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noski
03-18-2011, 10:13 AM
If it were me, I would avoid the gravel roads for a while....

Hawk
03-18-2011, 10:52 AM
If it were me, I would avoid the gravel roads for a while....

I was just wondering that as I plan my departure. Do you have bad reports coming in?

noski
03-18-2011, 11:09 AM
This morning, 4 cars off/stuck on Roxbury Gap. Flatbed stuck. I couldn't drive in today, Mr. noski had to drive me in the PU. My AWD Ford Fusion was just not high off the ground for the depth of this year's mud. MAYBE if it cools down a lot, and MAYBE if towns grade the roads when cold, you could make it through. Today's wind is actually a great help.

If Treeskier reads this, there is a HELLATIOUS frost heave just above the Knoll Farm. It will sneak up on you. Not bad going down, but disaster going up if you are too fast.

Hrdstrt
03-18-2011, 11:44 AM
Heard it is now closed through the weekend. I imagine the spot by the alpaca farm is where it's nasty.

Treeskier
03-18-2011, 01:18 PM
Thanks NoSki. It's been on Bragg Hill for a few weeks now. When you see the Knoll Farm Rd. sign steer out of it's way.

atkinson
03-18-2011, 01:19 PM
Roxbury Gap is officially closed. I would be very surprised if Moretown Gap is still passable too. Stick to the paved roads and watch out for frost heaves and potholes! Check back for updates as cooler temps return tonight.

John

noski
03-18-2011, 01:29 PM
Thanks NoSki. It's been on Bragg Hill for a few weeks now. When you see the Knoll Farm Rd. sign steer out of it's way.
Yes, I go that way every day, just didn't know if you had been up in the last couple weeks. Someone nicely hung pink surveyor's tape in the trees and bushes so we could see it. The edge of the road there, btw is beginning to come apart.

shadyjay
03-18-2011, 05:08 PM
If coming from the south, take Exit 3 and take 107W to 100N. Blackmer Blvd is a shortcut, just past the school in Stockbridge, but part of that is now dirt. Only a small part and relatively flat.

teleo
03-18-2011, 05:11 PM
Thanks for the updates, and the reminder that it's the time of year to take the long way.

ski_resort_observer
03-18-2011, 09:15 PM
Thanks for the updates, and the reminder that it's the time of year to take the long way.

Good advice! Bethel Mtn Rd is all paved but I bet there are some huge frost heaves on it. 100B>100 is in good shape but there are some potholes.

After two glorious days of spring skiing the weekend looks pretty sunny with some cooler temps.

HowieT2
03-18-2011, 09:22 PM
just got in. west hill road is like molasses. hate that feeling.

atkinson
03-19-2011, 10:52 AM
Roxbury Gap is open again, due to road crew efforts and cooler temps. I'd be very hesitant to try it on Sunday afternoon though.

John

skiladi
03-20-2011, 09:30 AM
If coming from the south, take Exit 3 and take 107W to 100N. Blackmer Blvd is a shortcut, just past the school in Stockbridge, but part of that is now dirt. Only a small part and relatively flat.

Took that route recently and the "rough road" part is full of holes. I went the long way home down 107 and not many holes but hit one frostheave that felt like an amusement park ride. Kinda fun actually. ; } p.s. good tires, good shocks. cat and dog liked it too!

djd66
03-23-2011, 10:57 AM
Just trying to plan the travel for Friday - is the Gap Ok for travel?

gostan
03-24-2011, 06:28 PM
Just trying to plan the travel for Friday - is the Gap Ok for travel?A Gap update for us flatlanders would be welcomed.

Mtnlady
03-25-2011, 04:29 AM
Roxbury Mtn Rd is OK - frozen. Most is smoothed out. Some has frozen ruts - ride the ridges.
Watch out if we get any snow as it could hides some ruts. But unless you have low clearance
or are inattentive, that approach is fine for this weekend.

cmoore
04-01-2011, 01:58 PM
Any recent experience?

ThinkSno
04-04-2011, 07:35 AM
Yes, how's the gap drive these days?

Hawk
04-04-2011, 07:45 AM
Yes, how's the gap drive these days?

As a general rule if it is warm, say 40+ for more than a day then you stand a fair chance of it being challenging until all of the frost is out of the ground. If it rains then the same applies. If you are heading over and it has been in the 30's or lower and below freezing at night then you are probably good. That being said, I have not heard of any horror stories except for a few weeks ago when they closed it for a couple of days.

Hrdstrt
04-04-2011, 12:32 PM
Used the gap saturday afternoon. It was in decent shape for this time of year. The normal problem spots had some ruts, that might be problematic for the lowest of sports cars, but most everyone would be fine.

djd66
04-04-2011, 01:29 PM
How about paving that road?? Seems to me - the amount of traffic that travels the road, it is needed.

Hrdstrt
04-04-2011, 03:42 PM
How about paving that road?? Seems to me - the amount of traffic that travels the road, it is needed.
You buying? The town of Roxbury doesn't lack for projects to put it's tax revenue to use on.

djd66
04-04-2011, 04:21 PM
How about paving that road?? Seems to me - the amount of traffic that travels the road, it is needed.
You buying? The town of Roxbury doesn't lack for projects to put it's tax revenue to use on.

Actually I am buying,... i pay a sh*% load in property taxes, and consume very little services. I wouldn't expect the town to pay for it, i think the state should be kicking in to pay for that road - as that is who take most of my money. If I had to drive that road on a regular basis (like the people that live in Northfield and work in the MRV), I would be PO'd

muddy_hollow
04-05-2011, 05:30 AM
Driving the gap during ski season is always interesting, but you save 15-20 minutes as compared to other routes into the valley? I don't really see it as a major issue that I have to choose one of the other routes back to 89 for the later part of the season Seriously, what's the big deal? Time for 1 beer Friday night or having to tivo the first fifteen minutes of your favorite Sunday night show?

Paving the Gap would ruin it. The state needs it's dough for single payer health care ;)

Hawk
04-05-2011, 06:35 AM
It's not a state road or highway. Why would the state want to pay for it? Hell they can't even keep up with Rt. 100 between Warren and Waitsfield. That is one of the toughest sections on a road bike anywere. :wink: I would love to see them fix that first. As for the Towns paving it, I would think that Warren would do more before Roxbury. I am sure that Roxbury does not have that big a tax base. Nope, I wouldn't expect anything to be done any time soon.

I actually use the gap every time and except for a couple of times a year it is very good. I drive an Outback and have no probblems.

noski
04-05-2011, 08:38 AM
Many times our gravel roads are in better shape than the paved roads. I would fear for my life if Fayston ever paved Center Fayston or Kew Vasseur. When we have freezing you-know-what, I avoid the paved portion of Bragg Hill, looping around Glen View instead.

ThinkSno
04-07-2011, 11:03 AM
Thanks for all the helpful info. I don't really think the gap needs to be paved. It's kinda fun seeing all the BMW's and Audi's with MA plates driving at 2 miles an hour when I pass them in my truck. :wink:

gostan
04-07-2011, 11:27 AM
Thanks for all the helpful info. I don't really think the gap needs to be paved. It's kinda fun seeing all the BMW's and Audi's with MA plates driving at 2 miles an hour when I pass them in my truck. :wink:9 of us from MA in our house & not a Beemer or Quatro amongst us. Plenty of Dynastars though. :roll:

Hawk
04-08-2011, 06:53 AM
Thanks for all the helpful info. I don't really think the gap needs to be paved. It's kinda fun seeing all the BMW's and Audi's with New York and New Jersey plates driving at 2 miles an hour when I pass them in my truck. :wink:9 of us from MA in our house & not a Beemer or Quatro amongst us. Plenty of Dynastars though. :roll:

I fixed it for ya. :wink:

Yard Sale
04-08-2011, 12:14 PM
Thanks for all the helpful info. I don't really think the gap needs to be paved. It's kinda fun seeing all the BMW's and Audi's with New York and New Jersey plates driving at 2 miles an hour when I pass them in my truck. :wink:9 of us from MA in our house & not a Beemer or Quatro amongst us. Plenty of Dynastars though. :roll:

I fixed it for ya. :wink:

Cruise over the Gap every weekend in a freekin' mini-van. Mud season aside, the road just isn't as bad as its rep. Or maybe it's the Mass plates? :wink:

Hawk
04-09-2011, 07:23 AM
Good one YS! I am with you. :wink:

djd66
04-09-2011, 07:47 AM
I cruise over regularly too,... and don't have any trouble. It does beat the sh*& out of my vehicle though. In my opinion - the amount of traffic that uses that road - why wouldn't they pave it? Same thing with Lover's Lane - its freaking ridiculous. In the summer time, both road turn into dust bowls - if I lived on either road, I would not be too happy about that. I personally know a Northfield resident that ruined her car because of the condition of the road,... and I'm sure there are plenty more.

Hawk
04-10-2011, 08:38 AM
I cruise over regularly too,... and don't have any trouble. It does beat the sh*& out of my vehicle though. In my opinion - the amount of traffic that uses that road - why wouldn't they pave it? Same thing with Lover's Lane - its freaking ridiculous. In the summer time, both road turn into dust bowls - if I lived on either road, I would not be too happy about that. I personally know a Northfield resident that ruined her car because of the condition of the road,... and I'm sure there are plenty more.

It all comes down to money. At several thousand dollars a lineal foot now a days to rework the base, add new material and pave with 6" of asphalt it is not a cheap proposition. Add that the state has now cut way subsidies to the towns that already have a challege to meeet thier budgets. Again I say don't expect anything soon.

noski
04-14-2011, 08:02 AM
I am not sure how many days this will last but the Roxbury Gap (and Ctr Fayston, so I am sure many back roads) have developed HUGE frost heaves, and I mean as in launching pads. It's not that the mud is horrible, albeit it's definitely there, the "speedbumps" are impressive.

win
04-14-2011, 01:11 PM
Yes. They are huge and near the field with the horses on the Bottom of the Roxbury side, the mud is very challenging. Saw a suburu stuck there yesterday. It is passable but you want an SUV.

Hardbooter
04-14-2011, 03:03 PM
Bragg Hill Road has had a pretty epic pothole near Knoll Farm for about the last two months. It's mellowed a lot but I still drive with caution in that area. Hopefully mellow temps and frequent pounding by cars will smooth it out.

Also, for about the last month or so the deer were very active in the fields which made for some pretty exciting late night driving. I assume that they've moved on since those fields were some of the first places that the snow melted. My guess is that they can find grass in a more secluded setting farther from my headlights.

noski
04-15-2011, 02:46 PM
Just got words from the folks on the hill that Roxbury Gap is closed today/tonight. Not sure when she will reopen, so plan an alternate route if you are coming up!

Hrdstrt
04-23-2011, 09:41 AM
Any word on the road?

Hawk
04-23-2011, 04:22 PM
It was closed on Thursday night when we came up. Can't say what it is like now.

noski
04-28-2011, 07:24 AM
Gap was reopened Tuesday, but reports are it's still very soupy.

flakeydog
04-28-2011, 01:07 PM
Bummer. I thought it was closed for paving and the addition of passing lanes.....

ski_resort_observer
05-04-2011, 01:48 AM
The Warren Selectboard meeting a couple of weeks ago the town's summer paving projects were disscussed. Course, the Access Rd was top of the adgenda but they did discuss some paving on the Roxbury Gap Rd. The dirt sections on the Warren side are alot shorter than the Roxbury side.

It doesn't seem that paving any parts of the Roxbury side is a big priority for them. If you have a proper vehicle it's only an issue a few weeks a year. Many MRV employees communte over it every day. It is what it is and they deal with it.