Topic: Message #195296

[Rocksurfer]

I found this info on Cal4wheels bbs:

For those of you who have not followed all of the different threads on other Bulletin Boards:

The Gatekeeper project was done to keep the trail open. I know that sounds strange but if it was left in the deteriorating condition the Forest Service or Fish and Game would have sued the County to close the trail. For the record, it is a county road.


There were several reasons why the Gatekeeper was blasted.

Traffic - The wait was becoming frustrating for everyone. Traffic was backing up on a regular basis. The delays from the slow going at Gatekeeper were causing road rage.

People were creating bypasses and driving through private property. By eliminating a few rocks, traffic should flow more freely. This is not something that will be applied to the entire trail. Gatekeeper is at the beginning of the trail and sees unusually long delays on the weekends. Farther in along the trail, traffic naturally spreads out and the delays are less frequent.

The Gatekeeper had also become a spectator spot. Guys were trying to show off for the crowd. The bushes were getting trashed and the litter was increasing. The trail grew wider and wider in the area.

Erosion - There is a natural spring at Gatekeeper. We can't direct the water away. The large rocks were an obstacle that promoted the spinning of tires in the wet or loose dirt. This erosion was unacceptable. Concrete was applied (twice) but unsuccessful.

The NEW line - The new line at Gatekeeper became wide right. This was because it was becoming harder and harder to take the obstacle straight on. By driving father right then turning hard left, you got a straighter shot over/between the two big boulders. The problem was the erosion of the hillside. You could measure this erosion in feet not inches.



Something needed to be done. The county did not want a temporary fix. There was some lively discussion on the topic at the November ROC meeting. Ultimately, it was the county's decision. I'm not saying other things could have or should have been tried, but this will solve the above mentioned problems.

The gatekeeper (small "g") aspect will still apply. Drivers will see the obstacles still there. The Alligator Pit will deter those not up to the challenges of the trail.


There is an ongoing discussion as what level the trail should be maintained. Should it be maintained for a 100" vehicle running 31" tires or a 110" vehicle running 39" tires? Once determined, the goal would be to maintain erosion to the point where that rig could get through with a competent driver. A less equipped rig would have a harder time. A better equipped rig would have less of a problem. No specific type of rig would be excluded.

Little Sluice will be dealt with. The illegal pushing of rocks in to the box will be corrected. Either we decide how small they get blasted down to or the county will decide for us.
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Doug Barrn