Saving Other Trails?

[BEAR]

Not to steal thunder away from the Rubicon, but there are MANY other trails in the area that are closed or gated and should be opened
I feel that this is also an important issue and would relieve some of the traffic on the Rubicon.

Starting with Bassi falls, I have enjoyed this trail for many years and now it is closed How do we go about opening it?
It seems that since Bassi has closed the Rubicon has doubled in traffic and it doesnt seem fair that this short 1-2 mile trail is closed when there is hundreds of thousands of acres already inaccessible in vehicles . Is wheeling on this trail any more destructive than all of the campgrounds, parking lots, or boat ramps in the area?

Now onto a personally frustrating issue,
As a kid growing up in Pollock Pines I spent all of my spare time exploring the wilderness and finding awesome trails on my dirt bike.
Now almost all of these trails are gated or closed.
WHY?
Places like Park Creek Rd, (a beautiful dirt road between town and Iron Mt. Rd.) Which is now gate at both ends, ITS A ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

Also really great place called Blue Gouge Mine's off of Iron Mt. Rd.
There used to be great wheeling and camping there (I even ran into the Army testing 6 wheel trucks out there once) and now it’s paved down to a parking lot with a map and a sign stating that you can walk around and enjoy nature, WTF? Who decided it was OK to waist money and pave this spot in the middle of nowhere and keep out all motor vehicles?

How can we stop all these gates and closures from keeping us from OUR land that we enjoy so much?

Edit for spelling

[Disco]

Hey bro, I miss Bassi also but you can forget about it opening ever again. The majority of the trail is on S.P.I.(Sierra Pacific Industries) land. Too add to that, the area at the falls is designated no motor vehicles. Unfortunately, Bassi is gone.

As for Park Creek Rd, I don’t know anything about why it’s closed but I would assume it’s from trails being made off the main rd and the dumping of trash. Not sure what we can do about this one. I’ll try to talk with my buddies dad who is in charge of Const & Maint on Forest Service Rd’s.

[Aggro]

edited for content.

[BEAR]

The sad part is those are only a few examples

I have been to park creek many times when the gates are closed, all its doing is making people travel off the path making new roads to get around the gate
When is it going to be realized that people like to get away and explore and I dont mean to some campground
It seems that we are being filtered to trails that are monitored, and over crowded .
Maybe Im just pissed because I am an explorer and enjoy seeing new scenery and finding new trails and being free, but yet I am finding this harder to do

Maybe its time to move to Alaska

[cruzila]

I agree 1000% we need more trails.

[SlowMo]

A lot of the area adjacent to Iron Mnt Road (aka Mormon Imigrant Trail) is private. If you have a forest service map notice that all those white colored squares are private lands. That could have a lot to do with these closures. Same case with Bassi.

[Jeepndel]

Bassi is private property and is closed. We lost it mostly because of the way some folks trashed it to death. It was awful during mid summer, I have to admit. It's gone too. I doubt we can ever convince SPI to open it again. I'm sorry guys.

the solution to keeping trails open is purely your involvement.
Join every thing you can think of -- it's dues and membership that keeps guys like me in the business. it's that simple. Dues.

Advocate for your sport. Talk it up . do it right.

include others -- do some ride alongs with elected officials or newbies.

Letters--- write em when we need em.

Visit my web site for the laundry list of how to keep our trails open. I know the secret. I'm willing to share it (them) with you.
Del

[Scott Jensen]

yup, i feel ya. blue gouge mine road was a great spot to just get away from everyone. now its payved w/ parking for horse trailers and stuff like that. Let me know if there's anything we can do to help get places like thos open again.

[luigi]

You hit that one right on the head Del, it is a lot easier to keep a trail open (ie. club involvement, trail cleanup, repair.) than it is to get a closed trail opened. I too miss Bassi, so our club tries to do as much trail work/functions as possible. Everone needs to participate or we all lose. I have seen an improvement in the atmosphere on the trails recently I hope it continues.

[BEAR]

Jergens is now closed too, and BRC doesnt want to do anything about it (at least thats the word I got from someone who contacted them)

[Jeepndel]

Originally posted by BEAR
Jergens is now closed too, and BRC doesnt want to do anything about it (at least thats the word I got from someone who contacted them)

Bear, I AM BRC......who contacted BRC and said we (BRC) did not want to do anything about it? I've been talking with a few folks about this and it's not an easy one. But I have offered some ideas that folks are working on.

So, please, be fair. I'm your four-wheeling BRC dude. If we have a BRC issue, whip it on me directly. I'm working every where I can to keep our trails open. I need help from all of you tho.

on the team and in the game (for BRC and FOTR),
Del

[Brandon]

Originally posted by Jeepndel


Bear, I AM BRC......who contacted BRC and said we (BRC) did not want to do anything about it? I've been talking with a few folks about this and it's not an easy one. But I have offered some ideas that folks are working on.

So, please, be fair. I'm your four-wheeling BRC dude. If we have a BRC issue, whip it on me directly. I'm working every where I can to keep our trails open. I need help from all of you tho.

on the team and in the game (for BRC and FOTR),
Del

what exactly are the options? The road to the public land has been in use for a long time, it can easily be proven for the past 30+ years - so what is the next step?

The only option I have been told is to buy some adjacent land so I have my own back door - that is NOT my idea of "public land for public use"

[Brandon]

Originally posted by Brandon


what exactly are the options? The road to the public land has been in use for a long time, it can easily be proven for the past 30+ years - so what is the next step?

The only option I have been told is to buy some adjacent land so I have my own back door - that is NOT my idea of "public land for public use"

I'd have to give credit to BRC for donating their materials which are all great to our efforts in the past, but now that it is closed we need the help most. I simply do not have the knowledge to know what exactly to do but am willing to do what I can.

BLM is aware of the gate, but says they can't do anything about it so I guess the only other option is that 7 year law that I know nothing about. This is all a mute point if BLM doesn't allow use of the public land, and since they are in the planning process (I have been going to the meetings and it was supposed to be complete LAST year).

Just to show we HAVE been doing all we can here are a few pictures - all a complete waste if the gate stays blocked..



11-3-02 repair day

10-02-03 Field inspection

1-30-02 Field Review

current status..


I don't have pics from our last cleanup where I hauled a FULL trailer of trash out, or any or our last work/clean up days..

This is our last hope for local public land, it is basically all we have left short of going to the overcrowded sierras which will just lead to more impact there. I have fought hard for this land but I can't take the next step and I would sure appreciate the help on legally making that access OPEN. The BLM agreed to open the gate early next month, at which time we NEED to act!!

[Rat70FJ]

Hi,
I just stumbled upon this post.

I'm good friends with the people who live in the house through the green gate to the left of the last photo. My buddy Tod, who dosen't own the offending barb wire and I have been dirt bike riding and wheeling together for over thirty years. He is definately a pro off road type of guy.

The barb wire was installed by an absentee landowner named Ron Pizer who lives in Rancho Murrietta. This land has been in his family for ages.

Once the wire went in, Tod and I were discussing what an eyesore it was and what would be the reaction in the 4 wheeling community once the traditional April 1 opening of the trail arrived. We bounced around terms such as "emminent domain" and "prescriptive easement" (relates to the 7 year comments made earlier). His reaction was to wait and see.

It didn't take long. On Saturday, March 22 at about 11:30PM, someone tore down the barb wire and drove down the road.
After running into yet another new fence put up by a third, long time resident property owner, they turned around and proceeded to destroy my buddy's log fence and address marker which are in the picture and redecorate the area with Bud Light cans.

Talking to the third property owner, he's basically tired of midnight bumpin' stereos, screaming, trash, fires during the dry seaon, people driving down the drainage ditches dragging INCREDIBLE amounts of mud on the road,etc.

My point is the wheeling community is alienating themselves to the community. Tod's the rookie landowner at only five years and basically ignore the people driving up his road and getting stuck in and tearing up his leach field, but the other two (fence builders) have owned this dirt for years and allowed passge without much complaint. But the last few years have driven them over the brink.

This same thing happened at the other end of the trail where Kanaka Valley Road drops into the river some years back. Now there's a permanent big ass BLM gate there. The Jurgens end at least used to open.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this other than to ask people not to thrash the property at 820 Jurgens because they've finally F@@cked up another wheeling area. Tod is definately on our side here and shouldn't be the victim of childish crap.

Del, You mentioned being aware of this issue. Can you tell us anything about it?

Kent

[Rockcrusher]

For those of you who are interested, here's a little history on what is called the Jurgens Trail.

From about 1888 to 1898 a company called the American River Land and Lumber Company started a logging operation along the South Fork of the Americam River. At that time the only way to get the logs to the mill at Salmon Falls was to float them down the river. This turned out to be highly impractical because of the wildly fluctuating level of the river.

The level changes caused log jams at several places, notably in the stretch between Norton Ravine (near the end of Hidden Lake Drive) and Wildcat Canyon (just upstream from Kanaka Valley Road). To gain access to the jams in the canyon ARLL punched several roads down from the south rim. The roads never fully connected along the bottom of the canyon because of the steep walls.

4 major access points were established along this stretch of the South Fork . . . 1st near Salmon Falls Road, 2nd near what is now Kanaka Valley Road, The 3rd was already established at the Monty Mine & 4th near what is now Hidden Lake Trail.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another fun but short trail was the old wagon road from Plasse Trading Post to Beebe Lake (southeast of Silver Lake and Hiway 88). I don't know the purpose of the road but it went away when the Mokelumne Wilderness Area was enlarged around 1984.

[GrizzRider]

We gotta get this solved......
I've been ridin that trail for a long time and this sucks....
Any more info?

I was out there for the first time in a while today and saw all this barbed wire and a chain gate.

I was wonderin' what gives and I knew to check the Pirates web site and voila. I knew I wasn't the only one.

Not everybodys gonna be like me and just leave, people are just gonna start bringin' boltcutters......

If the guy that lives behind the green gate doesn't mind then why all the hubbub....

I see the concern but this is ridiculous!

[Rat70FJ]

If the guy that lives behind the green gate doesn't mind then why all the hubbub....

It's not his property past the barb wire/chain.

Not everybodys gonna be like me and just leave, people are just gonna start bringin' boltcutters......

Not that it will stop a determined person, but there's also a new fence, not that cheesy barb wire sh#t, beyond what you saw. That owner (yet another) has also cleared his land so he has a clear view of the road from his house.

Del, any info?

Kent

[Jeepndel]

The River City Rock Crawlers have been taking the most interest in this trail. Unfortunately, BLM is not being a lot of help. BRC is not able to help much with this trail effort as we've got too many things going on as is, and this one did not reach high enough on the list.

I don't know if the RCRC folks have contacted CA4WDC or United Four Wheel Drive Associations or even the Calif. Off Road Vehicle Association (CORVA), but that would be a good next try.

I think BLM has basically turned their back on this one.

Del

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by Jeepndel

The River City Rock Crawlers have been taking the most interest in this trail. Unfortunately, BLM is not being a lot of help. BRC is not able to help much with this trail effort as we've got too many things going on as is, and this one did not reach high enough on the list.

I don't know if the RCRC folks have contacted CA4WDC or United Four Wheel Drive Associations or even the Calif. Off Road Vehicle Association (CORVA), but that would be a good next try.

I think BLM has basically turned their back on this one.

Del

I just stumbled upon this again..

My last update is that I met with two claim owners who are going to legally try to get th access back.. for them..

They offered to sell a claim which would guarantee access.. hopefully. Anyway, I can't afford a claim and I have ran out of time. I have contacted Cal4wheel and BRC and it is not high enough up to save for either I guess. If anyone wants to meet me and I can pass off all I know and have I would be glad too. With my now nearly 3 month old and 3 year old and all of my projects I hate to say it but.. I to have to say it isn't high enough up on my priority list

As for the history with pizer - this isn't the first time he has done this.. Last time the miners tried to bring him to court and it was settled so it can't be used again I guess - or something like that. Anyway I have those court papers too. It seems clear cut - eminent domain.. All it takes is some sort of entity that devotes themself to public land for public use to take action. I don't recall the land owner there with the land cruiser in his back yard but he basically said "good family people are welcome to use my backyard entrance and the others should buy their own entrance". Can't blame him but how pathetic is it that you have to BUY an entrance to PUBLIC LAND!!

I know it is bad to say but I'll say it, it seems people only want to put effort into something they will "get credit" for like the rubicon. Nobody cares about the thousands of acres or PUBLIC LAND we ALLREADY lost!!

Rant off

If anyone cares to see what is now lost..

http://rcrc4x4.com/mambo/index.php?s...view_album.php

[rockalot]

Count me in for helping open Jurgens.
Its nice having a trail close to home and its close enough for a few of us to keep it in shape i.e. Adopt-a-trail.
Unfortunately I don't have any experience on the political end of trail advocacy but will stand by and assist those who do.
If someone wants to actively work on getting this one open I can help with some of the legwork.

Brandon is your Jurgens Land use email list still active?

[Jeepndel]

Ok, as to other trails, I can tell you in a snapshot what it takes (and it's not always 100%, but I do this for a living guys, so this is my best advice):

1. Read my article describing the process here (How to Build a Coalition and Save a Trail):http://www.delalbright.com/Articles/coalitions.htm

2. Get an adopt a trail type effort going.

3. Get an email network or list like this one set up for YOUR trail of concern.

4. Start taking ownership.

5. Let the landowners, feds, whomever, know that NOW you have a group, you want to manage the trail and take care of it, and you're oranized to do it.

6. Pick a leader (Trail Boss) and make him/her the mouth piece as much as you can.

7. Start doing press releases about your trail. Use your state association to help with this (Cal4hweel in CA for example).

8. Get some of your key folks in my leadership training course so they have more tools to work with. RLTC is explained here: http://www.delalbright.com/RLTC/rltc.htm

9. Learn the rules: NEPA is the first one. Learn about it here:http://www.delalbright.com/Access/nepa_intro.htm

Well, in a nutshell, that is what my land use and access web site is about, as well as most everything I do for the BlueRibbon Coalition. It's no easy task, but these steps will make the difference between having some place to go, and not.
Del

[Ed A. Stevens]

Originally Posted by Brandon

They offered to sell a claim which would guarantee access.. hopefully. Anyway, I can't afford a claim and I have ran out of time. I have contacted Cal4wheel and BRC and it is not high enough up to save for either I guess. If anyone wants to meet me and I can pass off all I know and have I would be glad too.

As for the history with pizer - this isn't the first time he has done this.. Last time the miners tried to bring him to court and it was settled so it can't be used again I guess - or something like that. Anyway I have those court papers too. It seems clear cut - eminent domain.. All it takes is some sort of entity that devotes themself to public land for public use to take action. I don't recall the land owner there with the land cruiser in his back yard but he basically said "good family people are welcome to use my backyard entrance and the others should buy their own entrance". Can't blame him but how pathetic is it that you have to BUY an entrance to PUBLIC LAND!!

I know it is bad to say but I'll say it, it seems people only want to put effort into something they will "get credit" for like the rubicon. Nobody cares about the thousands of acres or PUBLIC LAND we ALLREADY lost!!

Awareness is just the beginning, because knowing the possibility to save a trail is out there keeps the options open.

I hate to state the obvious but purchasing a claim or private property parcel, to gain an easement, may be the only chance of survival for many trails on public land. It should also be obvious that Cal4Wheel or BRC (or any of the Associations) have their hands full and cannot redirect resources to purchase a claim or land (or even fund a legal challenge to reopen a trail that is impacted like your example). The work will fall to a local group or individual to lead the fight for access rights, and to lodge a legal challenge to restore access.

The advocates of Wildlands and designated Wilderness have researched the land needed to complete connected corridors of wild space, statewide and nationwide, and the tracts of private land surrounding federal managed land offer the best opportunity to expand these primitive non-motorized wildlife ranges they desire. Purchase a 40-acre tract with the only 1-mile trail to access 300-miles of National Forest trails and you effectively close 300-miles of trail for a discount price. If you have any doubt about this action plan take a look at the various Senator Boxer Wilderness bills. The areas of proposed designated Wilderness that combine donated privately owned land (TNC and Wildlands Conservancy land) with adjacent National Forest and BLM land is not a coincidence. They have been actively working with University researchers to identify these opportunities (gap analysis) to fund and purchase private land inside and adjacent to federal land that can be leveraged into large parcels suitable for Wilderness designation (after they block public access to the federal land, and after they stipulate the roads must be closed before approving gifting the land to the government).

The USFS has zero jurisdiction to litigate access on the adjacent private land, and have many Wildland interests demanding more Roadless/Wilderness land set aside from their inventory of managed land (fighting a private land road closure is a politically sensitive position they cannot take unless it poses an immediate threat to the managed resource). The best chance the motorized recreation community has to preserve public access is to purchase an inholding and challenge the adjacent land access closures under easement law and RS2477.

The private land along the Rubicon (owned by motor friendly recreation enthusiasts) is one reason why the trail is unlikely to be closed (regulated, but not closed), but the same is not true of many other historic trails (Barking Dog Road, Surprise Canyon, Pipes Canyon, Bassi Falls, Last Chance Canyon, Borrego Springs Trail, Lower Helldorado, -- need more). The need to establish some case law (reverse a legal access closure challenge in court) is a step in the right direction to fight the continuing closure strategy of the Wilderness/Wildlands advocates.

Some of these trails that access many miles of adjacent BLM and USFS land are closed forever (Pipes Canyon Road) because the Wildlands advocates pushed the local County to honor a closure request (relinquish County RS2477 rights of way) before anyone was alerted to the closure threat (why your knowledge of the opportunity is so valuable).

The Barking Dog Road case is a prime candidate for case law where a (radical environmentalist) private owner is ignoring an established public easement, but a court challenge is needed to resolve the issue with documentation that will assist other similar private land road closure situations nationwide (possibly help preserve Lower Helldorado).

Surprise Canyon Road is a prime candidate for case law where the BLM is being forced to close public and private access on a Congressionally recognized road/trail on public land to appease (radical environmentalist) CBD litigation stipulations, and a court challenge is needed to resolve the issue with documentation that will assist other similar public land road closure situations nationwide.

While the major dirt road/trail motorized recreation associations and coalitions cannot be expected to participate in each and every beneficial case law opportunity, I would hope they would forward interested people who want to support these fights for access to the groups and individuals working on the projects (they need the encouragement, if not funding).

This assistance in communication (what you have provided in your post) is an excellent step to build upon to gain some chance of success. If the awareness motivates others to take up the cause it's a success (and everyone has other commitments to serve, so guilt/grief for supporting family-first should never be a consideration). The more people who are involved (or even aware) the better chances we have of preserving motorized access for the public. Until we can convince the designated Wilderness advocates that roads and trails will not jeopardize our common desire for a protected network of primitive national wildlife reserves, and they drop the demand to close motorized access in their quest for more Wildlands, we will have to actively fight (purchase land and litigate) to preserve our preferred method of recreational access.

Del's encouragement to tackle these issues locally (and not expect some "association" to get involved) is the best advice offered by anyone. Unfortunately the process is new to each of the groups who are learning to challenge these closures (and those at Oceano and Algodones Dunes, Pismo and Glamis), and the victories are not easy (or final). Do not expect anyone to have the answers or procedure established to win a legal challenge (it's learn by doing at this stage of the game) until we win a few cases for good.

Happy Trails!

[randii]

My ears are burning?

I'm tired, and just got off the road after 4 days driving. I'll probably regret this post in the morning, but here goes anyway...

I spent years working on Jurgens access, wading through the planning process. In the end, our 'wheeling community received a reasonable BLM proposal that was then essentially superceded by subsequent actions of a single property owner. With limited time, I passed the torch on Jurgens to RCRC.

IMHO, Jurgens is a fun trail with great river access. There's limited 'wheeling opportunity there, compromised access over private property, and little interest by the land managers (BLM, Reclamation, F&G, etc.) in retaining motorized access. I miss 'wheeling Jurgens, but access there is a hugely uphill battle, one that must first be reversed, before it can be maintained... talk about an uphill battle! With an established history of public access predating the current public and private landowners, Jurgens begs for appeal and legal action, but wheeled recreationalists lack standing to bring legal challenge, and the County ain't interested in chasing RS-2477.

Here's the hard truth: we're losing mechanized access to trails in hundreds, thousands, MORE? places every year. With wide-spread apathy in our ranks, we need to pick our battles... I'm working with FOTR and RTF, where I think I can have the largest impact, working the planning process for a trail that is STILL OPEN. I wish success for renewing access to the American River at Jergens, but I lack the time to contribute.

Randii

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by randii

...I think I can have the largest impact, working the planning process for a trail that is STILL OPEN.

Randii

Look how much effort was put into the Jergins process for what? Now that is gone there is ZERO effort. I understand pick your battles etc but why did everyone battle back when IT WAS OPEN and now that it is closed nobody cares? Honestly if it is the Rubicon or Jergins - yea put the effort into the rubicon but I still hate to see LOCAL land lost, hard to blame kids for trespassing when that is there only option..

As for the not having time that seems to be the common problem (it's my problem too) but we have groups out there dedicated to public land for public use - picking the battles shouldn't be an option. I guess it is though.I guess my issue is with BRC, not necessarily with Del since he obviously has his hands full with the rubicon but with a slogan of public land for public use they would be my obvious choice for this cause. I don't think this battle is over but it sure did open my eyes to the whole process and the slogan public land for public use only applies to "certain public land" and ya know, most of the rubicon isn't even public land..

A few years back a couple guys from New Zealand here on a week vacation looked me up to show them some "american four wheeling" and I took them to Jergins. They had a blast, we all rode in my little jeep and we had lunch down at the river where we watched the rafters go by. For those guys that is the only four wheeling exposure in america that they have. No it's not the extreme wheeling but to me that's not what four wheeling is about. It's about being able to go somewhere that other vechicles can't and to enjoy nature. If I want extreme I'll build a buggy and enter it into a competetion, otherwise give me my public land to enjoy, to stop at the river and to be able to visit in an afternoon. There are, to my knowledge, NO other options for a day trip from sacramento other than Prarie City (oh boy..).

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by rockalot

Brandon is your Jurgens Land use email list still active?

landuse@rcrc4x4.com

the list is still there but no traffic, feel free to post to it and after you post I'll add you to the list if you'd like (that goes to anyone). No reason to give up, it's winter - next spring it will be time to hit it again - no better time to prepare than.. now!