail!
