how many of you heard about the rubicon?

[rino351]

I just found this earlier today and it looks like the beginning of the end for the con... :(

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416038

hopefully it doesn't spread to the whole trail

[UrbanCowboy]

Heard of it but I have no idea what it is exactly. Can you fill me in on exactly what's being lost??

[rino351]

the first main obstacle on the trail, the gatekeeper, had a bunch of really fricken big boulders to keep the smaller/less experienced rigs from getting into even more trouble. well, the gatekeeper was causing a lot of traffic on the weekends and there was a lot of damage going on to the area like erosion and littering and damage to trees and there is a natural spring right there and they don't want that to get completely messed up. there were also a lot of bypasses being made onto private land because people were getting impatient.
so... the forest service went in and blasted a bunch of the boulders into smitherines so that there won't be as much traffic right there.

[mattadams]

well it kind of sucks but after talking a lot with the forest service about their methods, etc. I can somewhat see their point. I see the same crap in Colorado on trails, they'd say that one particular area was doing some massive damage to the environment eithe rbecause of litter, erosion, damage to wildlife or habitat, etc. and they'd post signs and the signs would be ignored or removed, they'd put up signs again and if the problem still continues they are forced to take more drastic measure. Gotta remember, they work for the Forest not for four-wheelers, and if forest is being damaged and people refuse to help out by acknowledging their signs and abiding by then, then more then often something drastic happens like they just shut down the entire trail. Chances are this blasting didn't just come out of the blue, it was probably a last resort after countless warnings, etc.
This can work the opposite as well, groups can work WITH the forest service to prevent damage. A good example is red cone trail or lefthand canyon area, where the mile hi jeep club and other groups actually goes up with the forest service on a regular basis to do erosion prevention, drain some mud holes to ensure the trail remains open and in good condition. They do a lot mroe then we do on our saxon trail thats for sure :).
Remember, theres more to the forest then the four-wheeling trails and its there job to make sure it stays that way :)

[rino351]

I agree