LCC Granite Quarry Trail

[Spooky]

I wanted to see how much damage the bridges had sustained on the trail, so I took son #2 and son #3 up the canyon. The trail head was blocked by not only the gate, but a sheriff with flashing lights. So I drove further up, past another sheriff guarding the area, and parked on the side of the road. This is where it got really funny and kind of gross.

We climbed down to the trail at the point where it meets the first bridge, all the while being blanketed with flying caterpillars and spider webs. If that wasn't bad enough, the 2 teenage boys are extremely law and order oriented and vehemently expressed their concern with crossing sheriff's yellow tape.

Son #3: "Mom, this is illegal."
Son #2: "Yeah, mom, I'm not supposed to do anything wrong before I leave for boot camp. I'll get kicked out of the nuke program."
Me: "It's just caution tape, chill out."
Son #2: "No, mom, it says police line, do not cross."
Me: "It's just trespassing, that's all. Do you see any cops up here?"
Son #3: "They're in their trucks just over there, mom."
Me: "We won't get caught because they're sitting in their trucks eating donuts instead of up here hiking, which is why we don't eat donuts."
Son #2: "It's fine to break the law if you don't get caught?"
Me: "See, there you go, you've figured it out. That's just evidence of damn good parenting right there."

And so on.

Part of the bridge is gone. I wish I'd put a kid in the photo next to the bridge so it's obvious how high we had to climb to get on top of it, but neither son would allow himself to be photographed. Evidence, you know. :roll:

This is where the trail used to be:

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14trail1.jpg

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14trail2.jpg

The bridge: (It's about 5 1/2' from the bridge to the water...the photo is deceiving)

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14bridge1.jpg

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14bridge2.jpg

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14bridge3.jpg

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14bridge4.jpg

http://roadtrips.darktech.org/andrea/Little Cottonwood/2010-06-14bridge5.jpg

The trail above the first bridge is great. We went all the way up to the last bridge, and then hiked out to the road on a bike trail I'd never seen before. Great for downhill.

Driving out of the canyon, I tell my sons, "Thanks for committing felonious trespassing with me today. This has been an important bonding time for us." They're not amused. :lol8:

[Randi]

Son #3: "Mom, this is illegal."
Son #2: "Yeah, mom, I'm not supposed to do anything wrong before I leave for boot camp. I'll get kicked out of the nuke program."
Me: "It's just caution tape, chill out."
Son #2: "No, mom, it says police line, do not cross."
Me: "It's just trespassing, that's all. Do you see any cops up here?"
Son #3: "They're in their trucks just over there, mom."
Me: "We won't get caught because they're sitting in their trucks eating donuts instead of up here hiking, which is why we don't eat donuts."
Son #2: "It's fine to break the law if you don't get caught?"
Me: "See, there you go, you've figured it out. That's just evidence of damn good parenting right there."

And so on.

Hahaha! This is great! :2thumbs:
You sound like a woman after my own heart!
*~Some rules are made to be broken~*

I'm hoping to do an exploratory sneak & peak hike of the 'closed' burn area in the local mountains here soon as possible.
And my children and I have long explored and snuck into various abandoned buildings, mines, constructions sites, etc.
I'd never encourage vandalism of any kind, but exploring, well that's just a must do sometimes! :mrgreen:

[Spooky]

*~Some rules are made to be broken~*

What makes me angry are property owners whose land backs up to trail accesses or canyons, and they block access. I'll throw my pack over their fence and hike right through their yard, even if they're outside having patio cocktails. Case in point: The Shoreline Trail in Draper. A friend of mine owns part of the trail...it's in her backyard. She keeps it open to bikers and walkers. Her neighbors, on the other hand, gate it off. But hey, my bike is light, I can toss it over gates. :nod:

[Pubalz]

I like the way you think Spooky :naughty:

[Spooky]

I like the way you think Spooky :naughty:

My kids? Not so much. :lol8:

[accadacca]

Dayham! :eek2:

[greyhair biker]

awe...you're gonna get along just fine with this group! BTW...we gotta ride together sometime:nod::cool2::lol8::ride:...........I 'explore' all the time...that's how we find the good trail, right?:haha:

[blueeyes]

thx for the update! I was so dissapointed last Monday when I drove from Fruita to the LCC trail head and couldn't ride I never even took my bike off the rack. I should have rode up as far as I could and got pics, duh!

[Spooky]

Nothing dangerous about the area...the flooding has really dissipated and all of the damage is contained below the first bridge. I'll just use that entrance to the area that's just above the cement building on the south side of the canyon road. I'm not sure what it is. But there's an open gate that leads back onto the trail and it's all in great shape.