Trail repair project- The North Meadows Swamp

[ttFJC]

So i heard through the grape vine that Trail Riders Anonymous has a bunch of materials and is planning on making a trip up to fix the swamp on North Meadows. I have been in contact with Freedom Four wheel in 4corners to get more specifics and offered to get the Yota homies on the project to help any way we can. They are scheduled to have a monthly meeting this Thursday at 630 and i am going to try my best to crash the party.

I am also told they are going up there this weekend to haul materials and are planning a workday the following weekend. unsure if they needed assistance as they have a superduty on 40s but its hauling culverts and marsh mats etc...ill find out more

ill post more on this project as i get more info, but anyone willing to help chime in.

Here is a picture of me totally not stuck in the swamp.

 

[PIZZZZA]

I was gonna come help out but crap came up.
They are meeting at the Ennis Ranger District at 7:30 on Saturday to load the stuff on trucks for North Meadow Creek.
This is a group I go with on trail rides and they are all great people with some big bad rigs.
Would be a great idea to show up and help out anyway that we can.
That BOG is nasty and needs some serious work for it to last through all the people that travel that trail.

 

[ttFJC]

i just reached out to M4x4A 4 wheel club to offer assistance. not being on Facebook is super inconvenient for finding info. im told they have been working on the blue lake situation and the north meadows stuff

 

[ttFJC]

apparently its really hard to get contact infor for local 4x4 clubs. anyone who has contact info feel free to relay it to me, just trying to establish connections. thanks.

 

[90WT]

@MTsoul maybe can help since our club met at their sponsored swap meet in May. ?

 

[MTsoul]

My intel is only that the swap meet was through Freedom 4x4 and it was their main shop number on the flyer. Thats what I called to book our booth. Otherwise, I think we meant "Kim" (?) there, but I missed the main guys name (or any contact info).

 

[PIZZZZA]

UPDATE: Here is what the Madison Ranger District will be sending out about the McKelvey Lake Trail/North Meadow Creek Trail #6340

"Madison Ranger District will be performing heavy trail maintenance on North Meadow Creek Trail #6340. Because of this trail work, the trail will not be open to members of the public from June 20th to June 30th to provide safety to USFS workers and equipment, and additionally provide for public safety."
******

The road will be blocked by heavy equipment, and many of us will be working on the trail. FS personnel will, of course, also be on site.

As we did with replacing the bridges, this coalition of your fellow wheelers and off-road organizations is working hard to improve the situation and keep this trail open in the long term. Your understanding and support are greatly appreciated.

Wheel Safe!!

 

[PIZZZZA]

Another update for work being done this weekend.
CALLING ALL OFF-ROAD ENTHUSIASTS!!
We would really like your help to repair a damaged section of the trail.
We will be placing geomatting material and making a section of courdoroy road with locally cut logs.
Work will be done on both Saturday and Sunday - this "event" is for Saturday.
MEET AT NORRIS GAS STATION AT AROUND 8:30AM (PULLING OUT FOR THE TRAIL AT 9AM) OR MEET AT THE TRAILHEAD AT 10.00AM. Join us. If possible, bring your entire crew, gang, or club.
Is McKelvey Lake Trail (North Meadow Creek) important to you? Then come help us repair it. You can help us make a difference on this trail.
We WILL NOT be traveling the entire trail, and the work is in the easier (lower) half. In fact, the road is closed due to this project. Let's get it done and reopened.
ALL off-roaders, 4x4, SxS, ATV, & Single Trackers are invited and welcome to come help make this trail better.
There will also be work on Sunday. Be ready to get muddy.

 

[secretasiansam]

Im down to sling a shovel. Anybody else going?

 

[CCRider]

Another update for work being done this weekend.
CALLING ALL OFF-ROAD ENTHUSIASTS!!
We would really like your help to repair a damaged section of the trail.
We will be placing geomatting material and making a section of courdoroy road with locally cut logs.
Work will be done on both Saturday and Sunday - this "event" is for Saturday.
MEET AT NORRIS GAS STATION AT AROUND 8:30AM (PULLING OUT FOR THE TRAIL AT 9AM) OR MEET AT THE TRAILHEAD AT 10.00AM. Join us. If possible, bring your entire crew, gang, or club.
Is McKelvey Lake Trail (North Meadow Creek) important to you? Then come help us repair it. You can help us make a difference on this trail.
We WILL NOT be traveling the entire trail, and the work is in the easier (lower) half. In fact, the road is closed due to this project. Let's get it done and reopened.
ALL off-roaders, 4x4, SxS, ATV, & Single Trackers are invited and welcome to come help make this trail better.
There will also be work on Sunday. Be ready to get muddy.

Details (and a bump)

 

[PIZZZZA]

Quoted from Montana Overland and 4x4 Adventures Facebook page

Project Report: Area drainage was improved. Culverts were installed under the roadway to help keep the area draining. Heavy geomatting was placed, then curb logs were laid and held by steel posts. A bed of 11-foot-long corduroy logs was placed over the matting material, and it was all covered with dirt.

There are too many people who donated their time and labor to this project, to thank. Among others, we had representatives from the Montana 4x4 Association's Frontier 4x4 Club, Continental 4 Wheel Drive Association, and Trail Riders Anonymous. Bozeman's Freedom Four Wheel (off-road customization and repair shop), along with many individuals not affiliated with any specific off-road club or group, joined in. Even an off-duty ranger from Yellowstone NP drove up and worked his butt off after seeing our call for help on here.

The Forest Service sent amazing sawyer crews, when available, to cut logs for the roadbed. When they were not here, other volunteers did many hours of great work of cutting logs for the road.

A small army of off-road capable 3/4 ton and larger flat-bed trucks made so much of this work easier and faster by transporting heavy materials and loads of logs up this difficult trail. Not to be outdone, though not able to carry as much each trip, a 6x6 hauled many logs too. Less logs per load...but he hauled many loads. Multiple backhoes and other equipment were used, and some expert operators made running them look easy.

If you wanted to see some REALLY tough off-roading, you should have been there to see people drive those backhoe-bucket loaders up one of the most challenging trails in Montana. Now THAT was AMAZING.

I would like to extend my special thanks to Rob Currier and his group of friends, as well as the primary forces behind this project: Joel Sather (with the FS) and our project leader, Rory Edwards. Rory deserves much of the credit for this successful project. Rory put in massive hours working throughout the week as well as the weekends.

I don't think my description does the work people did the justice it and they deserve, but I believe we all owe thanks to all those involved.

Please Tread Lightly!

 

[ttFJC]

awesome! who wants to take a trip up there once i get the LX fixed (again)

 

[CCRider]

awesome! who wants to take a trip up there once i get the LX fixed (again)

I'm in! My LX seems to run great, I should likely change that.....