Saturday, November 07, 2009

Moguls Trail Closure


I met with JDSF and Caspar Creek Watershed Study staff 11/5/09 at the Recreational Task Force meeting. Everyone apologized for not letting us know before closing the trail. The reason for the closure is to immediately stop use that is contributing to soil washing into streams in the Caspar Watershed Study area. This study monitors water quality before and after timber harvest work. It is important for this study's accuracy to keep erosion not related to harvesting to a minimum. I asked to be given an opportunity to try and reopen the trail by addressing the erosion problems. In my opinion this would be the best long-term solution. Staff was open to this. I will set up a field meeting to look at the problems with staff and ask that the public be invited as well. This will not happen overnight so please respect this closure.
Chris

2 comments:

Michael from Arizona said...

Hello from Petaluma.

We had the pleasure of riding some of the trail to bridges and did see that Mogul was closed from below (it was signed as of 10.24/09). We proceeded east for quite some time and took a turn up to the fire road that eventually brought us up to the trailhead by observation point. We were lucky enough to meet a local couple, one of which attended the camp as a kid in 1939! He was about 84 by our calcs and still going strong.

We did a loop into and out of the camp area after lunching on observation point. Great riding in there. It would have been nice to have a map of your JDF trails. We respected the closure of mogul and hope to return next season to sample more of the trails. You folks are very lucky for the gift of the forest you get to play in.

Let us know if we can pitch in taking into account we live north of SFO about an hour.

Jim at the cafe in Mendo suggested your trails after we showed him the map of Woodlands we had.

thanks for sharing and good luck on moving that shooting pit as it is a nusciance.

Michael Yares
michaelyares@myurbanfarm.net
707-338-8967

Chris Clutton said...

Thanks for the comments Michael. Glad you had a good time. Yes we a lucky to have the State Forest to ride in!
The Woodlands Trails are some of our best. These trails where built by the CCC during the depression. I wish we had some programs like the CCC now!
The State Forest has no money now but they are interested in improving recreation. We hope to have a lot of new trails as money becomes available.
Shooting has been an ongoing problem throughout the Forest. The Rec Task Force is working on finding a good place to allow shooting and hopefully contain it there.
Thanks for the offer of help! Input like you have given here is very helpful. Letters and e-mails to the Forest letting them know what you did and didn't enjoy is always good! The Forest manager is, Marc Jameson, the address is, Jackson State Forest, 802 North Main St, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
You may also e-mail Marc at Marc.Jameson@fire.ca.gov

Chris