I don't mean rock stacking, I mean breaking a new trail. Pics with rock bars, winches or whatever it takes to get the rig thru the new trail. <IMG SRC="smilies/jeep1.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/jeep1.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/jeep1.gif" border="0">

The more detail on what it took the better. <IMG SRC="smilies/eyemouth.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eyemouth.gif" border="0">

I was always wondering about it as well...

Well, I've done trail building, but I never thought of taking pictures of it......

Usually this involves moving rocks with our winches. Did that this last weekend. Usually we do this to make 'bypasses' for those that don't want to take the hard line. We've got a nice rocky creek trail which has 4 notch type climbs on it to get from one side of an island in the creek to the other. Even the easiest notch is pretty hairy, and you have to come down one of them on the way back, too. There was a nice little bypass, but it had one huge hole that would cause the rig to get really tippy. Normally this would be a GOOD thing, but this was supposed to be the 'bypass', so we strapped a rock and winched it into place to smooth out the trail for those choosing the white flag.

On another occassion we moved a rock that was huge - it took three winches to move it, with 2 of the rigs havng their rear tires 3 feet in the air while pulling! We did this to move a huge rock into the base of another notch on another trail to make the obstacle somewhat possible - no one's completed it yet, because of the tightness of the trail. Before we moved this rock it would have been impossible unless your rig was spiderman.

Never though of taking pictures of it though.....

'TRAIL BUILDING '? y'all talkin' 'bout them log cabins? <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

Here in the west we do not build new trails..that would not be good for the enviroment. We us old mining roads, logging roads, etc.. But trail building is not something that should ever be done <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

Trail maintenance, and adoption or restoration, pictures would be a more politically correct photo request.

There is perception difference (in the minds of an environmentally conditioned, brainwashed, public) between "building" a trail and "restoration" of an existing trace route.

While Congress and Public Land Management have historically allowed "resoration" of a route, "building" of a trail has almost always ignited the actions of the environmental litigation and lobby opposition. The last presidential administration further defined the limits on trail maintenance, by changing the way Land Managers are allowed to classify roads and trails, and by defining maintenance of roads and trails as "development." "Development" is prohibited in Roadless Areas and Wilderness Study Areas.

The result is JohnQPublic believes the Land Managers are doing beneficial work, to preserve recreation by restricting "development" in the perceived form of "Burger Sling Outlets" in the forest and desert, while in reality these managers are being forced to close roads and trails to dispersed recreation sites (trailheads, fishing holes, mine claims, picnic sites, etc.).

Make sure your friends realize that when they cheer for reduced "development" on public lands, they are also cheering for eventual road closures.

Without maintenance, these roads and trails eventually demand closure as they become public safety and environmental health hazards. The only way to prevent closure is by volunteer trail "restoration" efforts.

Now, how about some pictures of trail restoration efforts?

My friend and myself found an old mining road leading into a valley out north of Lake Pleasant in Az. We were floored to find an awesome rockcrawling wash at the bottom, which the mining road criss crosses. Here's an aerial shot:

Aerial View (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/maps/lostworld/lostworldaerial.html)

And here's links to the first trip report (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/5-01memday/5-01memday.html) and the second trip report. (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/10-01lostworld/10-01lostworld.html)

We have only ran about half of the trail downstream, the upstream portion from the entry point is 3 to 4 times longer. One of these days I am going to head out there will a couple friends and hike the upstream portion (no bypasses).

Here's a couple shots of some of the waterfalls:

http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/10-01lostworld/DSCN5843.JPG

http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/10-01lostworld/DSCN5871.JPG

http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/frontpagefsa.jpg

Originally posted by AZ Rockcrawler:
<STRONG>My friend and myself found an old mining road leading into a valley out north of Lake Pleasant in Az. We were floored to find an awesome rockcrawling wash at the bottom, which the mining road criss crosses. Here's an aerial shot:

Aerial View (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/maps/lostworld/lostworldaerial.html)

And here's links to the first trip report (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/5-01memday/5-01memday.html) and the second trip report. (http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/2001/10-01lostworld/10-01lostworld.html)
</STRONG>

That looks like an awesome trail, nice write up.

You know I really hate you guys from Arizona <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by FattyCBR:
<STRONG>That looks like an awesome trail, nice write up.</STRONG>

Thanks. Those pictures show the easier lines. At all of the waterfalls there was more than one way past it, I just didn't have the tires for the other ways.

Originally posted by Cutch:
<STRONG>You know I really hate you guys from Arizona <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

I will second that. If we want to crawl rocks we pretty much have to bring them in and pile them up ourselves. We dont really have much in the way of natural boulder fields <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">

I will second that. If we want to crawl rocks we pretty much have to bring them in and pile them up ourselves. We dont really have much in the way of natural boulder fields
What?? Have you ever been to Tellico? Check out trail 2 or the bottom of slick rock. How about attica or Paragon. I've seen plenty of rocks around

Originally posted by Cutch:
<STRONG>You know I really hate you guys from Arizona <IMG SRC="smilies/tongue.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

I agree, you guys dont know how good you have it. MUD SUCKS!