Ultra4 Racing @ Area BFE

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Looks like the Ultra4 Race at Area BFE has some pretty good coverage!


 

4554x4

always modifing something
Location
Sandy Utah
Looks like the Ultra4 Race at Area BFE has some pretty good coverage!


Looks like the Ultra4 Race at Area BFE has some pretty good coverage!


This was a good time, and kinda nostalgic setting foot on Area BFE again. It would be awesome to have it open again for the public!
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Not only will it likely never be open to the public at large... the owner of Area BFE is formally soliciting the county to drop it's historic (and court defended) County/State road claims that cross the property ie Strike Ravine trail. A very unfortunate case imo and the public right-of-way user is the loser. RR4W and San Juan County successfully defended Strike Ravine in court the first time. Neither are motioning to engage in protecting the access a second time. The precedence this could set is extremely troubling to Utah's trails, Pritchett, RS, Con, AFC routes, etc could all suffer closures. San Juan County is holding a special meeting on 10/6 to discuss the abandonment request. Wish we could get even 10% as many as showed up to the race on the property to save public routes on the property.
 
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cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
What the owner has to say about the trail and why he wants it abandoned...

1601338401953.png

"Conditions caused by four wheel use" does you mean the conditions created as result of them building an OHV park? And who has deemed it a safety hazard? The county has not. The activity he refers to happened with the park was completely open to OHV use, so it was hardly illegal rather encouraged.

RR4W and BLM have not "agreed" to a reroute "rather they will look into a re-route" if/when the county does abandon the routes on the property. But there is zero guarantee that will ever happen.
 

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wyoming
What the owner has to say about the trail and why he wants it abandoned...

View attachment 131340

"Conditions caused by four wheel use" does you mean the conditions created as result of them building an OHV park? And who has deemed it a safety hazard? The county has not. The activity he refers to happened with the park was completely open to OHV use, so it was hardly illegal rather encouraged.

RR4W and BLM have not "agreed" to a reroute "rather they will look into a re-route" if/when the county does abandon the routes on the property. But there is zero guarantee that will ever happen.

He's a snake. Always will be.
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
Call me crazy, but I just don't see Moab visitors supporting or indulging in what he's selling (if it ever actually comes to light). I used to see buggies in Moab all the time 10-15 years ago. That is pretty rare now. Everything is 4 door Wrangler stuff now. Sure there are some that would wheel in Area BFE, but a lot of those 4 door Wrangler folk seem to think that it is necessary to have 40s and 1 ton axles to run Moab Rim or Hell's Revenge because social media told them that's what is required. For 99% of that market, most of BFE is too extreme and I don't think enough of a draw to actually want to stay down there. Maybe I'm missing the mark here, but Sand Hollow seems to have filled the hole BFE left before BFE even closed. I just don't see the market that he sees apparently. Why pay huge prices to park your RV at a place that you have to drive a pretty rough dirt road to get to, and then have to go close to 20 miles back into town if you want fuel, groceries, restaurants, etc. Maybe I'm just cynical and it will be amazing. I'm just glad I was able to run Helldorado and most the other trails there a couple times before all this mess went down.
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Call me crazy, but I just don't see Moab visitors supporting or indulging in what he's selling (if it ever actually comes to light). I used to see buggies in Moab all the time 10-15 years ago. That is pretty rare now. Everything is 4 door Wrangler stuff now. Sure there are some that would wheel in Area BFE, but a lot of those 4 door Wrangler folk seem to think that it is necessary to have 40s and 1 ton axles to run Moab Rim or Hell's Revenge because social media told them that's what is required. For 99% of that market, most of BFE is too extreme and I don't think enough of a draw to actually want to stay down there. Maybe I'm missing the mark here, but Sand Hollow seems to have filled the hole BFE left before BFE even closed. I just don't see the market that he sees apparently. Why pay huge prices to park your RV at a place that you have to drive a pretty rough dirt road to get to, and then have to go close to 20 miles back into town if you want fuel, groceries, restaurants, etc. Maybe I'm just cynical and it will be amazing. I'm just glad I was able to run Helldorado and most the other trails there a couple times before all this mess went down.

You have the same thought many including a previous ownership partner have. It’s colder up there, rough road and 20-30 minutes from town. It was said “he’s selling a pipe dream”. I have a couple theories. The property is more valuable without any right-of-ways being tied to it, so this may be a ploy to increase the value and sell?

Should other landowners in Utah work the same ploy, we could lose thousands of routes in Utah, literally.
 

Kevin B.

Big hippy
Moderator
Location
Vehicular limbo
Say the county abandon the right of way, what prospect is there down the road to get it reinstated sans owner approval? Could the county say "nevermind, we actually do want that" and force it back open against a future land owners wishes?
 

cruiseroutfit

Cruizah!
Moderator
Vendor
Location
Sandy, Ut
Say the county abandon the right of way, what prospect is there down the road to get it reinstated sans owner approval? Could the county say "nevermind, we actually do want that" and force it back open against a future land owners wishes?


Zero precedent of that ever happening. Owner could completely eliminate the routes if they wanted. He could build a house over them.
 

Pile of parts

Well-Known Member
Location
South Jordan
Make it happen!
Let me see what I can do. I'll get in touch with Moab Friends For Wheelin and see what their take on this is. I'm not in the loop with RR4W or I'd reach out to them too. I'd love to do whatever I can for a couple of reasons.
1 - As you stated, to not set a precedence for this type of thing.
2 - Just out of spite for what he's done and is trying to do.
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
You have the same thought many including a previous ownership partner have. It’s colder up there, rough road and 20-30 minutes from town. It was said “he’s selling a pipe dream”. I have a couple theories. The property is more valuable without any right-of-ways being tied to it, so this may be a ploy to increase the value and sell?

Should other landowners in Utah work the same ploy, we could lose thousands of routes in Utah, literally.

Interesting theory. Could potentially explain why there hasn't been any construction on it? (Aside from whatever route building the U4 race just did). Wonder how much that would actually increase the value?

As far as him setting a precedence for other landowners to follow suit...AF canyon comes to mind with all the "fun" Snowbird has caused. They could just about wipe mineral basin out and MEG if I remember correctly.
 
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