scarylilguy
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- spotsylvania, va
hmmmm...we will see. the money flow aint what it used to be.
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Uwharrie Volunteer Work Weekend
- Thread starter XJfreakHO
- Start date
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
More pictures.
Filling in Mud Hole in front of a dispersed camping area:
Extracting the massive boulder out of the woods for our stream crossing/rock armoring project:
Me just getting started on digging out the busted culvert stuck in the ground:
Filling in Mud Hole in front of a dispersed camping area:
Extracting the massive boulder out of the woods for our stream crossing/rock armoring project:
Me just getting started on digging out the busted culvert stuck in the ground:
- Location
- Gassaway TN
I just want to say thanks. I couldn't be there but it's good to know there are guys willing to help out on a project like this. Great job!!!
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
x2! I hope to get up there for one of these this year but they keep falling on weekends when I have stuff I cannot get out of. Hell... I cannot even seem to get up there to wheel either. Would be nice ot enjoy the fruits of your labor! What rocks were broken out?
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
There is a ledge below the Kodak Rock Garden on Rocky Mountain Loop, on the left is a bypass for the ledge. At certain points it gets very narrow, and on the left is a nice drop down the side of the mountain. When it rains and it gets slippery it can be dangerous in the narrow sections for anyone without very aggressive mud tires. So we busted up rocks with the hydraulic breaker on the right hand side of the bypass to widen it up a little bit so people can hug the right hand side a little closer.
More pictures are popping up, I think this one puts the whole thing is perspective best:
(You have the sign with the guy digging, and the Bobcat, and then in the Background you have the Bobcat and group digging out the rock)
We put the fairly new Forest Service John Deere UTV to work filling it up with rocks along with the Bobcat bucket:
A good before shot of the stream/drainage crossing after I dug it out a tiny bit:
Can see how its dug out a little bit on each side, dumping rocks in:
Final Product (keep in mind every single rock was picked up by hand in our "rock scavenger hut"):
Better view of the busted culvert we dug out, it was so buried in there on the right hand side I didn't think we were going to get it out. Even with the bobcat:
Cool dirt dumping action shot (dirt dug out from the culvert):
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
A good before shot:
There isn't a complete after shot with all the rock in, but this gives you an idea:
There isn't a complete after shot with all the rock in, but this gives you an idea:
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Nice. That little ledge has become a good obsticle I was hoping it was not destroyed. I remember that area before the bypass was there. Did the culvert get replaced with rocks only?
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
I remember the first time I did Rocky Mnt Loop there was no bypass, the "bypass" was huging the tree on the left.
The culvert was only replaced with rocks. Its the Forest Service's more "natural" way of armoring stream and drainage crossings. Their options currently are permanent bridges, corduroy log bridges, culverts, and rock armored crossings. According to the Forest Service its a more popular way of dealing with water sedimentation. I like it, its adds character to the trails I think.
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Yea I like it too.
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
The thing about Uwharrie is the trails are always in need of repair. Especially after they were "let go" for about 5-6 years. So now we are playing catch up. The one trail Daniel is so rough in areas it will be a nightmare trying to get equipment down it to to get repairs done. About 80 percent of the jobs on the "to do list" are just to get one trail (the Dutch John trail) close to up to par. And throw on top of all that the basic upkeep stuff like trash clean up, trail diamonds, etc. But we take one workday at a time, and that is all we can do. 
atriot:
atriot:
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
See to me Daniel is one of the best trails out there. It is just challenging enough but not impassable. What all is on the list at Dutch John?
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Daniel is one of my favorite trails for sure, but the ATVs/Dirtbikes are tearing it up making a ton of illegal bypasses. Combine that with some safety issues on the end near the parking lot, Daniel needs a lot of work. The work won't make anything "easier" per say, but it will keep people on the trails and help avoid possible accidents.
The Dutch John list includes split rail fence and guard rail in multiple places, 3-4 log bridges being re-built or replaced with rock armored crossings, a couple mud holes being drained and re-shaped, plus tail ditches revamped and cleaned out. Almost all of it has been taken care of, there are just a handful of places left to take care of. Overall its taken about 7 workdays with about 50 people and 4 pieces of equipment spread out over those to get us to where we are now. We basically did what a contractor would in couple weeks of repairs with one crew in one week with 3-4 volunteer crews.
The current focus is guard rail on Rocky Mnt Loop that didn't get put up because of contractor work last year, and some areas on Slab Pile and other trails that didn't get contractor attention (including the last couple areas on Dutch John). That isn't even starting to address issues on Dickey Bell, Daniel, and any other trails we haven't really hit yet. And keep in mind every week and month that passes the trails change, new illegal bypasses pop up (usually right next to guard rail that was just put in), new mud holes appear etc. Its a never ending process.
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Yea it is definitely a never ending process. Did the approval of the new trails get done? I for one really appreciate what you and the rest of the regulars are doing to keep this place open. Thank you.
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
The Saw-Mill re-route is underway as we speak, so that will be a partially "new" trail. The actual "new trail" which is mostly the old Big Branch Trail is supposed to open next year or the year after. Last time I talked with Rodney about it he was saying it won't take much more work to get it open. But you know the government, a little bit of work can take a LONG time.
With Callalantee in TN closing November 1st it seems we are loosing more and more areas to wheel out here. It seems since Tellico closed its all been down hill for a couple places out here. Luckily Uwharrie is in much better shape than Tellico, and if we keep up the trail maintenance (like the guard rail, and the other "necessary evils" as some call them) we should have a great place to wheel for many years to come. I appreciate the kind words/thanks, I just hope people keep volunteering and staying involved with the effort.
So far this year I think I have wheeled Bobcat's more than I have my own truck, I am almost certain I have. But I would rather wheel Bobcats and work on the trails to keep them open than have them be closed an have no where to wheel at all. Right now our focus is a final push to wrap up the end of the year. Trying to get arrangements and raise funds to get at least 1 or 2 more Bobcat rentals in before the year is up. Would be great to wrap up the end of the year with at least most of Dutch John brought back up to spec. We will see how it goes.
atriot:
- Location
- Middle Tennessee
Callalantee is closing? For good or just for the winter?
I went to their website and there is no mention of this.
Let us know if/when you need funds for more trail maintenance.
I went to their website and there is no mention of this.
Let us know if/when you need funds for more trail maintenance.
- Location
- Hartsville, South Carolina
Yea from what I have read the owner's family has to be there bc of the insurance and none of his family is intrested in that. They all like in Flordia I believe. I'm trying to find out more but from what has been posted on NC4x4 as of Oct 1st its done. Someone else on another sight said the property was sold but I think they have their info confused.
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
A buddy of mine Doug (Team Turtle / Turtle Mechanic etc) lives 10-15 minutes from Callalantee and has been active with the owner (Paul Brown) for multiple years. He organizes the Toy's for Rocks event, has helped try to get trail maps put together, etc. So he is the best contact I know of for the area. According to him Paul Brown still owns the land, but his family (Neeta and others) will no longer be managing it. The trails will close November 1st when the land goes under new management. The only "if" factor here is if the new management involves future use of the trail system. That is the only glimmer of hope for the trails to be re-opened in the future.
Cnickgo
Do you need assistance?
- Location
- Monterey, CA
That's a sad thing to hear about Callalantee. I really enjoyed those trails. I was concerned about them for awhile though considering some of the routing.
- Location
- Harrisburg, NC
Bummer. Never did make it up to those trails, but had hoped to at some point.
DRaider90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
You have till November to get out there, I know there are doing a "one last bash" trail run in October. I was out there 2 or 3 weekends ago we wheeled Armor All, Welder, went up on Tower at night, and a couple other trails. I was riding along (my truck isn't ready for a trip all the way out there) and had a blast. I have only been up there a couple times but there is definitely potential for a good OHV park out there.
Part of the problem with Callalantee from my understanding was not enough people coming in. Business is way down even after hiking up prices, and Neeta and the others don't see it worth putting time/effort into. The biggest issue was lack of trail maintenance, which includes marking trails and having accurate maps. Doug tried to help with this but there is only so much he (and a couple others) can do.
But getting around to the routing of the trails. I honestly think the lack of business is what has kept it open this long if you think about it. The number of stream crossings combined with the fact some of the post popular trails run straight up streams wasn't a good thing. It made for awesome wheeling, but if Callalantee had gotten popular it probably would have gotten the place in trouble if not shut down. It only takes one environmental group to come in and see what is going on, and that pretty much is it. And yes even private property can be closed because of erosion/sedimentation of streams etc.
To tie this back into Uwharrie it makes it even more clear why trail maintenance needs to be done. Believe it or not people still can get lost/turned around out at Uwharrie. Its mostly new comers and ATV/Dirtbikers (or a combination of both), from the groups I have talked to. We were putting up caronsite trail marker signs the workday before last, and the issues with Callalantee re-iterate the need for clearly marked trails etc.
Playing arts and crafts putting stickers on Carosnites isn't a glory job, but we had fun doing it. We didn't have the Forest Service with us, so we got to play what we ended up calling Trail DOT Crew. There are still more signs that need to go up, and it seems someone stole the Daniel sign we put up:
We don't need our own community sabotaging us but hopefully with continued work things at Uwharrie will never end up like Tellico or Callalantee.
