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Moab’s best trails threatened…

Rubi SoHo

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Got an email from RR4W (the jeep safari organizers) today. I’m assuming many of you did also.

Please comment, help encourage the BLM to keep the trails open.

Copy of email below:


The draft EA for the Labyrinth Rims / Gemini Bridges travel plan in Moab has just been published, kicking off a 30-day comment period that ends October 7.



Find more info here: https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-announces-public-meeting-and-comment-period-labyrinth-rimsgemini-bridges-draft



This is probably the most important travel management plan of the decade and will decide the fate of most of Moab's most famous Jeep trails.



It is crucial that you comment opposing alternatives B and C and supporting alternatives D or A, and ask the BLM to keep all of the routes mentioned below open instead of closing them. Please review the entire press release above for additional information.



COMMENTS ARE ONLY ACCEPTED UNTIL OCTOBER 7, 2022.



Written comments may be mailed, emailed, or submitted through ePlanning. Please reference “Labyrinth Rims Gemini Bridges Travel Management” when submitting comments via ePlanning and mail.



Mail: BLM Moab Field Office, Attn: Labyrinth Rims/Gemini Bridges Travel Management,

82 East Dogwood Moab, UT 84532

ePlanning: https://go.usa.gov/xs57Y

[email protected]

[email protected]



As expected, the "natural resources" alternative B was modified to close even more trails as requested by Grand County, and would now close all of the Hey Joe Canyon, Hell Roaring Canyon, Golden Spike, Gold Bar Rim, Rusty Nail, Day Canyon Point, Dead Man Point, Bull Canyon, Ten Mile Canyon, and 3D / Mashed Potatoes Jeep trails, plus the Dead Cow and Tubes motorcycle trails, plus parts of Where Eagles Dare, Buttes and Towers, Wipe Out Hill, and 7 Mile Rim.



If this extreme alternative was chosen (unlikely but possible) it would utterly eviscerate the Easter Jeep Safari trail network and close at least portions of most of the famous named trails featured in guidebooks and motorized events.



The so-called "balanced" or "multiple-use" alternative C (the one the BLM almost certainly intends to adopt) appears unchanged since the preliminary alternatives release a year ago, and would close 2/3 of Ten Mile Canyon, half of Hell Roaring Canyon, all of Mineral Canyon, one of the overlooks on Deadman Point, part of the Buttes and Towers safari trail, the 7-Up trail, and many other lesser known routes.



Alternative D is the "pro-motorized" and has the least amount of closures, but still closes part of the Buttes and Towers safari trail. It could be acceptable to motorized users if they eliminated that closure. Alternative A, the no-action alternative, is of course the best but the BLM never picks that one and always picks one of the action alternatives. So D is the only real option for motorized users to support.
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aldo98229

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It’s inevitable. The Forest Service keeps getting its budgets cut and reduced year after year. Meanwhile, the number of people heading for the outdoors keeps growing, and extreme weather only adds to the cost of maintaining the existing infrastructure.
 

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Rubi SoHo

Rubi SoHo

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This has nothing to do with budgets.

This is an activist county board pushing to close roads.

https://www.sharetrails.org/we-didn...qogSbyx2Iup_SgHWvtGhLUt8fcO7yXCiWJ5YXgqs#/17/
Exactly! Let’s not let this devolve into bickering about politics, but Grand county has a history of fighting against their own self interests. Jeeping and Mountain Biking are a huge chunk of the tourism industry in Grand County. The National Parks draw a lot too, but the place is always crawling with Jeeps and Bikers; but the county always seems to want to reduce access for these tourists.

It makes no sense.
 

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Sublime

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Exactly! Let’s not let this devolve into bickering about politics, but Grand county has a history of fighting against their own self interests. Jeeping and Mountain Biking are a huge chunk of the tourism industry in Grand County. The National Parks draw a lot too, but the place is always crawling with Jeeps and Bikers; but the county always seems to want to reduce access for these tourists.

It makes no sense.
They talk a lot about "user conflicts" and then find out to them a user conflict includes hearing mechanical sounds.
 
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Rubi SoHo

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They talk a lot about "user conflicts" and then find out to them a user conflict includes hearing mechanical sounds.
hearing that guy in your link arguing that bikers should have access and not jeeps just infuriates me. I’m a MTB rider first and foremost, but I have never minded sharing with Jeeps, and now I have one. The Porcupine rim in Moab has long been my favorite MTB trail, and has quickly also become my favorite 4x4 trail. I for one would (as a biker) argue that keeping lands open to all users is critical. In Utah, MTB is considered motorized travel anyway, so part of me wonders if this isn’t a sly way to ultimately close the trails to MTB as well.

But man that guy sounded like a loon.
 

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hearing that guy in your link arguing that bikers should have access and not jeeps just infuriates me. I’m a MTB rider first and foremost, but I have never minded sharing with Jeeps, and now I have one. The Porcupine rim in Moab has long been my favorite MTB trail, and has quickly also become my favorite 4x4 trail. I for one would (as a biker) argue that keeping lands open to all users is critical. In Utah, MTB is considered motorized travel anyway, so part of me wonders if this isn’t a sly way to ultimately close the trails to MTB as well.

But man that guy sounded like a loon.
Yeah he was definitely a nut.
 
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Rubi SoHo

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Submit your comments, folks. Instructions are in the original post. Just commenting on this thread does nothing to save the trail you love (or will someday love).

TAKE ACTION.
i wish this thread could be posted more prominently where it will receive more views. But for now, submit comments to BLM and then a comment here to keep the thread near the top of the trending topics list so at least people may see it that way.
 

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jaymz

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Alternative A, the no-action alternative, is of course the best but the BLM never picks that one and always picks one of the action alternatives. So D is the only real option for motorized users to support.
Disagree. They’re likely going to decide which option they want regardless.

That doesn’t mean we should fold and support anything other than Alternative A.

Death by a thousand paper cuts.
 
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Rubi SoHo

Rubi SoHo

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I did my part and submitted comment.

Edit: OP, I also cross posted the bulk of your post on the main Bronco6G forum. I know, I know but allies don't hurt.
that sounds good.
 
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Rubi SoHo

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Disagree. They’re likely going to decide which option they want regardless.

That doesn’t mean we should fold and support anything other than Alternative A.

Death by a thousand paper cuts.
I supported option A, but also wrote If not A, then it must be D

the opinion that A is a non-starter is that of the Red Rock 4wheelers club, not my own.
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