Have you ever arrived at one of your favorite "tough" 4x4 trails to find it wasn't near as challenging as during your last visit? Sometimes Mother Nature changes trails making them harder or easier, but what about another way these trails can change?

Sometimes fourwheelers will change a trail to make it less challenging. Often drivers will fill holes with rocks or build approach ramps turning a once tough trail into something closer to a paved highway. This can truly spoil the challenging experience for those that follow.

There are numerous trails throughout the country that require no vehicle modifications or driver skill to travel. However, the number of truly challenging trails is much scarcer for those looking to test their highly modified vehicles.

We all try to conquer trails and attempt obstacles that really push ourselves and vehicles to the limit. However, if you need to do some "road building" to get through, please remove the helper rocks so that the next vehicle behind you can enjoy the full challenge of the obstacle. We do not need to make every trail passable by all type of vehicles.

On a recent trip to the Rubicon, I watched as two local Jeep clubs were trying to make their way up the Big Sluice but were having lots of problems. About half of their group had well-equipped vehicles for the trail. However, the other half had stock or near-stock vehicles that were not at all equipped for such a trail. As such, they spent a lot of time "paving" the trail with rocks so that these street Jeeps could make it through. What they didn't fill in with rocks they tore up as their open axles dug the sand away in the loose spots. Once they had completely altered the trail with their poor trail etiquette, they left without removing any of the rocks they had used to fill in the trail. It was truly a disappointing sight to see a club so blatantly destroy the trail experience for other trail users. There are plenty of easy trails elsewhere for such vehicles.

Please be considerate of others. You probably leave your campsite cleaner than you find it. Why not leave the trail as untouched as well?

See ya on the trail!