GW National Forest

[snydercm]

Nov 15-16 is good for me.

 

[VBVA]

Good for me, no big football games that weekend...

 

[yob_yeknom]

15-16 is better for me too

My friend Rick that has been wheeling with me the past few times now has a Cherokee that we lifted 3" this past Sunday.

Anybody have a problem with him bringing the Jeep?

 

[Hokie]

Re: 15-16 is better for me too

Originally posted by yob_yeknom
My friend Rick that has been wheeling with me the past few times now has a Cherokee that we lifted 3" this past Sunday.

Anybody have a problem with him bringing the Jeep?

The more the merrier

 

[dgibson]

my sentiments exactly. I might also have a guy that wants to bring his jeep.

 

[yob_yeknom]

When he shows up, everybody tell him that even though the Jeep looks decent lifted it's still gay because it is purple.

Seriously do it. He'll laugh. We've been talking **** about each other's trucks ever since he got his. Now that he's handed my ass to me off road (I got stuck with a bunch of Jeepers after the lift and he didn't) all I have left is to make fun of the color.

 

[Hokie]

A purple jeep? Oh yeah, he'll be catching plenty of crap! Hopefully he won't school me.. I've got 4" of lift and 32"s but I can't flex in the front like he can.

Also, which trails will we be running brian? When I went with some jeepers in August we drove into the forest on 33 and then rode on trails that just shoot off of 33. One was near a bridge and apparantly there is a nice set of waterfalls at the end. It was on the right hand side of the road when you go west on 33 and not too far into the forest. Was a pretty nice trail

 

[Hokie]

Hmm... lookin at the map I see Dry Run and Dictum but I don't think it was that. Maybe FR 502 or Rocky Run. Looks like FR 225 and FR 492 are good options to the west. Oh man, maybe it was Kephart, I remember following a creek the whole time.

Anyway you look at it, there are a schload of trails not too far from you! I'm ready to go.

Oh, and how narrow will these trails be? I made the mistake of taking my Ex over brush mountain and I can't justify going through a trail that narrow and scratching my truck that much again. I'm going to have spend HOURS buffing this weekend to see if I can save the paint. I love to get it muddy, but having a 99, I just can't justify ruining my paint quite yet.

 

[VBVA]

Kephart is a fun trail, it does follow Kephart Run all the way up the gulley, but there is no bridge. There is a FR that has a dam bridge, but thats all gravel and such...

 

[snydercm]

i went exploring around GWNF this weekend to see what trails were good and what trails were open. Here are my results:

Dictum: Open all way through. Ive been on Dictum a bunch... normally the gate at the bottom of 2nd mountain is closed, but not now, its open. There were a lot of hunters up on the mt. The trial is pretty rocky but there is a fun "four wheelin park" half way down the mt.

Kephart: ur in for it! Nice trail, not too rough at the beginning, after the split off its rough. My boy fried his tranny in his explorer out there.

If you all ever come out this way hit me up, im definitly down for some rootin'

 

[SteveVB]

Originally posted by Hokie
rode on trails that just shoot off of 33. One was near a bridge and apparantly there is a nice set of waterfalls at the end. It was on the right hand side of the road when you go west on 33 and not too far into the forest. Was a pretty nice trail

The trail you are talking about is Kephart- the trail is just before a bridge on 33, right hand side and it basically follows Kephart run all the way back till the trail ends at the rock climb- really wouldnt call it a water fall. The trail continues for a couple hundred yards and ends where it was washed out in 96(?)hurricane. About 2/3 rds back a trail heads off to the right- it basically dead ends after a 1/4 mile or so- but it does have some crossings and small climbs that can be a challenge to stock and mild guys. Stay off the hill (on the right by a big clearing, its all scarred up you cant miss it) on kephart it is ILLEGAL and the rangers are really complaining about it- if you see anyone on it remind them its illegal- Kephart wont be around much longer thanks to those who think they can do what ever they want, and dont give a rats ass about anyone but themselves. Stay on the main trail.

If you travel over the Kephart run bridge on 33 then you hit a bunch of trails on the left side these are whats commonly called the "Dry River trails" since they cross back and forth across the Dry River. Most of these are loops that go in wander around and then exit back out on to 33.

Dictum - Any time you run Dictum make sure you ask the land owners for permission to cross their land. They own all of the land after the rock steps down to 33. Good relations with the land owners is key. Folks pissed off the owners on Old Long Run and they closed the trail. So please please respect the owners, and stay on the trails.

The trails in GWNF are in jeopardy- tread lightly and if you have any doubts about whether something is legal dont do it. Too many are traveling off the trails to hit a mud hole, or hill climb and screwing everyone.

Have fun. Wish I could get down.



P

 

[Hokie]

Originally posted by SteveVB
Stay off the hill (on the right by a big clearing, its all scarred up you cant miss it) on kephart it is ILLEGAL and the rangers are really complaining about it- if you see anyone on it remind them its illegal

Damn.. it was Kephart... I feel bad b/c I rode shotgun up this hill (I was just a passenger for the trip ~ my first time in the GW. But the other guys have been coming there for years) I'll definatley post on NOVA Jeepers to never run that hill again. (One guy from the group actually rolled his TJ on this hill a few years back). Thanks for bringing that to my attention steve (and making me feel like crap)

We came to this clearing from the opposite way (it was on our left) Did we come the wrong way (ie, illegal)?

 

[Hokie]

And why isn't that hill climb blocked off so driver's will know its illegal?

 

[SteveVB]

Yea thats it.

Sorry should have said "the hill is on the right going out... left going in."

Um, its not blocked YET. There was discussion about berming and tank trapping it, but I think the ranger is just jumping to closing the whole trail. There used to be rocks and large logs across the bottom. I helped put some there a couple of years ago. Yahoos have removed them and continue to tear up the hill. It has really gotten much much worse in the last couple of years. Hopefully these are uninformed people and not assholes just out for a few minutes of fun(although gut says otherwise). That whole area is getting torn up as people avoid the mud holes, and use the field as a staging area for the hill climbs.


Unfortunately I think that the closing of some trails has led to increased usage of the few remaining, couple that with more trip reports out on the net with directions and such to various trails has let just about anyone with a 4x know where to go. Some folks have started to not publish diections to various trails- preferring to hold club runs which have some chain of responsibility.

About blocking it off to let everyone know its illegal- thats a bit impractical - you would have a fence down the sides of the trail. Once someone blazes out into a new path it sometimes gets some rocks or logs laid across it. It may suit the FS to have some of these illegal hill climbs and mud holes, so they dont have much motivation to close them off right away. My feeling is that the FS likes them - gives them evidence to close the trails.

If you are not on the main trail - then its suspect. If you are running the trails you need to findout what is legal or not period. The mud holes on second mountain, any power line roads, most side trails should be considered carefully. Tread lightly - stay on the trail- a hill climb to knowwhere is an obvious mistake.

Unfortunately a user cant know everything with a trip or two on the trails - took me years to understand whats going on and what is go or no go. Hopefully Im helping a little.



No Va Jeepers rode the hill? Interesting.

 

[Hokie]

Aight, just tallying to see who's interested...

dgibson
yob_yeknom + jeeper friend
VBVA
snydercm
Peter?

As of now i'm friggin' iffy... Having lunch with the gf and I mention this run. "Honey, my sorority semi's are that weekend" GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR She decides to tell me this NOW? So i'll see what I can do. Maybe I can drive up and back on sat...

 

[dgibson]

Oh just tell her to deal with it (just kidding). Hope you can make it.




So is the weekend of 15Nov a definite?

 

[snydercm]

yeah im def in for nov 15th... we should come up with a meeting place and time.... let me know what you all want to do. if you want to meet at my place we can.

 

[VBVA]

Meet at McDorman's gas station between 9:30 and 10. The gas station is out 33 West in the town of Rawley Springs. Its pretty much the only gas station out there and the last one before the forest.

Nov 15 still looks good for me.

Brett, you gotta tell that girl whats up, set your priorities on the table

 

[countryboys4x4]

gwnf i go wheelin up there every friday if u wanna go sometime just email me at kicknmudd4fun@aol.com

 

[dgibson]

Are we going to do Sat and Sun, or just Sat?