Off-Road
With Altitude Adjustments
RIDERS FIX THE RIDING TRAILS
Out of their own pockets Text by Erik Hansen of Altitude Adjustments On November 7 & 14, weekends 30+ central Albertans broke a sweat in the cold to repair the trail head for Baseline Mountain. It had been washed out and then driven through all year which left it over a meter deep on one side and 10 meters long. Volunteers brought four wheeling rigs, quads, side by side, 3 bobcats, 8 chainsaws, 70 plus yards of gravel, shovels, rakes and proceeded to fix it for next year’s trial riding. On Saturday November 7th several guys went out and spent their whole day breaking out all the ice in the hole, nearly a foot thick or better I’d say, and they dug through 18” of frost a 20’L x 2’W 3’D drain trench for the spring runoff & rain to follow. The day I went, on the second Saturday, 30+ guys met @ 9:00 am the Cow Lake Store. I just managed to scrape my arse in under the wire he he he oops. We started in the morning dragging out dead fall and cutting it up to block off trails and paths made around the monster wash out. The Bobcat’s started moving buckets one at a time, 1 km from the road down the trail (which they rebuilt as well) back to the wash out. By lunch they had just gotten to the hole and it was pretty clear it was going slower than we had hoped. A bunch of the boys slaving away, have downsize pickups 4 Toyota’s and 1 built Ranger, they took all the gear out of their boxes and started running loads up and down after lunch to speed things up, 5 trucks for nearly 5 hours straight got it all up the hill as it went dark. We loaded up all the gear that was brought along, and said thanks to all who spent their day working to fix the problem so we all can use the trail next year and years to come. My request to those who would have come if you
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Jan/Feb 2010
knew about it, those who couldn’t do to other circumstances and those of you that just don’t do such work but use the trails; give them a pat on the back for their most appreciated efforts on these days. So thanks goes out to the following: Johathan Schultz headed up the first repair procedure, special thanks to him. Paul Nixon (both weekends) black Tacoma, Chris Burke (both weekends) red Tacoma, Kevin Jones (first weekend) white Land Cruiser, Gerra Kruger (first Weekend) red Sas Tacoma, Luke Howard (both weekends) Jeep guy also supplied equipment for first weekend, Corey Mehaney (last weekend) red and silver Land Cruiser, Scott Johnson showed up in a Subaru and cut wood nearly the whole time on the second weekend, Andrew Wahlstrom blue Ford SAS Ranger, Kyle Oriss Blue 1 Ton CJ7, Erick Hansen from Altitude Adjustments with his black 1 ton Forerunner/truggy, Blair from Innisfail Rentals was a major sponsor he gave equipment and money, Les Funk donated a substantial amount and sweat, he was up from Calgary in his Dakota, Doug, Jay on the quad, Brandon on the
Top: Some of the crew that helped out.
side x side, John from Rimbey in the cool Zuk. (Zukifreek), Les Lammerth, Denver Fleming, Luke, Gumby, Jesse, likley we have missed a few guy’s (sorry). SPECIAL THANKS TO: Wayne Crocker; Back Country Coordinator, Clearwater area Ph# 403-845-8254 Can-Rock Inc-Red Deer Jeep Club I know my kids will enjoy being able to 4 wheel and ride their motorcycles down that trail another day in lieu of a day they missed with their Dad. I am a lifetime user and 5th time trail repair volunteer with more to come. Users that could be affected by colosures: Off road trucks, buggies, side by sides, bikes, quads, Mountain bikes, hunters, fisherman and huggers. If anybody out there would like to help you can call or visit Erick @ altitude adjustments in Red Deer for more info or to just put your name on a list for next time. You’re all welcome, I got a shovel that will fit ya!
Thru the Windshield.ca