Local mountain singletrack DAMAGED!

[mrmoto]

To protect the innocent and not give SUWA or the Sierra Club any free amunition, I won't say where or when I saw this...

But... I'm very disappointed in some riders who think it's fun to go ride the mountain trails too early in the spring when they are really muddy. The damage I encountered was fairly severe with several sections of 100+ yards of 12-24 inch deep ruts right down the middle of the trail. With the rest of the snow pack melting and the spring rains... AND additional riders going down the same ruts, the forrest service is going to deem this as too much erosion and they WILL close the trails.

PLEASE, don't ride the trails when they are really muddy. Just turn around and go back home --- or out to the many rideable desert areas until the ground dries up sufficiently.

[Yroc]

yup, I saw the same thing! I am dissapointed to say the least. I honestly don't know how some people can think they can do that. It looks like a huge ugly mess and even I would consider closing the trail to motorbikes if that's what they do, but they don't if we are smarter.

THINK PEOPLE!!

[BigBoreRacing]

Eric...yer PM box is full.

[mexihonkey]

Thanks for posting about this issue. There are many "high profile" trails that are close to urban areas that are getting seriously beat-up. Basically unusable on bicycle and even on foot. I won't ride my motorcycle on these trails because I prefer to stay out-of-site, out-of-mind with the public and also because I they were great mtb trails that have become unrideable.

[mrmoto]

Lenny -- just cleared out my PM box.

[live_to_ride]

Eric, while I completely agree with you, there is no way to avoid riding through it if you're past the point of no return. All we can do now is go back and fix it.

We're all good at complaining, but who is willing to do more than complain? Who is willing to actually go up there with shovels and fix the damn thing? I am, but I'm not going by myself.

[mrmoto]

Chris -- Guess we can agree to disagree. We've done some single track riding together in this area. Riding after a little rain doesn't cause the kind of damage I saw. These weren't 3-4 inch ruts that wear away after the next rain storm. These were massive 18-24 inch ruts where you would drag your footpegs for 100+ years. And this wasn't just one small section. I counted three LONG sections with this damage... right down the same trail. The both of us have ridden this area for a few years and I've never seen this kind of damage. The riders doing this should be banned for life. But more likely all of us will get banned for life because of the selfish actions of a few. In my mind there's just no justifying it.

Fixing this with shovels may not be the best idea. The lose dirt may just blow away and just cause more errosion and a wider deeper channel for rain water and more errosion... you get the idea. I'm not sure. DAVID??? You out there. I'm guessing you'll have an opinion about this and how to fix the trail without causing more damage.

[live_to_ride]

One thing we did when I was up there with the UTMA was to throw logs down in the ruts to fill them. It worked well from what I could tell. I'm with you though. I don't claim to know what is the best way to fix this. I am just offering my help to fix it and work on the trails in general. I'm sure you've heard me saying for a long time that I would like to go up there and make some improvements to the trails.

[ophir]

Hey PM with the location. I am curious to see if it is the same area I seen. Logs will not work. They will stop the erosion, but who can ride down the center of a log? Riders will create another track next to it and presto, our single track is now a double track.

It is best first to create some drainage higher up on the trail and get the water off. Then fill the ruts with rocks and put some water bars in it.

If this is the same area I am thinking, I would close it as well.

We should put together a work project on it.

[Sundog]

Who is willing to actually go up there with shovels and fix the damn thing? I am, but I'm not going by myself.

Bingo....it needs to be fixed. I will be in CO sometime in the next several months and may pass through Utah. I will PM you when I get the dates down and would be willing to take a day and help out.

[live_to_ride]

Bingo....it needs to be fixed. I will be in CO sometime in the next several months and may pass through Utah. I will PM you when I get the dates down and would be willing to take a day and help out.

You punks here this? Here is someone who doesn't even live here, has probably never even ridden on these trails, and he is willing to help.

I'm working on getting in touch with someone who has trail maintenance experience and I'll post when that happens.

[ophir]

You have contacts within the Sage Riders that know how to do the maintenance, she rides a CRF250.

[westycat]

I don't get many days off work but I'm willing to try and help out with trails and meet some new ridding buds. Where in utah are you talking about fixing the trails? Near SLC?

[live_to_ride]

You have contacts within the Sage Riders that know how to do the maintenance, she rides a CRF250.

I know. I sent an e-mail off to AJP to see who could help. He also knows about the damage and now we're working on getting a crew together to go and fix the trails.

Yes, the trails are near SLC.

[mrmoto]

I'll bet these weren't "punks" who did the damage. Just fellow riders who were having "fun". My intent in posting was to make sure everybody is informed about the damage done when ridding really muddy mountain trails. I'll offer the benefit of the doubt that these riders got caught up in the moment and didn't think about what they were doing.

There has been an out pouring of offers to help fix the trail. I'm not experienced in doing this, but I definately have two able hands and can help. Local guys available to help, just send me a PM and I'll try to help organize this work project. But first, like I said, we better have someone knowledgable to doing this the right way.

Anybody know if we need forrest service approval or supervision on something like this?

[mexihonkey]

I've "adopted" a trail before, it was about 15 years ago but we went through the USFS.

[Ripmeister]

I may have two or three guys available depending on where and when - if nothing more than to learn how so we can take care of some of the areas closer to home - PM me with locale - we range from springville to AF

[Atlasrider]

I also don't have a lot of time off, but would make time to help. Before I moved to Utah I did some consulting to the forest service in VA., mainly for the building and maintainence of Mtb trails. Its not rocket science or even civil engineering. As mentioned earlier the water should be diverted up high and the ruts filled with rocks and dirt. Water bars should be used on hills to direct the water and hold the dirt.

Once you guys decide on a weekend or even a week night post it and we can all meet to do the repairs. 4-5 guys can get a lot done in a short time.

[str8liner]

I'm in for helping as well, please PM me if you need another person. I've got a sweet new shovel I've been dying to test out.

[ophir]

I am available on Saturday July 29th. Anyone else?

The water is from the spring run off. We need to just take it off the trail with a water bar that we can make out of logs. We will place about four of them on the trail and 45 degree angles. This will sweep the water from the trail. We will fill the ruts up with water ever fill we can find. Rocks would work best. Eventually where the water bars are sediment will fill up the tracks and in another year we will have it back to normal.

We need a minimum of five guys, pulaskis and bow saws. It is all a mater of slope and run off. I would not involve the Forest Service. Just go and get it done.

The Sage Riders have donated hundreds of hours on the Manti doing trail work. We even have a member of the Sage Riders that has worked for the FS doing trail maintenance.

This is how you keep trails open. Take an interest, volunteer and make a difference. One bad experience or opinion could ruin an entire system.

I would agree that the location must not be posted here.