[digitalayon]

I was told by my friend who lives in St George that a group of tree huggers has managed to get the BLM to close off the Goosberry trails area this next year because mountain bikers are ruining the environment. Has anyone else heard this? If this is true, this is absolute bull crap!!!! I mean.....this sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks big time. Those of us that have done Moab know that Goosberry is way more fun. What did we do to the tree huggers? We don't create pollution. OK mabee our bikes are made in china and are causing bad air with that. But the benefits outweigh that. Mabeee too much grease and oil from the drive systems?!?!?! Or the occasional lizards and small snakes that I've run over but not intentionally?!?!?! Or the occasional piss or spit I take on some old rock?!?!?! This sucks.....everyone call the BLM and tell them to shove it!!!!!!

 

[Err]

I'd need to see some credible evidence that BLM is actually planning to do this.

 

[digitalayon]

I don't blame you for saying that....but my firend is a part time tour guide for a mountain biking group. So I consider that pretty good. I don't think he would lie. Just call and get info...and fight it!!!

 

[crashtestdummy]

Here is a thought, instead of inciting an internet riot why don't you verify your claim. Contact the St George BLM http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george.html

I personally won't waste the time on such a ludicrous claim.

 

[JosephSmith]

Welcome to Obama-nation

While I too would like to see some verification on this, unfortunately this does not seem out of the realm of possibility in the near future considering the current political climate.

Getting ready to join a renegade Mountain-biking club in the near future...

 

[crashtestdummy]

Welcome to Obama-nation

While I too would like to see some verification on this, unfortunately this does not seem out of the realm of possibility in the near future considering the current political climate.

Getting ready to join a renegade Mountain-biking club in the near future...

Why don't you just worry about stocking up on guns and ammo?

The BLM has made a commitment to Gooseberry, hence the trailheads and outhouse. It's not going to be closed.

 

[JMH]

What did we do to the tree huggers?... Or the occasional piss or spit I take on some old rock?!?!?! This sucks.....everyone call the BLM and tell them to shove it!!!!!!

You bring up a good point here... the "occasional piss" has turned the main parking lot into a shite factory, with people walking 15 feet into the bushes and taking a dump, not even bothering to bury it. You can smell it from your car on some days, and it's fvcking disgusting. I would close trails for less, and I am not what I would call a "tree hugger."

Perhaps a sign by the toilet that says "No Toilet at Trailhead" would help, I will gladly help with collecting the funds to pay for the signage.

JMH

 

[NoahColorado]

I was told by my friend who lives in St George that a group of tree huggers has managed to get the BLM to close off the Goosberry trails area this next year because mountain bikers are ruining the environment. Has anyone else heard this? If this is true, this is absolute bull crap!!!! I mean.....this sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks sucks big time. Those of us that have done Moab know that Goosberry is way more fun. What did we do to the tree huggers? We don't create pollution. OK mabee our bikes are made in china and are causing bad air with that. But the benefits outweigh that. Mabeee too much grease and oil from the drive systems?!?!?! Or the occasional lizards and small snakes that I've run over but not intentionally?!?!?! Or the occasional piss or spit I take on some old rock?!?!?! This sucks.....everyone call the BLM and tell them to shove it!!!!!!

First off, I doubt it. Gooseberry was only recently legally oped relatively speaking with lots of money dumped into the infrastructure.

Secondly, Gooseberry is fun but how can you say it's better than Moab? Gooseberry is a
freaking Mesa, Moab is a whole area with many different types of trails. I love Gooseberry and go there often - but I dislike the fact that bikers have to compare every place to another place. There is no place like Gooseberry, like there is no place like Moab, or Fruita or any other place there is great riding.

Also, the latest Rampage was on private property (I'm pretty sure).

SW Utah in general is awesome, hopefully when people are making the trip down there they are hitting up some of the other bomber stuff in the area.:thumbsup:

 

[biker_eric]

I love Goosberry Mesa and go a couple times a year. I would hate to see it closed and don't think that is the answer.

To say that there is not an environmental impact is wrong though. It used to be you would only see mostly "hardcore" (I can't think of a better word) riders. The single track sections were single track and not the wide roads they are now. Now I see people on department store bikes and rentals. Not that anything is wrong with that, we all were there at one point, but there seems to be a different mentality towards maintaining single track and general environmental awareness and "leave no trace" practices from some people that go there now; ie. ghost trails, garbage, cutting trees, TP etc.The desert is a sensitive area to that type of use. The mainstream masses have discovered this place and have started to have an effect on the area much like Moab is in some ways.

It seems like the BLM is taking steps to help the situation with the toilets and the signage in the area. I am sure there are local clubs in the area that also do a lot to clean up and patrol the area to stop ghost trails also. Instead of telling the BLM to "shove it" which will only make them want to close it more, try working with them to keep it open. Contact the local bike shop in the area to see what they recommend to do.

The BLM in that area seems to want to encourage riding. It they let the Red Bull Rampage run in that same area they are definitely for bikes in Hurricane area. Is that the area they are closing? Riding straight down the sides of cliffs and gullies,building unsustainable trails and jumps like that are more likely to make the "tree huggers" upset. I wonder if that is what might be closed down.

"Welcome to Obama-nation"

"While I too would like to see some verification on this, unfortunately this does not seem out of the realm of possibility in the near future considering the current political climate."
(I can't figure out how to do quotes)

Usually it seems to me that the BLM is more like the Bureau of Livestock and Mining and the environment is lower in the equation. The current administration would more likely close this area down if there was a chance of any kind of drilling available. Its happening in Moab now with trails. I don't believe that an Obama administration is going to close access to areas like this, but maybe they will limit the drilling in sensitive areas around national parks that are affecting trails in Moab.

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140005
http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/UMBphpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5237

Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[JosephSmith]

Mabee it's time we have a mountain biking license to where a class is needed on not harming the environment. ...

Did you just write that??? Tell me you did not just write that. Is it a joke??... no surely you must be joking. You think that would be a good idea? Really!? OMFG you are retarded...

unbelievable... simply unbelievable....ut: ut: ut: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked: :bluefrown: :bluefrown: :bluefrown:

 

[can't get right]

If they do, and I don't think they will, I will continue to ride there just as I rode there before it was a sanctioned trail.

 

[shelbster15]

I doubt the blm would close gooseberry, the blm down here just had a meeting about little creek mesa about a month or two ago about managing trail use for bikes, atv and etc. out in that area. They are building more trails, that they are going to manage. If tree huggers were involved with this they would stop building new trails before they closed well established good condition trails.

Now as far as the bathroom situation. If that was a problem they were addressing, they would possibly add improved campgrounds and another bathroom, not close a trail down....? While some people have opinions about mtn bikes destroying trails i call bullsh*t! Our 2 inch tires propelled by human power with no bigger then 1/4inch knobby tires have very little impact on the soil of that area compared to a jeep, atv and dirtbikes. There are worse problems out there then mtn bikes. Gooseberry mesa trails are wider then they use to be but its not like there is all kinds of illegal trails being built. 8 out of 10 bikers i see on gooseberry are hardcore mtn bikers that come from all around the country to ride. Those are the people that respect trails, use bathrooms, and leave it how they find it. Go look at some of the national park trails just down the street in zion and look at some of the simple hikes ( emerald pools, hidden canyon, weeping rock, tunnel look out) those are wider and more beet up then the singletrack on gooseberry.

 

[digitalayon]

Mabee it's time we have a mountain biking license to where a class is needed on not harming the environment. I too have noticed the bad smells in the parking area and along the trails. What else can be done? Education is what I think is needed on all levels of this issue. I'll admit that some ledges have turned into small hills over the last 5 years. I'll have to admit your thinking of comparing it to Moab. I think that the secret is out on Gooseberry and things may get worse once people see that it's better than Moab. However after talking with my friend in St. George, he said that it came down to the area needing to be maintained but there is no money to maintain it. So before the hoards of people go there with a even bigger number this next year, they decided to close it off so when they do open it up later, they can do it right. I think they want to plan it out from the way he made it sound. He said there will be a public meeting sometime in Feb. on the subject. But what do they really need to do in terms of planning it out? Cost is the only thing I can think of. If that's what is lacking, we're in trouble given the state of the economy and all.

 

[wasea04]

"crappy" situation (not true though)

I'm with CGR, and Shelbster + the BLM won't shut it down anyway........bikes were the first user group up there anyway (referring to the Harris bros) and as far as people taking dumps near the trail head, come on people!

BTW I snuck in a ride at Paradise Canyon today right as the snow began, the trail was okay being of a sandy constitution.........I've been going nuts without any edorphins or adrenalin:madman: I'll be good for a few more days now that I got a quick fix

 

[biker_eric]

I can see things being shut down temporarily because of budget concerns. It sucks but its a fact we may have to deal with more and more with popular places like this. If local land managers don't have any way to maintain and fund the crappers and garbage removal things like this might happen. I worked for the forest service and see the effects of budget cuts all the time. Hell, I just got laid off and am now jobless.

Hopefully it won't get to point of closure. If there is a meeting in February the bike community needs to get behind Goosberry. It seems to me like there is a well organized group of riders in the St. George/Hurricune area that will fight for the trail. Hopefully it will not be closed. Keep us informed if you hear anything else.

 

[JosephSmith]

Forest Service/BLM employees are parasites living off the public dole. They are worthless human beings.

 

[furrykid]

nobody has managed to bring up that the goose has been added to the national trail registry!!! Wasn't that whole thing done in an effort to protect gooseberry for the future. Anyone been up there recently to see what the new cattle grazing is doing to the mesa? let alone our 2 inch wheels. Morgan himself told me those cows are some African strain that will eat EVERTHING!!!! I've never seen cows eat agave and cactus down to the roots in any other area we share with those freakin walkin hamburgers.
And as for the pee in the parking lot??? I fear that the more the place blows up the more nuckleheads will come. you know the kind of folks that will drive by a perfectly good outhouse to let loose in a parking lot. littlecreek has not really fared any better.... amazes me that peeps go there to exercise but wont walk that extra bit to hide their biz-ness under a rock somewhere.
If it comes to a political battle I don't really worry about it much, I think the goose will bring out people in droves to any meeting that might involve closure. I've witnessed first hand the whitefaced reaction of the powers that be when a entire schoolbus load of pedal heads show up at their meetings to voice the opinions of the number one user group.
I'm with crash test.... thinkin no real reason to get worked up yet!

Total aside....... as I understood it the Redbull access was through the Lee's land (private) but the event was held on state trust land thats why they were allowed to dig those monster booters.

 

[Bob the Wheelbuilder]

Hoping it ain't true...

Subscribing in case it is.

Please post meeting info to this thread if the rumor is substantiated.

Bob

 

[El Chingon]

I was out there a few weeks ago taking a dump near the parking lot, and I didn't smell anything....

 

[slcrockymountainrider]

Welcome to Obama-nation

While I too would like to see some verification on this, unfortunately this does not seem out of the realm of possibility in the near future considering the current political climate.

Getting ready to join a renegade Mountain-biking club in the near future...

Last I checked the guy's not President yet and if you would put two and two together you would realize that anything the BLM's currently planning on doing anywhere, would have been guided by the current administration.

Those tree-hugger, Obama types you seem to hate, just put up enough stink to save the Colorado Riverway Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) which includes both Pocupine Rim Trail and Amasa Back Trail and a seperate group of plots that includes parts of Tusher Canyon and Bartlett Wash (both designated mountain bike areas). Not from Obama, but from the current administration and the oil companies who wanted to lease the parcels up for grabs (and would have hit the auction block this morning).

If you're going to b*#ch about someone, I'd complain about the man the majority of the population in this wonderful state of ours put into Executive Office and yet didn't have the balls to do this until he was walking out the door. At least wait until Obama's in office and has had a chance to f*#k things up before you start making empty accusations.

late edit: I blame all this on 29ers and fixies. Nothing good comes from men wearing capris riding bikes with bars no wider than a ruler.