Have you ever been making great progress on a trail project, then have it come to a screeching halt due to a boulder or hidden rock outcropping?  In this article, we will go over some ways to remove this type of obstacle, with and without explosives.

In the shadows of a thick summer canopy, Dave Stackhouse wraps webbing around a shopping cart-sized boulder on the slopes of Round Top. The crew is clearing vegetation beside the large rock in order to set up a corridor to connect a 3-ton winch to a large tree that will be used to leverage and roll the feature. Excitement is buzzing with the group from CAMBC (Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club) as they prepare for the final phase of the newest trail at Heyward Community Forest.

“It’s Big Wednesday, and we are here to roll BIG rocks,” Dave announces.