Def reopen some old trails
The next big project the Forest Service has planned is the opening of a "New Trail" which is essentially mostly the old Big Branch Trail.
Beyond that there were talks of hiking some of the old closed trails to formulate a proposal to the FS about getting some of the old trails re-opened. This is definitely something I am interested in getting set up.
On this topic does anyone have any trails in particular that they would like to see re-opened?
Somebody needs to run a grader down Saw Mill and get rid of 95% of those water bars. The new section looks like an MX track.
I agree they went overboard with the water bars, I just don't see the Forest Service getting rid of them though.
How about some maint on the roads there. large pot holes, and the washboards are a little out of hand.
Last time I talked about road maintenance I didn't get a direct answer. I was told contractors would be working on some of the bigger issues and in the past they have filled in pot holes once a year or so. What I would like to see if the Forest Service allow us to get some work done on them if they won't do it. I don't know about other people, but one of the workdays we have the Bobcat I don't mind coming up Friday and doing some road maintenance.
By pass on Daniel so I can get my stock h2 around without scratching it! In a serious note, more patrol to keep the morons in check.
Currently there is only one LEO at Uwharrie, and beyond that the Forest Service doesn't ride the trails too often doing any kind of Patrols. I will bring this up though and see what they (the FS) says.
I'd like for URE to hold some sort of competition there again..like the URE cross...
It would be cool to have another race held at Uwharrie. But that is something the event coordinators for the races and the Forest Service would have to work out. As far as other kinds of events, I know there are a couple things planned for next year. I will give out more details on that when they become available next year.
I'd love to see a rock garden put in on Dutch John, in the rocky area near the stream (about 1/2 way through the trail). It is rocky there to begin with and I think rocks were actually removed from that area. It now looks like a cobble stone road.
How about no littering signs/fines for littering?
We hit a brick wall with the Rock Garden thing back in May. As of right now I am trying to get the idea re-considered and 2 locations we are proposing for the Rock Garden are 1 on Dutch John and 1 on Daniel. I will post more info as I get it. As far as the signs go I have been in favor of this all along, but people steal signs out there (the Adopt-A-Trail Signs, the carsonite trail maker signs, etc) so we would have to keep re-placing them. It turns into a $$$ issue.
The Forest Service has requests on the books for money to pave the majority of the Forest Service roads. I just don't know how many years out those projects could be, if they get money approved.
Paint the guard rails, they look like crap in the woods. I know why they are there, heck I helped put up alot of it over the past 3 years but it still looks bad.
This might be an option, I will bring this up in my next communication with the Forest Service. I know they would be even more apt to do it if we provided the paint.
how about put the rocks back on the upper part of daniel. use to be a fair little rock garden on the last half of daniel but it's more like a gravel road now. guess they rolled down the hill and down the mtn.
I think I know the area you are talking about. And that is actually one of the sites being proposed for a "possible" rock garden. It would involve the re-location of boulders from other areas to that area to form a "natural rock garden".
On a serious note, I think the single biggest improvement that needs to be made to the OHV trail system at Uwharrie is the reopening of Gold Mine, or the creation of a new trail that accomplishes the same thing (Connector trail from the end of Daniel to Dickey Bell).
I think the chances of us getting Gold Mine re-opened are very slim. I am betting the widening of Daniel from a dirt bike trail into an OHV one was as a "replacement" for Gold Mine. From what I have been told Gold Mine has some huge hydrology issues, and also has Bald Eagle's Nests which have to be avoided. But what could be a possibility is use parts of the old Gold Mine trail that don't have Bald Eagle's nests, or Rare Wild Sun Flowers, etc plus new sections of trails to crate a loop back. Because Daniel is really the only dead end trail in the OHV system.
