Wasatch Dirt Thread

^^ truth, some quality riding on Shoreline at the moment. It's not the alpine but it will have to do.

Rode Lake Mtns on Friday then Antelope Island Sunday. Fun to go from a full day pushing the bike up super steep stuff and riding chunder to flying around on the flattest trails in the state. It was about 1/2 the vert in 3x the mileage, definitely a different flavor.
Got in an argument with a angry bull and had to bail on the island loop. Oh well, still a fun ride with solid views:

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That last pic is gorgeous. We do a camping trip out there every year in September and have seen some of the most spectacular sunsets and weather I've ever seen.

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Originally Posted by basinbeater

That last pic is gorgeous. We do a camping trip out there every year in September and have seen some of the most spectacular sunsets and weather I've ever seen.

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Yeah the light show out there is always glorious. I try to time my rides so I finish on the NW side of the island with the fun tech trail that comes out at the campground. Invariably I end up grumbling most of the day cause it's cold and cloudy but the sun always comes out below the cloud band for that last half hour of riding. It redeems the day. The campground is usually bathed in glorious pink light when I go through, and no matter how nasty cold it is there are always people camped out there looking like they're having a good time. Lots of big bison roaming around the campers this ride, they seem to love the area.

FYI....

https://www.tricanyontrails.org/

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Originally Posted by Touring_Sedan

FYI....

https://www.tricanyontrails.org/

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Cliffs notes?

USFS is working on a new master trails plan for the tri canyons area.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

I surmised that much. Any specifics yet on new trails or, God forbid, closures?

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Originally Posted by Dantheman

Cliffs notes?

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FFS, get out of the PR for 10 minutes and fingerbang your way through it. Long story short, sign up for updates, and peruse some of the involved entities current plans. Looks like they're getting ready to draft an all encompassing plan.

Thanks for sharing. Added the Feb 6 meeting to my calendar.

I just noticed the Like or Dislike buttons, haha
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Re-routing Honey out of the rock chute? Re-routing the top of Beartrap cause it's too steep?
May I suggest paving the whole thing as well so it's not as hard?? I understand that this is probably driven by hikers but it likely means that the rock chute will be filled with branches and more rocks to prevent any traffic, just the way the rut from Dog Lake down into MillD was erased when the new segment was built. Hikers can't help themselves, you give them the option between the nice new trail and the old fall-line rut, they will go up/down the rut then bitch and moan that it should be closed.

Fucking hell... This is why we can't have nice things.

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Originally Posted by Boissal

Re-routing Honey out of the rock chute? Re-routing the top of Beartrap cause it's too steep?
May I suggest paving the whole thing as well so it's not as hard?? I understand that this is probably driven by hikers but it likely means that the rock chute will be filled with branches and more rocks to prevent any traffic, just the way the rut from Dog Lake down into MillD was erased when the new segment was built. Hikers can't help themselves, you give them the option between the nice new trail and the old fall-line rut, they will go up/down the rut then bitch and moan that it should be closed.

Fucking hell... This is why we can't have nice things.

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It seems like the website allows anyone to put ideas onto the map feature, they aren't official proposals by any means. I got riled up for a bit too before I realized that.

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Originally Posted by Boissal

Re-routing Honey out of the rock chute? Re-routing the top of Beartrap cause it's too steep?
May I suggest paving the whole thing as well so it's not as hard?? I understand that this is probably driven by hikers but it likely means that the rock chute will be filled with branches and more rocks to prevent any traffic, just the way the rut from Dog Lake down into MillD was erased when the new segment was built. Hikers can't help themselves, you give them the option between the nice new trail and the old fall-line rut, they will go up/down the rut then bitch and moan that it should be closed.

Fucking hell... This is why we can't have nice things.

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^100%

WTF is this BS...these people need to GTFO. Also notice they have a popular "user created" trail marked on their map up at guardsman zone. Why cant people just leave shit alone. Fuuuuug. Please dislike the Honeycomb Canyon and Beartrap re-routes.

If theres one place in the Wasatch that needs the least amount of trail work its upper BCC...its perfect the way it is...IMO ...leave it alone.

I think it would be appropriate to reroute the very top of Honey. Its just a straight drainage ditch at this point. Few turns the first 300 yards or something like the top of knuckle.

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Originally Posted by Benneke10

It seems like the website allows anyone to put ideas onto the map feature, they aren't official proposals by any means. I got riled up for a bit too before I realized that.

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Agreed, this all seems like a very early list of outlandish wishes from hikers. The request for a bike-only alternative to the LCC quarry trail is telling (not that it wouldn't be awesome but the likelihood if it happening within 50' of the creek to appease neighborhood walkers is essentially 0).

It's still annoying to see some sanitation requests from hikers though, if I can clear the majority of LazyPrince on the bike there's no fucking reason it needs to be made easier for people on foot. It's a traverse, how dumb would you have to be to roll off it on it? And erosion control up there? There are 15' deep gullies crossing that trail, not much is going to be done about those... Same goes for upper Silver, it's funny to see concerns about erosion when the whole trail system is snaking its way into mine tailings.

The beauty of upper BCC trails is that they're not bike trails, and for the most part not purpose-built hiking trails either, just utilitarian paths that turn into eroded ruts straight down the fall line. The entrance to Beartrap is fun to ride in a perverse way, it keeps you on your toes and reminds you what traction is (or isn't). I love the middle section of that trail but it never provides me with oh-shit moments the the way the top does. Same for the top of Honey, the techy rocks into loose off camber steeps will force you to up your game or get off the bike and are a good prep for the rock garden.
It's nice to have some burly trails about, even if the flavor is not BC-type burly with beautiful dirt and amazing features. Wasatch-burly is scrappy as fuck, it doesn't look like much but it will shank you and still your beer money if you're not paying attention.

Also weird to see some requests to legitimize unsanctioned trails, those have to come from bikers. The stuff from Tanners to the ruins and from WP to Tanners has created enough issues BITD that it's better left on the DL, even though it's not exactly a secret at this point.

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I've seen a system like this used by the Forest Service to compile comments a couple times now. I actually like it, since you can add comments of your own right next to other people's lame comments and explain why the idea is stupid.

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Originally Posted by Boissal

Also weird to see some requests to legitimize unsanctioned trails, those have to come from bikers. The stuff from Tanners to the ruins and from WP to Tanners has created enough issues BITD that it's better left on the DL, even though it's not exactly a secret at this point.

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IDK, there's even multiple requests to legitimize and improve ridgeline routes and other unsanctioned trails that are strictly foot routes. JFC, being unsanctioned and raw is what makes them great and keeps them uncrowded. There's even suggestions to re-route the Alexander Basin trail. These people need to be slapped. Crowdsourcing trail ideas in the Wasatch is incomprehensibly stupid.

Hopefully not too much gets sacrificed on the altar of sustainability. A short but fun portion of Ferguson canyon was re-routed recently to accommodate grade requirements for a portion of BST that doesn't even allow bikes. Assume nothing is safe.

here we go again...

cliff notes:
The Tri-Canyon Trails Master Plan is the trail plan for Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, and Millcreek Canyons. Salt Lake County and the Forest Service are partnering to identify opportunities to protect watershed and ecosystem health while providing diverse recreation opportunities.


taken from the tri-canyons trail website public meetings are listed below...

Public Listening Session #1
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
6:00 pm - Doors Open
​6:30 pm - Presentation

​The County Library | Viridian Event Center
8030 South 1825 West
West Jordan, Utah 84088

Public Listening Session #2
Thursday, January, 26, 2023
6:00 pm - Doors Open
​6:30 pm - Presentation

Wheeler Historic Farm, Activity Barn
6351 South 900 East
Murray, Utah 84121

Public Listening Session #3
Monday, February 6, 2023
6:00 pm - Doors Open
​6:30 pm - Presentation

​The County Library | Millcreek
2266 East Evergreen Avenue
Millcreek, Utah 84109

Based on past experiences I have zero faith anything good will come out of this:rolleyes:

Anyone here on the MTBenthusiasts facebook group? Might be a good idea to post about this and the https://www.tricanyontrails.org/ link there and the above meeting dates and times to raise some awareness....I may try to attend one of them

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Originally Posted by mar123

Anyone here on the MTBenthusiasts facebook group? Might be a good idea to post about this.

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Already posted it to that fucking cesspool.

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Originally Posted by Touring_Sedan

Already posted it to that fucking sespool.

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haha....thanks for posting this info here and there!

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Originally Posted by Meconium

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Shhhhhhhhhh!!
This is something I was sniffing out last fall, I have this exact line plotted and I walked it once. The ridge traverse is a bitch but doable with some HAB (absolutely not a deal breaker in my world). Definitely some great potential for hilarious steeps where you have the switchbacks. Depending on how the spring shapes up it may or may not become a reality.

Went to the Jem trail network for the first time on Tuesday. It was too wet off the first ridge, but good after that. Of course this storm may have changed everything. It was good to not ride the trainer, but if I'm driving, I'd rather do Moab stuff than that. Just too many campers with quad's packed into any wide spot in the road making it a little less scenic. If your down there, then probably worth it, but not a destination I would travel for exclusively. Of course I've had people telling me about 50 other places down there since.

This guy is clearly unhinged, but he's not wrong: https://www.ksl.com/article/50584235...ugs-police-say

The possession with intent to distribute charges seem like BS considering all they found was an undisclosed and likely small quantity of edibles.

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Originally Posted by Canada1

Went to the Jem trail network for the first time on Tuesday. It was too wet off the first ridge, but good after that. Of course this storm may have changed everything. It was good to not ride the trainer, but if I'm driving, I'd rather do Moab stuff than that. Just too many campers with quad's packed into any wide spot in the road making it a little less scenic. If your down there, then probably worth it, but not a destination I would travel for exclusively. Of course I've had people telling me about 50 other places down there since.

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I wouldn't suggest basing your opinion of the areas riding on one visit to the Jem Trails.

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Originally Posted by raisingarizona13

I wouldn't suggest basing your opinion of the areas riding on one visit to the Jem Trails.

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I went there based on you tube, and proximity to Zion where we had some stuff going on. The trails themself were good. Fast flow and kind of rolling terrain. If you built them, my thoughts weren’t about the build. It was the ancillary camping and piles of burned tires and stuff. Hell, we fit in 20 miles and mostly beat the storm going home. I’ve also heard that there is a lot of stuff that is less impacted if I just drove 15 more minutes. I was flying blind and desperate to spin the cranks. We had fun and came back to hip deep powder.