ACTION ALERT: Doran Dr./ Oddessa Cyn Gate Keeper bypass closed off

[kirkandsylvia]

This bypass is closed! We need to send emails and phone calls in mass going to the First District County Supervisor's office ....RIGHT NOW....TODAY..... before elections in June. This action I feel would be quite effective. SupervisorMitzelfelt@sbcounty.gov Phone (909) 387-4830

Two weekends ago I headed up to Doran Dr to run the west loop and the bypass for the gate keeper is now blocked off down at the bottom. If you know this area, you know what I am referring to. There is 2 small trails that lead up to the ridge and the one to the right at the bottom now has several boulders lined up across the trail. It appears that they are going to block off the trail to the left as well. According to the rangers out there, it was a request from Calico Ghost town to keep OHV's from entering into the north east camp ground from Doran Dr. Now the only way up the west loop is through the gate keeper or pay the fees at the entrance to Calico and try to slip up the north east camp ground and hit the ridge at the last restroom facility with out getting caught. I would have to say that the lack of respect of the signs at the top of the trail to the ridge that clearly says's "No OHV's" has caused this. I'm not saying it's the jeeper's, but just the public on OHV's that have caused it. I have been running that canyon for 4 yrs now with my family and friends and it is by far my most favorite run to go on. I guess what my point is in all this jibber, is if it's posted for no OHV's, find another way and don't ruin it for those who do respect the land and request from private parties. This will help keep our deserts open for many years to enjoy and see the natural wonders and the carnage challenges we seek out to conquer.

"keep the rubber down and rock on"

[Kodiak Spirit]

wow, well, Gatekeeper is gonna be in the sights now, I expect it to be filled in with rocks next time I head up there... sometimes the "notch" on Odessa is downright paved... times are changin' for Calico... fer shure! thanx for the update!

[RAT]

I would like to approach Calico and the BLM to see if there is anything we can do to open it back up. Maybe go in and put barriers up along with the signs to prevent the unauthorized travel. It would be a shame to see Gatekeeper turned into a freeway.

[FishPOET]

Something doesn't make sense. Although I have never camped in the Calico campground I know many who have and it is the campers that go from Calico campground through the signs to access the trails.

It seems they should fence off the campground to solve the problem rather than closing off access to the trails.

Once again why was there NO communication or discussion before the closure?

[womb raider 940]

How freaking lame. A few ruin it for everybody. Even the BLM or whoever just shutting it down.

Joe called me earlier as this is my favorite trail. And just made my day worse. Thanks Joe............


Anyway I have been wanting to run gatekeeper. Should be there next month or so.




But what can we do that will actually make an impact that could open it back up.

Also did they already forget all of the volunteering by everyone at Calico Clean-up. Jeez where do they come up with these decisions.

[womb raider 940]

wow, well, Gatekeeper is gonna be in the sights now, I expect it to be filled in with rocks next time I head up there... sometimes the "notch" on Odessa is downright paved... times are changin' for Calico... fer shure! thanx for the update!

Whats funny is I saw a pic on the ROF forum of some people putting up rocks on the ledge there filling it up. The tight spot where the car used to be.

[Kodiak Spirit]

well it's to be expected now, the H3 guys and the FJ dudes are running these trails now in their stock rigs... whatever they have trouble with, they start stacking. I dunno, guess I should start wheeling my stock Grand Cherokee... y'know, for the challenge...

[JeepGal]

We need to get ahold of Rose at the BLM and see what happened.

Im sure the issue is two or possibly three-fold.

Firstly, campers in Doran Canyon crossing over to see Calico Ghost Town, bypassing the gaurd/fee station.

Secondly, campers in Doran Canyon crossing over to use the bathrooms in the campground.

Finally, OHV users from Calico Ghost Town campground entering Doran Canyon by means of the bypass.

All of these issues can be fixed by blocking the area near the campground. My biggest concern is whether or not the bypass is on private land or public land. We'll see what Rose says in the next few days or so.

Tam

[dirtman13]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I remember seeing a gate leading to the camp ground.:dunno:

[Jason]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I remember seeing a gate leading to the camp ground.:dunno:

IIRC, all that was separating the campground and the bypass was 10 or so posts. They look like railroad ties (sp). Any number of OHV's could easily drive through. At one part is seems a full size vehicle would fit. There was a sign but you all know how well that goes over. I think the gate you're talking about is the just off the main highway where there is gate and no trespassing sign.

[Shadly1]

Maybe the next cleanup effort on our part should include gravel and boulders.

Doran is too popular of a trail. Even if they shut down that one entrance, another will mysteriously appear. It just works that way in Calico.

[JeepGal]

Sarah put out an email to Rose at the BLM. Hopefully we will have some clarifaction on this soon.

In the meantime, we need to respect their efforts, and work with Calico Ghost Town and the BLM to re-open it. This is not the first time that bypass has been closed off.

Tam

[kirkandsylvia]

My thoughts are as most of you have responded with. I think that maybe some type of fencing at the top of the trail by the camp ground would be better served to us that want to run the west loop.
I did look for another way in to the bypass while I was there and had no luck other than going though the camp ground, which is probably why it is being blocked off now. I know for a fact that this closure has only happened in the past four weeks. I was up there four weeks ago and it was open. Two weeks later it was in the process of being closed. There is a possibility of stopping the rest of the closure which would leave the left trail to the ridge open. I talked to Serena with S.B. County that works in Calico and she really had no info about it other than she heard that it was a problem. I heard a rumor that this might be also an attempt to keep people out of the mine shafts at the top of the loop. I was on a spalunking web site and someone was commenting on they can't get to the Bizmark mine without having to go the long way around. BLM has been striving to close these off for the last year or so which is another small project that I am working on with S.B. County to keep from happening....which is not going well.
Back to the closure, if there is something that BLM and this club can do jointly to keep the bypass open, you can count me and my trail buds' in.

[sarah]

Ok here's the scoop:

I confronted this bypass closure the other day with some very upset jeepers when I was patrolling. The problem is . . . The closure is on County property and they (the County) can close anything they want, even though it is blocking a road (bypass) that has been there for over a hundred years. It's not on BLM Land so we have no control over this issue.

The closure was actually done a while back when Calico added the extra entrance gate (this has its own issues) and they had some bulldozers out and about. I think that it is really wrong that they did this but there is no reasoning with County Regional Parks, who really does not have any jurisdiction over this property, but they closed it anyway. This property is County not County Regional Parks property. They are too lazy to come up with an alternative plan (signage or gates at their property line) too keep people out of Calico Ghost Town and still allow passage on this historic and necessary bypass.

Calico Regional Park's property does not include where this closure was made, but since they are County, they felt they could act anyway. Calico Regional Park is clueless about how important this bypass is as an alternative route and frankly . . . they don't care. It needs to be addressed with County Regional Parks and reopened.

I would suggest emails and phone calls in mass going to the First District County Supervisor's office ....RIGHT NOW....TODAY..... before elections in June. This action I feel would be quite effective. SupervisorMitzelfelt@sbcounty.gov Phone (909) 387-4830

It should be stated in the email and phone calls that this is a historic road (bypass) that is necessary to the off-road community for passage up this historic canyon. Calico Ghost Town has closed a historic route.

[sarah]

I've sent, and so has Rick.

Good morning Supervisor Mitzelfelt;

The County Regional Park has closed a road in the Calico area that blocks access to our 4x4 trails. This trail is known as the Doranl/Odessa Loop, and the section that has been closed acts as the bypass for a very difficult obstacle that most vehicles are not capable of passing. According to Discovery Trails and the BLM, this bypass road has been there for over a hundred years.

Since my family and friends all use these trails on a regular basis and they are important to us, I hope you will take some time to look into this issue.

Attached is a photo of the area, showing the bypass up on the hill, and the bottom of the difficult section in the canyon.

Thank you for your time.