Forum Index > Trail Talk > The summer to adopt a abandoned trail?
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Waterman
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PostThu May 14, 2020 11:18 am 
Perhaps this would be a good time to brush out or solve drainage problems on seldom used trails. Not suggesting logging out blow downs. Just brushing back overgrown trails. No cutting more than 4' from center of trail. All cuts close to trunk. No sharp stubs that will injure others. Clear drainage pipes. Any thoughts?

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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RichP
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PostThu May 14, 2020 12:33 pm 
Always a good idea. I imagine that even maintained trails will see less work this year. I'm signed up for a couple of BCRT's this summer with WTA but social distancing might be difficult with a cross cut saw.

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Cyclopath
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PostThu May 14, 2020 1:16 pm 
Great idea. Those are the trails you'll get the most solitude on, and a sense of purpose and accomplishment too. smile.gif

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Riverside Laker
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PostThu May 14, 2020 1:49 pm 
I wish this guy would put these back on line: abandoned trails

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JonnyQuest
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PostThu May 14, 2020 1:51 pm 
Best done when the huckleberries are ripe!

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Ski
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PostThu May 14, 2020 3:47 pm 
Riverside Laker wrote:
I wish this guy would put these back on line: abandoned trails
^ There are trails all over the South Cascades that have been abandoned over the years. I can't pull trail names or numbers off the top of my head, but I do recall running into (and using) several of them in the Craggy Peak / Blue Lake area, saving myself quite a bit of huffing and puffing up switchbacks in one case. Most of those I found down there were generally in pretty good shape, surprisingly. up.gif

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Brucester
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PostThu May 14, 2020 4:33 pm 
RichP wrote:
BCRT's
These have been on my mind for awhile! up.gif What's the FS's take on reviving unmaintained or abandoned trails by organized trail clubs? Folks all talk of taking the "path less traveled" and with all these new people who've moved to the north west.... More trails, less overcrowding!

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Ski
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PostThu May 14, 2020 5:02 pm 
Brucester wrote:
More trails, less overcrowding!
True, but..... Don't hold your breath waiting for NPS or USFS or BLM or DNR or WDFW to re-open any trails which have been closed/abandoned/decommissioned and/or otherwise put out of use, and don't hold onto any expectation of any new trails being constructed (unless they're part of a larger project.) They just don't have the budgets, and the compliance hurdles they have to jump over make taking any action in that direction pretty much a non-starter. I am not a big fan of "vigilante" work myself, but it might well be of some benefit overall if some were to take a stab at the "adopt-a-trail" thing and maybe do a wee bit of prudent brushwork.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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SwitchbackFisher
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PostThu May 14, 2020 5:26 pm 
There is an unmaintained trail I do some mild maintenance on every year. I can think of a few others that could use some attention as well.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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RodF
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PostThu May 14, 2020 7:41 pm 
Excellent suggestion!
Brucester wrote:
What's the FS's take on reviving unmaintained or abandoned trails by organized trail clubs?
My district ranger said: (1) he can't approve any maintenance of non-system trails, but (2) it is legal to walk anywhere in the forest, and (3) it is not illegal to cut brush or windfall trees to make it possible to walk anywhere in the forest (specifically, an abandoned road or trail), but (4) it's not legal to do any ground disturbance (dig a tread), just (5) don't call it a "trail" - "trail" means official "USFS system trail" - call it a "path", (6) please don't create any social path in a designated Botanical Area of the forest, which are reserved to protect rare or endangered species, and (7) don't ask for permission he can't give ("don't ask, don't tell")! wink.gif If it happens, they don't wanna know about it.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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treeswarper
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PostThu May 14, 2020 8:18 pm 
If it weren't for the don't ask don't tell way, many of the trails around Randle and Packwood would not get logged out. It's mainly on the motorized ones that stealth work occurs. The early in the season users strap chainsaws on their bikes and open things up, and some of these guys really know what they are doing. up.gif up.gif The same goes for roads.

What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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Ski
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PostThu May 14, 2020 8:28 pm 
Rod wrote:
...
^ up.gif lol.gif

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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SwitchbackFisher
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PostThu May 14, 2020 10:08 pm 
treeswarper wrote:
If it weren't for the don't ask don't tell way, many of the trails around Randle and Packwood would not get logged out. It's mainly on the motorized ones that stealth work occurs. The early in the season users strap chainsaws on their bikes and open things up, and some of these guys really know what they are doing. up.gif up.gif The same goes for roads.
I have mixed feelings there are some people who do this in the wilderness areas using horses around Naches Yakima area up both 410 and 12. They use chainsaw before fires are a real risk, they are helping the trails, but it's a wilderness area... The one time I saw them I told them just in case they were unaware of rules In wilderness. They knew what they were doing was not legal, but I didn't press the issue, they were very nice.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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Ski
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PostThu May 14, 2020 10:59 pm 
^ well.... it's for reasons like that that I said I'm not a big fan of the vigilante stuff. some guys know what they're doing (like Rod) others.... not so much.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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SwitchbackFisher
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PostThu May 14, 2020 11:44 pm 
Ski wrote:
^ well.... it's for reasons like that that I said I'm not a big fan of the vigilante stuff. some guys know what they're doing (like Rod) others.... not so much.
I definitely see where you are coming from, I've done enough sanctioned trail maintenance and have cut new trail (also sanctioned) so I understand how someone who had good intentions can easily do more damage than good. As much as I want to say those horseback riders have good intentions, it's probably really then being selfish, as they can't ride past trees across the trail really. There is a hike I've done on a path (unofficial)in wilderness where trees where cut and by the look of the cuts it was done with chainsaws, and some were easy to climb over, that I'm definitely not ok with. When I see that makes me wonder if it's a common occurrence to these guys on horseback or if it's maybe just a few people doing it. I only know 2 horse hikers and they said that they would never do that.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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