Slick Rock Road, new link closed - email support needed

[jeffsanford]

A seldom used trail near Lake Alpine was cleared this spring for OHV use. The trail was not very well marked and the ground cover made the trail difficult to find.

Through the designated route process we made sure the trail was on the Offical Route Inventory for the Stanislas National Forest. This spring the Joaquin Jeepers helped to clear and improve the trail.

Due to a private property conflict in the area, this trail was brought to the attention of the USFS, and of course they promptly closed it down. I need EVERYONE who cares about access to send an email to Bill Lorenz. (blorenz@fs.fed.us) about the closure. Bill is the supervising ranger, and has the ability to direct his staff to work with the community to reopen the trail. This trail was rated a 9+ difficulty in the rock crawling category. The USFS has made negative comments about rock crawlers. They don't like us. Hell if you have a motor they don't like you.

Please email me jeffsanford@hotmail.com if you need a form letter to send.

ALSO...check www.putatireonit.com we are having a bash on the Slick Rock Trail October 28 and 29...come wheel with us!!!

[Code3TJ]

You're talking the trail from Lake Alpine to Utica Reservoir?
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/projects/ohv/maps/tamarack-ne.pdf
http://www.californiajeeper.com/slickroc/trail.htm

When was it closed? And am I understanding correctly that somebody is/was trying to claim that it's on private property?
_________________
Nothing to see here.

[jeffsanford]

There is an old logging landing that takes off from Highway 4 about 1/4 mile past the snow gate. The landing is big and will provide parking for 8 to 12 rigs with trailers (when we finish clearing it). The recently cleared trail follows skid roads back into the woods, and has some AWESOME ROCK CRAWLING!!! This secion of trail is MUCH MUCH harder than the step at the end near Utica. It meets in with Slick Rock Road on the south side of the private property.

Look at the map link from the USFS. See the orange trail that is northwest of Rose Meadow? The orange trail that goes back to Highway 4 is the old-new section of trail. That gray box right there where the road goes from red to black is a 37 acre parcel of private property. Nobody retained any right-of-way, and the new owners want to close the trail.

The old/new section of trail was barely used, and then only by quads and people who 1. knew the trail was there, and 2. had a built to the hilt wheeler! As part of the "Designated route process" I had that trail put on the official route inventory. It takes the 4x4 traffic off the west shore of Lake Alpine, it goes around the private property, and there is some GREAT wheeling back in there.

This spring we pushed the ground cover aside, and cleared the trail. It got popular really quick!!! Mostly due to the private property issue, the USFS is closing the new-old trail They use the excuse of excess environmental impact, but that's not entirely true. They are putting in boulders today...right now as I type this.

Send LOTS of email to blorenz@fs.fed.us Let him know that closing opportunity to 4WD in Alpine County is not tolerable. 90+% of Alpine County is actual Wilderness...no motors period. When a new opportunity becomes available here, it is not just rare...it NEVER happens. This new opportunity removed the motorized use from Lake Alpine and went around the private property parcel.

Thanks!!!

PS - I am the OHV Manager for Alpine County. I am constantly battling with the USFS about OHV activity. Alpine County: Let's educate the users and create a responsible OHV community. The USFS: Let's close it all down and manage it as Wilderness. It costs less and the OHVs won't tear up the forest. Damn greenies.