Bear wallow Hatfield and McCoy

toyotanuts · Apr 11, 2016

Interested if the new trail system is any good? I liked ivy even though you couldn't find much info.

Anyone been there yet?
Any pictures?
How is it compared to ivy?
Looking for place to stay close?
Thanks

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onepieceatatime · Apr 11, 2016

Re:

Highcountryoffroad.com those guys have been helping to cut trails and Jbain on there is very knowledgeable on it. They're saying it's gonna be tougher than Ivy which is exciting. Ivy was the first place I went rock crawling about 6 years ago and is still one of my favorite places to ride. The traction there is amazing and can make anybody look like a pro. They say Bearwallow is very similar.

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toyotanuts · Apr 11, 2016

onepieceatatime said:
Highcountryoffroad.com those guys have been helping to cut trails and Jbain on there is very knowledgeable on it. They're saying it's gonna be tougher than Ivy which is exciting. Ivy was the first place I went rock crawling about 6 years ago and is still one of my favorite places to ride. The traction there is amazing and can make anybody look like a pro. They say Bearwallow is very similar.

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I was hoping to hear that. All the pictures I find look like mud puddles and that's it.

09zkrankin · Apr 11, 2016

Re:

Havent been, but some of the guys i work with have ridden four wheelers up there and they said there is quite a bit of rock, but that alot of it as sharp, tire cutting rocks. Id like to check it out sometime as im not too awful far from there

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canepari · Apr 11, 2016

It's Hatfield and McCoys first trail system and whats been there is very ez. With the closing of IVY and Bear Wallow on the decline they decided to give us a days pass to check it out last fall. We've only explored 1/3 or less of the 5,500 acres and it's got a lot of potencial. I'll see If I can get Jerry over here to post some info and pics, he's been in there multiple times and has been scouting and opening up some great trails.

toyotanuts · Apr 11, 2016

canepari said:
It's Hatfield and McCoys first trail system and whats been there is very ez. With the closing of IVY and Bear Wallow on the decline they decided to give us a days pass to check it out last fall. We've only explored 1/3 or less of the 5,500 acres and it's got a lot of potencial. I'll see If I can get Jerry over here to post some info and pics, he's been in there multiple times and has been scouting and opening up some great trails.

Great info thanks
I heard some people still go to ivy. I would love to go back there
House close to entrance, good trails,

canepari · Apr 11, 2016

There's a lot of information at Highcountryoffroad.org

jbain8 · Apr 13, 2016

When the landowner died and HMT lost the lease on IVY Branch Jeff Lusk (Executive Director) immediately started looking for a new trail system to replace it with. Bearwallow was one of the original 3 that was opened more than 20 years ago to ATV's and Bikes and was in need of some work. Our group was asked to come in and assess the park and see if it was a suitable replacement. We have only scouted about 1/3 of the park (Jeff also informed me we there was an additional 5k acres on the current lease that has never been looked at) and have 7 new trails identified. 1 is kinda easy but the exit is very tough and most will winch. 2 are less than a quarter mile but very tough Double Blacks. 4 are very tough Double Black and as an added bonus are very long, one is over 1.5 miles long. I would say currently Bearwallow is a 2 or 3 day event. 3 of the 7 trails are complete and open with the other 4 coming on line next weekend. HMT has also agreed to do something they wouldn't do at IVY and that's put up signs with the trail names on them.

jbain8 · Apr 13, 2016

Bearwallowed opened to Full Size Vehicles on March 25th and at the Grand Opening I had the opportunity to meet the landowner who leased the land to HMT. I persuaded him to don a helmet and try out some light crawling on his property. He was hesitant at first but after a little instruction he was a natural, he had the time of his life. When a landowner leases land to HMT they still have the overall approval for what trails get built and what trails don't. We definitely have this guy on our side now.

jbain8 · Apr 13, 2016

Current Trails Open

jbain8 · Apr 13, 2016

jbain8 · Apr 13, 2016

The 3 hardest trails are still being cleared but should be finished next weekend, for anyone interested here is the link back to our site that shows alot of the scouting pics.

http://www.highcountryoffroad.org/forum/index.php?topic=1972.0

jp fan · Apr 13, 2016

Great job working and getting the land owner involved trails look great

jbain8 · Apr 13, 2016

jp fan said:
Great job working and getting the land owner involved trails look great

Right on, at one point on a steep incline I told him to make sure he kept his right foot against the tunnel so he didn't accidentally bounce the throttle. When I looked down his leg was shaking and when I looked up he was smiling ear to ear..... that's when I knew I had him hooked. :dblthumb:

onepieceatatime · Apr 14, 2016

Re:

http://wvmetronews.com/2016/03/25/trail-welcomes-back-full-sized-off-roading/#.VvpPYKfYwll.facebook

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Jmoore938 · Apr 14, 2016

Can't wait to get down to Bear Wallow and check out the trails!

jbain8 · Apr 15, 2016

I've set up a trail clearing event for the 22nd of April to help HMT finish up the last 3 trails. Then the group from HCC and XXXX out of VA plan to knock as much green off the rocks as possible on the 23rd. Should have some good pics to share, here are a few scouting pics of the 3 trails we'll be focusing on. "The Rock", "Shaft" and "Long Crawl" all three are over a mile long and the latter is almost two miles long.

onepieceatatime · Apr 15, 2016

Re:

Hate to sound like a *****, but might wanna keep an eye out for good places to make exits? A 2 mile rock trail sounds like my kind of a good time but it will be hell limping a broke rig 2 miles through a trail.
Kinda wish I wasn't planning on. Windrock this weekend. Would love to come help out.

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jbain8 · Apr 15, 2016

This is a good point, dragging a broke rig out of a trail is no fun so we scouted exits as well. The Rock, has at least 3 exits that we plan to clear that are old haul roads. Shaft, crosses 2 existing trails as it makes its way up. The last section which will inevitably be the toughest, has an existing trail to the right it's entire length. Long Crawl, has an existing road on the left for the last mile and 2 existing exits via haul roads. Crawlfish has no exits it's through or back. Pickle is short but has an existing road on the left. Two Barrel has an existing road on the right for it's entire length. Deadfall is like Crawlfish and has not exits but it's pretty short and really the exit is what makes it challenging.