Clearing trails

[CO_jakrabt]

Does anyone have any knowledge of when the forest service starts clearing the trails from the winter blow down on the trails? Also, is it legal to clear the paths ourselves? I'm specifically talking about Colorado.

 

[muddydogs]

Depending on budget and forest fires they either will or won't. Most the time the fire crews clear the trails but if there already out on fires then that isn't happening, trail crews are also some of the first to head out on fires as well. Also the FS is still under a hiring freeze so the districts that do put on trail crew probably don't have the people hired and might not for some time. Most Forests don't have a problem with people clearing the trails themselves but it's probably best to call the Forest or District and check with them.

 

[justinspicher]

Funny you ask this, as I do seasonal trail work for the forest service. I'm down in SW Colorado so I'm not sure what the rest of the state is like. With that said, the lower gates were opened on 1 May and the higher gates on 1 June. As of two weeks ago we still had some pretty significant snow loads at 10k, so we have a limited number of trails to work on right now.

You can clear trails, folks here do it all the time. If I were you, I'd call the district ranger office and ask to speak with trails foreman. Pretty sure they'd be more than happy that you're willing to help.

 

[IdahoElk]

Our trail bike club goes out almost every weekend and clears trails,the Forest Service even lets us know what areas need the most attention,they really like us helping them.

 

[Hunthigh1]

Our trail bike club goes out almost every weekend and clears trails,the Forest Service even lets us know what areas need the most attention,they really like us helping them.

This may be a little off topic, but I would love to see how you carry a saw on your bike.... I am trying to figure the best way to do that.


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[CO_jakrabt]

Spoke with FS and they don't know how many trails they'll get to this year. Man power is down and they are focused on campgrounds. A couple bike clubs said they've been clearing trails but the blowdown is thick and they have a schedule to maintain. Looks like a lot of us could be crossing lots of blow down this fall and the elk hunting deep could be good and limit the road hunters.

 

[5MilesBack]

Personally, I'd rather they leave them all as primitive as possible.

 

[cnelk]

I always have a chainsaw in my truck because the beetle killed trees are falling all the time across FS roads.
Sometimes I have to remove trees on the way out, from 30 mins prior on the way in

 

[Jskaanland]

I always have a chainsaw in my truck because the beetle killed trees are falling all the time across FS roads.
Sometimes I have to remove trees on the way out, from 30 mins prior on the way in

I ran into a similar situation but didn't have a saw(and I was in a Camry). I had to drive an extra hour around to get out after picking huckleberries. Last time I've gone up without a saw.

 

[bigdesert10]

Guys on horseback do an awful lot of trail clearing - often just incidental to their trail riding. It's pretty easy to tote along a saw and an ax on a pack string, though.

 

[5MilesBack]

I always have a chainsaw in my truck because the beetle killed trees are falling all the time across FS roads.
Sometimes I have to remove trees on the way out, from 30 mins prior on the way in

In 1997 over the 4th of July weekend, my wife and I were heading west out of MT and trying to go over Thompson Pass, but there was road construction closing the pass. So I saw a road on the map going from that road to Wallace, ID over Cooper Pass which would cut out about 90 miles going all the way around. Well, that so-called road had several downed trees on it (like your picture) and my wife has me on video clearing them. At the top of the pass there was quite a bit of snow still. But we pressed on. Instead of getting out and clearing a small tree that was blocking part of the road, I tried to steer around it and the back of the truck slipped off the road and down into a tree well. We were stuck!

Luckily we had our Mountain bikes and were able to ride down to Wallace and find some help. There was a front end loader parked along that road on the way down and the Sheriff was able to find out who owned it and I paid the guy to go up and dig me out. The snow stopped only about 150 yards further down the Wallace side of the pass, but there was 5+ feet of snow still where I was stuck.

But ya, I always keep a saw in both trucks because I never know what I might encounter going in or coming out. But worst case scenario I also have a chain or tow strap in both as well.