AF Canyon Trail to Forest Lake?

UtahFire

Registered User
Anyone been on the Forest Lake trail in the last few weeks? I would like to head down there tomorrow for a few hours. What is the condition of the trail?
 

UtahFire

Registered User
Do you think my mildly built XJ would make it? 3" lift, 32" Toyo Open Country tires, and a Detroit in the Rear.
 

XJumpmaster

XJumpmaster
Location
Sandy, Ut
I just got back! I made it with 31" tires no locker and 4" lift. I did not set any speed records by any means!

There was one dude in a maroon scout that was trying to show off for his g/f trying to see how deep he could go and put his fan through his radiator! It made for a good laugh though!
 

Badger

I am the Brute squad
Location
South Salt Lake
actually i know him and was hanging out with him, Scoutabout,and another guy last night when they were setting up camp out there.I doubt he was trying to show off for his girl friend as you put it.
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
AirborneXJ said:
I just got back! I made it with 31" tires no locker and 4" lift. I did not set any speed records by any means!

There was one dude in a maroon scout that was trying to show off for his g/f trying to see how deep he could go and put his fan through his radiator! It made for a good laugh though!

He was driving in the lake? big ticket if caught... That is a major watering hole for animals (you can often see moose, elk, & deer there), easy to see why they don't want it full of oil...
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Meat_ said:
The lake is currently on the road

Whos definition of legal "road"?? ;)

The approved travel plan map shows it ending before you cross the lake... its probably not a big deal to use the road when the lake is lowere... but if your using the road as an excuse to drive through the lake, not gonna fly. I have been with the FS rangers when they write tickets to those playing in the lake...
 

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Meat_

Banned
Location
Lehi
The map is outdated, they have signs indicating that the trail ends in the clearing on the OTHER side of the lake, the lake is currently covering the road that goes to there along with all of the trees on the other shore line... as to were he was when he sprung a leak? dunno, wasn't there
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
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Sandy, Ut
Meat_ said:
The map is outdated, they have signs indicating that the trail ends in the clearing on the OTHER side of the lake, the lake is currently covering the road that goes to there along with all of the trees on the other shore line... as to were he was when he sprung a leak? dunno, wasn't there

If anything is outdated... it is not the map, that is the latest USFS travel plan filed with the district office.

What signs indicate where the trail ends? There are signs & carsonite on the fences we (Wasatch Cruisers) built, but that isn't the end of the trail, that was just a good place for a fence really... Like I said, neither here nor there... but when people are using the road as an excuse to dump toxic coolant in the lake (not saying thats the case), you get my point. I consider that last stretch of trail more of a "road into a campsite" than the actual trail.

The maps really leave ALOT to be desired, and I think the Forest Service (at least the reps I deal with) are OK with that... if they were to really define every square inch of the trail, you could be fined for pulling off into campsite that isn't on the map.

That loop was actually the subject of debate amongst the FS, many wanted it closed, but Randy (and others) pushed to keep it open as it releives camping traffic at the top of the trail.

I'm not trying to by an ass about it all... I don't hesitate to drive right to that fence each time I am up there, but education is key... I know most think it is just fine to drive in the lake. At one time there were signs, but we all know how long those can last...
 
AirborneXJ said:
There was one dude in a maroon scout that was trying to show off for his g/f trying to see how deep he could go and put his fan through his radiator! It made for a good laugh though!

Uhhh, not exactly. Don't worry. There was no illegal, off-trail, driving through the lake going on.
 
cruiseroutfit said:
That loop was actually the subject of debate amongst the FS, many wanted it closed, but Randy (and others) pushed to keep it open as it releives camping traffic at the top of the trail.

Do you mean the little loop that circles around at the edge of the lake so people can turn around or are you referring to something else? 25 out of 28 groups observed didn't waste time finding that the trail was under water. They just buzzed across the grass instead.

cruiseroutfit said:
I don't hesitate to drive right to that fence each time I am up there...

Yeah, it's more of a speed bump now than a fence unfortunately. While we were camping there all weekend, we turned back MANY groups who were planning on continuing up that way.

Lucky for us, we have a nearly countless number of service project opportunities up there!
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
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Sandy, Ut
scoutabout said:
Do you mean the little loop that circles around at the edge of the lake so people can turn around or are you referring to something else?

I'm referring to a different loop, but the there is a small loop/camping spot just about the lake that is the same deal. The loop I'm referring to is just before the last 100 yard climb to the lake, as your heading up the trail, you can either go right (to Forest Lake) or left to go around the loop (kind've visable on the map I posted). When the Forest Service was mandated to designate all of their roads as open, closed, 52", singletrack, foot traffic, etc... they were going to drop that loop and others. It is my understanding that Randy (the ranger who road with us last fall on the car removal)... put the wheels in motion to keep those loops.

We all must realize that at anytime the Forest Service could tighten the reigns on the canyon, closing alot of small "weave" roads, campsite pull-offs, and loop trails such as the ones at FL. If you look at the actual FS Travel Plan... you will see it cuts every trail short, it leaves alot of stuff off, and it names several trails ATV only when they are clearly OHV driveable... All it would take is an angry FS agent (prompted by a stupid act?) to crack down on the canyon...

scoutabout said:
25 out of 28 groups observed didn't waste time finding that the trail was under water. They just buzzed across the grass instead.

Zero surprise there...

scoutabout said:
Yeah, it's more of a speed bump now than a fence unfortunately. While we were camping there all weekend, we turned back MANY groups who were planning on continuing up that way.

Well, the fact it lasted two years is surprising considering... sad to think I know a fence like that will be destroyed by the same people I advocate for... :-\ We built that and a couple other fences at FL (the single track trailhead, and trail that hunters had been pushing from the lake) in 2004 with Randy & Quinn... We rebuilt the Forest Lake trail in 2005, it needs work this year too...

05' Trip Report
http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?t=24557

scoutabout said:
Lucky for us, we have a nearly countless number of service project opportunities up there!

Yup... Never a shortage... anywhere. Andre (dieselcruiserhead) is working on a really big project in the Kamas/Uintah area for our Cruiser clubs annual project... they have a dozen or so cars and campers they need removed :ugh: , not to mention the regular trash cleanup, trail maintainance, etc!

Lets set a date for the "2nd Annual Money Where Your Mouth is Cleanup & Service Project"... We can do a sweep of the canyon cleaning up trash, firepits, campsites, etc (all while having a great day wheeling of course ;) :D)... and we can have a couple groups get with "Randy the chainsaw massacre man" and fix the fences. :cool:
 
cruiseroutfit said:
sad to think I know a fence like that will be destroyed by the same people I advocate for...

For what it's worth, no full size 4x4's tried to come through while we were camped there all weekend. Only ATV's. Not to say that full size rigs don't go through there, but we didn't see any this weekend.
 
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