CNF - Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[ThinkFast]

Just a little FYI.

I spoke with one of the Forest Service Rangers today. I asked about some of the closed portions of the CNF and the current conditions.

I was told that the Forest Service was not expecting to get the funds they needed to do some required trail work for quite a few months. However, Friday they received the funds unexpectedly and they are hopeful that portions of the closed areas in the CNF may open sooner than 1 year.

I thought this was encouraging news. The ranger seemed optimistic as well.

[allison]

The recent rains should help also. They may be able to determine sooner if there will be any bad slides, and also there's no reason not to allow people to go into areas due to fire issues, right? Hopefully!

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by allison

The recent rains should help also. They may be able to determine sooner if there will be any bad slides, and also there's no reason not to allow people to go into areas due to fire issues, right? Hopefully!

I had the same thought. I live near the base of STT and I've seen how much rain we've had in these last two storms. Slides could certainly happen at any time, but I have to think that if they haven't happened yet, then things ought to stable enough to be safe on the dry days, no?

[ThinkFast]

Let me first say that I'm just passing along what I was told. I'm sure if you called the Forest Service office you could get more info.

I asked about Harding. Especially since Chris Vargas mentioned at the VQ/CC Nutrition Seminar that it could be closed up to 5 years. The Ranger said there have only been minor rock and root slides on Harding and it should be closed for 1 year. (Hopefully now that there are funds it will be less)

The Ranger mentioned that they were going to start doing some work on STT soon, possibly within the next week or so.

It was also mentioned that even though the Main Divide and many trails were not damaged by the fire the concern there is people going off of the trails.

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by ThinkFast

It was also mentioned that even though the Main Divide and many trails were not damaged by the fire the concern there is people going off of the trails.

At least with no brush it'd be easier to find them!

If they want to keep the area closed for a long time so that nature can recover properly, I'm fine with that. But I'm guessing the Forest Service has a choice to make: Use those funds for enforcement to try to keep people out, or use them for rehab to make it safer sooner.

[dutch]

My question is (and there's probably a pretty obvious answer) what good is money when you throw it at trails?? Do they pay their employees more to go do trail work, do they buy more shovels? The only way that funding makes sense (to me, remember that) regarding trail work is paying people who would otherwise probably be happy to volunteer. I don't imagine that they hire any paid 'trail consultants' to work for them, so what good is money when I'm sure a number of the folks on this forum would be happy to volunteer, assuming they were given permission?

[Waldo]

Good question Dutch, and I'll also look forward to some possible answers from those here who are involved
with SHARE, Warrior's Society, the CNF, etc. My first instinct is that with such severe fire & rain conditions over the past month, the trails may need more than the usual level of volunteer work. There could be some large chunks of hillside that have been seriously destabilized and sections of trail that no longer exist. There might also be issues with damage adjacent to or on private property which could include the need for surveying property lines and rebuilding fences so that the public stays in areas where they're supposed to be and not riding in people's ranches & yards.