WoodPecker plowed

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I was out there in May with BLM, and they did not mention any plans that included doing this. I will send out some email to check it out. It COULD be just mining activity. John
 
There is a ton of mining activity happening/planned in that area. "They" are being very careful to protect/conserve it, like: Just about the whole Mineral Mountain flat area south of 60, is slated to be a tailing pile dump, most likely for what used to be the Devil's Canyon/Oak Flat area that is being converted into an open pit mine, etc. Yep them 4x4 guys are messing it up, bad!:eek::mad:
 
:eek:....
Friends of Woodpecker Trail,

This morning I received several email messages inquiring about dozer work along the Woodpecker Wash (Upper Woodpecker Trail/OHV Site); some messages had a link to photos, but the link did not work; thank you all for checking up on what’s going on.

BLM Tucson Field Office Geologist Daniel Moore has been out of the office this past month on fire duty; he will return this week on Thursday, and may have additional details on the situation. Here is a brief on the work presently underway along Mineral Mtn. Rd. and Woodpecker Wash (Upper Woodpecker Trail/OHV Site)

BLM processed a mining notice from Three Metals Mining, who has mining claims on BLM lands along Mineral Mtn Rd. and up Woodpecker Wash. Three Metals’ notice was processed in accordance with the 1872 mining law, and the company is authorized to conduct mineral exploration and testing work on several mining claims. The exploration/testing work requires construction of approx. 0.5 miles of access road from the Mineral Mtn. Rd near the Reymert turnoff, and approx. 0.2 miles of road construction a mile or so up Woodpecker Wash (see attached map). The exploration work is authorized under the 1872 mining laws, and it is presently underway. The mining claim holder was authorized to drive up the bottom of Woodpecker Wash, going around severe obstacles by taking the old bypass road grades, and/or capping with streambed material (gravels, stones, cobbles) the sections that would be impassable for the mineral exploration work. The attached map shows the locations where the mining company is authorized to build access road from Mineral Mtn Rd., and Woodpecker Wash up to the mining claims. The work is being done under a reclamation bond, and reclamation of the associated impacts is required to pre-existing conditions as much as possible. A site visit is planned this week to check on Three Metals’ Mining work.

After the mining company completes the exploration/testing work and before reclamation, the BLM will work with the company to make sure the restoration work is acceptable. It would be good to have input from you, the recreational users of this section, on this restoration work. Under the BLM Travel Management Plan completed a couple of years ago, a trail plan for this OHV site (Upper Woodpecker Trail) needs to be prepared. This restoration work might be a good time to prepare the site plan.

Thanks for your interest, and I will let you know what I find, and keep you informed of this project.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Thanks again,

[FONT=&quot]Francisco J. Mendoza, Outdoor Recreation Planner[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]USDI Bureau of Land Management, Tucson Field Office[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3201 E. Universal Way, Tucson, AZ 85756[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Phone: 520-258-7226, Fax: 520-258-7238[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]For Arizona BLM information:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en.html[/FONT]
Our office has moved!! Please see new address above.
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duplicate posting, sorry! What Jason said ^^^^^^
 
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I got a PM back from Franciso early this am. Basically, its mining activity. That's how most of out favorite trails got there in the first place. It is NOT the BLM trying to close our trails. Some of these Virtual Dudes need to chill. John
 
The daytime pictures are a little shocking but it sounds like a legitimate mining operation.Im curious to see how the monsoon storms will affect it
 
The road is called Woodpecker Mine, well, because the road was cut to access the mine, without the mine, the road would never have existed. The mine has not been used, the road has eroded into a challenging wheeling trail that we have enjoyed. Now the mining Co has decided they want to do some work at the mine, so need to "improve" the road for access, unfortunately for us, this is the way it works.
 
She was my first... (sniff) :crybaby:

woodpecker1.jpg


woodpecker.jpg
 
Them's called the "good old days".


Thankfully like the Bass player says: you cant fight mother Nature
 
Jason4x4 said:
If you read down, a wheeler is meeting with the blm guy on Friday.
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My bad, I didn't scroll down enough. It is kind of strange that they haven't been too active about trails in the area until now. There are several of us that have been escorting BLM management around that area and adding trails back onto their maps. I have done over 7 trips just this year, so far. It's been pretty slow, but they are getting a better understanding of wheeling as a sport/hobby, not just a way to get from A to B.
 
Jason4x4 said:
If you read down, a wheeler is meeting with the blm guy on Friday.
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That person was asking for 'before' pictures, and not just the firehole. I did send a few pix from last December
 
murf said:
every time I see this thread heading - dont ask me why - my simple mind thinks of this:
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Me thinks Murf finally got his medical doobie prescription.:smokin:
 
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