Coyote Canyon! It's Time.

[Seth]

Just finished my 3 pager-

Send a letter. Please.

Then go to pbb and ask a fellow bacon lover to do the same.

 

[Cruiser]

Letter Sent. Can't wait... One of my fav.

 

[maveric]

Done.
Thanks for posting this.

 

[Max Power]

Done.

 

[greenjeep]

Here's the article about re-opening Coyote in Moab's paper.

Coyote article.

 

[drtsqrl]

Here's the article about re-opening Coyote in Moab's paper.

Coyote article.

Thanks for posting the link, David.

I wasn't thrilled when contacted by the paper for an interview, but since an article was going to be published whether I cooperated or not, I figured it would be best to give the interview. Although I was quoted fairly accurately, I think it is obvious that the article was written at the request of Kiley. (For those of you who don't remember, she is the land owner who closed Lower Helldorado, and attempted to close Strike Ravine.)

If you can, please leave a comment in the comment section of the article. I know it is a small-town newspaper, and probably doesn't have a huge readership, but public opinion is still public opinion, and we need all the help we can get.

Thanks - Jeff

 

[1\4elliptic toy]

It was hard to read, laden with blatant hatred for 4x4's...lame.

 

[Seth]

My comment-

I can speak to the noise level in Coyote Canyon. I spent 10 hours repairing a broken and immovable jeep roughly 100 feet into this trail. It was Easter Jeep Safari's "Big Saturday" arguably the busiest day for a trial like this all year.

The very nature of this short secluded canyon keeps the sound from escaping. Several jeeps passed me that day, I did not hear a single one once they wer another 100 feet up the trail. However I did hear traffic from the main highway all day.

I can also speak to damage to this trail. I have been going to Moab for many years. I have run this trail several times. Because of the difficult nature of this trail you get a limited number of users and they tend to be users that are heavily invested in the off highway hobby. It is disingenuous to suggest that users with this much time and money invested in using trails like Coyote Canyon would incite or perpetuate any dammage to this area. We know how easily trails are lost because of bad actors. We work to maintain these areas and to prevent damage in order to keep areas open.

@ jamestkirk:
It is because this trail is short, difficult and nearly impassable by all but the best equipped vehicles makes this trail a treasure to public land users such as myself. To state that this trail is not needed because if does not fit your needs is silly. I don't need 1000's of miles of trails that connect to 1000's of miles of open land. I would just like to use this half mile of route instead. It fits my needs.

@Permaculturegal
"Lew Having Jeep Fun in Moab" contains no footage of Coyote Canyon. Coyote does not lend itself to big climbs, open throttle or rollovers. You cannot do more then 1-3 miles an hour on this trail. It is full of large boulders that take precision driving not lots of power. This video is of Coyote (youtube.com/watch?v=bREXBIQWQaI) and has footage of ninety percent of the trail. You can see that there is never an area that is negotiated with any kind of a acceleration factor. You simply don't go fast or make a lot of noise on this particular trail. Using worst case scenarios from other areas out of context to make your point about this trail is intellectually dishonest and very misleading.

 

[Herzog]

That's really good feedback, Seth. I think those are some really good points to touch on in a comment to the BLM as well.

 

[Seth]

I talked about the break down and how the noise level was non-existant in my comments to the BLM. I didn't get into the fact that you have to idle through this trail. That might be something someone else can mention.

 

[jeepndel]

I think the secret here is to tell BLM several things in your letters:
1. Who you are and how you use the area (with your family, friends, etc.)
2. What groups and organizations you belong to and how you help keep our trails open personally.
3. Why this area is important to you and to the wheeling community in general.
4. SPECIFICALLY what is unique and cool about this area and why we need motorized access to this trail.
5. SPECIFICALLY what you don't like about this EA (and why)

Remember it does no good in any public input letter writing to say things like, this plans sucks and we want our area open. Much as we all agree with that, public agencies do NOT consider that substantive input. We need to talk about specific things we like and do; like unique geologic features; how clubs and groups can help adopt the area to keep it clean; how we can help put up signs if needed; how the trail has historical use and why; what your family/kids have learned from using this area in the past. etc.
Here are more tips on letter writing: http://www.delalbright.com/articles/letters.htm
Hope this helps,
Del

 

[Don B]

Thanks Del!

Good to see you on this forum

 

[Greg]

Del, thanks for posting up here and sharing your knowledge! I think the information you've shared will go a LONG way in helping us re-open Coyote Canyon. Thank you! :greg:

 

[drtsqrl]

I got to meet with one of the area land owners today (not Kiley!). This couple is building a huge vacation home accross from BFE, and plan to retire there eventually. When they heard about Coyote (from Kiley, of course), they were concerned, and wrote a comment against it on the Moab Times-Independent website. So I invited them to meet me at the trail to talk about their concerns, and they took me up on it.

Turns out they seem to be very reasonable people. The often rent a Jeep or ATV's when they come to Moab, so they are no strangers to OHV's. After walking they trail and talking to them about potential impacts (you can see their house in the distance from the top of Coyote), and talking about the BLM stipulations and MFFW's proposal, I believe they are much less concerned than before. I'm not saying that they will be full-on supporters, but I don't think they will aggresively object either.

If more of the people who so vocally campaign against OHV's would take the time and effort to actually see first hand what they are complaining about, I think many of them would realize that their complaints are often over-blown.

Anyway, jusy thought I would share this. Get your comment letters in, the deadline is Sept 9!

Thanks

 

[sixstringsteve]

good work Jeff

 

[1\4elliptic toy]

Nice work! Thanks for going the extra mile with them. I'm sure the others would not be so hateful if they knew we are not out to destroy everything.

 

[drtsqrl]

Thank You to everyone who has written comments to BLM.

Comment period ends Friday September 9th!

 

[Herzog]

That's this Friday folks, get those letters in!

 

[drtsqrl]

Just got word that the comment period is being extended to September 30th.

 

[anderson750]

If more of the people who so vocally campaign against OHV's would take the time and effort to actually see first hand what they are complaining about, I think many of them would realize that their complaints are often over-blown.

It would probably anger most people if they knew how many decisions are made in the BLM without actually stepping foot outside the office. If you can get a land manager (or neighbor) out on the trail you will completely change their perspective.

good job Jeff.