I can tell you what we're shooting for at Elbe. We are definitely going to a traiL rating system that will have vehicle recommendations. These recommendations will be determined by people who are experienced wheelers and who are familiar with the terrain. However, as mentioned in many posts, a small tired rig on a SWB with aggressive tires, lockers and a winch can manage obstacles that some big rigs cannot, and vice versa. It wouldn't be fair to make a rule that would limit Sami's on the the busy because they may not be big enough but at the same time, a stock 4runner may be running bigger tires and have no business on the Busy. Conversely, a well built rig running full width axles may be able to navigate the busy quite well but a full size rig with the same size tires, but no lockers, winch etc, would also have no business on the busy.
So here's what we're working towards. A trail rating system with any where from 3-5 classifications and where appropriate, dual classifications depending on the size of the vehicle, LWB vs SWB. i.e. The Gotcha might be a moderate difficulty trail for a LWB rig because of a lot of corners with stumps sticking out that can easily rip off rockers and fenders if your not careful, but it's an easy trail for a SWB rig because they can maneuver around everything. Conversley, the Swamp trail will be an extreme trail for SWB and other smaller vehicles, simply because of the mud and the size of the ruts, however, it's perhaps only a difficult trail for the big rigs.
So we're going to be coming up with a trail by trail classification system and rate each trail. These ratings will be on the maps and the will be on new signs at the trail head and trail intersections (hint hint, upcoming work party). No one will have any excuse for getting somewhere that they don't belong and if we accept that MOST people will use common sense, this will stop the unprepared from wandering into trouble and hopefully keep the prepared or bigger, more built rigs on trails suited to their vehicles. We don't want a 44" tired rigS running through Gotcha making holes and trenches in the few muddy spots to ruin the trail for the vehicles that are most likely to run it on a day to day basis.
IF someone deliberatly ignores the trail ratings and ventures in with completely inappropriate vehicles that result in damage, they CAN be fined and heavily. So, take a full size, LWB rig into the busy, beat everything up and get stuck or broken, you can be fined and we are encouraging enforcement. The cost of timely extraction can also be tacked on and it can and will affect the owners ability to get a driver's license. If that full size that got stuck in there last year does so again and results in the same kind of probem, it is feasible that a helicopter is bought in to remove the carcass at the expense of the vehicle owner, regardless of whether or not he WANTS it removed that way.
I hesitate to bring this up but this is important to know. I can speak only for DNR land, but all trees inside the trail corridor are already considered lost by the DNR. That means that accidental rubbing up against the trees, scraping some bark off, etc is NOT going to get the trails closed. They consider those trees, OUR trees. However, when the root system is degraded and the tree becomes sick or dies, it often has to be removed, this is why most of the trees at Elbe have been cut, (excluding logging) for safety, not for big rigs to fit though. This is NOT a license to intentionally damage the trees, not use tree savers etc. Since these trees are part of OUR trails we have a responsibility to maintain them or the trails will just get wider and straighter as time goes on.
By next spring you will see a trail rating system up and running at Elbe, maybe sooner. If you want to be part of that process, attend the next Elbe Focus group meeting. It'll be 7pm on the second Tuesday of November. I'll be posting details when the meeting is finalized. The decisions on trail ratings and vehicle recomendations that go along with that WILL be made at that meeting.
