Posts Tagged ‘trail closures’

Art’s Trail Closure Update

Friday, June 25th, 2010

By Mark Langton

Recently I, on behalf of CORBA, sent an email to State Parks District Superintendent Al Pepito regarding an email he sent us. It included a forwarded email from Maintenance Supervisor Dennis Dolinar explaning why they were now closing trails that have for many years been used with knowledge of both the rangers and the maintenance department. (Note: Ranger and maintenance staffs often work independently, and maintenance can and does make decisions without ranger and/or public input.)

Below are the questions I posed and the answers we received from Al Pepito.

CORBA: What is the timetable of the review period Dennis [Dolinar] references in the end of the second paragraph? (From Dennis Dolinar’s email: “It is our intention to keep this area closed to all users until such time as a complete evaluation of the park’s resources can be completed. There will be no attempt to actually remove the trails themselves unless that internal review warrants it.”]

AP: The review process can take anywhere from a year to 18 months.

CORBA: We find it odd that at this point in time CDPR is expending resources for efforts to close prescriptive trails that clearly are not damaging the resources significantly, if at all. Unless there are native resources that are being impacted, there is no clear reasoning behind closing the trails. I understand that it may be a liability concern, but even then, why weren’t these trails closed years ago?

AP: This is a non-system trail not recognized by in our facility inventory.  Thus it has never been through the CEQA review process or permitting process.  Just because it exists and there is use, does not give the trail status as a recognized facility.  It is a resource maintenance issue that needs to be addressed through restoration practices.

CORBA: We are also concerned that your volunteer partners (MBU, CORBA Trail Work Crew) are not being given ample notice in order that they might be able to inform both their own members and the public which they represent.

AP: Without a Trails Supervisor everyone involved are not being communicated with properly.  I have asked that the core staff of the district sit down at our next meeting to discuss this issue.  The position has been advertised and hope to have one in place by the end of July or sooner.

Obviously Ranger Pepito’s answers raise other questions, such as whether or not they intend to perform a CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) assessment. And of course, if the review process takes from a year to 18 months, wouldn’t that mean the trails will be reclaimed by whatever plant life exists–assuming no one uses the trails? CORBA will continue its involvement with this situation.

ANF Opens Campgrounds, But Few Trails

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

The Angeles National Forest issued a revised Closure order this week, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. While very little has been opened, campgrounds such as Horse Flats, Chilao and Millard are now open for camping.

But don’t get too excited. None of the trails around Millard (Sunset Ridge, Dawn Mine, El Prieto) are open. Work on the restoration of Sunset Ridge continues, and El Prieto has had extensive restoration work done, though according to FS officials neither are ready or safe enough for general use. Fire roads in the area are also extensively damaged.

In the Chilao area, sections of the Silver Mocassin trail are unburned and will probably be open, but the traditional figure-eight loop we all love is not possible, as the Vetter Trail and other sections of the Silver Mocassin and Hillyer trail are impassable and most likely in the closed area.

A map of the new closure order area is posted on the FS web site, though the resolution is not high enough to definitively determine which trails are officially open. They expect to have a higher resolution map available soon. In the meantime, obey all trail closure signs and be safe if you’re heading up there.

If you plan to visit the area, also remember that the Angeles Crest Highway between La Canada and Red Box remains closed. Caltrans has revised it’s projected completion of repairs, and we may see this section of highway open by the end of this summer. You need to access the Forest from Big Tujunga Canyon to Upper Big Tujunga Canyon, or via the Angeles Forest Highway to the north.