alright, you asked...

[westcoaster]

http://www.bc4x4.com/landuse/default.cfm?ID=61

the bc government's "new" forest service road policy. Basically everything is now considered a wilderness road that could be deactivated. unless it has a logging truck running on it.

I would like to see some kind of funding restored to guarantee a minimum level of access for roads that have some "destination" value. example an access road to a lake that supports fishing or a main road into a valley for hunting.

My fear in another 5-10 years there will be next to no access to the back country due to lack of maintaince. I think we'll really see this after the winter we have had. Most roads that have washed out will not be repaired and access will be lost forever (or at least until the next logging show rolls through....)

Will the association be interested in lobbying government to restore some funding or come up with another intermediate road class?

[sdillen]

http://www.bc4x4.com/landuse/default.cfm?ID=61

the bc government's "new" forest service road policy. Basically everything is now considered a wilderness road that could be deactivated. unless it has a logging truck running on it.

I would like to see some kind of funding restored to guarantee a minimum level of access for roads that have some "destination" value. example an access road to a lake that supports fishing or a main road into a valley for hunting.

My fear in another 5-10 years there will be next to no access to the back country due to lack of maintaince. I think we'll really see this after the winter we have had. Most roads that have washed out will not be repaired and access will be lost forever (or at least until the next logging show rolls through....)

Will the association be interested in lobbying government to restore some funding or come up with another intermediate road class?

I agree with you and think that the Association should be active in promoting a basic level of maintenance for destination roads. It actually surprised me the other day when I found out that the MOF is not going to repair the Chehalis FSR -- and that as a result the rec sites along the west side of the lake are effectively cut off.

I'm not sure how to best have the association go about this though....personally I want the main roads maintained, but I'm not sure how much maintenance I want on the access "trails". Part of the draw of Sunrise (for example) is the trail getting to the destination. Same with Hale.

As the association adds to its membership roster I think there's an opportunity to influence some of the spending. But, as I say....I'm not yet sure how to best direct our efforts.

I'm all ears!

[westcoaster]

I'm not sure how to best have the association go about this though....personally I want the main roads maintained, but I'm not sure how much maintenance I want on the access "trails". Part of the draw of Sunrise (for example) is the trail getting to the destination. Same with Hale.

I don't think it has to be an "all or nothing" type of thing. I think it is perfectly acceptable to lobby to have one road opened and maintained to a car like standard and another road maintained to extreme 4x4 type standard. this is the "recreation" aspect of the hobby. Different strokes for different folks... I really have no interest in banging my junk into Sunrise or Hale, but I am quite sad to find I can no longer take a drive up Chehalis.

I also think you may be too focused on just what's happening in the lower mainland. Although, I really have no idea how large you were thinking. To me, 4WDABC is the entire province. This may just turn into a full time job for you yet :)

The entire province is covered by logging and back country roads. All these roads in all parts of the province face the same issue. If you want to entice membership (to ultimatly become a "force") you must appeal to the masses. Unfortunatly "trail running" up sunrise or hale may not necessarly appeal to many people in Quesnel or Castelgar. Lobbying government to get a local road reopened to some lake or valley would.
Publish a blurb in the hunting/fishing regulations about who you are and what you want to accomplish. If your really brave, ask the same question in those two publications (what direction should the 4WDABC go?)

[sdillen]

I don't think it has to be an "all or nothing" type of thing. I think it is perfectly acceptable to lobby to have one road opened and maintained to a car like standard and another road maintained to extreme 4x4 type standard. this is the "recreation" aspect of the hobby. Different strokes for different folks... I really have no interest in banging my junk into Sunrise or Hale, but I am quite sad to find I can no longer take a drive up Chehalis.

I also think you may be too focused on just what's happening in the lower mainland. Although, I really have no idea how large you were thinking. To me, 4WDABC is the entire province. This may just turn into a full time job for you yet :)

The entire province is covered by logging and back country roads. All these roads in all parts of the province face the same issue. If you want to entice membership (to ultimatly become a "force") you must appeal to the masses. Unfortunatly "trail running" up sunrise or hale may not necessarly appeal to many people in Quesnel or Castelgar. Lobbying government to get a local road reopened to some lake or valley would.
Publish a blurb in the hunting/fishing regulations about who you are and what you want to accomplish. If your really brave, ask the same question in those two publications (what direction should the 4WDABC go?)

We're thinking the same thing "long term". I do not see the Association as only catering to those who are looking for trails (what I term those who view 4x4 AS their recreation), but rather to represent those who use four wheel drive as part of their other forms of recreation -- hunting, fishing, hiking, quading....you name it. I do think that for the short/mid term, those who are looking for trails will be the vocal/active participants of the Association.

I will be posing the "What do you want from the 4WDABC?" question to these other communities -- I see their members to be key participants in shaping the long term direction of the Association. I expect to carry this question to as many of these other groups as I can within the next few months (and am actually only waiting until we make some membership structure changes in the Association before I do so).

Long term? My intent is to have The Four Wheel Drive Association of BC be THE "go to" representative for all vehicle use of non-paved roads throughout the province.

My short term goals of the Association (2007) are to regain respect in the motorized off-road recreation community. With the relatively small group of volunteers that I can mobilize today, that means making commitments that are visible short term successes -- and making sure that the Association follows through on those commitments. My focus on the West Harrison area is simply a result of the fact that we have the manpower to address that area today.

With an increased earned level of respect, I am confident that the Association's membership will grow which will allow the Association to ultimately step up to more far-reaching long term projects -- and to have a much more active political agenda.

oh.....and I don't think I'm quite ready to quit my day job yet!!!!!!

[westcoaster]

Well then, I'm preaching to the choir...

I'll know you'll have arrived when I start hearing about the 4WDABC from other sources (newspaper, radio, television)

Thanks,


And the best of luck....

[blancch]

Please note: there is a difference between a de-activated road and a de-commisioned road.

Some time ago, the North Cariboo Offroad Adverturers Society had a representative from the Ministry of Forests come to one of our meetings to discuss the Vanderhoof District LRMP. In that discussion, it was made very clear that any road that is only de-activated is still open to use. If you can get across the de-act, you can use the road. Some FSR's are required to be returned to their pre-use natural state known as de-commisioned. These areas are defined in the forest logging rights contract signed between the logging companies and the Ministry. They are supposed to be very obvious - signs, gates, etc. Where the road was should no longer be visible since the company is required to remove the overburden (gravel, etc.) put the topsoil back and replant the area. After the forest starts to re-grow, then they can remove the gates, etc. (I think).

I don't think that we can expect the Ministry to maintain de-activated FSR's, but maybe we can lobby the government to maintain the "main" roads.

Chris Blanchard
NCOAS member

[AB Gator]

We're thinking the same thing "long term". I do not see the Association as only catering to those who are looking for trails (what I term those who view 4x4 AS their recreation), but rather to represent those who use four wheel drive as part of their other forms of recreation -- hunting, fishing, hiking, quading....you name it. I do think that for the short/mid term, those who are looking for trails will be the vocal/active participants of the Association.

I will be posing the "What do you want from the 4WDABC?" question to these other communities -- I see their members to be key participants in shaping the long term direction of the Association. I expect to carry this question to as many of these other groups as I can within the next few months (and am actually only waiting until we make some membership structure changes in the Association before I do so).

Long term? My intent is to have The Four Wheel Drive Association of BC be THE "go to" representative for all vehicle use of non-paved roads throughout the province.

My short term goals of the Association (2007) are to regain respect in the motorized off-road recreation community. With the relatively small group of volunteers that I can mobilize today, that means making commitments that are visible short term successes -- and making sure that the Association follows through on those commitments. My focus on the West Harrison area is simply a result of the fact that we have the manpower to address that area today.

With an increased earned level of respect, I am confident that the Association's membership will grow which will allow the Association to ultimately step up to more far-reaching long term projects -- and to have a much more active political agenda.

oh.....and I don't think I'm quite ready to quit my day job yet!!!!!!

Steve, I just moved back to BC from AB and was involved with several clubs on these issues there. I would like to help, I'm in Kamloops and would welcome the opportunity to help forward this cause province-wide. PM me if there is something I can do now.

G

[sdillen]

Steve, I just moved back to BC from AB and was involved with several clubs on these issues there. I would like to help, I'm in Kamloops and would welcome the opportunity to help forward this cause province-wide. PM me if there is something I can do now.

G

Thanks for the offer. I expect to start focusing efforts on expanding the Association through the summer and early Fall. You'll be hearing from me!!!!!!!

[TroyM]

I was just thinking about this the other day, the fact that fsr's will just get overgrown,washed out, or deactivated and disappear forever. Then I thought oh well the popular trails and fsr's wouldn't get overgrown because theres enough 4x4er's out there that use these trails. But on the other hand, it could be a good thing. These highways will actually turn into roughed up roads or trails. Just more obstables and challenges making things more exciting and more fun. Also keeping careless idiots out who trash cars, dump ****, smash bottles and get certain areas closed because of their actions. I also like the idea of "us" (the general public) maintaining and making trails/roads passable and taking responsibility over these roads/trails. Sure you will have to have a capable truck or quad or dirtbike, so some who use these roads now with their stock 4x4's might not be able to get to the areas they used to able to go. It shouldn't take too long for even the main roads to get 'roughed' up. For example , look at the winter we had and how much damage it created to the main fsr's.

That's my 2 cents

-Troy

[westcoaster]

I was just thinking about this the other day, the fact that fsr's will just get overgrown,washed out, or deactivated and disappear forever. Then I thought oh well the popular trails and fsr's wouldn't get overgrown because theres enough 4x4er's out there that use these trails. But on the other hand, it could be a good thing. These highways will actually turn into roughed up roads or trails. Just more obstables and challenges making things more exciting and more fun. Also keeping careless idiots out who trash cars, dump ****, smash bottles and get certain areas closed because of their actions. I also like the idea of "us" (the general public) maintaining and making trails/roads passable and taking responsibility over these roads/trails. Sure you will have to have a capable truck or quad or dirtbike, so some who use these roads now with their stock 4x4's might not be able to get to the areas they used to able to go. It shouldn't take too long for even the main roads to get 'roughed' up. For example , look at the winter we had and how much damage it created to the main fsr's.

That's my 2 cents

-Troy

That idea is great until you find an impassable washout or slide in the first one or two km of a 40 km long road that has your favorite fishing lake at the end of it....

I think Chehalis lake road is a good example of this. Let's just pretend for a moment there was no other way around that bridge. The Lake, campsites and everything beyond would be out of reach potentially forever....

[TroyM]

That idea is great until you find an impassable washout or slide in the first one or two km of a 40 km long road that has your favorite fishing lake at the end of it....

I think Chehalis lake road is a good example of this. Let's just pretend for a moment there was no other way around that bridge. The Lake, campsites and everything beyond would be out of reach potentially forever....

True. I thought about that too but there is always a way in...somehow someway.

[sdillen]

True. I thought about that too but there is always a way in...somehow someway.

You're right...you can always hike in.

Lack of maintenance on the roads is a good thing for those of us who like to 'wheel obstacles for a relatively short term. I think that there are some excellent trails and obstacles available to us this year as a result of the erosion of this last winter (and that erosion which will be taking place over the next 6 weeks), but without some kind of maintenance schedule, these roads will continue to deteriorate. At some point, 18 inches of lift won't get you there -- you'll need to resort to climbing gear and a great pair of boots.

I also like the idea of "us" (the general public) maintaining and making trails/roads passable and taking responsibility over these roads/trails.

Without maintenance, eventually road safety concerns will require areas to be gated and there will be no legal motorized access. As for maintaining it ourselves, I am not convinced that recreational backroad users have the equipment, people, funding, knowhow or liability protection to undertake this responsibility!

There are organizations responsible for the maintenance of these roads -- we (the organized motorized recreation community) need to establish ourselves as a significant stakeholder in the decisions made about continued land access via these roads.

[AB Gator]

Thanks for the offer. I expect to start focusing efforts on expanding the Association through the summer and early Fall. You'll be hearing from me!!!!!!!

Outstanding, let me know when and where.

G