All posts tagged Trail Riding

The Berm controversy

Yep its Berm.  I was discussing this with some coworkers and we had a collective strike of genius and looked on Wikipedia.  Duh. 

It quotes “A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier separating two areas. Berm originates in the Middle Dutch and German berme and came into usage in English via French.”

So hence forth, ‘mounds’ will revert to the proper term of ‘berms’ now that I know how to correctly spell it. 

And FYI – I left a voicemail on Monday for the Forest Service about those fire roads, and today is Thursday.  Still no call back.  I repeated my phone number and name 3 times on the call too, speaking nice and slow and clear, so I really don’t think that is the problem.  Maybe they are out on vacation though.  I’ll try back soon.

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by riderofchaos on December 22, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on December 22, 2011

https://blueridgepony.com/2011/12/22/the-berm-controversy/

Bear Trap Exploration

Bear Trap, Ridge Top exploration

Trail Report: December 18, 2011

On this ride I did some exploration at Bear Trap and took some photos to make things a little clearer.  Its mostly the same ride as the one I did on December 4th and listed here on December 13th. https://blueridgepony.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/trail-report-bear-trap-ridge-top-loop/

Here is a quick shot from the fire road entrance of the parking.  You can see I just pulled over on the side of Bear Trap Rd.

Parking

Hack in along the fire road, barking dogs to the left, and continue to a year round creek crossing.

Then up a slight incline in the fire road and around a few bends to the this spot.  there is a smallish parking spot on the left followed by the trail entrance.

Over some mounts in the start.

And then around some bends and over a few more mounds.

It really could be a fire road, don’t you think?

Or maybe just a wide trail that’s become over grown.

Eventually it comes to a circle that has an old fallen tree in it.

There is a very over grown trail to the left that I haven’t really tried to go more than a little ways on.  its just too over grown.

And there is a trail to the right, that’s very fire road like.  but it is hard to access because of the large mound with low hanging branches over it.

Or you can head straight over the big mounds and up the mountain.

Closer up to the mounds

It gets steeper and steeper as you go.

At the top the trail comes to a T on the ridge top.

The tree is marked with a spray paint line visible when reversing the ride and making a left to go down the mountain.

Some one piled up some marker sticks to help prevent missing the turn.

It would be really easy to miss from the top.  Usually I go right, but this time I went left to see what there is to see.  It is not as used and it’s a bit more over grown.  There are two really nice look out points.

Simon took a break and got in a good scratch on some trees while me and the dogs climbed up on the first one for a quick look around.

The second lookout point is a large rock pile.  The trail goes straight over it, but there is a less distinguished trail that passes below it.

A little farther on I called it quits.  The trail had become more and more over grown and eventually ended at what would be  a nice camp spot.  There was a smallish rock set up ornamental style.

I headed back to where I came up the mountain and headed straight ahead (which is where I would normally would have gone). I passed some sights like these branch square things.

Eventually the trail pops out on the fire road.  Here is what the trail looks like from the fire road.

Just a super short ride on the fire road brings you to the next bend (left) and a trail on the right.

It seems they have replaced the previous wooden sign with this little green tree tag.

And yellow blazes along the trail

Ride down the hill for a while.  And eventually hit the fire road again.  The wooden sign also appears to have been removed from this end and replaced with a green tree tag.

And then back out to Bear Trap road and head on home.

 

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by riderofchaos on December 21, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on December 21, 2011

https://blueridgepony.com/2011/12/21/bear-trap-exploration/

Where is that Fire Road?

The entrance to the fire road from Bear Trap Road.

Trail Report: Bear Trap Access Point

December 18, 2011 

I went to Bear Trap this weekend with the intention of trying the Ridge Top Trail in the other direction.  Which I did and Ill comment on that in the next post (so above this post).  While I was there I again admired how many side trails there are off of this fire road.  And I decided that next time I need to bring a marker with me so I can add all these smaller trails to my map.

While I was pondering my map, and trying to triangulate exactly where certain trails are, I noticed, not for the first time, that the first two fire roads that come off of the main one, 536, which are 536C and 536F are simply not there.  Previously when I mentioned this to a trail riding friend while driving home from a ride, she responded that they are there, I just missed them.  I knew this was not correct.  I am a bit obsessive about side trails and fire roads that turn off of the main route, so I know I wouldn’t miss these two main roads that should, according to the map, even have gates on them, but I stored it away for future thinking.  Which I promptly forgot about.

When I was riding this weekend, it popped back to me and I kept thinking about it, although I didn’t really focus on it totally while I was out there riding.  And now that I am back to my work week, and won’t be able to get back out to the trails for a bit, I can’t stop thinking about it.  I have pulled my map out more than once and stared at those two roads, trying to be sure that I *know* where they are suppose to be, but until I am back at Bear Trap, pulling the map out is not going to answer any of my questions.

Were these roads intended to be built and put on the map to plan ahead?  Were they started and not finished?  Were they built and then left to become over grown for years and years?  Its driving me nuts.  I tried calling the local National Forest office and left a message.  I am hoping someone there can give me some insight.

I suspect I know where the first one 536C is intended to be/or was, but that it is still a foot trail or has become severely over grown.  I will explore this area soon and see what I can figure out.

The second one is a little more tricky.    I need to have my map out with me and make sure I acknowledge each curve in the road and its correspond on the map as I ride.  I am not sure, but it’s possible that the trail I ride up to the ridge top is actually the second fire road turn 536F.  It is certainly wide enough, minus all the small trees and brush growth, and is very clearly cut in several places.  Meaning there was most likely machinery used to create this trail and it was meant to be much wider, more like fire road width.  It also comes to a circle that has several trails that come out at that point, straight ahead (which goes to the Ridge Top Trail and is very steep), to the left, which is very over grown and looks like a very old trail that is not really pony passable, and a third to the right.  This one to the right is a bit of a pain to get started on  because there is a large mound at its start combined with some low branches over it.  I did follow it a ways one time and it is a clearly cut trail the width of a fire road and has young growth on it.  Although I am sure this trail was intentionally cut out at one time and wide enough for vehicles, I am not sure if it is the FR 536F marked on the map.

over grown fire road?

If it is that FR536F, then I am way off on where I speculate the trail shoots off of the road.  Which is totally possible and will be easy to figure out next time I am there.  Although looking at my map, I am rather uncertain it’s at that point.  The main fire road has a few squiggles in it before reaching the trail on the left and the distance feels longer than the map shows it being if it is FR536F.  I just need to have my map out for each turn, like I already said.

There are quite a few trails that lead off on that side of the fire road that are cut in and pretty flat, but I have thought of them as more appropriate for 4wheeler access vs. dilapidated fire roads.  And the other side of the road actually has some vehicle entrance points that are in current use that probably make good camping points for hunters staying out for the night, none of which are on the map.

My other thought, and I am not sure how much this could help, is to drive to the trail head and up the fire road.  The gate is still open, but probably won’t be for much longer with the main hunting season ending in two weeks.  But my thought is that, in a vehicle it might be more obvious since I’ll be at the right height.  I am not sure if the second gate is open on the fire road thought.  It wasn’t last time I went through there, but that was about two months ago and I do not remember if the main gate was open at that time either.

I think I know where my next ride will be at.

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by riderofchaos on December 20, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on December 20, 2011

https://blueridgepony.com/2011/12/20/where-is-that-fire-road/

Berm? Bern? Barm? well shoot, mound.

I do realize that the ‘mounds’ at the start of trails, intended to prevent vehicles and 4wheelers from accessing them are actually called berms.  But I am not sure if that is spelled b.e.r.m. or b.a.r.m. or b.u.r.m. or what and spell check doesn’t like any of them.  I suspect is berm, but until I am sure I’ll just call them mounds.

not the best photo of a 'mound' but you get the idea.

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by riderofchaos on December 19, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on December 19, 2011

https://blueridgepony.com/2011/12/19/berm-bern-barm-well-shoot-mound/

Trail Report: Pet Cemetery, Tower Loop

Pet Cemetery, Tower Loop

1-1:45 hour ride

Trail Report: December 11, 2011

Terrain: Fire Road, wooded trail, some up and down but no big climbs or descents.  Year round creek crossing.  Some rocky areas but nothing too rough for this area.  Picnic table break point about midway. 

Parking: curved pull over on Tillman Road/101 at Pet Cemetery.  Room for 3 modest rigs parked in line with several other pull over parking spots just up and down the road. 

Having done a loop in the other direction, around Drunken Ridge by taking Heartstone Ridge/431 Trail and then turning on 423 back to Tillman, knowing the parking at this location was pretty accessible, and enjoying some of the trail from accessing it from Bear Trap Road, I decided to try this loop. 

Simon fresh off the trailer and looking thrilled to hit the trail!

I thought it would be particularly good for a pony that is newer to trails or in poor condition, because it starts off with a minor incline along a closed fire road, and then hits some nicely wooded trails and ends with a hack along Tillman Road back to the trailer.  It’s not too strenuous and it’s not too long.  Ironically my friend Carol Ann was interested in going on a ride that Sunday and had a pony to take out on his first trail ride. 

Tillman Road can be reached from two different directions.  I found the Dayton direction to be a pain on Sundays because there are a lot of Mennonite buggies out on the roads visiting after church, and it is easy to get stuck behind a couple with the roads being so hard to pass on, particularly when towing a horse trailer.  So this weekend I went from the other direction by passing through Stokesville and past Bear Trap Road, to turn right onto Tillman/101.  A few miles up Tillman on the right is the pull over curve with a fire road behind it.  It’s a neat starting point because of the pet cemetery placed throughout the woods behind it.  Small gravestones, some professionally made and some homemade let you know that Fluffy, Boo and many other pets were laid to rest in this natural setting. 

Friend, Carol Ann, her pony Finn and her dog Maggie. And those are Simon's ears!

The loop starts out on the fire road behind the parking curve.  It is not that steep and even has a few areas that are close to being called level ground for a few short yards!  The fire road will eventually come to a dead end, according to the map, and I am looking forward to confirming this on a future ride, but for this loop, turn right onto trail 432, that runs fully across the fire road. Just before 432 is another trail that shoots up at an angle on the right, this is the same trail, just starting a few yards earlier.  432 heads up hill and shortly ends at a T and brown trail sign.  Turn right onto Cookie Trail/432Aand enjoy a ride through the woods, with some short up and down hills and some nice views.  There is one tree that leans pretty close into the trail around a rock, but Simon is a pony and fit just fine.  The trail comes out onto a FR at a cell phone tower on the right and a picnic table and rest area available on the left.  Continue straight ahead and onto the fire road for a short distance before taking the first trail on the right. 

 

There is a brown wooden sign and it is marked with the Tillman/101 direction you want.  This trail leads down and along a pleasant trail, although mostly with a downhill slope. 

Simon back at the trailer getting some treats

There is a newly cleared area on the right that has some trails wrapped through it that I am also looking forward to exploring.  Cross a few creek bed crossings, and then the trail follows along beside the creek.  It eventually ends at a larger creek which requires crossing and pops out at a pull over from Tillman that opens to a few private lanes.  Make a right onto Tillman and get in a nice hack back to the parking area. 

A rather quick ride, with petty friendly terrain.  Although Tillman is a road, it is gravel and about 1 ½ lanes wide, both of which help keep what little traffic does travel it from moving too fast.   
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by riderofchaos on December 15, 2011  •  Permalink
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Posted by riderofchaos on December 15, 2011

https://blueridgepony.com/2011/12/15/trail-report-pet-cemetery-tower-loop/

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