Dead Trail - Weep for the forest!
 
This article was written on October 5, 2001  At the time the USFS had no comment.  However, the hew and cry raised by this article has prompted them to offer a rebuttal to this article.  In all fairness I would suggest that you read their response too.  Since its first publication there have been literally hundreds of comments made to the Forest Supervisor regarding this subject. Personal assurances have been made that the word has been received loud and clear.  There have even been congressional inquiries result from this article.  This article remains on line  for historic purposes only.  Special Thanks to all those who responded with similar concern for the management of the forest.  IT IS NO LONGER NECESSARY TO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE WCNF OR YOUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.  

This destruction was a  reaction by the USFS  to the acts of destruction and abuse of a very few individuals, if not a single person.  Let this stand also as a memorial to the damage that can result when everyone does not comply with the rules of the forest.   The USFS was completely within their management guidelines to perform the action described here.  It is hoped that future problems of compliance will be dealt with much differently.  Thanks to all those who responded previously, it more than likely will.


I know that this sounds too much like the cry of an environmental archivist, but when you see what I have seen, you may be brought to the reality of the extent that people will go to prevent our use of motorized vehicles.  Once you see the pictures below your stomach will knot up and you will be angry to tears.    This page will require several minutes to load.  I apologize for the inconvenience, but I think you will agree that is is worth it to see for yourself.  While you are waiting, please read on.
 

This trail was located 7.27 miles up Weber Canyon Road.  Access to the trail was from private property.  These pictures and GPS tracks were sent to me by a fellow rider who loves and respects our natural resources.  I think you will agree that there has never been, nor is it ever possible for the amount of destruction by motorized vehicles to equal the devastation caused by the management philosophy to "decommission" trails.  Look at the pictures for yourself.  You will see.  This is what our "environmental" archivist friends have in mind for our forests.

This, my friends, is reality, not make believe.  These pictures come from National Forest Lands!    This destruction is not limited to ten or fifteen feet to make it clear that this area is off limits to motorized vehicles.  This destruction is stretched over the distance of at over a  MILE.  It may go on beyond that, but the going was so difficult after the destruction, that I'm told this was a far as they could get by foot.

This is happening today.  This is not likely to be limited to the Wasatch Cache National Forest where this devastation occurred.  This is likely to be repeated in forests through out our great land.

You will want to note that this destruction occurred in an area that is presently managed as motorized limited to existing trails.  The trail had been signed as closed, yet the shabbily constructed sign itself bares no indication that it is an official USFS closure.    The sign appears as though it is the work of clever environmental archivists who modified the sign to meet their agenda.   It lacks the USFS logo thus providing credibility.  Even so, the sign alone would be enough to stop most of the people I have met out on the trail, even though it lacks credibility.

The people whose homes are located near this area used this trail as their access to the forest.  The very reason why they elected to buy a home in this area has now been dashed to pieces.  Their property values have just plummeted downward.  It seems to me that a long established right of way has been violated here.   This is public land not privately owned land.  You and I as Americans, own this land!

Here's the saddest part of all.  This is not the work of environmental terrorists.  This is the work of, well - you guessed it, the USFS.  I'm not sure I will ever understand how this management practice is of value to our forest.  The existence  of a forest trail would have been much more esthetically pleasing than what we have here now.  We probably used our tax dollars to send someone to a special class somewhere to learn how to commit such acts of forest rape.  Then we invested another hundred thousand dollars to buy a specialized piece of equipment to commit the act.  It would have been a lot cheaper to invest in a "Bobcat" trail management excavator tool to keep the trail open and available to all.

If you have read through my trail descriptions, you will find that I have been VERY supportive of the WCNF and the USFS in general.  Except for this abhoration, I think that they do a wonderful job of protecting and improving our forest facilities.  This is one area where the First Amendment right of free speech must allow me to voice opposition to a practice that must be stopped.

This devastation need not be permanent!  If enough of us complain and demand that this and other trails be reopened this destruction can be repaired much more quickly and cheaply than the WTC.   Please join your voice with mine in crying out against the destruction of our motorized trails. (There's more below the pictures on what you can do) This trail is not only devastated for Motorized use, but you can't even reasonably hike this trail, much less get a horse through the destruction.  This is an affront on all Americans, including our non-motorized users.


Take the scenic tour:

This is how the trail starts.  You couldn't ask for a more serene and scenic ATV adventure.


But then you come around the corner and BAM!  Can you believe this.  It goes ON and ON.

These are not pictures of the same destruction from different angles.  This is the forest trail as it climbs the mountain.

They didn't just pull a few old downed trees into the trail as we have encountered on so many other occasions.
They actually Cut FRESH LIVE Trees to block the trail.

This offers all the scenic beauty of a construction site, wouldn't you agree?


No tree was spared in their quest to ravage the forest.  Now, tell me my archival friends who read this, wouldn't you rather see an ATV trail in the forest?  I sure would.

This is only 20 of more than 90 pictures taken of this devastation.  If you'd like I can send you a CD Rom that contains the whole inventory of pictures.

Is this really how we want our forests "managed?"

Here's what you can do.

[Due to the passage of time, and the enormous response to this article no further action is necessary at this time]

Remember that America, in all its diversity, has already found that segregation is a principle that simply does not work.  It did not work socially, it will not work environmentally.  If we can not accommodate people and their diversities in this country, then we are begging for the kind of rulers who oppress and deny rights and freedoms.

It is your freedom to loose.

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