Gold Mountain in the SNOW!

[Old Fart]

[QUOTE=Materdaddy;90154]

Yeah, about 3 quarters of the way through the trail. I brought my laptop to work today to play around with my GPS coordinates so I'll be able to tell you exactly where that tree is!

With as big as it was, Paul was still trying to find a way to move it, or go around it!!! Nobody had a winch, (or traction for that matter). We were afraid that if we strapped it, and it started going down the hill, it might pull a Jeep down with it.

Here's a picture of MORE of the tree:

I'll let the AAT for 3N69 know about the tree as soon as you get me the coordinates. Hopefully no one is going around it.

[USMC 0369]

It seemed as though trees were coming down all over the place. Tell me if I'm wrong Mat, but on the way out; the other [smaller] tree that fell across the trail wasn't there on the way in was it?

I'm searching eBay and Craigslist for some doors!!! If I get them, I'd be willing to go back in the snow!

[Old Fart]

Materdaddy, could (if you remember) also tell me if the tree was green, or substantially dead? If dead - it should have been identified during the hazxard tree analysis during the annual Trail Maintenance Survey

[Mtbikbob]

Great trip Mat, thanks for sharing.

[paulhead]

Materdaddy, could (if you remember) also tell me if the tree was green, or substantially dead? If dead - it should have been identified during the hazxard tree analysis during the annual Trail Maintenance Survey

It looked kinda' dead. I remember looking at the base of it where it snapped and it looked brittle and splintered, almost more dry than green.

[Old Fart]

Sounds like a Hazard Tree to me Paul. We have a "few" of them in the Forest (I logged over 60 on John Bull alone)

I'll get the Adopt-A-Trail club for 3N69 on this ASAP - otherwise folks will be (illegally) going around the tree.

[FishPOET]

You didn't get the memo?

All hazard trees that fall during a snowstorm become the responsibility of the Trail Maintenance Coordinator.

Tell all the planes to stop where they are while you run up the hill and move the tree. :hide:

[Materdaddy]

I'll let the AAT for 3N69 know about the tree as soon as you get me the coordinates. Hopefully no one is going around it.

Fairly close:
N34 17.337 W116 50.456

When we were there, it was nearly impossible to go around. If the snow melts, that's another story. Nobody had tried going around by the time we were there because no tracks were present. We did see a few other people we passed to/from the tree. Hopefully none of them did anything stupid.

I didn't pay too much attention to the tree looking green as it was dusted in white. Here's the pictures I took of it if it helps:

[Old Fart]

You didn't get the memo?

All hazard trees that fall during a snowstorm become the responsibility of the Trail Maintenance Coordinator.

Tell all the planes to stop where they are while you run up the hill and move the tree. :hide:

Believe me, with the week I've had at the "real job", I'd much rather be on 3N69 moving a tree as opposed to arguing with the airlines over construction projects

[USMC 0369]

It looked kinda' dead. I remember looking at the base of it where it snapped and it looked brittle and splintered, almost more dry than green.

I agree with Paul, the tree looked pretty well dead in the center. Not a stitch of green on it.

[Max7]

Protocal

Believe me, with the week I've had at the "real job", I'd much rather be on 3N69 moving a tree as opposed to arguing with the airlines over construction projects

What's the protocal when you encounter a fallen tree like this and have the proper recovery equipment. Winch, couple snatch blocks, etc? Is it alright to move it according to the NFS and proceed?
Best, Max7

[Mike]

The best that I can tell from the meetings that I have been to, the best thing is to make the trail passible again as soon as possible. This prevents the trail from being corrupted by folks that are willing to make a by-pass. The USFS protects the established trails, but not the unauthorized ones.

Therefore, if you can clear the trail, you are helping the Rangers to do the tasks that they are charged with.

I think that I got this right... Old Fart? Am I close?

[Max7]

The best that I can tell from the meetings that I have been to, the best thing is to make the trail passible again as soon as possible. This prevents the trail from being corrupted by folks that are willing to make a by-pass. The USFS protects the established trails, but not the unauthorized ones.

Therefore, if you can clear the trail, you are helping the Rangers to do the tasks that they are charged with.

I think that I got this right... Old Fart? Am I close?

That makes good sense Mike.

[Old Fart]

_Very_ difficult question to give a "one answer that will work everytime" answer to, but I'll try..

The answer is "depends"

IF you can move the tree safely, just enough to clear the trail - then it _might_ be acceptable. (Not much of an answer, I know). When we move a tree (or rocks, or dirt..) either with USFS staff, OHV or AAT personnel, we take into consideration things like where it will wind up (moving a tree off a trail and onto an endangered species (plant or animal) habitat is Not A Good Thing.

We certainly don't want the tree to wind up somewhere it shouldn't be, or worse yet, have someone that's trying to help hurt themselves or damage a vehicle trying to help. If you ever participate on a Trail Maintenance for any of the really overgrown trails, you'll see that we require a pretty extensive Safety Plan to be in place before doing work of this type.

In this case - I have someone from the AAT club responsible for 3N69 that will try to go up this weekend and remedy the situation, assuming that the severe storm that's expected this weekend doesn't keep them down the hill.

I still need to map those coordinates and see where we are.

[dirtman13]

_Very_ difficult question to give a "one answer that will work everytime" answer to, but I'll try..

The answer is "depends"

IF you can move the tree safely, just enough to clear the trail - then it _might_ be acceptable. (Not much of an answer, I know). When we move a tree (or rocks, or dirt..) either with USFS staff, OHV or AAT personnel, we take into consideration things like where it will wind up (moving a tree off a trail and onto an endangered species (plant or animal) habitat is Not A Good Thing.

We certainly don't want the tree to wind up somewhere it shouldn't be, or worse yet, have someone that's trying to help hurt themselves or damage a vehicle trying to help. If you ever participate on a Trail Maintenance for any of the really overgrown trails, you'll see that we require a pretty extensive Safety Plan to be in place before doing work of this type.

In this case - I have someone from the AAT club responsible for 3N69 that will try to go up this weekend and remedy the situation, assuming that the severe storm that's expected this weekend doesn't keep them down the hill.

I still need to map those coordinates and see where we are.

Sure is a lot involved just to move a tree but I can understand why. Amazing how much impact moving a tree can have. Good info for the future. Thanks.