Recent Projects -- Quality, Professionalism, Experience

RecConnect, LLC - If trails are the gateway to adventure, our trails are the gateway to heaven.

Volunteers completing a cattleguard installation Simple barriers & signing can be very effective in controlling & directing the use Effective signing is one of our specialties

Gypsum City OHV Park, Fort Dodge, Iowa

RecConnect was contracted by the Webster County Improvement Corporation to provide planning and layout and design services for Phases i, 2, and 3 of this 860-acre OHV Park. We assessed the site for issues and opportunities and wrote a comprehensive report outlining the findings. We then developed a trail concept plan which actually incorporated three different trail systems- one for motorcycles, one for ATVs, and one for ORVs (side-by-sides). RecConnect returned to the site to complete the trail layout and design and develop a design plan, trail numbering system, and a sign plan. We developed drawings and specifications for the construction contract, provided cost estimates, and assembled a complete list necessary materials and supplies, including signs and decals.
NOHVCC Pennsylvannia OHV Management Workshop, Lewisburg, Pennsylvannia

As a consultant to the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, RecConnect assisted NOHVCC in conducting workshop presentations, facilitating, and leading the field trip discussions.
Texas Creek OHV Trail System, Canon City, Colorado

Working under agreement with NOHVMS (National OHV Management Services), RecConnect was sent to consult with the Royal Gorge Field Office of the BLM on the location and design of their trailhead.RecConnect assessed the sites, made recommendations, developed design alternatives, and wrote an assessment report.
Shoshone OHV Trail System Implementation, Battle Mountain, Nevada

Working under a MOU with the Great Basin Institute, RecConnect is re-establishing flaglines, construction staking, and providing construction oversight and project management services. We designed and worked with the Lander County Road Dept. to construct the trailhead and parking area. We designed a kiosk which was built and installed by the Northern Nevada ATV Association. About 33 miles have been constructed to date with more scheduled for implementation this year.

Shoshone Marketing Video

Shoshone PDF

Shoshone Construction Updates
Bear Creek OHV Trail System, Kelowna, British Columbia

RecConnect worked under contract with the Okanagan Trail Riders Association to complete the trail concept plan for the 110,000-acre Recreation Site. We also performed reconnaissance, located, and designed about 30 miles of single-track and double-track trails, many of which were constructed in 2009. RecConnect conducted field trips that highlighted the trail construction, closure, rehab, and signing practices which will be used as a model for the Province. We also met with stakeholders to establish a working relationship and garner input and support for the project.

Watch these videos of the Bear Creek Trails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT6az08MWW4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP95t3waocc
La Dee Flats 4WD Trail Assessment, Estacada, Oregon

With their Travel Plan completed, the Mt. Hood National Forest sought professional guidance before implementing the 4WD routes in La Dee Flats. However, they were in unfamiliar OHV territory and according to the Recreation Program Manager "we want to do it right." RecConnect toured the area with a group of Forest staff, enthusiasts, and the area representative from the Oregon ATV Advisory Committee. We then wrote a comprehensive report summarizing our observations and providing recommendations as to how the Forest should proceed.
Avalanche Safety Training and Snowmobile Riding Clinic Proposal

Central Oregon Adventures consulted with RecConnect to help develop a proposal to add avalanche safety training and snowmobile riding training to their existing permit to provide snowmobile rentals and tours on the Deschutes National Forest. RecConnect offered guidance as to the content of the proposal and provided editorial assistance. The proposal was approved.
Expert Witness Consulting

RecConnect was contacted by a California law firm to provide consultation services on a snowmobile lawsuit. We provided insight based on our experience and perspective and we provided direction to resources that may be helpful in the case.
NOHVCC Minnesota OHV Management Workshop, Houston, MN

In June 2011, the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council conducted a statewide workshop in the tiny town of Houston. To boost their economy, the town is exploring options to purchase nearby land to construct an OHV trail system. RecConnect was brought in to help assess the potential of the site, especially from a 4WD perspective; help present workshop materials; and conduct the field portion of the workshop.
Ocala OHV Trail System Assessment, Ocala, Florida

The Ocala National Forest started managing OHV use in 2007 and they have done an outstanding job. Traditional "ride anywhere" use has been converted to designated routes only, and resource damage is now resource protection. It is an OHV success story in the making. RecConnect was brought in to assess the Ocala's current status and make recommendations on any necessary mid-course corrections. RecConnect spent four days riding the trails and meeting with staff and recreationists, and then wrote a comprehensive 29-page report with observations and recommendations. The emphasis was on public safety and action items that could be done from a trail design, location, maintenance, signing, mapping, and education standpoint that could help protect public safety while also providing a quality recreation experience.

RecConnect also created an OHV sign plan template which will be used to provide consistent, effective signing for all of the National Forests in Florida.
Sustainable OHV Trail Layout & Design Clinic, Bend, Oregon

To help forests learn how to implement their travel management plans, RecConnect conducted a three-day trail layout and design clinic. We discussed essential OHV management principles, engineering principles, and design principles, then the attendees actually located trails in the field after being given trail objectives. Each trail was then critiqued by the entire group. This was a very popular session and there were attendees from the US and Canada.

Dick addressing the group during the field portion of an OHV management workshop. Teaching trail layout & design principles. Addressing a group of stakeholders on rehabilitation techniques.
Oregon State Snowmobile Association, LaPine, Oregon

Faced with the potential closure of a popular snowmobile riding area, RecConnect was contacted to help OSSA address the issue. We prepared a document that outlined the history of the area; identified the real issues; and proposed alternative actions that were viable solutions. We then met with our opponents and a Senator's aide to discuss the issue. Only RecConnect came to the table prepared to look at alternaives or solutions that were different than their original agenda, and OSSA, through RecConnect, was able to assume a leadership role and be pro-active and visionary in offerring real solutions.
OHV Park Ranch Assessment, North Central, CA

RecConnect was contacted to assess the feasibility of building an OHV trail system and park on 2000 acres of rolling ranch land in north central California. We spent two days touring the property and then wrote a comprehensive report for the client which outlined the potential for trails, facilities, amenities, and other park activities. The report also discussed timelines, costs, 18 steps that needed to be taken before the property could be purchased, and other recommended actions.
Bear Creek OHV Trail System, Kelowna, BC

RecConnect returned to British Columbia in May 2008 to continue trail planning and begin trail layout and design. Knowing the difficulty of transforming an unmanaged area into a managed trail system, we implemented a Trail Patrol program to begin the task of rider education. More than 650 riders were contacted and 220 sound tests were performed. The reception of the riders to new rules was overwhelmingly positive. RecConnect continued to work with an advisory committee of stakeholders to balance their interests with sound OHV management and design. Since the stakeholders had never seen a managed trail system or a sustainable trail, we decided to implement a small area as a Demonstration Project on about 500 acres. Approval was finally given to start work in early October 2008. Faced with an inexperienced crew, a lot of work, and a short weather window, a lot had to happen in a short period of time. We brought in an experienced equipment operator to train the crew in the safe operation and maintenance of the equipment while we trained the crew on the vision and technical aspects of trail construction. We constructed single-track with a mini-excavator; double-track with a Sweco dozer; ripped, closed, seeded and fertilized existing non-sustainable trails; installed signing; made an interim map; installed trail hardenting, and constructed rock check dams for erosion control on steep, heavily eroded hillclimbs. All of the work that was feasible to implement in the Demonstration Project area was completed before the winter set in. For the first time, riders now had signed, mapped trails with consistent and signed difficulty and their response was again overwhlemingly positive. During this implementation, RecConnect also designed a trailhead and campground which will be constructed in 2009.
Virginia Recreation & Park Society, Richmond, Virginia

RecConnect was invited to speak at this prestigious conference in October 2008. We conducted two sessions: one on OHV Trails- Designing and Managing for Sustainability; and one on Sustainable Trails- The Role of Volunteers. Both sessions earned continuing education credits for the attendees.
National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) Trail Sustainability Workshops

The next step in the travel management process is to print the Motor Vehicle Use Map and implement the decisions made during the process. To help with that process, NOHVCC developed Trail Sustainability Workshops and RecConnect helped build the curriculum and presentations for the workshops. These are "nuts and bolts" workshops designed to give the client the tools to implement and manage a successful OHV trail system. In July 2008, RecConnect assisted NOHVCC in conducting one of these workshops in Mena Arkansas.
Quartz Creek OHV Project, Medford BLM Field Office, Grants Pass, Oregon

In a pro-active effort to provide for and manage OHV recreation, the Medford District is considering a managed trail system in Quartz Creek. The area contains a network of user-created trails in steep coastal terrain. To add to the complexity, the area is "checkerboard" ownership where every other section is privately owned and there are trails on private as well as public lands. The BLM will need to pursue agreements with the landowners in order to have a viable trail system. RecConnect was brought in to assess the sustainability of some of the trails and make recommendations on inventory and relocation needs. We were also asked to identify potential trailhead areas, develop a conceptual trail plan, and help outline the next steps in project development.
Moon Rocks/Hungry Valley Recreation Lands. Reno, Nevada

Hungry Valley is a block of BLM land nearly surrounded by subdivisions and the urban sprawl of the Reno-Sparks area in northern Nevada. It is a classic example of the issues associated with heavy demand for multiple and sometimes conflicting recreation uses in the urban interface. RecConnect has been brought in to help the Carson City BLM Field Office and the Great Basin Institute resolve these issues. We have met with user groups and have consulted on signing, mapping, and the locations for trailheads, staging areas, and other facilities. To guide the installation of portal signs, kiosks, and future developments, we have developed conceptual site plans for nine facility locations.
British Columbia Provincial OHV Workshop, Kelowna, B.C.

Like most areas, British Columbia is seeing a surge in OHV use and is starting to see the need to pro-actively manage that use. The Province is considering a pilot project that can be used as an example of successful OHV management throughout the Province and other Canadian Provinces. This two-day workshop was hosted cooperatively by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport, and the Arts and the Okanagan Trail Riders Association. The goal of the workshop was to provide education to the Provincial Government, the enthusiasts, and other stakeholders on how to successfully provide for and manage sustainable OHV recreation. The first day was a seminar focussing on user needs, planning, design, education, and enforcement; and the second day was a field trip to examine issues on the ground and discuss the possible resolution of those issues.

See announcement on the Victoria Motorcycle Club's website...
Bear Creek OHV Trail System, Kelowna, B.C.

Bear Creek is a 100,000 acre block of land that was designated to be managed for intensive motorized recreation in the Okanagan-Shuswap Land & Resource Management Plan. It is the largest designated recreation site in the Province. The area has been traditionally used by motorcyclists and there is a large network of user-created trails. Some of these are not sustainable and have resulted in some significant resource impacts. To their credit, the Okanagan Trail Riders Association (OTRA) recognized that something needed to change or their riding opportunities could be at risk. They re-organized the club, secured a large grant, ordered a Sweco trail dozer, and hired RecConnect to plan and implement a sustainable OHV trail system. The planning process has been initiated and is being led by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport, and the Arts (MTSA) which administers all Provincial recreation sites. We have formed an OTRA design team, written comprehensive draft managament and sign plans, and are working on conceptual trail plans. The planning is scheduled to be completed this winter with implementation beginning in the spring 2008.
NOHVCC Route Designation Workshops.

In response to the USDA-Forest Service Motorized Rule, Dick worked with NOHVCC (the National OHV Conservation Council) to develop a training curriculum for the agency and enthusiasts. These four-day workshops explain the Rule, how and when to participate, who the enthusiasts are & what they want, and how to plan & design sustainable OHV trail systems. For more info, go to www.nohvcc.org. In 2007, RecConnect has helped NOHVCC conduct these workshops in Michigan, Nebraska, Montana, Eastern Oregon, Florida, Western Oregon, and Western Colorado.

Read article "Power Tools: Tools to Protect Your Access"...
Expert Witness, Portland, Oregon

Dick provided testimony for the plaintiff in a motorcycle injury case on a trail system in Washington. He reviewed the site, took pictuures and wrote a formal report on findings and recommendations from an OHV mangement perspective. He reviewed and analyzed all depositions and provided guidance and strategy to the plaintiff's attorney. After Dick's deposition, the case was settled out of court within ten days. The attorney rated Dick's performance as a "10".
Implementation Workshop, Big Cypress National Preserve, National Park Service, Ochopee, Florida.

After a site visit and tour by air, swamp buggy, airboat, and kayak, we conducted a workshop for their implementation team and presented the tools necessary to successfully implement and manage their OHV program. We also wrote a site visit report to capsulize our findings and recommendations. (Click Here for Pics)
Lost Ox OHV Trail System, Ely BLM Field Office, Ely, Nevada.

After consulting on the conceptual design, RecConnect was awarded multi-year contracts with the BLM and the Great Basin Institute to verify the feasibility of the conceptual plan, perform trail layout and design, trailhead location and design, construction staking, and construction oversight. This 200-mile trail system will be the first designated, managed OHV trail system in the area. (Click Here for Pics) Note: this project was cancelled by the BLM in April 2007.
Multi-Use Trail Workshop, Alberta Recreation Corridor Coordinating Committee, Edmonton, Alberta.

The Province desires to create a network of inter-connected trail corridors for multiple user groups. RecConnect performed a two-day workshop for the ARCCC to provide insight on user needs and trail design. The outcome was a draft of corridor trail designation criteria.
Mini-OHV Workshop, Carson City BLM Field Office, Carson City, Nevada.

RecConnect performed a two-day site visit of the Hungry Valley/Moon Rocks area and conducted a short workshop focussing on developing a volunteer trail ranger program. The end product was a draft of conceptual staging area locations; signing and management plan concepts; and a written site visit report.
Florida NOHVCC OHV Management Workshop, National OHV Conservation Council, Ocala, Florida.

NOHVCC is well-known for their role in promoting responsible, sustainable OHV recreation through education, design, and management. This workshop drew attendees from thoughout Florida and the Southeast and a site visit was conducted on the OHV trails of the Ocala National Forest. (Click Here for Pics)
RecConnect OHV Workshop, Professional Trail Builders Association, Reno, Nevada.

As part of the annual PTBA conference, we conducted a one-day comprehensive OHV workshop titled: "Sustainable OHV Trails: How to Design and Manage for Success." This drew participants from throughout the lower 48 states plus Alaska, Hawaii, and several of the Canadian Provinces.Topics included: who are the users, understanding user's needs, trail planning, trail design, location techniques, signing, mapping, education, volunteer trail patrol, and enforcement. This workshop gave the attendees the tools and concepts to turn challenges and frustrations into successful OHV programs. This was so well-received in 2006 that we updated the material and conducted another workshop in 2007.

It doesn't take long to successfully turn a road into a trail
After being ripped & blocked, this user-created trail will heal quickly
An example of good trail location & flow in open country

Hummer Tour Development, Central Oregon Adventures, Sunriver, Oregon.

Central Oregon Adventures (COA) is a large outdoor recreation rental, outfitter, and guide company. They wanted to expand to include Hummer tours and hired RecConnect to develop an implementation strategy and to identify and map proposed routes that would combine scenery with 4-wheel drive challenge. We identified a preferred route, but the Forest Service had concerns with the concept of a Hummer tour. We addressed those concerns, helped write an interpretive plan, and urged our client to conduct a sample tour with the Forest officials. We did a pre-run of the tour and helped COA strategize their approach. The tour with the Forest officials was very successful and approval was given to start the Hummer tours in the spring of 2008.(Click Here for Pics)
(www.coadventures.biz)
Shoshone OHV Trail Location and Design, Battle Mountain BLM Field Office, Battle Mountain, Nevada

This is a proactive project by the BLM to implement a designated, managed OHV trail system in an area that is currently open to unrestricted use. Dick visited the area in 2003 and developed a conceptual plan for a 500-mile trail system. In 2004, Dick was invited back to start locating the 55 miles of new trail necessary to connect together the 200-mile Phase I of the system. (Click Here for Pics) Then RecConnect was awarded a contract to verify the feasibility of the Phase I conceptual plan, recommend addtions/changes, and locate and design 43.6 miles of OHV trail in the beautiful Shoshone range. Dick spent most of the 2005 summer on this project while coping with severe heat, wind, and pesky rattlesnakes. In all, he completed the location of 53 miles of trail with the highlight being the proposed skyline trail which follows the razorback crest of the Shoshone at 8500 feet.
Idaho NOHVCC OHV Management Workshop, National OHV Conservation Council, Boise, Idaho.

NOHVCC is well-known for their role in promoting responsible, sustainable OHV recreation through education, design, and management. This workshop stressed balanced recreation opportunities with resource protection. RecConnect contracts with NOHVCC to help conduct powerpoint presentations and educational field trips.
COHVCO Forest Plan Critique and Response, Colorado OHV Coalition, Littleton, Colorado.

RecConnect was retained by COHVCO to help them critique documents, review maps, and prepare substantive responses to the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison forest plan revision and to the GMUG travel management plan.
Lake Canyon Trail System, Manti-LaSal National Forest, Price, Utah.

Located in the high alpine meadows and aspen groves, this area is the destination playground for the Wasatch Front, so it receives heavy recreation use. Dick consulted here in 2001 and completed a conceptual trail plan. With the environmental assessment completed in 2004, Dick was invited back to locate the final flaglines and oversee construction. The project consisted of 10 miles of primarily OHV trails (although, they are really multiple-use trails) that includes four bridges, three learner loops, and one play area. (Click Here for Pics)
Little Rattlesnake 4x4 Trail, Wenatchee National Forest, Naches, Washington.

This project involves the relocation of a popular four-wheel drive trail. The old trail had unacceptable crossings of a fish-bearing stream, traversed riparian conservation areas, and passed through Late Successional Reserves (LSRs). Dick was invited up in 2002 to help assess the situation and develop alternatives. He returned later that year to attend a critical meeting with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the interdisciplinary team. The result was a consensus and the NEPA process was able to begin. Dick was invited back in 2003 to finalize the location of this 6-mile trail. The NEPA was successfully completed and construction was able to begin in 2004.
Prospect OHV Trail System, Rogue River National Forest, Prospect, Oregon.

This was a complex, multi-year project that brought OHV use on an entire Ranger District under management. Dick consulted for many years during the planning phase of this project and then returned to do most of the final trail layout and oversee construction. The result was a very scenic 250-mile trail system that required 35-miles of new construction. At the core of the area is the Woodruff Staging Area which includes a group camp area/trailhead, a play area, a motocross-like track, a learner loop, and three very dense, serpentine trails that make up "The Maze." (Click Here for Pics)

Creating technical 4WD trails Creating interesting trails from boring roads A series of check dams to control erosion & rehab a gully