Cow Mountain, #23Benmoor Loop. Pinstripe City!

[Burlbook48]

This trail needs to be opened up! Spent yesterday with Billybooster2 up on Cow. The Benmoor Loop is a passable trail, couple spots that get exciting, but most of the trail is so overgrown that if you like your paint, don't go. As in STAY OUT!

Would be a lot of fun to get a few guys together and open it up. Anybody want to participate in a trail-trimming run? Figure a couple guys with small chain saws, and a couple guys to toss brush over the side. Following jeeps with chain saw fuel and liquid refreshment for the guys doing the work and walking the trail would be a plus. This moves things along at a decent pace. The more rigs the better, to pick a section and go to town so it doesn't all fall on a few participants. Or start at opposite ends and meet in the middle. BLM seems agreeable to responsible 4-wheelers keeping the trails clean. If not this trail, then maybe another? A days work, with a BBQ at the end of the day at the Red Mountain campground. Surf and turf and ???? BB2 and I settled for BBQ Rib Eyes, BBQ Jumbo shrimp, Deli potato salad, and Black Butte Porter. Chips and dip on the side. Yumm......

If not this fall, maybe something to think about for this coming spring? Heck, I'll ask for a day off from work for a Saturday run if I have a couple weeks notice for a spring trail-trimming trip.

As for the trail itself, most is fairly-easy-to-moderate. Trail signs at any fork could be better. GPS and maps help, but are still kinda "I think we go this way..." One steep 100-yard spot after crossing a dry creek we walked up to check it out... our feet slipped, but the jeep's tires didn't.... not a bit. Another spot BB2 made with a second shot, I decided to play safe on an off-camber tilt and winched myself up a few feet (he's got a CJ8 and I have a YJ... it's a wheelbase thing). A different line would have made a big difference for me. Most of the trail is fine, low range and slow speed stuff, nothing scary. A stock jeep "could" make it, with a buddy ahead of you at that one spot. Muddy conditions would change things on that steep "walk it up to check it out" 100-yard uphill spot. Pretty views when it opens up, but much of the trail is like driving through a tunnel. Plenty of trail width for the rig itself, it's the overgrown vegetation that adds the ouch factor.

What say NORCAL JEEPS? Up to doing some good for a trail? Cow Mountain could use some TLC in a lot of places. Politics and civil rights about public land use aside, show the BLM we care about the area they allow us to play in.

[bobthetj03]

Sounds like you two had a good time! I agree trail 23 needs some lovin'! I just wish there wasn't so much poison oak up there. I'm allergic. We ran a group up there back in May, and indeed, it was pinstripe city! Here's a little bedtime reading for you.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f427/nor ... st14917798

[GCJEEPING]

LOL Pin stripping can be fixed with 3 cans of Walmart OD green paint, at least mine can.

[JKTHOMPSON]

Why would you even put a link to that forum on here?

[bobthetj03]

[lowranger]

What were you thinking ???!

[bobthetj03]

[Augie]

Im in on a trail work day. I am not of much use but my 14 year is ready to go, I'll just bring him, he comes with me anyway.