Changes at Rausch Creek

We now have a clear picture of the construction and improvements to be made at the park this spring. This is what will be happening.

The area we used for day parking, staging, and RV camping is being reclamated in accordance with PA state guidelines. What is reclamated? The area we park on was mine dumpage and needs to be seeded and not used for a period of 5 years so that means we stay off of it and have no control on this issue (politics). After this reclamation project is over, we will not be able to use it every weekend like we did in the past.

For the time being, we will be using temporary trailer parking, staging, and RV/trailer parking/camping across the street. We will have signs put up to direct you where to park. After you get your trail rig unloaded, there is a gravel road you can follow that will lead you up to where you can drive across the street directly into our driveway. If you are coming to the park in a street-driven trail rig, you can come directly into our regular parking lot to get checked-in. If we have very large groups that need to get staged, you can drive across the street and stage over there.

Now the good side of this headache!!

As a result of the loss of the reclamated staging/parking area, we will be moving our operations a few hundred yards north, up onto the flat area along the coal road “A”. There will be timbering going on the next five weeks up in that area, as well as down along the rocky hillside between the office and Shortcut to A to create a competition area, as well as bulldozing to create new parking and staging lots.

Once this work is done, we will take a look around and see what new camping areas have been created as a result of the timbering and bulldozing. For the time being, the tent camping areas down along the Pole Line are still intact, although Camp 3 will be part of the timbered area shortly. In the end the move will be for the better of the park for years to come to provide an easy and convenient check-in and parking area. The whole project will hopefully be done near the end of May and we will keep everyone posted on updates and changes.

Any questions on this please ask away. Here is a map that shows where the temporary parking will be and where the future park entrance will be.


__________________
Lynn "Teal J"

Thanks Bill, for keeping us up dated!

Quote:
Originally Posted by 87JeepWrangler
so we can still camp with/on our tow rigs, just across the street? will we be allowed to have camp fires across the street?

this doesnt even sound like an inconvenience if we can still camp with our tow rigs and have fires there.


Yes you can camp over there and have camp fires but there is not any sites set up so you may have to move some rocks around for fire pits. In the short term it is a small inconvenience.

The next two weekends should be fine with the old area but after the 15th will be the switch.

later
Bruce

So if I understand this, after this next weekend is when they will change the set up, right? For now we do things the same way we have been?

yes, after this weekend the changes go into effect. So it is biz as usual for the 14th n 15th.

Here's an update on the timbering. They are almost done working up top between Trail A and K, and have cleared almost to the top of the ridge behind the office. They will probably work through the weekend, so for safety's sake and also because some areas have giant piles of trees laying about, this area will be closed to traffic.

Probably could still run 6A and 6B and come back to the top of Upper 3 where they have not reached yet with the timbering, but running up the hillside behind the office will just lead to a deadend right now, and driving down K will just lead to piles of debris and also interfere with their activities.

This area will be our new office area, parking, staging and camping, so this is all good what's happening.

if they clear cut the area between 6a and b that will make for a hell of a black/red section right there at the top of 6b were it parallels 6a would be awesome with no set boundarys to keep you from tring different lines.... I am assuming this section will still be open to us
-Lynn stated that this was the plan.

http://www.imageevent.com/tealj

Drainplug. This will get bulldozed over to make room for our office most likely

Thanks for the RC Update.

I always liked drainplug though. Sorry to see its going. Sounds like they have some cool stuff in the works.

We are working on things now and planning on this summer to have the area ready. I will post more details as we get them for time lines.

OH yeah as for staying off of the land that is cleared. Besides the area for parking, staging and new office which we will roped off, please wheel the hell out of the hill side and the 6a, b, c, d area. That is one reason for opening up the area is to have multilevel lines to play on ASAP.

Bruce

This may seem like a small thing but last Sunday am in the rain it wasnt - could ya stick a portajohn a little closer to the camp sites? Thanks!

Here's an update. The timbering is now done in the area where are our new parking/staging/camping will be. This week they start timbering the rocky hillside between the office and all the way down past Trail 6 to Shortcut to A. They have started work on the bulldozing required to level out several acres for our new parking and staging areas.

We'll post up later in the week about the temporary parking/camping situation once we see where the timber guys have set up their equipment and trailers in order to clear the hillside, and how far along the reclamation project is.

It will be early June before everything is done. We hope to start using the new parking lot before everything's in place though.

We are leaving the old office in place to be used for other things. The new office will arrive early June, and be simialr in style, but a little bigger with a fully-enclosed front porch for registration.

Here's a map giving an idea of what we have planned.

The only things being leveled are flat areas for parking, staging etc... The 6's and the hill side are not going to be messed up. In fact after looking at the 6d hill climbs that whole ridge will be awesome little ridge line of climbs. I can’t wait to see 6a area without the trees the area is going to be pretty sick.

Bruce

There's several obstacles/trails in the area of our new parking and staging lots that will need the stumps cleared out from the rocky areas. Specifically, Trail 6 (A, B, C. D) and in another week or two, Jotter's, Stairstep and behind the office.

All you need to help is at least 2 vehicles and chainsaws. Come out and do a 50/50 (work half the day and wheel the other half).


They said the stumps only cut down far enough to keep people from getting stopped in their tracks. Also there is some "scrub" stuff that needs removed as well.

I'm down for some cutting...it'd be nice to contribute to such a good wheeling location!

I would be willing to come up and help. What weekend / day?

just go to the rausch creek website and check the announcements part of t he forum. There is a note in there as I copied above and just let them know when you can help.