New Gravel!

[dustonian]

I don't think completely closing the road is necessary or even a good idea (oil workers? emergency vehicles/driving out accident victims? waste of parking space? bad vibes from locals?), except maybe in the rainiest of weeks in late winter/early spring, but rather just letting it go its "natural" way and kicking out the 2WD rigs.

[milspecmark]

We were dropped off at the load this weekend and hiked to sore heal. The person who dropped us off drove to sore heal. He beat us there by about a minute or so. The hike is really short, flat, and easy.

[Josephine]

Thank you for all the work you do Mike! I'm sorry that you received some ungrateful PM's. Perhaps we should hand them a shovel and make them match you hour-for-hour for all the work you've done!!! I'm sure by about hour 200, they'll have nicer things to say

[cekirk]

I might be willing to get on the road closings/ alternative parking/ walk-your-lazy-ass to the crag bandwagon. Has that ever seriously been considered? You can always allow emergency access on roads and open them up for trail days or comps or when it's not rainy season. I'd rather have our resources go to maintaining trails and crags. It sucks, but all sorts of recreational areas get closed for weather-related issues. Would it make more sense to build different parking areas and access trails than to continue to spend time and money on the current roads?

We can argue all day long about whether it makes sense to increase ease of access to the area, but if we're telling everyone about how we bought this land for the climbers and inviting the world to come donate funds at our events, then they ought to be able to reasonably access the land. Yes, there are ways to get there without driving down the Lode/Sore Heel hills, but they are not widely known and the trails are not well marked. Maybe a sign at the Shortcut Trail would help establish that as an alternative for the masses?

[DriskellHR]

I've already started routing out a new sign. It will be painted like the gate signs and I'm busy. Gimme a couple weeks


Also no closing the rd has never been considered mostly because when we put up those gates in the attempt to educate people we were accused of trying to threaten the community with closures if they did not pay up in donations. With that kinda moronic attitude I personally have tried to avoid any closings.

However with the comments in this thread we may have to give it serious consideration.

[dustonian]

Why close the road? Just don't maintain it and let 4wd vehicles drive in. The oil companies (?) and locals would appreciate this, not to mention having the road ungated could save someone's life in the event of a rescue. Preemptive gating is a scourge upon Lee County.

[climb2core]

Emergency vehicles will not be able to get up a road that is left to go its natural way. IMHO, the answer is to have a gate that would be closed for March/April. Then the remaining 10 months of the year, make the road mandatory 4wd. Oh, and the gate need not be locked... just closed.

[dustonian]

I'm not talking about emergency vehicles. I'm talking about the precious time saved if a 4wd is available in the upper lot for relaying the victim in the event of a serious accident. And few things piss off local people more than unnecessary road closures by overzealous outsiders. A seasonal closure in the very rainy weeks of Feb-March is a different story, however.

[monty4355]

Why close the road? Just don't maintain it and let 4wd vehicles drive in. The oil companies (?) and locals would appreciate this, not to mention having the road ungated could save someone's life in the event of a rescue. Preemptive gating is a scourge upon Lee County.

You dont need to actually lock the gate just put one up that says no one past this point unless authorized/emergency. Leave it unlocked and if you need to use the road open it. No one drives up to Chica Bonita, Drive-By, or Bob Marley and all there is is a sign.

[dustonian]

The other problem is a closure would waste 30-40 parking spaces in an already overcrowded area for no good reason. Let people drive the road if they want at their own risk.