Devils canyon will be late to open (Rock Removal)

[Jim]

From the pix, I'd vote for a 90degree rotate to the downhill side of the trail. That seems to offer ample space for full width's. The question is what is downhill from the rock / what danger is there should it move downhill out of control.

[96EXXLTinCO]

Lots of questions still. I'll be in the area on a run today and will try and make it over there to take a look and get some better pics of the situation. I have some questions in an email sent to Brant but I don't expect an answer till tomorrow at the earliest. Worst case scenario we may need to source a generator and small electric jackhammer and just break it down.

I'll report back whatever I come up with when I come up with it. Is anyone available during the week if we can get a plan together for this thing? winches, come-alongs, straps, hi-lifts are things that could help.

[Java]

I can work out some time during the week, possibly, sounds like fun. I have a winch, come-along, straps and a highlift.

[dieseldoc]

Sounds like work!
The FS won't want us to bust it up.
Moving it is the option they will prefer.

[Spieg]

Seriously? The trail is closed because of this? Maybe the photos are deceiving but it sure looks like you could simply drive around it. I vote for explosives!

[Chris]

Stay the Trail, right? Go over obstacles, not around.

[Spieg]

Chris previously posted:

[Brad]

Work during the week or I would help. Let me know if I can help otherwise.

[Java]

I saw an episode of This Old House where they had to get rid of an old concrete staircase / landing that was huge and heavy. A backloader dug a hole in a few seconds, knocked it in, and dragged the dirt back over, gone. Tom Silva was thrilled. Just a thought.

[96EXXLTinCO]

Well, in true form........plans got messed up at the last minute yesterday and we didn't go on the run by Idaho Springs, so I didn't make it over to check out the rock and get better pics of the situation. He says the rock is about a mile in and anyone who's done that trail knows that that's all uphill. I'm no spring chicken these days so I'm going to try and find a day when Brant can meet me there so we can drive up and look at it................unless someone has a drone with camera they want to go play with?

While I absolutely agree that 1ft. off trail to the right gets you around it, the bottom line is that the decision was made to keep the trail closed until the rock can be moved, and our roll in the situation is to uphold said decision and help in any manner needed or requested. I have no problem doing whatever it takes, especially if we can get this trail opened sooner rather than later.

I'll update again when I have more info.

Chad

[Patrolman]

96EXXLTinCO previously posted:

[JGRubicon]

How about 5 guys dig a hole, push the rock into it, back fill a little and bam small trailside obstacle that isn't going anywhere?

Well, that's a good enough idea, but might make grading the trail hard... I don't know how they do that.

That's a pretty stout "rock".

[newracer]

JGRubicon previously posted:

[Fireball]

I was heading there today to camp. Looks like I'm screwed :(

[Fireball]

Just off the phone with the ranger station. I was told the boulder is not scheduled to be removed this year and Devil's Canyon will be walk-in only. The gate will remain closed.

Someone please reach out to them and see if we can get in there to move the boulder for them. Otherwise we just lost a trail for at least a year.

I'm going to try Barbour by myself today and do some camping.

[KnuckleHead]

If we can get in during the week to work on whatever the plan is when there is one i can help... im not currently working due to a shoulder injury so im good to do what i can during the week...

[96EXXLTinCO]

There's 2 discussions going on with this. Here's what I just posted in the other thread:

I've been emailing with our Forest Service contact Brant, and he's not indicated any such thing to me so far, in fact quite the opposite. He says that a neighboring district has some............micro-blaster? thing that he's trying to schedule to take care of this rock. I've told him we have a ton of resources in this group alone, let alone other groups and facebook pages I'm a member of. They are limited in tools and equipment, only having a skid steer for available equipment which will not touch this rock as it is. One of the issues I have learned is the location of the rock. He said it's about a mile in and the reason it can't be rolled off the downhill side is that if the trees can't manage to stop this thing it could potentially end up on the highway. I offered to get 4 winched rigs up there, 2 on each side of the rock (if there's anything uphill to hook a couple snatch blocks to) hooked to the rock with the other 2 to act as anchors and pull it back to the uphill side where a hole dug out could help secure it there. Of course if it was up to me I'd load up the "howitzer" they use to set off potential avalanche areas and turn it into gravel. He's says he will keep me informed of any plans with it and if I don't hear anything more by end of next week or so I'll reach out to him again. Not sure why they would say it's staying closed this year. Anyone else have any ideas, or access to equipment/tools that might be of use to break this thing down to a skid steer manageable size? Or equipment that could help in breaking it down or moving it? I'm sure if we could offer a solid solution they would let us take care of it.

[Jim]

Thanks for that - I was curious about why it couldn't be rolled down slope.

Electric jackhammer or rent an air compressor style and break it up into small bits that way? I'd get involved on that.

[Brad]

I agree, jackhammer would do the trick.

[Patrolman]

If they have access to a skid steer, why not use a jackhammer attachment on the front of it to break it apart? This thing could be in pieces in minutes. My electric jackhammer could do the job, but it would take a while. It also weighs about 50lbs and you wouldn't want to hike it in, not to mention the need for the generator which weighs well over 100lbs.