STACKING Rocks -- Paving

[Jeepndel]

Stacking rocks:
Stacking rocks (or paving) is a way some folks get thru hard spots on the trail. Many times, a large group will leave stacked rocks for the folks behind them. Unfortunately, this many times also leads to leaving the stacked rocks (pavement) after the group is long gone.

For the Rubicon, rocks are like gates in ranching country -- leave em like you found em. If we all did that, there would be no stacked rocks, other than Mama Nature's stacking. This is sort of our informal trail creed.

If you must stack em (and old Del with his pretty red TJ stacks a few now and then), then unstack em after you're thru the hard spot.

thanks, Del

[cruzila]

Del, what about those that are unstacking on purpose?? I have noticed in many places on the Rubicon where there used to be a pile of rocks that some would move around to help a smaller rig are no longer there. I have heard rumors of groups or individuals tossing these out into the bush.

Scott

[Jeepndel]

Rumors on the Rubicon are like zits on a teen-ager -- can't get away from them.

I've learned to NOT pay attention to rumors -- unless it involves a gate on our trail, then I pay real close attention. But as to clubs doing this or that, all I can say is that I've found most of them to be either 1) wrong; 2) malicious; or 3) unfounded.

On the other hand, there are folks who use our trails that play by different rules than the rest of the us. I would hope we all make an effort to educate each other on trail ethics and the basic ways we can keep our trail alive, well and open.

thanks, Del

[cruzila]

Well it is not rumor completely. I have witnessed the rock movement but never have seen them move. These rocks have been there for years just kind of shifting, moving down the trail. Then a few years ago, four wheeling went through this evolution. Now those rocks are gone. SOMEONE moved them is my point. The rumor part starts when I thinnk of who moved them.

Scott

[RCKRATZ]

I am with you on what you are saying Del, but it seams like some of the bigger organizations don't follow these principles when putting on larger events. I am not going to point any fingers, but everyone knows that on the Rubicon, Fordyce, etc. as soon as an event is going to be/has been run, there is a TON of stacking done and never removed.

[Dan-H]

what about filling the mud pits with rocks?

I'm gonna assume this is accepted and encouraged if the work is similar to what we did last June during the FOTR work day.

Del, can you nod yea or nay?

[Jeepndel]

As far as rocks in mud holes/pits, that does help. Usually we like to drain the swamp before we feed the alligators, but yes, putting rocks in mud holes that are obviously going to get worse (and perhaps driven around), would be better off with some rocks IN them so folks can make it without going around or getting really ugly stuck.

For those of you that don't like to hear me say stack rocks, in this case, especially for this year, I ask you to consider the alternative. Bad news if we do again what happened in 2000 and 2001 with the huge bypasses around huge mud holes. We all put a lot of work into fixing the big holes during the summer of 2001. We still have more work to do this year. So let's think about what we can do to keep folks on the trail and to prevent any further damage (0r bypasses).

Thanks all,
Del