Events/Trails 200s on Hole in the Rock Trail HITR (1 Viewer)

[cruiseroutfit]

...The Rincon spur is also superb fun wheeling. Is it open or closed-depends on who you talk to. I've been there and back 3 times and not sure if I'll get there again, but it doubles the sketchy fun of this trail...

Unfortunately it's pretty black/white. Who do you talk to? The National Park Service who has undisputed management control over that area as a whole, does and has considered the Rincon Trail closed since their 1979 Travel Management Plan. Now the counties are working to gain title/claim/row to that road through a process called RS2477, they too will advise that it's not considered open in the meantime and "don't ask us to help fight a ticket". If anyone has a valid reason/opinion on how it's open, I'd certainly love to hear about it. I've personally spent a great deal of time on the phone with county and NPS reps about this trail, it's on the counties radar but waaaaay down the list given the short duration, lack of private or standard BLM land access and duration it's been closed (GSENM routes are high on the list for example). From the fed perspective, they are open to discussing it and can't readily cite any reasoning why it was closed in 1979 however they are not jumping to help open it either. The fed land managers in the NPS/FS realm seem to have a mission declassify and reduce OHV routes as a whole in the west. Fortunately our counties are very proactive against (see GSENM/Bears Ears). Putting my Tread Lightly and Utah State Trail Host hat on, I can only implore that users will respect any and all land status's and route closures and work within the system to open them up. If you arrange a protest ride with the San Juan County Attorney and Council members (OHV loving folks fwiw) then have at it. Make some noise! It a popular way to get the Fed's attention here in Utah (Hidden Splendor, Recapture, Paria, etc). If you're just there to poach the trail, it only harms our relationship and potential outcome.

ExpeditionUtah made an official comment regarding the Rincon Trail during the last travel management revision and more recently (March 2018) we made official comment on their DEIS findings, which sadly didn't open the trail.

"..Rincon Trail:
We feel that the Rincon Trail should be re-opened to allow historic motorized (OHV) travel. This route has been continually open for public passage long before the creation of GCNRA and it route access along the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail (east side of lake) and the Rincon route to the lake proper should be open to motorized travel. OHV users (Jeeps at the time) were using this route for pure recreation purposes as early as the 1950’s and this access should be protected and promoted. Please reference the accompanying map (Rincon Trail Map) for the route we feel should remain open to all motorized travel..."

If anyone is reading and still isn't bored to death, you can read more and see maps re: Rincon here:
http://www.expeditionutah.com/forum/index.php?threads/glen-canyon-deis.3863/page-4#post-63105

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

A drivers view heading up to the Grey Mesa. Holding the camera in one hand while driving adds to the excitement. No wonder no one will ride with me
I like the steeper line to the left at the start in lieu of the off camber to the right

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Unfortunately it's pretty black/white. Who do you talk to?

Yeah, about that. When I talk to myself, it's open. I mean it's a great trail. It should be open like it has been since they built the mine trail/shelf road in the late 40s or whenever that was. My heart says it's open and F the feds that want to lock it all up. And it's ironic because it isn't the guys in Land Cruisers destroying Lake Powell, it's the feds.

But when I talk to this guy Kurt that owns that great cruiser shop in Sandy, he says its closed. It's because of talking to you in May, we actually declined to visit. We went to the turn, speculated about the legality, looked for signage, looked wistfully into the canyon, remembering the great times in past years, and carried on. I realize now that in 2016 we we technically not supposed to be there, but in 2 full days camped out at the lake, no one stopped to say anything. And others were camped near by who came in a houseboat. Yet they are legal and we are not?

Details here:
FAWKING MIND BOGGLING - HitR 2016

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Yeah, about that. When I talk to myself, it's open. I mean it's a great trail. It should be open like it has been since they built the mine trail/shelf road in the late 40s or whenever that was. My heart says it's open and F the feds that want to lock it all up. And it's ironic because it isn't the guys in Land Cruisers destroying Lake Powell, it's the feds.

But when I talk to this guy Kurt that owns that great cruiser shop in Sandy, he says its closed. It's because of talking to you in May, we actually declined to visit. We went to the turn, speculated about the legality, looked for signage, looked wistfully into the canyon, remembering the great times in past years, and carried on. I realize now that in 2016 we we technically not supposed to be there, but in 2 full days camped out at the lake, no one stopped to say anything. And others were camped near by who came in a houseboat. Yet they are legal and we are not?

Details here:
FAWKING MIND BOGGLING - HitR 2016

I'm the first to agree and argue that the closure was dumb in 1979 and it's just as dumb in 2019, zero reason it should be closed and hence why I've continued to invest time in being the thorn in their side I first drove it in 2006 and sadly hadn't been back down given what I learned at an NPS scoping meeting a few years later. Unfortunately the same goes for hundreds (thousands?) of roads and spurs here in Utah that the fed has closed or will closed with impending RMP planning. Fortunately the reversal of the GSENM/BENM spared us a great deal of closures and we will theoretically see a bunch of roads back. Hint: Paria Canyon. While the anti-access media will have you believe the reversal was all about OGM (no doubt the extractive industries were a major catalyst) the architects of the new monument boundaries went after RS2477 claims too

 

[steenh]

Here's a video of the trip. Great times!!

 

[smittycrusher]

Here's a video of the trip. Great times!!

Love the video Steen. That trail has so much cool stuff to it that I forget about a lot of it. This video is a great reminder of all that I can’t remember on my own.

 

[ckkone]

Cool video, would be better without any music.

 

[Markuson]

Love the video Steen. That trail has so much cool stuff to it that I forget about a lot of it. This video is a great reminder of all that I can’t remember on my own.

Watched the whole thing.
Nicely done.
Awesome trail!!

If anyone wants to try in in Spring...like mid-late April...I’d be in. Maybe before or after Cruise Moab week?

 

[steenh]

Cool video, would be better without any music.

Debated that... then figured there is always the volume button

 

[steenh]

Spring or fall is definitely better on that trail. The heat was a bit rough in that we stayed in the trucks a lot more than normal, and then the GoPro overheating didn't help. Overall though, I wasn't bothered nearly as much as I thought I was going to be. Would be tough for me to make the trek out there more than once a year but I could have one more HITR trip in me.

Watched the whole thing.
Nicely done.
Awesome trail!!

If anyone wants to try in in Spring...like mid-late April...I’d be in. Maybe before or after Cruise Moab week?

 

[Rigger]

Amazed at the 200 capability. I got to back to Moab.