Temporarily Closed?

Yep. Got confused when I got to the first ledge today without passing Gatekeeper - and then there was no first ledge - it was all filled in. :(
I think they renamed the trail "Danielle".
 
Well that sucks. Hows the kodak area? Did they ruin it too?
 
Kodak was untouched. Hopefully they were just filling in for erosion on the ledge, and most of it will wash away with a few good rains. But the Gatekeeper was unrecognizable. The tree is gone, and it's flat. Not that I went by the tree. I liked the little climb around it to the left, but that's all leveled out it seemed.
 
The Forest Service Office is closed but I made a phone call and asked about the website and Daniel and I should be getting a phone call back here soon (or we might even get a post from the local authority on URE). As stated the trails are open, so the website is wrong.

Question though to those that have seen it, did they fill in the 2nd ledge also? (Never mind answered my own question)
 
Well I have gotten one phone call back, and that answered my question about the 2nd ledge.

I am sure people heard about the Jeep fire that happened on Daniel last weekend (Sunday?). The Forest Service had to go in and remove the Jeep so in able to do that they used their little John Deere Bulldozer to fill in areas so they could get up there and remove it. They did not fill in the 2nd Ledge (to answer my own question).

I will be getting a 2nd phone call back later about the whole website thing. But be rest assured the trails aren't closed, and the Daniel thing has nothing to do with the website.

(There will be another confirmation coming from the local URE Authority)
 
The Jeep fire was last Sunday evening, actually late afternoon to be exact. The USFS personnel with help from NCFS had to go in with the dozer. They had no other option. Fires trump recreation always... that's just the way it is. ALL the trails are open at this time. Don't know why the website says otherwise. I might go go check the second ledge tomorrow and see what they did. I was out earlier but did not go to Daniel.
 
Jasper said:
The Jeep fire was last Sunday evening, actually late afternoon to be exact. The USFS personnel with help from NCFS had to go in with the dozer. They had no other option. Fires trump recreation always... that's just the way it is. ALL the trails are open at this time. Don't know why the website says otherwise. I might go go check the second ledge tomorrow and see what they did. I was out earlier but did not go to Daniel.
Click to expand...
^ And that is the official confirmation, and very well put.

The website should be changed Monday to reflect that the trails are open, and all is once again well in Uwharrie Land. :smokin:
 
I was there today and ran Daniel around 10 am, the first ledge s still there but there did appear to be some extra rocks on it. The "gatekeeper" area as some have referred to it is completely filled in and the infamous tree on the left is gone. It makes the approach up to the firs ledge much easier.
 
For anyone worried about Gate Keeper (aka v-notch) and the 1st ledge being too easy, its only a matter of time before the fill dirt washes away. They don't hard compact the dirt, so within a year usually 2 years its back to the way it was .In all reality the last time the 2nd ledge was filled in back in 2010 turned it into an entirely different obstacle. The erosion pattern was different turning it into what it is today, a very tippy experience especially for top heavy rigs. So obstacles being filled in can actually end up in a new wheeling experience.

Besides the fact (this is just my opinion) something needed to be done with Gate Keeper. People were taking the illegal bypass to the left, and it just promoted people to go off-trail which is the last thing we need. But before you know it, the gate keeper will be back.
 
Glad to hear they arent softening the trails. Just a reminder to all: Carry a nice fire extinguisher. Even if the fire still wins at least you can say you tried. Its gotta suck to watch your shit burn down when theres nothing you can do but throw rocks at it.
 
I carry one in my rig I need to get another to put up front as well.
 
I would make it easier to get to than that man. Mines mounted on the d pillar where it can quickly be gotten to.
 
And get the biggest extinguisher you can carry, too. It doesn't have to be a 20-pounder, but those little 1-2lb ones aren't good for much.
 
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