Changes to trails @ EJS

[Todd Adams]

As a trail leader I am all for what the Red Rock 4-Wheelers are asking the BLM to do during the Easter Jeep Safari.

1. During the Safari all of the designated trails will be one way only.
2. On Big Saturday all EJS trails will be closed to the general public.

BTW if you think that the trail closures can’t work I will remind you that we have the police helicopters that we as trail leaders can call in. Last year an individual was arrested and handcuffed (I was witness to this) on Poison Spider Mesa Trail who decided to argue with the trail leader. He had informed the trail leader he had the right to make the EJS trail wait as he passed. One quick call and the sheriff had him in handcuffs. I heard he was intoxicated as well but it shows what kind of response we get from the authorities.
Non EJS participants have gotten out of hand and something needs to be done even to take as drastic steps as these. Pritchett Canyon is almost unusable by the EJS, due to these kinds of problems, on any day of the Safari and worse on Saturday.
Just thought I would throw this out for comment. I know full well these are public lands but by paying the permit fees (over $40,000 each year to the Moab district office) the Red Rock 4-Wheelers have exclusivity of these trails for the duration of the event and have earned the right by keeping the trials open to us the rest of the year.

 

[87jeep]

2. On Big Saturday all EJS trails will be closed to the general public.

so what you are saying is if i dont pay the 50 plus dollers to run on big saterday i cant run a trail at all

 

[cruiseroutfit]

So RR4W is asking for this, but are they going to get it?

What is the maximum # of vehicles that RR4W can register for EJS?

 

[Mopar_magic]

Are you going to ask to close main street next to non EJS participants? What exactly do the permits the BLM issues you grant the EJS?

 

[James K]

As a trail leader I am all for what the Red Rock 4-Wheelers are asking the BLM to do during the Easter Jeep Safari.

1. During the Safari all of the designated trails will be one way only.
.

this one I don't like. especially if your running pritchet. I mean who hasn't been caught at rocker knocker(let alone the big delays you run into at this obsticle itself), only to hear that there is a rollover at rockpile. and the only way out in a timely fashion is to go out backwards. let alone if you have a busted rig you're trying to get out, it is a lot easier to go out the way you came in(especially if you have only made it to rocker knocker)then try and finish the trail and go all the way out the county road.

 

[Milner]

I can see both sides of this issue. I WAS a leader for many years. I got so fed up with the entire situation that I even gave up my RR membersip....And it is not even their fault. I don't even wheel during EJS anymore....been 3 years now...

As a leader it suckked having to deal with the crowds on the trails. As a joe wheeler it sucks to have the trails closed....

I still think moving EJS to the week after Easter is a better idea.

 

[XJEEPER]

I too have passed on EJS since 2000......not worth the headache. I spend way too much time waiting in traffic as it is I-15.......vote yes on Legacy Parkway.

 

[BlackSheep]

I can see the argument. There are a lot of people who register for EJS, and I have been one of them (and will be in the future). My brother flies down from Mass, and we meet a lot of good people (just like whenever you're out on a trail). A lot of people do come from a long way off to have a guided experience on the trails. It does get crazy, and I'd be in support to moving the dates.

After all, many of the people on the trails who aren't registered are relatively local people anyway. They do have the entire year to make visits to the Moab area.

Most importantly for me, a big chunk of the money raised at EJS goes towards keeping those trails open for those of us lucky enough to live nearby. That is the reason I will support EJS. Even if they move the dates, I will continue to support the RR4W.

 

[jmaxj]

This is why i'm not a member of the RR4W, to much bull****! and i for one will be running trails no matter what, if i run into the safari i'll pull over and let them by as ussual but closing the trails and making them one way is all a bunch of crap if you ask me.

just my $.02

 

[muleskinner]

I know full well these are public lands but by paying the permit fees (over $40,000 each year to the Moab district office) the Red Rock 4-Wheelers have exclusivity of these trails for the duration of the event and have earned the right by keeping the trials open to us the rest of the year.

Hmm, So for $40k I can reserve moab for me and my friends? I avoid EJS because of the crowds but that’s just ridiculous. I wonder when the greenies will reserve it for hiking....

 

[TELFORD]

As a trail leader I am all for what the Red Rock 4-Wheelers are asking the BLM to do during the Easter Jeep Safari.

1. During the Safari all of the designated trails will be one way only.
2. On Big Saturday all EJS trails will be closed to the general public.



makes perfect sense



CRAP

 

[Rick B]

Well as a local here in Moab I disagree with both. If RR4W wants to clean up EJS they should do what they were talking about a few months ago & move the entire event to May. As long as it is happening at the same time as Spring Break there will be thousands of non participants out on the trails. UHP's helicopter can't possibly be everywhere at once, and threatening to arrest people simply for using their public lands in a legal manner isn't going to make any friends & might generate a slew of lawsuits against RR4W & others.

Like many others have said, EJS lost it's attraction for a very large number of people long ago. I personally haven't participated in it since before RR4W even existed (1978 was the last time I was officially part of it). Sure I can go out on the trails basically any time I want, but Jeep Safari can also happen basically any time as well, so that argument simply doesn't work.

I think it's well past the time for RR4W to set a more fixed date for their event. Their arrogance in demanding Easter has grown very old for many in the community. There are other events that happen on regularly scheduled dates from March through April that are often moved or cancelled because of the floating date for Easter & the known circus atmosphere that Jeep Safari brings with it.

You make it sound as if the BLM has already agreed to make these changes. That seems to me like the kind of thing that would require a public comment period. Completely closing hundreds of miles of trails to the public even for only one day is a big deal, the kind of thing that requires input from the public that you are trying to exclude.

 

[greenjeep]

OK, let me clear a few things up. As the one who will be filling out the BLM 5-year permit, I'll tell you what we as a club have decided to do.

We are going to ASK (this doesn't mean the BLM will agree) to have exclusive use OR one-way use of 11 trails for Big Saturday ONLY! The rest of the week will not be effected. I don't have the list in front of me, but as I recall this is what we are asking for:

Pritchett Canyon - exclusive use
Behing the Rocks - exclusive use
Cliffhanger - exclusive use
Poison Spider - exclusive use
Gold Bar Rim - exclusive use
Moab Rim - exclusive use
Steel Bender - one way traffic
Hell's Revenge - one way traffic
Kane Creek - one way traffic
Fins and Things - one way traffic
3-D - one way traffic

If this request gets approved it most likely will not go into effect until '06.

Safari is out of control and we are trying our best to keep it a fun, pleasurable event FOR THE REGISTERED, PAYING, PARTICIPENTS.

EJS WILL be changing one way or another.

David Adams
RR4W Land Use Officer

 

[Todd Adams]

David,
Thanks for the reply.

David and I are not related even though I have a brother with the same name.

What David did not say was that for many events in Moab they do close the permitted route so what RR4W is asking for does not set any kind of precedence.

I am also sure that on the problem trails like Pritchett and Poison Spider on Big Saturday there will be law enforcement present on the ground at the trailhead preventing groups to use the trail. This is already being done so a limited degree on Big Saturday by the Sheriff even if you were not aware of it.

I will take my “Trail Leader” jacket off for a moment and say that I personally might have a problem with this since Linda and I usually do not do a trail on Big Saturday any more and like to play around. Last year the Maxxis Tire Rock Crawling Team Poster was photographed on Poison Spider just below the “Wedgee” on Big Saturday. We were going up as the Official Trail came down. My Daughter was even on the Official trail. I made sure the trail leader (who is the elected President of RR4W) knew our group had all pulled over to let them by. This was no problem, the guy they arrested had told him that the official trail had to pull over for him.

The problem is that some people think “they” own the trails. I had an encounter a couple of years ago with just this type of individual while mid gunning an official trail. I won’t get into details but he is one of the main reasons and others like him that I hope the BLM grants the request of RR4W.

Like Marc and a couple of others have stated, go another time. I will have to say that the only reason we have many of these trails today is for the efforts of the RR4W. Give the club some respect and either join the official Safari or go some other time. Don’t be part of the problem.

BTW the raffle on Friday night is up to $100,000! And the only way to get a ticket is to register for the Safari.

Oh and one other thing. New this next year will be a professional rock crawling event at the Helderado trail area that now is private on Big Saturday. This should be an attraction for many not doing a Big Saturday trail.

 

[Todd Adams]

I think it's well past the time for RR4W to set a more fixed date for their event. Their arrogance in demanding Easter has grown very old for many in the community. There are other events that happen on regularly scheduled dates from March through April that are often moved or cancelled because of the floating date for Easter & the known circus atmosphere that Jeep Safari brings with it.
QUOTE]


Rick,
If you feel this strongly about this why have you not voiced your opinion to the club? Particularly since you live in Moab. I am not a voting member since I am an associate so what ever I think doesn’t really matter. What is being done is by the voting majority of the club that are locals and have strong ties with the community.

 

[TELFORD]

"Like Marc and a couple of others have stated, go another time. I will have to say that the only reason we have many of these trails today is for the efforts of the RR4W. Give the club some respect and either join the official Safari or go some other time. Don’t be part of the problem."


soooo....... let me get this right, are you saying that if I dont register for the safari, and I go ahead and come down anyway and run some trails, that I am a problem?

 

[Todd Adams]

soooo....... let me get this right, are you saying that if I dont register for the safari, and I go ahead and come down anyway and run some trails, that I am a problem?

I don't know are you? Why are you there? If you are there to party on the trail and you know what I mean, then yes. If you are there to run trails as long as you do not interfere with the official groups then no. All I am saying is there are other options.

 

[drtsqrl]

Weather you like it or not, EJS is a huge concern to many locals, ALL greenies, and to the BLM. If something is not done to help manage and control the event, we WILL lose it (and most likely many of our trails along with it). Will exclusive/one-way use help? Maybe. Are more drastic measures needed? Definately!

As a member of the RR4W (in fact, I was VP last year), I lobbied very hard for drastic changes, including moving the event to May. In the end, that proposal was narrowly voted down by the club.

Rick B., I have to ask just why you won't get involved with the RR4W? You say you live in Moab, but I have never met you. You have some good ideas (I agree with most things you post), but what good does it do to just rant on a BBS? If you had been a member of the club, it just might have been enough to change the results of the vote!

And jmaxj, you also say you live in Moab, but don't agree with the RR4W bull****. So why not step up to the plate, become a member, and be part of the solution instead of just complaining?

Jeff

 

[bobdog]

Federal land should be for everyone. I can see needing to close one trail for an event like a bike race or Jeep hill climb, but 20+ trails for a whole day on a holaday weekend (as someone who recently started work for a new company and wont have vacation for a while I do not have many options when it comes to trips.

 

[bobdog]

Weather you like it or not, EJS is a huge concern to many locals, ALL greenies, and to the BLM. If something is not done to help manage and control the event, we WILL lose it
Jeff

Hows this for an idea? Cut the size of the event in half. Just limit the number of people that can register. My guess is you have become adicted to all the cash that flows through the club.