Help Requested - Conserving the San Rafael Swell Wilderness - Interested?

Artemus

Artemus

I walk
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Jun 25, 2012
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Try #2 - Last October this event was rained out. Now is your chance.

I need help please. The Wilderness needs your help. On Saturday May 14th I am assistant-leading an effort to relocate a log barrier guarding the Mexican Mountain Wilderness Study Area in the San Rafael Swell. This barrier has been bypassed for a decade by motorized vehicles encroaching illegally into the Wilderness. The BLM has been reticent about enforcing the boundary so now my partners, the Wasatch Mountain Club and the Sierra Club with the BLM’s assistance, are organizing a meet-up to tear down the barrier and move it to a location more likely to dissuade people from ignoring the boundary.

This is a chance for you to see some beautiful country and to help conserve a landscape that all can agree is stunningly beautiful along with the plants and animals within. The Swell has literally many hundreds of roads and ATV trails that can be enjoyed on a motorized vehicle. A much smaller area of it is protected in a few wilderness areas and they are being abused.

All of you who enjoy using our wilderness resource why not stand up and commit a day to protect what is diminishing more and more quickly without our intervention? Sunday is for finishing up but if we accomplish our task on Saturday we will have ideas and organization to do some great hikes on Sunday.

Just ask or call or email or PM me here if you are interested and have the time please. I would be stoked to have some BCP volunteers showing their stuff. You will get a chance to learn about the Swell from people who have traveled most every mile and learn about our ongoing conservation efforts.

Window Blind Peak as viewed from the San Rafael Swell's Mexican Mountain WSA.
sanRafaelSwell-1280.jpg

The barrier we are moving.
pricklyPearFlatBarrier.png
 
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Art ....... hate to say this but that's a dumb place to try and block a illegal road.......
 
Artemus said:
And, of course, that is why you are going to come help us put it somewhere more smart, right?
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As a wise man once said to me (earlier today) "PREEEE - CISELY !!" Looking forward to that barrier getting put in a better spot to make a difference!

At this point I'm unsure if I can swing it due to my extracurricular work activities this spring, but at the very least I'm going to help make sure everyone knows about this and has a chance to decide to come. Maybe we just need to plan a bi-annual BCP service project to really get people involved? Let's call this the first! Come on people, help protect the resources we use and love!
 
I'll bring my dirt bike and help pick a spot..... I can drive all over and look for the right place ...... :)
 
We saw the barrier circumnavigation in every Wilderness Study area we hiked into while in the Swell. If you find a better place they will just pull it apart or drag it out of the way. A few more rangers would be nice and some expensive tickets followed by the confiscating of vehicles involved. We have seen full blown wilderness areas that have been amazingly trashed and torn up by these miscreants. They drive right through the dual carsonite Wilderness/no Vehicles signs to get in and tear it up.
 
Wyatt Carson said:
We saw the barrier circumnavigation in every Wilderness Study area we hiked into while in the Swell. If you find a better place they will just pull it apart or drag it out of the way. A few more rangers would be nice and some expensive tickets followed by the confiscating of vehicles involved. We have seen full blown wilderness areas that have been amazingly trashed and torn up by these miscreants. They drive right through the dual carsonite Wilderness/no Vehicles signs to get in and tear it up.
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So @Wyatt Carson , you in? We have had some success with barriers stopping traffic and I have had some success turning people in who broke down barriers and they got prosecuted. One thing is for sure this behavior will not stop if we stop trying.

@Bob, we already have the new spot designed. You are welcome to ride your bike down to help. Can I count on you?
 
Artemus said:
So @Wyatt Carson , you in? We have had some success with barriers stopping traffic and I have had some success turning people in who broke down barriers and they got prosecuted. One thing is for sure this behavior will not stop if we stop trying.
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No I'm no in or I would have said more about that. We have other firm plans that have been agreed to for a couple months in advance but I agree with your post and I think you know that. I have been in there and not seen another soul for days in some places so catching them is not that easy but i'm glad you got some of them. The off road destruction is catastrophic all over, not just the Swell or Utah but we have seen the results just about everywhere we have been up there. We have never seen them in the act. Sincerely, good luck.
 
Lurker out of lurk mode. Great site BTW.
My wife and I should be in the area in mid May and would like to help. Our current schedule is slightly up in the air, so I'll PM when we know more.
The San Rafael Swell/Reef is an amazing place.
 
I remember reading this last year and I thought it sounded awesome. I'd be in this time around since I'll have graduated by then, but I have friends coming in from DC that very afternoon.

Really hoping to make it to a BCP meet-up sometime soon.
 
Sorry, probably not..........
 
Glasterpiece said:
What is involved and exactly where?
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We are asking that you drive down to the Box Flat road camp Friday to car camp two nights near the WSA boundary. Saturday morning we will be 4WD'ng in to the work site to dismantle the non-functioning barrier to relocate it about 1/4 mile away. The work each person can help with will be dependent on their physical ability. It will take all day and possibly part of Sunday to move the barrier. Any volunteers over and above the approximately dozen required to move the barrier will be assigned to surveying another WSA for the next event. The BLM will provide tools and equipment. Bring your own lunch, work clothes, gloves and water.

I will provide more detailed instructions and maps to those that are committed and PM me or reach out some other way.
 
May 14th!! I'll be gone for my summer by then. Dangit I was looking forward to this project!
 
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