Labor Day Weekend Sunday Trail Report

Bryan Folts – OCC member– 1987 Wrangler

Kevin McHale – non-member – 1999 Cherokee

Jeff Duesel – OCC member– 2004 Wrangler

Doug and Robin Masnick – OCC member – 1994 4 Runner

Sean Valentine – non-member – 2009 Wrangler

John and Terry Crowe – OCC member – 1994 Wrangler

Phillip Wolfe – VA4WDA Land Use Manager – 200? Wrangler

At 8:40 AM I departed camp with Kevin riding shotgun to meet Sean at the intersection of Flagpole Rd and Briery Branch Rd. After Sean arrived we headed back to the campsite to gather the others. After departing camp and heading back toward Meadow Knob we turned at Dunkle Hollow to head to Switzer Dam. At the intersection we collected an abandoned, wadded up tent. We stopped for some pictures at the lake and then headed on to RT 33. As we go on to RT 33 John called on the CB. He was waiting, with Terry and Phillip, at the loading dock at Rocky Run Recreation area. It took us just short of an hour to get to where they were waiting. So we all ate lunch and Phillip told about what he’s been talking to the various Forest Rangers about. We talked about the trail clean-up and gave our information for the clean-up forms to be sent to the US Forest Service and passed out orange 40 gallon trash bags. There are two trails we were to clean up; Dictum Ridge and Second Mountain. Phillip suggested we split into two groups, wheel to the end of each trail and clean up on the way back. John and Terry lead Jeff, Sean, and Phillip down Second Mountain, while I lead Kevin and Doug and Robin down Dictum Ridge. It was a fun and easy run down Dictum Ridge. There are several area with minor rocky sections and plenty of puddles to splash though. When we got to the end, at the gate and ATV only trial, we stopped and gathered some firewood for Doug and Robin. There were lots of different mushrooms along the trail all day. We took pictures of several at this stop. Time for some work. We made our way back up the trail slowly as we looked for trash to pick up. Robin rode shotgun with me as it was easier to get in and out of a door less vehicle to gather trash. Mostly beer cans were found as well as plenty of soda cans.  A few car parts were also picked up as well as a 1969 license plate. We got to within a quarter mile of the trailhead when the sky’s opened up. Thunder, lightning, and heavy rain followed, so we continued back to the loading dock where we dropped the Orange bags we had filled. My group traveled down Second Mountain a short distance and caught up with John’s group. They also had stopped due to the rain and were heading to drop their bags at the loading dock. There were some home type lounge chairs they could not get out and Phillip said he would try to put them in his trailer later. So each group traded trails and explored the one they had not cleaned to look for missed items and get more wheeling time in. After we ran Second Mountain and got back to the loading dock, Doug and Robin needed to get back to their camp before dark so they headed out. Once the other group got back off Dictum Ridge Kevin, Jeff, Sean, and I had to make a quick departure to get them back on the road home. All in all we collected about twelve, forty gallon trash bags full of trash off those two trails. I want to thank Phillip Wolfe for his efforts to organize this clean-up and for his work with land managers to help keep trails open, clean, and safe for us and future off-road enthusiasts.

Happy Motoring,

Bryan Folts

Off-Camber Crawlers Member at Large