They destroyed the Gatekeeper!

[Cruiserhead]

WTF, they blew up the Gatekeeper!
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=416038
:pissed1: :pissed1: :pissed1:

[bulldog]

AH no, that sucks :pissed2: . I was hoping to do a proper Rubi in 07 or so with my 4R when it was ready. Now it seems by that time I will be able to do it with a stock GX. :pissed2: :pissed2:

EDIT: When I get time I will edit a video clip of when we crossed the GP with 40s in 02. Need to finish the Anza vid/DVD.

[expat]

Interesting discussion and can see two points of view.

Sad for those who have been dreaming of this for sometime. Still think there's enough on the main trail to keep most entertained.

[bulldog]

The thing was that the gatekeeper did exactly what the name said. It kept rigs out which shouldn't be on the Rubicon anyway. Rule was that if you have a real hard time going through the gatekeeper, you better not go on the trail. Now there will be more rigs getting in to break down or get stuck further down the trail.

Oh well.

[Cruiserhead]

I think it may just cause a logjam 5 meters down at the Alligator Pit... but here is the logic behind it, which seems all good. I'm just disappointed I won' t get the chance to run it

"There were several reasons why the Gatekeeper was blasted.
Traffic - The wait was becoming frustrating for everyone. Traffic was backing up on a regular basis. The delays from the slow going at Gatekeeper were causing road rage. People were creating bypasses and driving through private property. By eliminating a few rocks, traffic should flow more freely. This is not something that will be applied to the entire trail.

Gatekeeper is at the begining of the trail and sees unusually long delays on the weekends. Farther in along the trail, traffic naturally spreads out and the delays are less frequent. The Gatekeeper had also become a spectator spot. Guys were trying to show off for the crowd. The bushes were getting trashed and the litter was increasing.

Erosion - There is a natural spring at Gatekeeper. We can't direct the water away. The large rocks were an obsticle that promoted the spining of tires in the wet or loose dirt. This erosion was unacceptable. Concrete was applied (twice) but unsuccessful.

The NEW line - The new line at Gatekeeper became wide right. This was because it was becoming harder and harder to take the obsticle straight on. By driving father right then turning hard left, you got a straighter shot over/between the two big boulders. The problem was the erosion of the hillside. You could measure this erosion in feet not inches.

Something needed to be done. The county did not want a temporary fix. There was some lively discussion on the topic. Ultimately, it was the county's decision. I'm not saying other things could have or should have been tried, but this will solve the above mentioned problems.

The gatekeeper (small "g") aspect will still apply. Drivers will see the obsticles still there. The Alligator Pit will deter those not up to the challenges of the trail"