opinions on rock crawling

[5guyshunting]

I don't know if this topic has ever been discussed. I am not judging or criticizing anyone, but how does this fall into the category of the restrictions to ohvs. From what I have witnessed it doesn't matter, or know one cares . They go were they want.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[SNEEKEE1]

I don't see a problem as long as you stay on the road but once you start cutting fences tearing down gates making there own roads I'm not very fond of that.

[Coach]

From what I've seen, most tend to stay on trails that are pretty much designated for that purpose. I'm sure there's a little bit of "test this thing out" at the most convenient location, but I haven't seen crawlers out making a mess of things - at least not like the "mud boggers" but that's a whole other topic.

[43F]

I've only enjoyed the Arizona wilderness for a few years, and IMO I would say that the target shooter and ATV/MOTORCYCLE crowd are a bigger threat to public lands than the rock crawlers.

[5guyshunting]

I have only seen them, maybe a half dozen times. When I have seen them they are crawling up boulders in a wash. They leave misc. Parts, oil spills, broken tranny lines and coolent. I like to see them brake things, but my ohv doesnt leave that type of print on the landscape. Maybe I have just seen jackasses , l dont know.

[Chef]

Generally, the off-road and 4x4 community is a good bunch. Conducting trail cleanups and the like throughout the year along popular and high traveled trails. From cleaning up oil spills to removing spray paint graffiti on rocks done by vandals. They realize that parties wreaking havoc on the trails, leaving garbage and burning down trees etc. will ultimately be blamed on them. So they do what they can in order to maintain a clean image. Above all, they try to remain stewards of the land for one main reason, to keep the trails open.

 

The Sportsmens Constituent Group (SCG) has reached out to several local off-road groups with a common goal of doing what we can to restrict and limit road closures. We figure that maintaining an alliance, makes us a more powerful voice against the government limiting land access.

 

There are plenty of people that enjoy the outdoors in different ways than we do. As with our heritage, it only takes a few bad apples to ruin our image.

[azshtr]

All the rock crawlers I know are very careful. They only go on known trails and clean up after themselves. They also do community work as mentioned above.

[4Falls]

+1 for what Chef wrote. I wish I had the time and cash to get into that sport. Looks like a blast.

[muledeerarea33?]

My pops and I used to be members of an off road club that is out of commission now. We used to the the first group up the frisco every year to re-establish the road, also did tons of clean ups and even built remote camp sites (picnic tables, fire rings, etc.) for the most part the groups are top notch. As far as individual folks goes I can't speak on their behalf.

[5guyshunting]

My pops and I used to be members of an off road club that is out of commission now. We used to the the first group up the frisco every year to re-establish the road, also did tons of clean ups and even built remote camp sites (picnic tables, fire rings, etc.) for the most part the groups are top notch. As far as individual folks goes I can't speak on their behalf.

unit 33 is one of the areas I have seen people leaving a mess. Maybe its kids with dads truck I dont' know. Im talking about y

the charlea gap " I cant spell it" , but going from catalina ive seen some pretty big messes on the mountian boulders that are not on the road. The mess is on the surrounding boulders.

[ctafoya]

When I was into doing that(before my kids came along) we would always take obvious trails and clean up whatever we found along the way. We would always come out with a bed full of TV's beer cans or whatever we came across along our way. Like chef said, its the few that make people or groups look bad.

[lancetkenyon]

There is a big difference between rock crawlers and the local yahoos who destroy the desert.

 

I have been into rock crawling for about 10 years. In that time, I have seen clubs do amazing things. From working with BLM to build new access roads into previously closed trails, work with private landowners to gain admittance into previous closed trails, perform annual clean-ups at Table Mesa/Florence Junction/Catalina's/White Tanks and removing literally tons of junk/cars/shooting trash from each area twice a year, helping build recreation areas and build travel management plans with BLM/USFS/State Trust Land jurisdictions. Also helping to recover vehicles that have been stolen and burned or rolled by weekend travelers, all on our own dime. Helping law enforcement protect our public access lands by reporting the vandals who cause this sport to be looked down upon.

 

95% of off-road trails have been implemented into travel management plans in various areas, and are not "cross country travel". They are approved trails.

 

If you want to look at the cause of 99% of desert destruction, look at the recreational shooters. 4WD clubs fill 6-8 40yd roll-off dumpsters just about every year with nothing but shooting debris. It is pathetic.