1kstep 0 Posted January 7, 2013 How was the rain? Ocotillo Wells was 70 degrees and partly cloudy AKA the 'goldilocks' weather for riding. There were *maybe* 40 people riding out there - including 2 fellers on BMW F800s riding Cahiulla trail - so if you stay off the main trails you may not have seen anyone. Devils Slide is so much fun to ride, there are rocky technical sections, hill climbs with step-up, AND deep sugar-sand. There's been a bunch of development out there...the "connector" trails are smooth - almost paved, graded and watered - and there're a bunch of new vault toilets as well as cyclone cages around parking pads. What the hell? There was a ranger at Gas Domes that told me about "the Plan" plan ocotillo wells. What's in the plan? If you guessed more closures, you're right! All trails to the east of Pole Line road that aren't posted on the BLM map as trails are "off limits". The good news, it's impossible to enforce. Time for us riders to get involved to put an end to this nonsense. Ocotillo Wells Sampler plate - single rider on a 2008 Husqvarna TE450 Blow Sand Hill - dunes are fun for about 10 minutes...there are a bunch of rocky, technical, trails that crisscross the ridge that holds blow sand which is fun too. Coming back from Pumpkin Patch - it would have been better if it were Tarantula Wash... Nice day out there - Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted January 7, 2013 Thx for the pics. The rain really never arrived in force as described, but def nicer where you were. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCHWINN 0 Posted January 7, 2013 Glad you had fun. Your Sand dam is actually Blow Sand and Sand Dam is in Superstition. Yes there are some great technical hill climbs to the left of Devils slide Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1kstep 0 Posted January 7, 2013 Glad you had fun. Your Sand dam is actually Blow Sand and Sand Dam is in Superstition. Yes there are some great technical hill climbs to the left of Devils slide Geez...Schwinn...correct...I did go down yesterday...maybe I hit my head? Blow Sand Hill. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SDlineman 0 Posted January 7, 2013 I'm pretty sure the marked trails thing East of Pole Line has been around awhile, but like you said, they can't and don't really enforce it. Also, they opened up about 8000 acres north of the Borrego Salton Seaway (S22 I think?) to OHV use recently, all that used to be plated vehicles only. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve S. 0 Posted January 8, 2013 I was riding out there on the 28th and was surprised to see signs posted along Pole Line Road that said something to the effect that you could only ride on designated trails east of that road. Hadn't remembered those in the past. It wasn't clear as I road along Pole Line that any of the trails going off to the east were 'legal'. Saw quite a several groups on what I guessed were the no-longer-legal trails and wondered how they were enforcing those rules. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1kstep 0 Posted January 8, 2013 I was riding out there on the 28th and was surprised to see signs posted along Pole Line Road that said something to the effect that you could only ride on designated trails east of that road. Hadn't remembered those in the past. It wasn't clear as I road along Pole Line that any of the trails going off to the east were 'legal'. Saw quite a several groups on what I guessed were the no-longer-legal trails and wondered how they were enforcing those rules. Part of the plan is to improve signage so that people using the area are aware of what the rules are. The rangers said that since the land east of pole line is BLM that they have had to agree to a number of things to open the area to riding in the first place; designated trails are one of the conditions. Lot's of the trails you have used are on the map (see below). The group of rangers that I spoke to said that there really is no good way to enforce the rule, however, since the area is flat-tailed horned lizard habitat, it's in the communities best interest to stay on the BLM trails or risk having the area closed completely. http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/publications.html and http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1170/files/ocotillomap_web.pdf the "WECO" map shows the open routes through this area but I have not been able to find it online. Ocotillo Wells is a great place to learn to ride and most of the people that use the area are respectful of the resource. The people that risk ruining it are the ones that burn palates (nails), fire off sobe bombs, and generally trash the area. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
