
filed under: tools & tool use
The Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) was asked to find a good way to maintain a 40-mile (64-k) motorcycle and all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) trail on the Francis Marion National Forest in coastal South Carolina. Heavy use leaves a washboard surface that progresses to mounds and gullies several feet across. These are called "whoop-de-doos," and trail users find them both unpleasant and unsafe.
by USDA Forest Service, Federal Highway Administration
Grooming Equipment for Cycle Trails
The Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) was asked to find a good way to maintain a 40-mile (64-k) motorcycle and all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) trail on the Francis Marion National Forest in coastal South Carolina. Heavy use leaves a washboard surface that progresses to mounds and gullies several feet across. These are called "whoop-de-doos," and trail users find them both unpleasant and unsafe.
The problem of whoop-de-doos is not unique to this trail in the sandy coastal plain of South Carolina. We began the project by asking off-highway vehicle (OHV) trail managers throughout the Forest Service how they were maintaining their OHV trails. Several National Forests had developed prototype lightweight graders that could be towed behind ATV's, effectively removing whoop-de-doos with routine maintenance. MTDC worked with two of these Forests to further improve and evaluate these prototypes, tested them in South Carolina, and looked to the open market for similar equipment.
This report focuses on three pieces of equipment tested in South Carolina: a modified trail rock rake suggested by Cam Lockwood on the Angeles National Forest, CA; a trail drag designed by Dick Dufourd and Kim Larsen for use on the Deschutes National Forest, OR; and an Ultra Light Terrain Grader manufactured by The Shop Industrial, Lively, Ontario, Canada.
Published October 1998
There are a few options for striking tools that you may see out on a project. Some like the sledge hammer will be seen more, while others may only be pulled out for special projects.
North Country Trail Crew Leader Handbook
The Crew Leader Handbook is designed to provide information for Crew Leaders organizing and overseeing projects on the North Country National Scenic Trail. This Handbook is intended as a compliment to the in-person North Country Trail Association Crew Leader training program, which is available to all volunteers looking to expand their skills sets and gain new leadership skills.
Choosing the Right Tools for Building Trails
Tools for Trails discusses the importance of the right tools for every job.
Goats Graze Along the Frisco Highline Trail
The Frisco Highline Trail, a National Recreation Trail, is using a team of goats to tame vegetation around the trail.