Pacific Crest Trail Off-Road Abuse in Kern County

[kayakerdude357]

Im a hiker, hunt, kayak, back pack and ATV rider, drive CJ7 on 36 in super swampers. I freaken live outdoors. all the OHV parks have closed or only open certain months of the year. the kayaking river are all shut off via hydro electric dams. all puplic hunting lands gone whats left has so many people, not worth going. wait till people start shutting down hiking trails and closing parks. I know several nat @ state park trails that are closed due to erosion or some envirmental reason like logging.

[kayakerdude357]

its dirt. I'd rather step in a tire track over a huge horse turd any day. if its trail damage your crying about, IT'S EROSION THE EARTH HAS BEEN ERODING FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND IT WILL CONITNUE FOR ANOTHER HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS LONG AFTER US HUMANS ARE FREAKEN GONE. HAVENT YOU EVER SEEN THE GRAND CANYON. GO MAKE ANOTHER SALD AND PERSECUTE SOME VEGTABLES. IF IT WERE UP TO YOU LIBERALS THE WHOLE PLANET WOULD BE OFF LIMITS DUE TO SOME ENDANGERED SHROOM.

[JesterAT2000]

I am a PCT hiker and have been on this section of trail. The reason you don't see footprints is that they've been obliterated by ILLEGAL ORV. The trail has its own maintainers; it wouldn't get "grown over," but thanks for your concern. Here's the thing: the PCT isn't being "taken away" from you. It has never been open to off road vehicles or any type of mechanized vehicles. It has always been a foot and stock trail. Thank you to all responsible ORV operators out there.

[farmfast]

@JesterAT2000  It was open to dirt bikes historically before the gestapo and hiker scum succeeded in taking it away. Public land should be open to all or closed to all.

[unbrandedtuna641]

O cry me a freakin river! Stop bein tree hugers and let riders ride! It's a damn trail get over it it's not like us riders are aimin to hurt anyone

[Failedtroothers]

and people are all uptight about me trying to find out if I can open carry a pistol on the trail for defence. Theres been reported illegals possibly drug smugglers useing it, Theres been missing women who disapeered hiking it, Bears,cougars maybe even bull moose could attack...Two women were killed on the AT trail...If people are worried about me being a bad guy whats to stop a real bad guy? and If your scared of guns, Why dont you have one to defend yourself? whats to say someone needs a gun?

[roostage27]

without "off road abuse" your trail would be grown over.

[Mr06450]

get off the mouse and get out of the house!!!!

[Mr06450]

We pay are fees! We pay are dmv fees and modify a new bike to meet spark and noise requirments. We pay for entry into riding areas, and all we get is every sheriff and forest ranger at the area we are to ride at ! Closing trails and entire areas that we pay to ride at ! They use are money againts us. If you hike and I would say you don't you pay nothing. but are money goes to maintain your hobby

if you were the one filming and got off the train you tresspass also. not every trail is the PCT ! 

[ffd670]

As I stated in my last post, I also pay my fair share of fees to own and ride my dirt bike. But has that really helped my cause? Everytime I return to the desert there is always a new trail or should I say "muliply trails" closed or fenced off, because of a tortoise or an ecological study. This practice is the same in the Sierras and up and down the state. I agree we are our own worst enemies. But even when we play by the rules you guys just keep taking aways more trails. 

[EyeinTheSky4U]

Sounds like you're one of the good guys who rides where it's designated. ORV WATCH KERN COUNTY has not proposed closure of trails, so we aren't the "They" you're alluding to. We oppose trespass, and illegal riding in closed BLM areas and on private property without permission. Even Ed Waldheim has had to promise to close legitimate OHV trails they have inadvertenetly created trespass corridors. We all have to work together so we can all enjoy our public lands.

[ffd670]

Eye,

I do just that. I am a member of Friends of Jawbone and recieve there newsletter. I also am a patronage of Cal City and have been for many years. Even though I live nowhere near Cal City myself and all of my rider friends travel a great distance numourous times a year and spend money in that town. as a matter of fact I have seen that city grow quite a bit since i've been going there, and I am all for that. I am also a member or the AMA and reciever there magazine as well. continued.....

[ffd670]

All of these environmental wackos are driving me nuts. They lobby to take away every riding area in Cali. All of us "Off-Road" enthusiast, pay registration fees and Red Sticker fee. For what., not a DAMN thing. They just keep taking more trails away from us. And who of you have even used the PCT? Probably not one of you idiots. Sounds like the only ones using this trail are dirt bikers and ATV people. Sorry for rambling on, but this shit gets to me.

[EyeinTheSky4U]

Kern County bends over backwards to provide legal, fun off-road riding opportunities for you. You WILL lose trails if you continue to ride on undesignated public property, private property without permission, and on trails dedicated to hikers, equestrians, and packers. You have only yourself to blame.

Be proactive: join the good people of Friends of Jawbone and protect what you have. Go to California City and support their businesses.

[n6vmo]

hmmm...not one footprint on this hiking trail. Not much use I see.

[motox39v]

Who actually hikes this trail??? Obviously its getting more and better use by off road bikes than hikers... stop complaining!!!! This video is BS and will not change anything... I will continue to ride up there and on this trail no matter what... I'm not going to ride on private land but there is plenty of other land for us to ride on. Flag this video as inappropriate as much as possible, find something else to do in your spare time douche bag!!!!!

[CedrikTheManiac00]

lol if bycicle are not accept but horse are, there is a real problem with their policies

[mjc1900]

The Kern Cnty Sherriffs are laughing at these Moral Busybodies. These people are crying wolf.

Please....go back to the cities you came from.

[jersey330]

Hey mjc, I can only wonder what would happen if these moral people as you call em rode in your front yard you'd bitch for sure. You sound like the type that gives us legit riders a bad wrap. We've gotta go where we don't get slammed all the time. I used to ride some of that area in the vid 20 years ago. People up there shoot when they hear our bikes.  If someone got caught and filmed you gotta know theres more to come.

[zaqueltooocool]

Put a few logs across the trail ..........

[EyeinTheSky4U]

@zaqueltooocool

The terrain in this area is such that it is very easy to ride around any barrier, causing even more damage to the PCT and surrounding private property.

It will take a combination of law enforcement presence and peer pressure from the responsible off-roaders who wouldn't dream of riding on a trail designated for hikers and equestrians.

[mjc1900]

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

--C.S. Lewis

[jjmnky]

There shouldn't be any trail there at all. Not walking, bicycling or atv trails of any kind. All trail types damage this environment. Many times I have seen these trails used by local residents and land owners on atvs themselves.

[HillClimb73]

@jjmnky . Dude, your comment doesn't even make sense. I think you fell off your 50cc pit bike and hit your head too many times.

[TaterSaladPete]

Local residents observed the ATVs leaving the scene, and Cal Fire investigators official investigation determined off-road vehicle riders caused the White Fire. Fact, not fiction.

[MrRobRoy100]

@TaterSaladPete Sorry.... Observation of personnel leaving the scene is not conclusive evidence. Post hoc -Ergo-Proper hoc. (It's a fallacy of logic). No arrests; No evidence. No determination. People believe what they want to believe - You included.

[MrRobRoy100]

Fact: There is no evidence that the fire was set by an illegal off-roader.

Fact: The PCT was moved onto what was a single-track mechanized vehicle trail.

Regardless, designated trails should not be violated and M/C riders need to be especially aware of the results of malicious and unauthorized use as it is a reflection upon us all.

Teach your friends, teach your kids, encourage responsible legal use tread lightly on the land and pack it in-pack it out.

It's ALL of our responsibility.

[nickysatv]

Dude so what if the trail was moved, the owner of that single track mech vehicle trail may not have had a choice or didn't bip loud enough to stop it. I heard that trail was put thru lots of private land whether they wanted it or not let alone on public lands. The FACT is the trail is a federally mandated trail that mc are not supposed to go on, plain and simple.

[mjc1900]

Ah...and the damage is where?

All appear to be nice, accessible walking / horse / mc trails .

Video must have been made by a bunch of enviro-natzis on the rampage with too much free time on their hands and nothing else to do!

[nickysatv]

Uh.... its comments like you made that give all us off roaders a bad name. Everyone knows you aren't supposed to ride that trail, its not for mc or atv's. What we need is our own special trail, not name calling and bitchin about 'em.