CORBA Clarifies Sierra Club’s Misinformation

In the Santa Monica Mountains Task Force of the Sierra Club’s February newsletter, an article about CORBA’s Change In Trail Use request contained incorrect information. The article (see below) stated that CORBA requested the “reworking” of the Yearling and Lookout Trails, which is incorrect. Here is the reply that was sent to the Task Force’s Chair Mary Ann Webster:

Dear Mary Ann,
In reference to your recent Santa Monica Mountains Task Force of the Sierra Club newsletter, I wanted to point out that CORBA did not propose “reworking” the Yearling and Lookout Trails. CORBA was not involved with the analysis and planning of any kind of rerouting or realignment of these trails as part of the State Park’s Trail Use Change Survey.

While it is true CORBA requested that these trails be considered for bicycle access (as well as the Musch Trail in Topanga State Park), the request has been on record with State Parks for more than 15 years, and includes several trails throughout the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that are closed to bicycles.
Sincerely,

Mark Langton
President, CORBA

FROM THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS TASK FORCE OF THE SIERRA CLUB’S NEWSLETTER:

CORBA WANTS TO OPEN UP OTHER TRAILS TO BICYCLES

CORBA has asked ACTING ANGELES DISTRICT ACTING SUPERINTENDENT CRAIG SAP to consider opening the MUSCH RANCH TRAIL to mountain bikes. Some people are afraid he might be considering responding in the affirmative. The reaction from the Task Force and the TOPANGA STATE PARK DOCENTS was not long in coming. Emails flew back and forth objecting to the proposal and asking for a meeting with Acting Superintendent Sap.

Soon after CORBA also proposed “reworking” and opening to mountain bikes the LOOKOUT and YEARLING TRAILS in the Reagan Ranch portion of MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK. These trails are in botanically and historically sensitive portions of the Reagan Woodland, and parts of them become very muddy in rainy periods, resulting in serious damage to the trail and adjoining woodland flowers. Equestrian leader RUTHIE GERSON reacted very strongly against opening these trails to mountain bikes, as did several MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK DOCENTS.

We took the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Reagan’s birth to point out that Ronald Reagan told a few of us in 1977 that he had personally laid out the Yearling and Lookout trails as his personal riding trails when he owned the Reagan Ranch. That information started a movement among the Malibu Creek State Park Docents to add the Yearling and Lookout trails to the National Register of Historic Places.

Meanwhile, the Topanga and Malibu Creek docents have asked Acting Superintendent Craig Sap to meet with all stakeholders on this issue instead of meeting only with Corba.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, February 19th, 2011 at 3:53 pm and is filed under Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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