Don Amador at Vista Point
China Wall OSV Area, Tahoe NF
QWR supports the efforts of the Forest Service and other
land agencies to update and enhance their OSV management programs. Tenets of managed snowmobile recreation should
include designated trails and open areas, adequate staging/parking, quality
signing, partnerships, maps, education, and enforcement.
OSV Trail in the China Wall OSV Area
Tahoe NF
One important and effective management tool is the enforcement
of reasonable sound laws for motorized vehicles.
Winter Recreation Travel Management Sign
The greater OHV community (users, agencies, clubs, local
government, etc.) realized many years ago that excessively loud exhaust noise from
modified dirt-bikes and ATVs created conflicts with other user groups. In some cases, those conflicts resulted in
riding areas being closed to motorized recreation or prevented new trails from
being designated for OHV use.
Responsible Use is Key to Trail/Area Access
QWR believes it is important for winter-based recreation
advocates to proactively support the adoption of the SAE J2567 stationary sound
test for OSVs. Recently, QWR’s OSV
Trail Stewardship Module had the opportunity to practice the application of the
J2567 sound test at the China Wall OSV Staging Area on the Tahoe National
Forest.
Open Areas are Important Part of OSV Recreation
Located about 1 hour east of Sacramento, California,
China Wall is a popular multi-use winter recreation facility that is used by
both motorized and non-motorized trail enthusiasts. It has an extensive OSV trail network that
provides a high-quality recreation experience for snowmobile riders. It is operated in partnership with the
California Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division’s Winter Program.
OSV Route Marker
After a few hours of touring some of the OSV trail system,
QWR set up a sound check station using our Quest/3M Type 1 law enforcement
grade sound meter and guidelines from J2567.
J2567 requires that the sound meter microphone is placed 4 feet above
the ground, in-line with the exhaust outlet/center point of multiple exhaust
outlets, on the side of the snowmobile toward which the exhaust is directed, 4
meters distance from the snowmobile longitudinal centerline. The operator holds
the brake during the test, starts and runs the engine up to normal operating
temperature, then slowly opens the throttle until a steady 3,750 to 4,000 rpm
is achieved for not less than 4 seconds. The test is immediately repeated and
the two readings averaged.
Application of J2567 Sound Test
With the help of a local dog sledder who acted as the
operator of the sled, QWR recorded a 76.7 dBA sound level on our 2015 Polaris RMK
600 which is way below the 88 dBA test threshold. The operator commented that it is the
quietest OSV she had heard.
According to a 2014 report: Facts and Myths about Snowmobiling and Winter Trails (developed by
the American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) with funding provided by
the Recreation Trails Program) protocol for the SAE J2567 was issued in January
2004 and has since been adopted by several states. This new test established a sound level
threshold of 88 dBA at 4 meters (13 ft.) which, due to the logarithmic nature
of sound levels, corresponds to the ’78 decibels at 50-feet’ sound law.
Side View of J2567 Sound Test Station
The report goes on to state the result of this test is
that illegally altered exhaust systems can now be identified with an
enforcement tool that is safe to administer in the field and will also hold up
in court.
Parking Area for Large Vehicles
China Wall OSV Area
OSV is an important part of the winter recreation matrix
and provides a critical economic benefit to rural areas. The use of modern OSV management tools is a
smart way to ensure the long-term viability of this popular form of motorized
winter recreation.
LINK TO ACSA REPORT
CHINA WALL OSV AREA
Stay tuned for updates on J2567 and other management
prescriptions to help preserve and protect sustainable OSV recreation on public and
private lands.
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