Cross-post on trail maintenance

[sevenslats]

I haven't sat down and read the entire topic, but it starts out good.
What's everyone's thoughts on this topic?

Trail Alterations



And the reason this topic came up,
M&G Ruby Lake

[michaeljr5]

Where was this cross posted from? hrug: I would love to help work on some. I can ride along, bring a truck, make sandwiches, (eat sandwiches), I just love getting out and exploring Alaska. Let me know when and where I need to be. :allrighty:

[TJVigilante]

From the links from ak4x4network, he's talking about moving obstacles on a trail if they are known to be more damaging than challenging. I agree with moving an obstacle that cannot be bypassed by vehicles that can overcome the remainder of the entire trail, but when it's a passable obstacle in a trail with a much harder section further up or down the trail, then it should be left alone....perhaps doing something other than moving the rock to signal that the rock is there....installing a corner mirror? Flagging? Or perhaps someone who knows it's there leading the run and telling everyone that it's there so they best pay attention...

[28this]

That's just how they were saying that we should only take our rigs on trails we know they can make it through. WELL, I don't know any of the trails up here yet and therefore, don't know if my rig can do it or not, or what's around the next corner of the trail. If they want to do it that way, then they should set the trails like most ORV parks do and label them with numbers i.e. 1-5 and with each number states what type of rig can run the trail.

[28this]

From what I've read, they're not talking about maintaining trails, they're talking about making there own trails to bypass hard obsticles, which as far as I see is not treading lightly. In this case, yeah, I'd say move the rock to prevent others from cutting there own trails.

[holeski]

If you can't make it past, over, though an obsticle with out moving it or going around, you need to go home or ride with some one who can make. Why trash a trail that you can't make it though, just go find a dirt road to drive. Not ever trail is for everone.

[holeski]

I just read this M&G Ruby Lake
That poopyclone guy is an ass. What a jackhole.

[sevenslats]

I didn't know you guys would be so heated.
I need to read the links I posted!

[TJVigilante]

There's a difference between moving an obstacle that someone with a lesser vehicle cannot pass just to make their passing easier, and moving an object that poses a risk to a vehicle that is hard to avoid due to placement, even if it's easily bypassed or overcome by any vehicle on the trail. this is the case, and I half agree with its movement. I also agree that it may cause undue erosion of the trail in that spot which may lead to an even more dangerous situation as there's now a hole twice the size of the portion of rock exposed at the surface....just as hard to see coming over that hill and very easily could result in multiple rollovers.

[28this]

My thoughts exactly. Just because you move one boulder out of the way doesn't mean you'd have to redo the whole trail just so any rig can make it through.

[AZRedRockJK]

.
Haven't read it yet, but...

from what I can remember, the trails up there seemed to change quite a bit from year to year. I can remember when Manchu 1 was no sweat. Then the next summer, big spots had erroded away making sections a bit of a challenge. Kind of hard to set a rating when things change.

I'd have to agree, that cutting a new branch just to act as a by-pass, would be looked at as not treading lightly.

Trail maintenance should be a good thing, as long as it's kept within reason. In the winter, when snow is weighing down tree limbs, they shouldn't be cut off, but rather cleared of snow so they spring back up. If cut the trail will be big enough to allow a semi through.

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