R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Just wondering about other people's opinions about clearing obstacles from trails.
This past weekend I was at the Ottawa Valley Land Rover get together, and led a small group on a "medium" type trail. For the most part it was reasonably easy, but there was one big mud pit in the middle that we were warned about. In previous years, a bypass had been cut into the woods, but this was now also getting chewed up.
A group had gone through the day before, 2 of them attempted the mud pit, 1 got stuck, they broke a winch cable, etc... it took 6 hours apparently to get them out. The rest in the group turned around and went back. We were told to take the bypass, but we needed winches because there was a log down diagonally across the bypass trail, and the trucks couldn't get over it.
When we got to the mud pit, there were a group of ATV there, with one impossibly stuck. There was a clear ATV path, but one guy decided to try the mud. The ATV winches couldn't get him out, the rider was stuck in the mud like quick sand... We ended up having to use a truck winch to get them out. Then along came two more ATV's, who wanted to show off and went back and forth through the mud, tearing up the ground even more, until both of them got stuck. After breaking one of their winch cables, we winched them out too.
So anyway, now it was time for us to get through. One older Series truck attempted the bypass. It was a tight path through the woods, with a tight corner that had a ditch before it and a rise after it, a horrible tree stump at the top of the rise, then a diagonal log, and trees all around. He went at it with momentum, pounding his underside off the stump, and then the diagonal log pushed him into a tree on the side of the trail. He just kept going at it, and getting pushed into this tree on the side. I think he had a winch, but just decided not to use it for some reason.
Eventually, I grabbed my axe and decided to remove the log. I heard grumbling about how long it would take, but after 5 minutes it was done. I think some people just don't know how to use an axe properly, but that's another matter.
The most surprising part however, was that at one point, another guy came up and asked what I was doing? When I told him I was removing the log, he said "Sure, take away the challenge! Why not just put a highway through?" (and in the end, I think that guy turned around and went back anyway)
After removing the log, the Series ended up being stuck in the trees because the log had already pushed him off the trail, but he kept ramming back and forth until he was free. After he got through, I noticed a number of trees that had been stripped of their bark, so now those trees are going to die, probably fall on the new bypass, and then somebody will blaze a new bypass through that... The Series also now has a seriously damaged right hand side.
The rest of us decided just to take our chances with the mud pit. Two Defenders made it through, with a little more pounding than I wanted to put myself through. I pointed my truck at the mud, made it through without too much trouble until the very end. That's where I'd seen the Defenders pounding on something in the mud that I couldn't see. I got stuck, and just stopped. I got out, hooked up the winch, and winched myself out. Piece of cake. Took all of 5 minutes. We'd already spent about an hour there watching, laughing at, and winching the ATV's so what's another 5 minutes?
So, I just don't get it. What is with the guys who want to make something harder than it has to be? If a tree has fallen across the trail, why beat the crap out of your truck, or blaze a new trail instead of just removing the damn log? Why not winch yourself out of trouble? Is it because trail damage gives you bragging rights? Am I less cool because my truck is still undamaged? I don't like cutting down trees, but if the tree has already fallen, why not move it?
Why is the winch such a "mark of shame"?
This past weekend I was at the Ottawa Valley Land Rover get together, and led a small group on a "medium" type trail. For the most part it was reasonably easy, but there was one big mud pit in the middle that we were warned about. In previous years, a bypass had been cut into the woods, but this was now also getting chewed up.
A group had gone through the day before, 2 of them attempted the mud pit, 1 got stuck, they broke a winch cable, etc... it took 6 hours apparently to get them out. The rest in the group turned around and went back. We were told to take the bypass, but we needed winches because there was a log down diagonally across the bypass trail, and the trucks couldn't get over it.
When we got to the mud pit, there were a group of ATV there, with one impossibly stuck. There was a clear ATV path, but one guy decided to try the mud. The ATV winches couldn't get him out, the rider was stuck in the mud like quick sand... We ended up having to use a truck winch to get them out. Then along came two more ATV's, who wanted to show off and went back and forth through the mud, tearing up the ground even more, until both of them got stuck. After breaking one of their winch cables, we winched them out too.
So anyway, now it was time for us to get through. One older Series truck attempted the bypass. It was a tight path through the woods, with a tight corner that had a ditch before it and a rise after it, a horrible tree stump at the top of the rise, then a diagonal log, and trees all around. He went at it with momentum, pounding his underside off the stump, and then the diagonal log pushed him into a tree on the side of the trail. He just kept going at it, and getting pushed into this tree on the side. I think he had a winch, but just decided not to use it for some reason.
Eventually, I grabbed my axe and decided to remove the log. I heard grumbling about how long it would take, but after 5 minutes it was done. I think some people just don't know how to use an axe properly, but that's another matter.
The most surprising part however, was that at one point, another guy came up and asked what I was doing? When I told him I was removing the log, he said "Sure, take away the challenge! Why not just put a highway through?" (and in the end, I think that guy turned around and went back anyway)
After removing the log, the Series ended up being stuck in the trees because the log had already pushed him off the trail, but he kept ramming back and forth until he was free. After he got through, I noticed a number of trees that had been stripped of their bark, so now those trees are going to die, probably fall on the new bypass, and then somebody will blaze a new bypass through that... The Series also now has a seriously damaged right hand side.
The rest of us decided just to take our chances with the mud pit. Two Defenders made it through, with a little more pounding than I wanted to put myself through. I pointed my truck at the mud, made it through without too much trouble until the very end. That's where I'd seen the Defenders pounding on something in the mud that I couldn't see. I got stuck, and just stopped. I got out, hooked up the winch, and winched myself out. Piece of cake. Took all of 5 minutes. We'd already spent about an hour there watching, laughing at, and winching the ATV's so what's another 5 minutes?
So, I just don't get it. What is with the guys who want to make something harder than it has to be? If a tree has fallen across the trail, why beat the crap out of your truck, or blaze a new trail instead of just removing the damn log? Why not winch yourself out of trouble? Is it because trail damage gives you bragging rights? Am I less cool because my truck is still undamaged? I don't like cutting down trees, but if the tree has already fallen, why not move it?
Why is the winch such a "mark of shame"?
