American Fork Canyon official news

[Tacoma]

From Cheryl Butler, who has a really long title but is the manager of the canyon , as of yesterday, 5/19/2012 :

So I am getting back to you sooner than expected because the trails look great! We removed all of the closure signs tonight and the trails are ready to ride. There are still a few small wet section so please ride through these areas carefully to reduce damage. There are also still a bunch of trees down on the Mill Canyon Trail #040 so you may want to wait a week or so to ride that trail. We have not been on the Ridge Trail #157 north of the Tibble Fork trail #041 so I am not sure on those conditions.

Also just a reminder that we will be doing a volunteer work project on June 2nd. We will send out more information as it gets closer.

Enjoy!

 

[sixstringsteve]

Woohoo! Thanks Tacoma, that's great work. I'm even more excited to ride tonight.

 

[jackjoh]

I doubled up on this before I read your thread. At least the word is getting out. Also remember Sept. 29 NPLD.

 

[benjy]

Work project on 6/2 is for single track trail maintenance? Let is know, either way we should be able to make it. On single track we would be riding mtn bikes, so we would be fairly limited...

 

[TJDukit]

Might just see if the wife wants to head up there this weekend. She has only seen Forest Lake and MEG I think she needs to see Mineral Basin.

 

[kyojin]

I was up there on Thursday. Went a little past the rock garden. That's all I had time for.

 

[jinxspot]

I was up there last weekend and it was suprisingly quiet on the fire roads... I did a trek up to Forest lake and I would have to report the swamp holes are quite low right now and the trail is in good condition. Also did a run up mineral basin and had to turn around just after the "bog" because of exccess snow still up there. I did catch a pic of this moose up there which was super cool.

 

[Greg]

That's always a good spot for Moose! I saw a HUGE bull up there in that exact same area, top-right in your photo.

 

[Manlaan]

The only place that worries me about forest lake is that mud pit before the top of the hill right before forest lake.

Last year, it was pretty steep, but still had plenty of room to bypass it. This year, going around looks more dangerous than the mud pit itself, as it seemed to have gotten a bit longer, wider and deeper, although not as steep.

Anyone have any ideas how it could be fixed? I was looking at it a bit and short of a dumptruck to fill it in, or a backhoe to build something to drain it, I have no clue, but I really dont know much about that type of stuff either. Ideas to fix it, or just let nature take care of itself?

 

[ret32]

The only place that worries me about forest lake is that mud pit before the top of the hill right before forest lake.

Last year, it was pretty steep, but still had plenty of room to bypass it. This year, going around looks more dangerous than the mud pit itself, as it seemed to have gotten a bit longer, wider and deeper, although not as steep.

Anyone have any ideas how it could be fixed? I was looking at it a bit and short of a dumptruck to fill it in, or a backhoe to build something to drain it, I have no clue, but I really dont know much about that type of stuff either. Ideas to fix it, or just let nature take care of itself?

Utah 4x4 Club has a trail adoption agreement with the Forest Service on that trail. Neither the Forest Service nor the club have identified that mud pit as an issue that needs any attention. Our attitude has been to just let it be. If you can make it that far up the trail, you can make it through (or around) the mud pit. We will be up there this or next weekend and will look at it again.

 

[cackalak]

RE: Forest Lake

Has this trail changed much in the last few years? I took my stock 4Runner a few years ago and was fine. Just wanted to make sure I won't have any problems with a stock rig.

 

[TJDukit]

Update from yesterday.

Mineral Basin is clear all the way to the top. The rope has been taken down and the gate at the top is smashed to crap. I don't know if maybe they decided to open it up but once I realized we were past the boundary we stopped we were maybe 20 yards past the rope. You could tell people had driven past and gone all the way to the top.

I know in years past it was always closed right at the point where you could see the lift.

Does anyone know if they opened it back up? I'm guessing not but you never know.

 

[sixstringsteve]

did you encounter any snow?

 

[TJDukit]

did you encounter any snow?

Very little on the side of the trail in the permanent shade close to the top.

 

[frieed]

Brian,
What time were you up there?
I went up early and was back down by noon. Wish I'd crossed paths with you.

 

[TJDukit]

Didn't make it to the canyon until five ish.

 

[frieed]

I was coming down out of the canyon at around 2:30 and it was just a solid line of cars heading up. It must have been pretty busy up there for you.
On the trail, all I saw was a herd of ATV's trying to get up a shortcut on one of the switchbacks, no other full-size 4x4's

 

[sixstringsteve]

It doesn't look like it, but those rocky shortcuts are actually part of the trail. It's a shame how busy that trail is getting. I'd like to go camping up there at the top of the trail one of these nights, but I don't want to have to share it with 50 other people.

 

[frieed]

As I drove up yesterday AM about I noticed that no one was camped past the secluded area just to the right of the water crossing at the mine...
I was kinda surprised. There are some really nice spots up there that let you get off the trail a ways

 

[ret32]

The only place that worries me about forest lake is that mud pit before the top of the hill right before forest lake.

Last year, it was pretty steep, but still had plenty of room to bypass it. This year, going around looks more dangerous than the mud pit itself, as it seemed to have gotten a bit longer, wider and deeper, although not as steep.

Anyone have any ideas how it could be fixed? I was looking at it a bit and short of a dumptruck to fill it in, or a backhoe to build something to drain it, I have no clue, but I really dont know much about that type of stuff either. Ideas to fix it, or just let nature take care of itself?

Utah 4x4 Club has a trail adoption agreement with the Forest Service on that trail. Neither the Forest Service nor the club have identified that mud pit as an issue that needs any attention. Our attitude has been to just let it be. If you can make it that far up the trail, you can make it through (or around) the mud pit. We will be up there this or next weekend and will look at it again.

Utah 4x4 Club was up there on Saturday evening installing some more friendly reminders to please not drive through the lake, whether it's full or not.

...As to the mud pit issue brought up by Manlaan, it was actually completely dry on Saturday (I haven't ever seen it dry this early in the year). We didn't see anything about it that section of the trail that made it "dangerous." Of course, if someone is uncomfortable with the obstacles on any trail, they should use their own best judgement to not drive the trail. There are plenty of easier trails nearby. Utah 4x4 Club is not in the business of making obstacles more "passable" to stock vehicles.

...And please... DON'T drive in the lake, pass it on!