# Question for the experts: Creeping Baby Head defense?



## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

nvm


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## Wildfire (Feb 4, 2004)

Is it just rocks you are trying to control, or are there seasonal mud flows too? I'm not a big fan of metal T posts in the backcountry but your idea of a barricade would work -- for a while -- although it wouldn't be pretty. If it's just rolling stones, you could dig a ditch/catch basin above the tread to intercept most of the errant baby heads. You'd probably have to clean it out once a year or so. Or just outslope the tread a bit more than usual, say 7 - 10%, so the rocks would tend to roll across without stopping.


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

No m


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## Clayncedar (Aug 25, 2016)

I agree with outsloping with the tread being as narrow and offcambered as reasonably and safely possible. Most of the bigger stuff rolling from a distance should pass right over due to momentum.

The idea of making it as zero-maintenance as possible is a good one. Building barriers and swales needing annual cleanouts would likely get annoying after a while.


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## bamwa (Mar 15, 2010)

just go through there and toss the rocks. done, blam. at least in the top pic.


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

Oh, they'd be back.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Schulze said:


> Oh, they'd be back.


Seems to me that such rocks are just part of the local terrain. Design the trail to keep speeds down so you reduce the risk of people hitting loose stuff at high speeds and eating $hit. Put fast sections of trail in places where you don't have problems with these.


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

Every changing terrain is fun. It looks like there's enough room between the rocks to maneuver, so I wouldn't do that frequent of maintenance except for the really big ones. I think putting in any sort of barrier or adjusting the trail now would take more time than it takes to simply hike the trail twice a year with a hockey stick.

Hell, do an organized "kick a rock" hike once a year. Get a lot of people, bring beer, walk the trail, kick rocks off the trail.


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## Gigantic (Aug 31, 2012)

Harold said:


> Seems to me that such rocks are just part of the local terrain. Design the trail to keep speeds down so you reduce the risk of people hitting loose stuff at high speeds and eating $hit. Put fast sections of trail in places where you don't have problems with these.


This. Just ride that jawn.


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## HypNoTic (Jan 30, 2007)

Use a rock crusher attachment on a skid-steer and crush those baby! (Damn, that sounds harsh). You would create fine-ish material with native rocks. That 3/4minus will stay there and resist sheet flow way better than just removing the larger rocks and exposing the fine clay, that will wash away at the first major rain storm.


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## AMBA (Feb 11, 2016)

I've hiked the Texas hill country. 

"In the TX hill country, this is what I have to deal with. Making the trail itself isn't hard, but those rocks are going to be constantly flowing down the slope and on to my tread." 

I think this is your reality and you may need to embrace it. Pretty similiar to where I am.


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## Wildfire (Feb 4, 2004)

HypNoTic said:


> Use a rock crusher attachment on a skid-steer and crush those baby! (Damn, that sounds harsh). You would create fine-ish material with native rocks. That 3/4minus will stay there and resist sheet flow way better than just removing the larger rocks and exposing the fine clay, that will wash away at the first major rain storm.


Wow, that's pretty cool, I hadn't seen those before. The noise must be horrible, though. Do they make a smaller size for a mini trackloader?


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

No.


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## bpressnall (Aug 25, 2006)

Well, these ideas may be impractical or too obvious, but here goes- Route the trail at the top of the slope or in the trees below the rocks. Route the trail on the flatest portion of the rock slope as possible. Lay limbs lengthwise above the trail to catch at least some of the rocks. Dig a small trench above trail and place larger rocks in it to form a little wall to catch rocks. Toss as many rocks from above trail as practical. Where I live, there are lava caps full of scree and and loose rock, and all those techniques are useful.


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## HypNoTic (Jan 30, 2007)

Wildfire said:


> Wow, that's pretty cool, I hadn't seen those before. The noise must be horrible, though. Do they make a smaller size for a mini trackloader?


Mark, while FAE offer smaller attachment, you still need some good hydraulic flow to be efficient. I would not attach that specific version to anything smaller than 50hp. Red Rhino offer "stone crusher", much like what you would find in a large mine, but available for smaller machines. Sustainable Trails (Ontario) have one.



bpressnall said:


> Well, these ideas may be impractical or too obvious, but here goes- Route the trail at the top of the slope or in the trees below the rocks. Route the trail on the flatest portion of the rock slope as possible. Lay limbs lengthwise above the trail to catch at least some of the rocks. Dig a small trench above trail and place larger rocks in it to form a little wall to catch rocks. Toss as many rocks from above trail as practical. Where I live, there are lava caps full of scree and and loose rock, and all those techniques are useful.


Many good tricks in there. Thanks!


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

Six


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## raisingarizona (Feb 3, 2009)

Schulze said:


> Six months later, and I did the first couple of loops yesterday on the completed the 6km singletrack loop on my property!
> 
> It's hard to believe that working a few hours in the evenings, one dude chainsawed, hacked, benched, and raked every meter of it.
> 
> ...


Sounds rad! Post up some photos man!


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

I got it ride-able, but


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

Schulze said:


> Six months later, and I did the first couple of loops yesterday on the completed the 6km singletrack loop on my property!
> 
> It's hard to believe that working a few hours in the evenings, one dude chainsawed, hacked, benched, and raked every meter of it.


Good on you!!!

I have a couple of miles of "Private Reserve" trails. A lot of work, but it's deeply rewarding.


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## Schulze (Feb 21, 2007)

I just


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