Thunder Mountain Wheelers

04/11/2026

Gate Closure Notice – Gates 06, 07 & 08, National Forest System Road (NFSR) 402 (Divide Road)

As of April 4, The GMUG has closed three gates on NFSR 402 this to protect soft roadbeds during spring moisture conditions.

Gate 06 – Ouray Ranger District
• Located at the junction of NFSR 402 and NFSR 540 (Old Highway 90)
• Gate sits north of NFSR 540, effectively closing NFSR 402

Gate 07 – Ouray Ranger District
• Located at the junction of NFSR 402 and NFSR 540 (Old Highway 90)
• Positioned south of NFSR 540, effectively closing NFSR 402

Gate 08 – Norwood Ranger District
• Located at the junction of NFSR 402 and NFSR 510 (Dave Wood Road)
• Positioned north of NFSR 510, effectively closing NFSR 402

Gates will be reopened as soon as conditions dry out enough to prevent resource damage. Thank you for helping protect forest resources and traveling safely during wet spring conditions.

04/06/2026

Business of the week.

04/06/2026

Dear Members:
It’s finally Spring! Time to plan rides, be outside and feel the sunshine on our faces. That means it is time to resume our monthly Thunder Mountain Wheeler meetings. Our next meeting will be on meeting will be on April 27th at 6 P.M. It will be a potluck meeting with the club providing fried chicken. The club will no longer provide drinks.
Thank you for your continued commitment and dedication to the Thunder Mountain Wheelers.
Please remember to print and fill you 2026 membership application and the signed waiver. They must be completed every year. Please return it as soon as possible or bring it to send it in or bring it to the meeting.
We are looking forward to a wonderful summer of activities and rides. As always, I would love to hear your ideas for events, rides, speakers or any other topic you would like to visit about. I look forward to seeing each of you.
Good Health and Safe Riding To ALL.

Debbie Griffith
President

03/19/2026

As temperatures rise and snow begins to melt across the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests, the Forest Service is asking visitors to help protect forest roads and natural resources by avoiding travel on soft, wet surfaces and respecting seasonal road closures.

Visitors can help by:
• Staying off wet or muddy roads and trails.
• Honoring all posted gate closures and signs.
• Checking road conditions before heading out.
• Turning around when roads are soft enough to leave ruts.

02/11/2026

This is a very important issue. Please submit comments

02/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1GARqBscwM/?mibextid=wwXIfr

One hundred years ago this week… Improvements were being planned for the Grand Mesa.

The Surface Creek Champion reported, “More and better facilities will be installed for the benefit of the ever-growing caravans of tourists. Campgrounds will be cleared and improved at Mesa and Cottonwood lakes. Other campgrounds will be installed at Island, Carp (now Cobett), Ward, and between Alexander and Barron lakes.”

“Nearly 350 miles of new trails will be constructed at a cost of $1,500, this being the largest trail building program ever attempted on this forest. One man will be employed in each of the several districts all summer on these trails. These trails include forest fire, livestock, and hiking trails.”

But, as one can guess there was some controversy and disagreement about the proposed plans. “While many fishermen have asked that a road be built into Cottonwood lakes, a greater number requested that these big fishing waters be kept forever free from automobiles. Sportsmen claim that the fishing is immediately ruined when fish haunts are made more accessible to motorists.” Forest Supervisor Ray Peck, the story states, decided not to attempt building a road to the Cottonwoods, instead allocating abut $300 to improve the trail leading to those lakes.

The largest existing stand of mature timber trees, was to be opened up to logging with a road being built near Paonia up Hubbard Creek. The story states there are 50 million feet of mature timber ready for the mill in this stand.

Another contested part of the plan, according to the Champion, is that nearly all the road improvements were to be made on the Mesa County side of the Mesa, even though a larger part of the traffic originates on the southern side.

01/30/2026

01/22/2026

Yesterday all 8 members of The Tree Crew met for our monthly lunch. It is rare for all of us to congregate at the same time due to different commitments.
We start clearing fallen trees 1 or 2 days a week from ATV trails in April, depending on snow conditions, from the Divide Forks ATV Complex on the Uncompahgre Plateau, then move to Hightower, Vega area & usually finish up in the Battlement / Brush Creek areas. Depending on weather and winds we often time have to revisit some trails.
We usually end up with 3 to 6 guys on a tree cutting excursion and they are not slow leisurely rides as often times we cut over 100 trees a day.

12/23/2025

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