It comes with great frustration to say it, but once again, Scotch Line (aka Minden Hydro Line) has been sabotaged by…someone.
Although there is wide-spread assumptions that a certain group of people are responsible, there is at this point no hard proof, so I will abstain from spreading the assumption.
Since the trails opened May 1st, several 4×4 groups have reported finding nails and broken glass scattered all over, and in, many of the obstacles. The various 4×4 groups and clubs (and I’m sure the ATV folks also) have been busy picking it all up by the bucket load, in attempts to keep the trails usable and safe for the various trail users.
*Photos from OF4WD Facebook Group
This vandalism was one of the topics discussed at an emergency meeting held by the OF4WD to keep its members informed of the situation, and of what steps can be taken to mitigate risks to the trail users.
Many people have already decided to avoid the trail entirely, which is of course exactly what the saboteurs want. But the people responsible for this don’t seem to care that this trail is also of vital importance to the hydro line workers and arborists who are responsible for maintaining/repairing the power lines, and the trees, that run through this corridor. Obviously these power lines are of vital importance to the community at large but they are also vital to communities far away. Should there be a problem with those power lines resulting in a large power loss, that situation could be made much worse if a repair person becomes stranded or injured while attempting to get to the right location to address the problem. Now there will be another problem.
It’s important to mention that much of the glass and nails are being dumped in the water holes and ponds, hidden from view. Many of these water holes need to be walked first to check for hidden obstacles like rocks, sunken logs, etc, and children often play in them. Clearly there is the potential for someone to get injured by stepping on a nail or piece of glass.
It’s also important to mention that the Emergency Room in Minden is closed, and the nearest hospital is now over 20min drive away.
With all this in mind, please use extreme caution should you decide to explore this trail. If you find anything on the trail that may cause injury, or damage to vehicles, please collect it and dispose of it properly and safely. Please also take the time to report it to the OF4WD. so that they can keep track of the situation, and keep the authorities updated on frequency and severity of this ongoing problem.
Previous Post
Next Post
