Clearing Trail Debris And Obstacles Safely, Easily, and Legally

You're riding through a twisting, turning, perfectly set trail, and all of a sudden you come across a downed tree that completely blocks the path. There are all sorts of different types of debris that can make a trail impassible and that can totally derail a good ride. In this circumstance, what do you do? Clearing trail debris is a skill every rider should have, and carrying just a few simple tools on your machine can help make quick work of something that might otherwise cause you to backtrack. Let’s run through some basic tips on clearing trail debris safely, easily, and legally.

Legally?

Caught that last word, did you? You have to be careful with trail debris depending upon where you are because some areas, like National Forests, have specific rules that govern what you can and can’t do with “forest clutter.” Let me elaborate.

A few years ago, I was on one of the most epic trail riding adventures I’ve ever done thanks to special-use permits to ride around the Bryce Canyon National Park area and the surrounding National Forest trails in Utah. We had a trail guide and I was following him, but I hadn’t noticed that in the dust and confusion, the rest of the group had stopped. So there we were: Just me following the local guide who knew the mountain trails well. I had just come down a sketchy section where there was rock on my left and a steep drop down through an avalanche/rock slide chute on my right. I had just come back to where the trees rejoined the trail, and I watched as a roughly 10-inch diameter piece of timber decided to land across the trail and freeze my forward progress.

I had two options: Execute a near-impossible reverse climb back up the rockslide trail, or clear the tree and proceed. Luckily for me, the guide doubled back just in time to witness my stunning and fruitless attempt to lift a 10-inch-diameter, 45-foot-tall tree off of the trail with my bare hands. No, I was not successful, but the guide had a rope, an axe, and a hand saw in his machine. He handed me the axe and set to work with the hand saw. He snorted that if he had a chainsaw with him the work would take a minute instead of the half hour it was going to take us, but commented that using such would be highly illegal.

This experience has stayed with me to this day, but it's important to remember that while it may seem normal to always have the “best” tools with you for the job, it may not always be legal. Keep this point in mind: It is always your responsibility to know the exact letter of the law for the trails you are on. This includes regulations on what you can and can’t do with things like downed trees, which in some areas are as protected as a live tree, animal, or any other resource.

Cutting a Tree

Downed trees can be a major obstacle. Clearing one off a trail can be pretty easy, but it can also represent a safety issue. Where I live, there have been recent ice storms and high winds that have caused trail and road closures due to downed trees.

Here are the very basics to have with you to cover a downed tree situation.

1. Rope, and plenty of it
2. Saw
3. Axe or hatchet
4. Ratcheting strap

If the tree is hung up, meaning that it is not lying flat on the ground, it hasn’t fully come down but it will at some point. This is more dangerous than you may expect. Once you take that pressure off it that is keeping it where it is, it’s going to finish what it started, and often in a hurry. With the rope and ratchet straps, you can help direct where it will go and try to keep it from coming back at you. The rope adds tension to pull the tree in the right direction, and you can also use a winch if your machine is equipped with one.

Whether you have a chainsaw, an electric chainsaw, or a hand saw, you need to know where to cut, and that is something that is really hard to teach without a practical lesson; like any other skill, you need to practice. If you have the space and means, get some logs and learn how to cut them. Cut down some dead trees that you have permission to cut. Just make sure to do it safely and with people with you. Heavy-duty gloves and eye protection are always recommended.

Mud

Some folks who see a deep mud hole and get excited, but there are just those times when you don’t want to deal with it. You can't exactly clear a mud obstacle on the trail, but you can maybe get through it. There's many way to go about this, one of such is by skirting the outer edges of the muck to get past it without going off-trail. This usually works a few times, but once you do it enough, the skirt drops into the mud. Going around is not always the best, especially if you can’t exit the posted trail. The best advice is to try to go slow. Try not to spin the wheels as much as possible; doing so will only dig you deeper and damage the trail.

And yet there is always the inevitability of getting stuck. To help get yourself out of the situation, you can use traction boards like Maxtrax or logs if there are any nearby. If you do the latter, be sure to roll it back out when you’re done or at least mark it so the next rider sees it. You can also use tow straps or a winch to extract a machine.

Rocks

Rocks are tough things to clear. You can always go over them, but if they are big enough to prevent that, you have two choices: Go back if the rock is really big and too much to move even with a winch, or find a way to latch on and pull the rock out of the trail.

A big rock has significant weight, so you should use a tow-strap and your winch. It is a good idea to have a second strap and some way to anchor your machine as you pull. If it isn’t too much of a pull, you can leave it in park with the emergency brake on and just let the winch do its job. If the weight is enough to pull your machine forward toward the rock, you can try putting the transmission in reverse and using a little engine torque. Be careful though, as this can be damaging to the trail and your machine. The better bet is to anchor your machine to a tree, a bigger rock, or even another machine. You want to add to your mass and get the trail obstacle moving. It can also be helpful to clear the path for the rock with shovels, etc. Just be careful if you are using a steel cable for your winch as it can snap and cause major issues-- not to mention, be a significant danger to those around.

The basics for rocks and mud to have on hand are as follows:

1. Tow strap
2. Shovel
3. Rope
4. Winch w/ synthetic rope
5. Snatch block
6. Shackles
7. Traction boards

Be Prepared

Of course, the best way to overcome and clear any trail obstacles is to be ready. A good “Go Box” on your machine with everything you might need for any situation is a good idea. Take the items from the lists above, add in some water, first aid, a flat repair kit, and some basic tools, and you are basically covered. If you’re going to be really remote, a satellite beacon is a good idea, too. Above all, and this is a key point, you should practice these types of issues. You wouldn’t just hop on a motocross track and expect to run with the pros right away. It's critical to practice and build your skill set. The same goes for trail riding and situational preparedness.