Deer Valley found to be in compliance with S&G 100

Jk owners don't wheel (Brad being the exception 🙂 )

Kevin doesn't count either.  But I'm not sure what he does is considered wheeling.😕

kris_olof said Since i know you are curious I wanted to point out that the trail work was 100% supported by TJs.  In fact the only JK I saw up there was a 2 door that never left the parking lot at the trail head.  

ouch! thats disappointing, but I can't judge since I couldn't make it either 🙄

In all seriousness the Motherload Rock Crawlers did an amazing job.  The forest service had 4 people out there and handled getting the rock delivered to the trailhead (2 ~20 ton transfers paid for by our green sticker funds) but after that it was all on the volunteers.  The club hosting had signs directing people to the trailhead, a registration tent with coffee and donuts, appropriate wavers and safety talks about the equipment, hosted a bbq lunch for everyone there, water jugs at the work site, and advertised the project so that Cal-4-wheel had people there as well as Del Albright.  One of the club members brought his tractor with a front end loader to load the trailers.  The trailers (5 of them) were borrowed from the Rubicon Trail Foundation and are custom built for rock hauling on the trail.  They were custom made by the Vorazzo shop in placerville out of at least 1/4" steel, on 35s, and had air powered dump beds.

This was an example of what we would be wise to do for whenever work is scheduled on Strawberry.  I got a few phone numbers and will for sure be following up with them for some more planning tips.  If I learned anything it is that there is a lot more involved in these trail repair issues on the federal side than on the volunteer side.

kris_olof said In all seriousness the Motherload Rock Crawlers did an amazing job.  The forest service had 4 people out there and handled getting the rock delivered to the trailhead (2 ~20 ton transfers paid for by our green sticker funds) but after that it was all on the volunteers.  The club hosting had signs directing people to the trailhead, a registration tent with coffee and donuts, appropriate wavers and safety talks about the equipment, hosted a bbq lunch for everyone there, water jugs at the work site, and advertised the project so that Cal-4-wheel had people there as well as Del Albright.  One of the club members brought his tractor with a front end loader to load the trailers.  The trailers (5 of them) were borrowed from the Rubicon Trail Foundation and are custom built for rock hauling on the trail.  They were custom made by the Vorazzo shop in placerville out of at least 1/4" steel, on 35s, and had air powered dump beds. This was an example of what we would be wise to do for whenever work is scheduled on Strawberry.  I got a few phone numbers and will for sure be following up with them for some more planning tips.  If I learned anything it is that there is a lot more involved in these trail repair issues on the federal side than on the volunteer side.    

nice info Kris 🙂

Ok you all need to quit baggin on the jk owners. We know the truth, there was no starbucks in the area!

davesjk said   

BURNNNNNN!!!!!

Are u really selling ur rig Greg?  Will u stay with an off-road vehicle when u buy something new?

We will stick with our JK... It is rock-wheeling worthy now... 😀

Adopted Environmental Assessment now public for Deer Valley.  Currently in public comment so 45 days then 5 days or longer to review comments and then it should be adopted.

The EA and associated Draft Decision basically call for a few more projects to harden one of the crossings and adoption of a unique operating window.  Unlike the rest of the forest that is closed Jan 1st to June 1st, this trail will open 6 weeks after snowmelt at the nearby snow sensor station.  Based on historic snow melt this is typically mid july but with global warming will hopefully be sooner.  Unfortunately due to the required 50 day minimum to be adopted none of the projects are likely to start this year (though I wouldn't mind hauling rock around thanksgiving).  I will keep my ear to the ground but this should mean a couple of work days next august/september and the trail officially re-opening.

Specific Projects are as follows:

-More rock placement to harden crossing approaches at Deer Valley (should be a smaller project than the most recent one)
-Larger boulders to keep crossing from widening (might need equipment depending on the size of the rock?)
-Trail reroute for northwest approach mentioned above. (looks like ~100ft of new trail and blocking old trail)

Thanks Kris👍

Gilbert & Betty said Thanks Kris👍  

x2 Thanks for keeping us informed Kris. Much appreciated.

Gregulator said

BURNNNNNN!!!!!  

or maybe JK owners are over compensating for something!

Good news Kris, thanks for the update!