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

[JeepGal]

so if they close this and the only way up is the gate keeper than im all for it. this just means the trail will stay good and hard like it should be. im sick of going on trails that have been stacked and cleared so the stockers can make it up with out crying. i do think it is sad that people ruin it for us when they take alternative routes or bypasses. i tried gatekeeper for 2 years until i finally made it. it made the day that much better. look on other forums, and look at what people do when they are on the trail, basically pave it so everyone can go up. hopefully pushing for change on this wont pave gatekeeper, then another trail gets turned into a circus.

Ive been running Odessa and Doran for about 5 years now. I have no desire to take my Jeep through lower Doran (the gatekeeper). The majority of people out there have no desire to incurr the body damage that is assured to happen by going through it.

I think its selfish of you to think this is a good thing. And to be realistic with you, the end result of the closing of the by-pass will be that "The Gatekeeper" will get filled and paved with rocks so that everyone will be able to get through it.

So if I were you, I'd be supporting our efforts to keep the by-pass open, so that you can continue to enjoy Lower Doran as it is.

Tam

[Shadly1]

so if they close this and the only way up is the gate keeper than im all for it. this just means the trail will stay good and hard like it should be. im sick of going on trails that have been stacked and cleared so the stockers can make it up with out crying. i do think it is sad that people ruin it for us when they take alternative routes or bypasses. i tried gatekeeper for 2 years until i finally made it. it made the day that much better. look on other forums, and look at what people do when they are on the trail, basically pave it so everyone can go up. hopefully pushing for change on this wont pave gatekeeper, then another trail gets turned into a circus.

If Gatekeeper is the only way up, then Gatekeeper WILL get paved. I've never had the rig to do it. I sure don't want to make it up that way.

[ghostrider]

i think it would take alot of rocks to make it easy enough for the fj, rovers, and stockers that pave the rest of the canyon. and most guys that do go out there would not stand for that. im not selfish, just want a trail to stay decent. i guess im just different than most when i go out and enjoy my jeep. if you have to rebuild the bypass to please people what happens when that bypass gets to hard or washed out, then there becomes another one, and so on.
its pretty easy to go up and odessa and down to doran and turn around and go back and make to mule canyon for the easy way out.

[kirkandsylvia]

it may take alot of rocks to fill it, but when it's filled, it's filled and done. For those who love the local "carnage", they'd be pretty bummed to find the gatekeeper now "Hwy. Doran Dr." don't you think?

[ghostrider]

very true it would take a while, i remember when it wasnt so deep but that was awhile ago. while your at it might want to fix the ridge trail, in odessa, where you can go up the side. soon as 1 person goes down that the whole place will get shut down. i just think as the trail gets weathered adn the rocks move out and it makes everything deeper and harder it makes you pay more attention and learn to drive better. hell i saw a guy in a toyota truck drive up doran by himself with no spotter. i was impressed. but if it has to get fixed i will donate my time and equipement.

[kirkandsylvia]

I say, fight the closure. This will preserve the gatekeeper for what it is and should be. Heck, I might eventually attempt the keeper. But for now, the bypass works for my rig, and the rest of Doran is a good challenge.

I would have liked to have been there to see a "Toy" go up through Doran without a spotter. Spots a hard enough with a spotter, couldn't imagine without one. Besides, not needing a spotter would not give my wife anything to do.



" Sometimes I'm the bug, other times I'm the windshield "

[Shadly1]

There are a couple of "nooks" that are good candidates for a bypass if we do lose this trail. I just don't know if they are far enough in to be off county property.

I'd really rather keep what we've got though. That bypass is pretty fun!

[Roger]

Ghost Rider,

I think you may be missing the point. The point is this, it is our land and if we don't stop the government (at all levels) from making decisions as to whether we have access or not without consulting the public then we have lost more freedom. Sure it's one trail you want to keep the difficult, I understand that, but if we don't speak up, there will be no trails for you to run on.

You do know the wack-job environmentalists don't want you in the desert at all right? They want you to only ride pubic transportation back and forth to work. . .

Read the bottom quote of a post from Sarah, it is so true. Just my :2:

[kirkandsylvia]

I agree with you Roger, if this bypass is clearly open land and not owned by Calico, then it is closing our freedom of access to our land. If I am not mistaken, Calico ownes 1 square mile surrounding the town. This would probably make the bypass open land. There is someone in Calico that I can contact that knows first hand what is theirs' and what is not. I will send an email today.

[Roger]

I agree with you Roger, if this bypass is clearly open land and not owned by Calico, then it is closing our freedom of access to our land. If I am not mistaken, Calico ownes 1 square mile surrounding the town. This would probably make the bypass open land. There is someone in Calico that I can contact that knows first hand what is theirs' and what is not. I will send an email today.

Kirk & Sylvia,

I don't know anyone who would have that information. The best course of action is to send as many emails to County 1st District Supervisor Mitzelfeldt as possible.
He is a strong supporter of keeping the desert open and I am sure he will take action with enough prompting!

BTW, thanks for taking the time to get involved. If we don't do it, who will??

[kirkandsylvia]

Roger,
I have sent an email to the supervisor Mitzelfeldt regarding the closure. I also sent an email to Serena Steiner that works in Calico Ghost Town with a request of info on the County property line. She is the historian there in Calico at the Lane Museum. She is a wealth of info when it comes to that area. Hopefully she can give some more insight on that side of Calico.

[Lawrence]

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...

i think it would take alot of rocks to make it easy enough for the fj, rovers, and stockers that pave the rest of the canyon.

These comments are not likely to win support from other groups. I have seen more Jeepers stack rocks than I have seen FJ'ers, yet I don't call Jeepers a bunch of stackers. Whatever helps you get your vehicle through the trail is fine by me.

[Roger]

Roger,
I have sent an email to the supervisor Mitzelfeldt regarding the closure. I also sent an email to Serena Steiner that works in Calico Ghost Town with a request of info on the County property line. She is the historian there in Calico at the Lane Museum. She is a wealth of info when it comes to that area. Hopefully she can give some more insight on that side of Calico.

That's great! I'd like to know what you find out.

Thank you for your efforts!

[JJsKJ]

Sent an email. Crazy how fast things change for the worse.

[sarah]

Thank you Roger, for your comments above, I couldn't have said it better myself (and I have been looking for the right words for a few days too, hehe)