I may have asked this, is there a list of which bypasses are acceptable and which we want to close? Some of the bypasses are small (like 50 feet long around a rock/tree) and may not be enough of a concern to bother with so it would be good to have an idea of which ones we are worrying about.
A list of illegal bypasses would be great, but I would imagine nearly impossible to keep up. Seeing month to month and even maybe week to week there are new spider trails/illegal bypasses popping up. The safe rule of thumb is any bypass that isn't apart of the original trail is an illegal bypass. The easiest way to do it is to have a frame of reference to use, which varies depending on how long you have been wheeling out there. If you see a questionable bypass and aren't sure about it I would ask the Forest Service. Maybe it would be easier to set up a list of all the legal bypasses? Since that list would be much shorter and easier to keep up.
Related to that question, did I hear that a trail inventory was completed with the FS to determine what repairs and issues need to be addressed on the trails? If so who has that and can we all have input on that and use that to guide some of our impromptu/unofficial work days?
Conducting trail inventories is an on going process. The Forest Service conducts them between work days and uses the red marking tape (you see wrapped around trees etc) to denote issue spots. They also will conduct trail inventory during a work day if something is brought to their attention. Like I e-mailed Deborah and Terry about some stuff on Daniel. So during the May work day we rode Daniel and did Trail Inventory. I pointed out my concerns and she also made note of stuff she saw.
In relation to that part of the Trail Inventory process can be done by us the volunteers. While riding any trail if you see illegal bypasses, hazard trees, hazard obstacles, illegal obstacles, etc just make a mental note. Contact Terry with your concerns, and if not during a work day then between work days a trail inventory will be done. I will say though its not a quick process. It took 3 months of communication to get the Daniel trail inventory to take place. And there is still a lot on that trail inventory list not done yet (still plenty of hazard trees, the Forest Service rd that we built a tree blockade for, etc).
You have to remember the Forest Service isn't out riding the trails on as of a frequent basis as we do. They will do their own trail inventory between workdays usually, but they can't get everything all the time. So its up to us to also make mental notes and relay them to the Forest Sevice. And if you don't want to play the e-mail game you can always present a list of concerns during the "Hunt Camp Meet" we have at the beginning of the work days.
Also, I'm assuming that "working on the temporary solution" is in coordination with the FS. Is that a discussion that you'd like some of the other involved groups to help brainstorm? I don't personally have alot of ideas but I know that issues is being discussed alot and there may be some good ideas or some explanations as to why some ideas are good/bad.
If a temporary solution is reached is that something that we'd try to implement at official and unofficial work days?
Sounds like a good idea to find a short term solution until guard rails are installed.
It was something I discussed with the FS at the last work day after most of the group had split up. I wanted to run a couple ideas I had by them so I hung around a little late (This is when we talked about the "Wheeling during the off-season" and the "Heavy Summer Work Weekend" also). We didn't reach a decision because it was a brief conversation, but the idea was for me to come back the next work day with a list of possible solutions.
To be honest I don't want to post anything publicly before I get more feedback from the Forest Service. I have learned my lesson about jumping the gun on things in this forum. I will how ever send you a PM with a few details if you want to discuss them with the other volunteers in your group etc. I just ask you keep it in PMs etc.
I hope this answered most of your questions. If you need me to clarify anything or have any other questions feel free to ask on here or send me a PM.
