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Show The Thursday, March 19, 1987 Tlmes-lndependen- t, A5 Parks tell ATV users to take rigs elsewhere legend RIVER PERENNIAL STREAM INTERMITTENT STREAM IMPROVED ROAD UNIMPROVED ROAD The changes in regulations covering off highway use by ATVs, dirt bikes and similar vehicles proposed in the last session of the State Legislature may have people confused about where these machines can be used legally. Jim Brady, Acting Superintendent of Canyonlands and Arches National Parks and Natural Bridges National Monument, advises prospective operators to check local regulations and to avoid the National Parks which are closed to off road use and to vehicles which are not registered for highway use. The mountain bike, the heavy duty version of the bicycle designed for trails and dirt roads, is a newcomer FOftK MOAB. 4? USM IS MINUTE OUAONANM.CS i MOAS NATCH CASTLE VALLEY NOInTTLA SAL JUNCTION jL BLM trail system improvements nearly complete as spring arrives At Moabs first town meeting, it was suggested that existing hiking trails near town be marked so that out of town visitors could make use of them. Several weeks later, the suggestion was discussed at a joint meeting of local public land managers and community development oriented individuals. Two of the attendees at that meeting, who happened to be members of the Moab Rotary Club, proposed to ask the club for a grant to purchase the materials needed to d mark seven trails and install trail-hea- facilities.- 3 Within an hour, the' Rotary Cluh had voted at its weekly luncheon meeting to provide $1,000 for the trails project. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) agreed to help plan the trails, assist with the installation of some of the trail facilities, and provide signs. An informal group, the Moab Trails Committee, was organized to coordinate the project. The product of the committees first meeting was To Do list! Each a member volunteered to work on various parts of the project. Trail maintenance work was initiated last summer with the renovation of the Corona Arch Trail. Work on the other six trails (Portal Overlook, Moab Rim (hiking and jeeping), Mill Creek Canyon (North Fork), Negro Bill Canyon, Hidden Valley (Behind the Rocks), Hunters Canyon, and the Slickrock Bike Trail) has been largely accomplished over the winter. All of these trails are located on public land. From the beginning, the committee recognized that the Negro Bill Canyon trail needed the most work. No maintenance work had been done on this trail for years and the trail had degenerated into a maze of hiker established paths. Maintenance work on this popular trail was completed last week with the help of eight Colorado Rocky Mountain High School Students and an instructor from Carbondale Colo. ' In addition to the students from the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, volunteer labor has been contributed by a local troop of Explorer Scouts, BLM employees, and members of the committee. Grand County has assisted by accelerating the previously planned extension of a county road and roughing out a trailhead parking area for the Hidden Valley trail. This action provided legal public access into the Behind the Rocks Area from the Moab Valley. A brochure, prepared by the committee, will be published this spring by the Grand County Travel Council. The brochure includes a route description for each trail and a map showing the location of each trail. With the advent of the outdoor season, use of the trails appears to be increasing. The visitor register boxes have shown that over half of the people using the trails are from out of state. Comments written in the visitor boxes have expressed appreciation for the trails and the natural beauty of the Moab area. Some work remains to be done. The Hunters Canyon Trail (which the committee plans to maintain in a primitive condition) needs to be cleared of encroaching brush and the Hidden Valley and Portal Overlook trails need additional trail tread restoration work. Individual volunteers or group representatives are invited to call' Russ von' Koch at 259-822- 5 (evenings). Christian Radio being sought for area The Moab Ministerial Association and KJOL radio of Grand Junction, Colorado are going through pre- liminary procedures to bring Christian radio to Moab. KJOL radio is a Christian FM station. In the last couple of years they have set up translators to beam their radio signal into many areas outside of Grand Junction. Communities that now have this service are Rangely, Meeker, Paonia, Cedaredge, all of which are in Colorado. They have recently started broadcasting into the Vernal area and are also interested into bringing their signal into Moab. In cooperation with the Moab Ministerial Association plans are now being made to purchase and set up the necessary equipment to bring KJOLs signal to Moab. Application is also being made to the Federal Communications Commission for a license to broadcast as a educational station. During the paper work process the Moab Ministerial Association will be starting a fund raising program to raise the necessary funds to put the station on the air. It is going to take an initial investment of $6,000.00 to get started and then a fee of no more than $100 per month to maintain. For more information on KJOL and their programming format you can write to the Moab Ministerial Association P.O. Box 721 Moab, Utah. Programming guides are and will be sent to you. Information can also be obtained from local pastors who are active with the Ministerial Association. The Moab Ministerial Association is excited about this project and hopes that the prayerful support of the Christian community in Moab will help make Christian radio a reality in our town. to mechanized management office; where one plans to use them. To meet the needs of people wishing to use dirt bikes, ATVs, and similar equipment, certain areas have been set aside, usually on public lands other than the National Parks. People looking for this type of activity should seek out these places which allow the use of motorized off highway equipment that is not licensed for highway use. Conversely, people wishing to avoid conflicts with these activities need to seek out those areas which do not allow such use. RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL Alden Newell and wife Irma returned last week from Salt Lake City where Alden had surgery. They also visited their daughter Patricia and family while there. Alden is doing fine at present. 31 , . -- One-wa- y $80.00, Roundtrip $160.00, tax included. For further information, reservations and ticketing call Tours in Moab at Tag-A-Lon- g 259-894- 6. Or call Alpine Air at 8 for ticketing and air freight information. Shuttle Service to and from airport, call Tours, Tag-A-Lon- 259-894- 6. g 1987 Corsica and Bereta Models EncnUnmig New 312)88 Models ffiroimn Cflnewollet EBeirefttiaX , F.afcri;kf 88 East Center 258-518- 1 ttAII W'WWH&HtMfi IAIH c State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company Home Office: Bloomington, Illinois CorroncaX See Them Now at OKs V3DDQG7 0E3o 481 S. Main acss; asggss 259-543- 2 ar- n .. A -- L h WEEKDAY SCHEDULE TO AND FROM SLC Morning Depart SLC 7 a.m., arrive Price 7:40 a.m. Depart Price 7:55 a.m:, arrive Moab 8:25 a.m. Depart Moab 8:45 a.m., arriye SLC 9:55 a.m. Depart Moab 8:40 a.m:, arr. Monticello 9 a.m. Depart Montic. 9:10 a.m., arr. Blanding9:30 Afternoon Depart SLC 3:10 p.m., arr. Moab 4:20p.m. Depart Moab 4:35 p.m., arr. Price 5:05 p.m. Depart Price 5:20 p.m., arr. SLC 6 p.m. Depart Bland ing 3:25p.m., arr. Montic. 3:45 Depart Montic. 3:55 p.m., arr. Moab 5:20 p.m. SATURDAY SCHEDULE re- v- Mornipg Depart SLC 8 a.m, arr. Moa69:1(fa.m. Z Depart Moab 9:30a.m., arr. SLC 10:40 a.m Afternoon Depart SLC 4 p.m., arrive Moab 5:10p.m. Depart Moab 5:30p.m., arr. SLC 6:40p.m. Off Regular Retail Price on All New 1 988 259-648- 8. Agent 'llfr long-terr- $1,000 Dealer Discount Announcing money-savin- g news for State Farm drivers 50 and over. you qualify. Damage caused by All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) is inspected by Park Ranger Nick Eason, of Moab. Off highway registrations are not valid in the Utah National Parks and no vehicles may be operated off established roads. While fines ranging to $500 can be imposed, public education and cooperation for responsible land use are the solutions. 373-150- Through March TOURNAMENT PLANNED The Ice Breaker Tournament will be held March 21 and 22 at the Moab Golf Course. Tee off time both days is 10 a.m. Entry fee is $15. For more information call State Farm Mutual policyholders 50 and over who have no unmarried drivers under 25 in their household will now be getting a break on the cost of their car insurance. If you're 50 or over, call and see if re- creation. Unfortuntely, all too frequently, bike tracks can be seen cutting through fragile soils and across soft places where the tracks will be visible for years. Although some agencies allow mountain bikes on hiking trails, the National Park Service does not, although they are allowed on dirt roads. Four wheel drive vehicles have long been a problem when driven by person who either dont respect nature or have not bothered to learn local regulations. Thanks to public education and the majority of responsible four wheel drive users who really do make an effort to set a good example, instances of off road use by four wheel drive are decreasing. Currently the newest and by far the greatest instances of off road use in National Park units is from people operating dirt bikes and all terrain vehicles. These machines are designed to be used where there is no road and are sometimes advertised by dealers for that purpose. Since ATVs at present are not licensed for legal use on a public road, and they may not be used off the roads in a National Park, the ATV can not be used in the National Parks. This has caused much hard feeling and has upset many a persons vacation plans when they arrive in a park like Canyonlands and find they can not use the machines. Often they were given erroneous information by a dealer or even by another agency that may allow ATV use on certain areas under their jurisdiction. The best way to insure people dont run into these problems is to check with the - -- 4.' - - s |