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Saddle Up - Input and Design Thread

Re: Saddle Up input and design thread.

As most of you know Saddle Up (NAXJA's adopted trail) has been closed for a while now.
The trail has been redesigned by a few of us, and the reconstruction will begin in the next week or two.
For all the details relating to this project please see the threads in the trip reports section:
Phase-1 - Initial center-line and boundary marking hike:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1089467

Phase-2 - Center line and boundary finalization with ODF:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1090392

It contains a lot of good information, and some decent pics as well.

And speaking of pics, on another forum I'm a member of, I've been documenting the progress of this project for other Jeepers to see and comment on.
A fellow Jeeper posted a pic of what saddle up was 12 years ago, (2000)
...and I thought that some of you might like to see something that you can make comparisons to and see how a trail can change over the years.
Enjoy:
SADDLEUP_2000.jpg
 
Re: Saddle Up - Finalizing Centerline W/ ODF

Any new information on the trail construction? Are you planning any work parties?
 
rookies said:
Any new information on the trail construction? Are you planning any work parties?
Click to expand...

Not yet. We still haven't hit it with the mini excavator yet. The dry weather was holding up everything. Jahmaal has a few other things he has to take care of first then he'll let me know a schedule for working on saddle up, and I'll let you all know
 
Re: Saddle Up - Finalizing Centerline W/ ODF

We need to get he mini up there and going before the snow hits.....
That white stuff will hide all our markings!
 
Icemans said:
Is this something Jahmaal has to be there for or is it something we can do without him if we can get a machine. I can get a machine and operate it if we don't need Jahmaal but I'm guessing that we do. Let me know.
Click to expand...

This is almost exactly what I asked him in my message to him today. I will let you know.

I can tell you that the current terrain and conditions of the hillside are extreme. The elevation gain and grade on some sections of the trail are steep.

The main task for the first day with a mini will be clearing the line of wood debris and building trail armor (trail boundries). As well as using debris from a large slash pile as cross cut prevention. (places prone to users cutting aross from one trail section to another). There will be very little actual dirt turning.
As well as creating all the water diversions needed.

Once this has been accomplished we can run a few jeeps up the trail to see what stumps to remove or "FIND" any problematic areas and then address them as needed.

Once all this is done we can begin actually transforming the upper dirt road into the twister section. That's where most of the actual dirt turning will be.

Once we have either done all that is needed to the trail or we have reached the seasonal deadline (which ever comes first). The trail will be closed until spring.

But, I will let everyone know as soon as I get a response from Jahmaal on thus issue.
 
Last edited:
Ok I just got a reply from Jahmaal. He said if we have those kind of resources that we can go ahead and start working on it.

Icemans, when would you be available to start?
 
AwesomeXJ said:
Ok I just got a reply from Jahmaal. He said if we have those kind of resources that we can go ahead and start working on it.

Icemans, when would you be available to start?
Click to expand...

I will get in touch with my contacts and see when the mini is available. That will dictate when i can start. I know that i cant this weekend because I speaking at a conference in Vancouver all weekend. The soonest weekend i can get up there will be the 3rd or 4th of Nov or during the week I'm mostly free. I will let you know.

We will have to pay for fuel in the mini, but it wont be much. Not more then 10gal. I will take care of transportation for the machine.
 
Icemans said:
I will get in touch with my contacts and see when the mini is available. That will dictate when i can start. I know that i cant this weekend because I speaking at a conference in Vancouver all weekend. The soonest weekend i can get up there will be the 3rd or 4th of Nov or during the week I'm mostly free. I will let you know.
Click to expand...

Ok thanks
 
Re: Saddle Up - Finalizing Centerline W/ ODF

sorry dudes im a little behind on whats going on. last time i was at TSF, probably 2 or 3 weeks ago now, noticed Saddle Up was closed. im guessing the logging messed with the trail? When you say the old hill are you talking about the main one that has always been the reason ppl run that trail? the part that pops you out on top of the quarry, that is gone?? Im pumped you guys are able to build new trail from the sounds of it, hopefully it will be better, just sucks if the old hill is gone.
 
Re: Saddle Up - Finalizing Centerline W/ ODF

Old hill will be obliterated... they are taking that side of the quarry and the ridgeline road out... literally taking it out... when they were blasting, they found a fault, or shift, towards the top of the climb, and deemed the area unsafe, so now we get to design a whole new trail, and trust me... it will be EPIC!!! New trail will put the old one to shame...
 
Re: Saddle Up - Finalizing Centerline W/ ODF

Isn't it funny how the ODF has money, time, man power to close a trail but can't find any of the above to replace a trail. All the equipment and manpower needed is just over the hill.
 
rookies said:
Isn't it funny how the ODF has money, time, man power to close a trail but can't find any of the above to replace a trail. All the equipment and manpower needed is just over the hill.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind it might not have been ODF that decommissioned the old trail. Although it could have been but I would bet it was a contractor. At least in Washington from what I know DNR contracts stuff like that out. I would have been more then happy to do that for them why we were there, but my guess is they would not of let us because of liability from the unstable hillside. Just my. $.02.
 
rookies said:
Isn't it funny how the ODF has money, time, man power to close a trail but can't find any of the above to replace a trail. All the equipment and manpower needed is just over the hill.
Click to expand...

What's funny is that you actually believe ODF has money, time and man power to close a trail. Jahmaal has done a lot on his own because he is a trail operator, surveyor, pencil pusher, equipment operator. Those are a few of his job duties because ODF has so much time, money and man power.

There was an IFPL shut down for almost a month. There were also a few other pressing matters that had to be delt with. Like a easy trail that must be fixed because its now a black diamond. Jahmaal could have just spent a few weekends to begin with and just made a simple bypass around the damaged areas and called it good. Instead he gave it to us to design what WE wanted wheel. A lot more goes into trail building than " go tell those guys to bring that backhoe over here, we gonna make a trail". Thanks for your input though. I look forward to seeing you on the trails.
 
Last edited:
Icemans said:
Keep in mind it might not have been ODF that decommissioned the old trail. Although it could have been but I would bet it was a contractor. At least in Washington from what I know DNR contracts stuff like that out. I would have been more then happy to do that for them why we were there, but my guess is they would not of let us because of liability from the unstable hillside. Just my. $.02.
Click to expand...

Jahmaal Rebb did it himself.
 
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