2010 Wasatch Area Trail Conditions and other Crap Thread

[cpj.slc]

Quite a bit of trail has been cut, and features are being built and buffed as we speak. The Snyderville Basin Rec District has a small crew out there working on it, but they are not looking for public volunteers yet. Basically since it's machine cut and shaped, they don't need much manpower. Which is sweet, b/c fingers crossed we'll have a new flowy slopestyley trail sometime this fall. I think Sept is probably wishful thinking though, my totally unfounded guess is Oct/Nov.

Sa-weet! October would be awesome. So if I wanted to go poke my head around and see what is going on where would I go exactly?

[Particle]

Sa-weet! October would be awesome. So if I wanted to go poke my head around and see what is going on where would I go exactly?

SBRD is keeping this on the DL as well - don't want anyone riding or even test riding anything since everything is fresh cut/loose.

[JoshP]

Looks like the Forest Service quit looking the other way:

US Forest Service Reclaims Unauthorized Trails To Protect Watershed
Date: Jul 28, 2010

Contact(s): Lorraine Januzelli

CONTACT:Lorraine Januzelli 801-473-8944

USFS Reclaims Unauthorized Trails to Protect Watershed Health

SALT LAKE CITY, July 26, 2010 -- As part of an ongoing effort to protect watershed health, US Forest Service officials are reclaiming unauthorized mountain bike and hiking trails in Little Cottonwood Canyon below the White Pine area this month and restoring the areas to their natural condition over the next several field seasons.

Initial efforts will be visible to visitors. Unauthorized trail access points will be blocked by natural barriers. Official signs will notify people that the trails are off-limits and why. In order to succeed with the restoration efforts and protect the watershed, the public has to stay off the unauthorized trail.

“These user-created trails are not constructed to official standard, are not sustainable, and feature hazardous man-made “stunt” apparatuses,” said Cathy Kahlow, Ranger of the Salt Lake District, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. “In fact, one trail empties into a campground and creates the potential for serious collisions between campers and fast-moving mountain bikers.”

“Moreover, the unauthorized trails cut across sensitive watershed management areas, damaging aquatic and riparian ecosystems,” emphasized Kahlow.

Aquatic and riparian areas are crucial components of healthy watersheds, acting as natural filtration systems and providing buffers against erosion. These areas also provide habitat to diverse plants, fish, birds, mammals and other species that, in turn, help maintain essential ecosystem functions.

In addition to reclaiming the unauthorized trails, District officials are reaching out to trail user communities as well as canyon ski resorts. Such collaboration is intended to inform user groups about the damage caused by unauthorized user-created trails, discourage use of these trails, and enlist a cadre of volunteers to assist with the reclaiming and restorations efforts. The District is exploring with the ski resorts the potential to offer downhill mountain biking trails as an alternative.

Reclaiming efforts are set to begin this week. Restoration efforts will continue for the next several field seasons. After closing the unauthorized user-created trails, Kahlow notes, there remains 1,797 miles of authorized non-motorized trails open across the Forest. Users can check with local US Forest Service offices or Visitor Centers for information on which of these are open to mountain bikes.

Link to Story

[altachic]

Rode shoreline-clarks-southside of point of the mountain to top of suncrest-to the downhill trail last night with DTM.
If you're looking for some pedaling plus the super fun downhill, it's a good one. I may just ride it again soon

[cpj.slc]

Looks like the Forest Service quit looking the other way:

US Forest Service Reclaims Unauthorized Trails To Protect Watershed
Date: Jul 28, 2010

Contact(s): Lorraine Januzelli

CONTACT:Lorraine Januzelli 801-473-8944

USFS Reclaims Unauthorized Trails to Protect Watershed Health

SALT LAKE CITY, July 26, 2010 -- As part of an ongoing effort to protect watershed health, US Forest Service officials are reclaiming unauthorized mountain bike and hiking trails in Little Cottonwood Canyon below the White Pine area this month and restoring the areas to their natural condition over the next several field seasons.

Initial efforts will be visible to visitors. Unauthorized trail access points will be blocked by natural barriers. Official signs will notify people that the trails are off-limits and why. In order to succeed with the restoration efforts and protect the watershed, the public has to stay off the unauthorized trail.

“These user-created trails are not constructed to official standard, are not sustainable, and feature hazardous man-made “stunt” apparatuses,” said Cathy Kahlow, Ranger of the Salt Lake District, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. “In fact, one trail empties into a campground and creates the potential for serious collisions between campers and fast-moving mountain bikers.”

“Moreover, the unauthorized trails cut across sensitive watershed management areas, damaging aquatic and riparian ecosystems,” emphasized Kahlow.

Aquatic and riparian areas are crucial components of healthy watersheds, acting as natural filtration systems and providing buffers against erosion. These areas also provide habitat to diverse plants, fish, birds, mammals and other species that, in turn, help maintain essential ecosystem functions.

In addition to reclaiming the unauthorized trails, District officials are reaching out to trail user communities as well as canyon ski resorts. Such collaboration is intended to inform user groups about the damage caused by unauthorized user-created trails, discourage use of these trails, and enlist a cadre of volunteers to assist with the reclaiming and restorations efforts. The District is exploring with the ski resorts the potential to offer downhill mountain biking trails as an alternative.

Reclaiming efforts are set to begin this week. Restoration efforts will continue for the next several field seasons. After closing the unauthorized user-created trails, Kahlow notes, there remains 1,797 miles of authorized non-motorized trails open across the Forest. Users can check with local US Forest Service offices or Visitor Centers for information on which of these are open to mountain bikes.

Link to Story

NOOOOO! I feel like I have been punched in the stomach. That trail was my favorite in the Salt Lake area. So, so pissed.

[steeze_pizza]

NOOOOO! I feel like I have been punched in the stomach. That trail was my favorite in the Salt Lake area. So, so pissed.

My thoughts exactly. This sucks something fierce.

[ridevt]

SO, they're going to close the section below Tanner now? I thought above Tanner was a No-No and below was OK as long as more features weren't built? This really sucks. At least I got to ride it once this year.

[JoshP]

I really hoped we were going to get a "Teton Freedom Riders" type happy ending with that trail that would end with it getting legitimized, and we'd have huge dig days sponsored by Uinta brewing company and Barbacoa, with a band playing in the parking lot, and 80 people showing up. Bummer deal.

[TheProf]

Yeah. Posted the doc and a copy of an email I got here: [ame="http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=638855"]Bad News for the LCC DH - Mountain Bike Forums[/ame]

Really torn between trying to work with the FS and just saying 'eff it. Seriously this bums me out. Resorts don't seem to grasp what it's about (well, it's about money and that part they grasp quite well) but Utah will never be B.C.

[ridevt]

Yeah. Posted the doc and a copy of an email I got here: Bad News for the LCC DH - Mountain Bike Forums

Really torn between trying to work with the FS and just saying 'eff it. Seriously this bums me out. Resorts don't seem to grasp what it's about (well, it's about money and that part they grasp quite well) but Utah will never be B.C.

Can certainly understand that Steve. Thanks for all you've done in the past! Just seems like the MTB user group gets stepped on quite often here in the Wasatch. Just got back from Jackson where they're cranking out trail left and right. The pass, JHMR, big holes, Cache to Game has been reworked, and some of the builders are even being paid!

[Tosylate]

Just got back from Jackson where they're cranking out trail left and right. The pass, JHMR, big holes, Cache to Game has been reworked, and some of the builders are even being paid!

I just got back from Jackson last weekend too. I was talking to one of the Freedom Riders on the trails and he said that they now have 5 forest service rangers digging on the pass, 5 days a week. How can we get "the man" to build trails for us in UT?

(first post Jong...)

[JoshP]

^I think I might start looking for a place up there. Any civil engineering companies hiring in Jackson?

[truth]

How can we get "the man" to build trails for us in UT?

Find a secret text that proves Moroni rode big bikes.

[cpj.slc]

Yeah. Posted the doc and a copy of an email I got here: Bad News for the LCC DH - Mountain Bike Forums

Really torn between trying to work with the FS and just saying 'eff it. Seriously this bums me out. Resorts don't seem to grasp what it's about (well, it's about money and that part they grasp quite well) but Utah will never be B.C.

I totally hear you on the eff it feeling. But, WAFTA always has to be the good guys in the sight of the FS. Loose the battle, win the war. Hopefully you guys will be so charming and good natured about it that the FS people will feel really bad about screwing over the freeride community and open up some great alpine terrain for trails. It really does piss me off though that Jackson gets FS rangers building trails and we get our one really good FR trail torn down. I hate government bureaucracies.

[steeze_pizza]

I really hoped we were going to get a "Teton Freedom Riders" type happy ending with that trail that would end with it getting legitimized, and we'd have huge dig days sponsored by Uinta brewing company and Barbacoa, with a band playing in the parking lot, and 80 people showing up. Bummer deal.

we can only hope it turns out like this, I think if we were allowed to lots of people would help build, I know i would.

[drboudreaux]

I totally hear you on the eff it feeling. But, WAFTA always has to be the good guys in the sight of the FS. Loose the battle, win the war. Hopefully you guys will be so charming and good natured about it that the FS people will feel really bad about screwing over the freeride community and open up some great alpine terrain for trails. It really does piss me off though that Jackson gets FS rangers building trails and we get our one really good FR trail torn down. I hate government bureaucracies.

I hope that the war can be won. Lately it feels like it is an impossible war to fight. Why should the USFS provide us with a place to ride our big bikes? Don't you know that there are thousands of miles of mountain bike trails in the Wasatch already? Just go ride there. Bull.

The fact that a bigass metropolitan community can't get the USFS to work with a legitimate group of riders sucks balls. If I was a betting man, I would bet that tearing out LCC was the shot over the bow that might start a bunch more illegal building in other parts of the Wasatch (until the ski resorts build some stuff like the USFS is asking them to...). I guess time will tell.

[ectreeskier11]

fuck. of course i get a bike today and they close my favorite trail in the area. fuck them. resorts here aren't going to build anytime in the near future, that's ridiculous.

[SexFuck]

. If I was a betting man, I would bet that tearing out LCC was the shot over the bow that might start a bunch more illegal building in other parts of the Wasatch ...

Amen brother. Amen.

[powderwhore]

Email her here: lfclark@fs.fed.us Fucking fucks!

[ectreeskier11]

Email her here: lfclark@fs.fed.us Fucking fucks!

done. do it. keep it civil but make sure they know you're pissed.

[ridevt]

Email sent.

[monkeywrenchMoose]

Find a secret text that proves Moroni rode big bikes.

In a thread full of things that make me pissed lately, this made me laugh really hard.

[drboudreaux]

Email her here: lfclark@fs.fed.us Fucking fucks!

Prediction of her response:

1) It will be a form email with no actual response to any of the points we raise in our emails to her.

2) It will say something like the following, but with a lot more useless filler throughout: "Thank you for your concern about closure of the LCC. LCC is an illegal trail and has been for years. It is not sustainable and is causing safety problems for campers in the area. There are plenty of trails in the Wasatch that are already open to mountain bikes. Go ride there. We recognize that DH bikes need a place to ride, and have approached the ski resorts to ask them to build some lame trails to accomodate you. I would suggest you contact the ski resorts to express your concerns."

====

What pisses me off is that I have been trying to work with the USFS here forever to do things right. The USFS didn't give ANY advanced notice of this closure to any of the individuals or groups that have been trying to do things right, to allow for other alternatives. If this is how the USFS is going to operate in SLC, then what in the hell is the point of trying to do things right? The USFS in other areas has recognized the need and accomodated it. In SLC, the USFS asks the ski reorts to build some trails. Lame. None of the ski resorts are going to step up and invest the time and money it takes to build legitimate fun DH/FR trails, especially in this economy.

Thank you USFS for "managing" a large user group that was organized and represented right out of the forest.

/end rant

[truth]

In a thread full of things that make me pissed lately, this made me laugh really hard.

Finally!

FYI: Given the amount of time many of you have poured into bitching about the closure here I sure hope you've spent at least as much time writing a compelling and non-combative email to the forest service liaisons that can actually effect these decisions.


ljanuzelli@fs.fed.us
sscheid@fs.fed.us
ckahlow@fs.fed.us

I sent an email this morning and got a prompt reply:

Re: Reclamation of pirate trails in the Wasatch...

hide details 8:47 AM (49 minutes ago)


Chad,

Thanks for sharing your concerns. We recognize that mountain bikers are an important user group in our area. I'm forwarding your message to Cathy Kahlow, District Ranger, to take a look at your concerns.

Lorraine Januzelli
Public Affairs & Partnerships Officer
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Office: 801-236-3413
Cell: 801-473-8944
ljanuzelli@fs.fed.us

[Particle]

So who wants to organize the dig day for our new underground DH trail(s)? Let's be sure to dig it right through the proposed wilderness somewhere in BCC.