Accident on Blue Bear 1/28/12

[skidoo1998]

A friend was riding in a group of three and left Bear Lake yesterday. They took the East side trail from the Parking lot on M-72 near Dingmans. They got to CO RD 612 and caught up to two other riders. Since he was in a group of three he opted not to pass them. About 300 yards east of where the trail crosses 612 going north there is a small bridge. The groomer cannot cross this bridge. He witnessed both guys hit the bumps on the bridge, maybe 40 MPH. The second rider lost control and was ejected from his sled. He hit the ground and didn't move. My friend, his buddy and wife stopped to see if he was ok. She is a nurse. He was unconsious for 20 minutes while they waited for help. An ambulance came and took him away and they heard a helicopter. They think the ambulance took him to a place where the helicopter picked him up. He is wondering if anyone had news about his condition. They said he was on the ground for 30 minutes before paramedics got him into the ambulance.

[cam-man]

Damn, I know that bridge well! I hope he is all right!

[gunner f5]

Praying for the rider to be all right.
Sounds like the bridge where we had a pile up one year. You come up over a hill and there is a bridge with 3 ft whoops on it not too far from the bottom of the hill, somewhat limited sight distance.

[patrioticinnovations]

That bridge is a dangerous item. It needs warning signs. Maybe someone has to die before something is done.

[sample]

Me and my son where at that bridge when they put him in the ambulance, they drove him down the road a little ways to a clearing for the helicopter to take him away. I have not been able to find anything further about it except for this.

I was there a couple weeks ago and hit that bump on the bridge after flying along cr612, it caught me off guard too. It was just a matter of time. We need a big sign there or it'll happen again, especially with how well they have been grooming lately you don't expect something like that.

[k9deuce]

Agree very bad spot it caught me by surprise last weekend luckly we had backed it down just before we hit the bridge or we would have had someone injuried... Hope all is well for that sledder

[trbomax]

The goose creek bridge (aka 612 bridge) has the correct DNR mandated signage on it and on approach to it. If a rider is going so fast that he hasnt time to slow down when he sees the warning signs,he is either going waaaaay too fast or doesnt know how to control his sled.

edit) that bridge and sinage has been there since the blue bear trail was built around 1969. I seriously doubt that there are many people that dont know about it. Furthermore if you are rideing a strange trail and come up on a "narrow bridge" sign,why would you just nail it at 40+mph?? What if there had been oncomming traffic? would that have slowed him down? After seeing the way that (more than usual) people are rideing this year it doesnt suprise me. Last week 4 riders forced the groomer off into the trees on a hill and just kept going.It took the tractor from m 72 and 30 man hrs to get it out of the woods.This saturday at the same spot,it happened again except that the driver got it out by himself.There were 5 of them and they didnt even slow down.And people ask me why I have a negative attitude a lot of the time about things like this!


There are many other examples of people rideing out of thier asses and then wanting to point fingers when they get bit.People need to learn respect and responceability befoer they go out on a 135hp sled to tyr and prove thier manlyness.

[dnaburns]

I thought I remember signs too, but who hasnt been daydreaming and missed a stopsign? It only takes one time.
I remember in the past that someone would come along with a skidsteer and take the whoops off that bridge too. Not saying that the club should be stuck with the time or the bill for that though.

Can the trail get rerouted to clip the road shoulder and then back to the trail? Like 30% of riders do already?

[Jimmy989]

Prayers for the injured rider! Ride with your head, not your ego.

[jtssrx]

Originally Posted by trbomax

The goose creek bridge (aka 612 bridge) has the correct DNR mandated signage on it and on approach to it. If a rider is going so fast that he hasnt time to slow down when he sees the warning signs,he is either going waaaaay too fast or doesnt know how to control his sled.

edit) that bridge and sinage has been there since the blue bear trail was built around 1969. I seriously doubt that there are many people that dont know about it. Furthermore if you are rideing a strange trail and come up on a "narrow bridge" sign,why would you just nail it at 40+mph?? What if there had been oncomming traffic? would that have slowed him down? After seeing the way that (more than usual) people are rideing this year it doesnt suprise me. Last week 4 riders forced the groomer off into the trees on a hill and just kept going.It took the tractor from m 72 and 30 man hrs to get it out of the woods.This saturday at the same spot,it happened again except that the driver got it out by himself.There were 5 of them and they didnt even slow down.And people ask me why I have a negative attitude a lot of the time about things like this!


There are many other examples of people rideing out of thier asses and then wanting to point fingers when they get bit.People need to learn respect and responceability befoer they go out on a 135hp sled to tyr and prove thier manlyness.

People are me first these days!!!