Nightmare Gulch CLOSED

[FishPOET]

A copy of the closure order.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/24524/...2010-22-13.pdf

[Mike]

Kathy Weatherman's Email address:
kweatherman@parks.ca.gov

I just sent the message below. Please send your own message to emphasize our interest in re-opening this route:

Dear Ms. Weatherman,

I am seriously concerned about the recent closure of Nightmare Gulch in the Red Rock Canyon State Park to vehicular traffic. I would like to see this route re-opened to motorized traffic as soon as possible. My understanding is that the route has been closed due to weather–related changes to the terrain. If this is true, there are many organized groups and experienced individuals that are willing to help restore the damaged areas.

I volunteer with the San Bernardino National Forest as a part of their Adopt-A-Trail program. The group that I represent helped to re-open a road that was severely damaged by the Butler II Fire. Many of the volunteers in this group have announced their willingness to assist in the reopening of Nightmare Gulch if needed.

Please let me know how we can assist you with free, voluntary help. The volunteers that are willing to help are very familiar with working in, and re-developing, routes in unusual terrain. This route is one of the most interesting, and my personal favorite, areas of the state park. I and many others would hate to see this route remain closed any longer than necessary.

Most importantly, we want to see this temporary closure of Nightmare Gulch lifted before the Thanksgiving weekend. The Thanksgiving season will see many people and added revenue in the park. The motorized backcountry traffic could be seriously affected by this closure. Please let us know how we can help to achieve an open route in Nightmare Gulch before then.

Best Regards,

Mike Anderson
<My Phone Number>

[curtis]

Great letter Mike!!

[nwoods]

What I sent to kweatherman@parks.ca.gov:
-----------------------------------------

Hello, my name is Nathan Woods, and I writing you about my concerns regarding the temporary closure of Nightmare Gulch. I think the current arrangement of allowing OHV use of Nightmare Gulch during the second half of the month in the last half of the year is an excellent joint use arrangement. It’s keep the trail “special” due to it’s limited access. It is also special because its completely unique geological composition. The “dripping candle” style rock and mud formations of the canyon walls are spectacular and unlike anything else available to explore in California. It is a special place. We often describe it as a “cathedral of mud” due to it’s unique and hauntingly beautiful formations.

I have been enjoying Nightmare Gulch for the past 10 years, leading groups of 4x4 enthusiasts to this special place. In fact, I was leading another such group last Sunday when we were approached by a Ranger at Jawbone Station who (mistakenly) informed us that NMG had been permanently closed. I had been looking forward to this trip for months, and had shared many photos of its scenic wonder and beauty to my group. We were bitterly disappointed to learn of its closing.

Subsequently, we have been in contact with CORVA and noted your own Facebook postings that the trail closure is not permanent…hopefully. Through my affiliations with CORVA, MyJeepRocks (MJR), Southern California Land Rovers (SCLR), Toyota Territory Off-Roaders Association (TTORA) and ExpeditionPortal (ExPo), I can gather many people to assist in contributing free volunteer labor and resources to reopening this trail.
Being told that the trail has become more challenging has only strengthened the desires of the 4x4 community to help reopen it.

On the face of it, it seems relatively ironic to close a trail to use because of natures effect on… itself! What further evidence could be made that human impact on such a trail is fleeting at best? This does not really seem to be environmental use issue. The Raptors mating seasons are unaffected by our use. This has been studied and proven, thus the current shared use agreement. It’s scientifically solid, and is unrelated to the current issues. If it’s simply an access issue, I can assure you that this can been conquered by our volunteer work party. I have seen photos of the trail taken on foot in its current state, and it looks terrific! You have to understand that for 4x4 enthusiasts, what Nature does to this trail only heightens our desire to run it. Closing it because it is too fun is simply the wrong message to be sending out to this community.

Let us help you, let us arrange work parties to assess the state of the trail and establish a repair plan. Let us work with your department to determine a reasonable standard, such as SBNF’s “one and one” standard (31” tires and One locker), so that the trail work is completed to accomplish that access goal. We are ready help, we are eager to help, we are ANXIOUS to help. We cannot abide a permanent trail closure of one of more unique and iconic trails in entire State of California. We are here to help!

Respectfully,

Nathan Woods
phone
email
nwoods.smugmug.com
Twitter: @4WDphoto
Instagram: @4WDphoto

[nwoods]

Bit of an update on this. I have been in email exchange with my friend who is part of the Friends of Jawbone, as well as an OHV liaison with the BLM (desert council? something like that). Anyway, I have learned at lot, and am passing it on:

"[COLOR="#0000FF"]Hi Nathan,
After a few conversations with State Park officials here locally and in Sacramento we've learned that the obstacle to reopening Nightmare Gulch will be funding the environmental analysis (cultural, biological) before any trail work can commence.

We've called upon the well funded State Park's OHV Division to reach out to their cash strapped sister division to provide the required analysis and to expedite the reopening of the trail. I spoke with the OHV Division's soils specialist yesterday and he assured me that he'll be on the ground there soon to assess the problem and make a plan[/COLOR]."

To which I responded, "Why do we need an environmental analysis study for damage caused by the natural environment?"
His answer was very illuminating:

"[COLOR="#0000FF"]Great question, Nathan -
The root of the problem is that there is NO management plan in place there. Since the transfer of the Last Chance Canyon Addition from BLM to State Parks in the 1994 Desert Protection Act, State Parks has thrice started a management plan process and each ended up aborting. Because there is no management plan in place, there is no document stating that motorized use in the Gulch is part of a designated OHV route network.

If they had completed a management plan, and if the plan had designated the Gulch for OHV use, then it would require a full blown environmental assessment with public comment, hearings, etc., before it could be closed. Without a plan, everything is up to management discretion.[/COLOR]"

In a nutshell, the OHV leaders int the late 80's and early 90's actively worked against the establishment of a management plan in this area in the fear that it would lead to closures. They were probably right, but in fact, we have already lost at least six routes in Red Rock State Park due to erosion, and being that the Park is entirely sandstone we may lose even more unless they are protected by a management plan. It's going to be interesting to see how this develops, but for now without a management plan in place at Red Rock, every decision is a "one-off" decision and guided purely by management discretion.


It is my position that we should fight HARD to reopen the trail WHILE the environmental analysis is conducted. That the way the results are accurately inclusive of OHV use.

[Materdaddy]

The very last sentence of the reply is what piques my interest:

"Without a plan, everything is up to management discretion."

This leads me to believe it is their discretion to have it closed, and can therefore be their discretion to re-open it immediately.

[curtis]

I heard the state parks were in financial trouble.

[RAT]

I sent a letter to Ms. Weatherman. I'm asking questions, not commenting.

So I would like to know the following:
Is there an EIS required, and if so, why since it has never been required before?
Is the Park planning to make an RMP for this area?
Will Park Management take us up on our offer to help?
Will Park management be willing to open the trail as soon as the work is finished, with or without and EIS?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon, and thank you.

[nwoods]

I heard the state parks were in financial trouble.

Not true, they have a larger than normal grant to the OHV fund....of course, that is probably to close OHV trails, but it's still money :-)

[6spdYJ]

The more trails they close, the less they have to actually do so they can focus on how to wring more money out of state coffers to fatten their budgets for "projects" that will forever remain just beyond "today's" financial burdens.

[Mike]

I sent a letter to Ms. Weatherman. I'm asking questions, not commenting.

So I would like to know the following:
Is there an EIS required, and if so, why since it has never been required before?
Is the Park planning to make an RMP for this area?
Will Park Management take us up on our offer to help?
Will Park management be willing to open the trail as soon as the work is finished, with or without and EIS?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon, and thank you.

I hope that someone gets a response. So far I've got nothing....

[FishPOET]

My letter

Kathy,

Did you even consider using trail management tools before resorting to closing Nightmare Gulch?

From the "California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division"

Best Management Practice (BMPs) such as fences, rolling dips, and signage help protect the natural and cultural resources in our State Parks. They are critical management tools necessary for high quality recreation opportunities.

Doug Guimond

[DaK]

Any update on this?

[nwoods]

I've heard nothing

[Ol Man]

Our club did our annual run out to Red Rock yesterday. We ran Slant Ranch, planning to connect to Last Chance. At the top, we ran into a fence and were on the wrong side of newly closed area (sign said closed for vegetation restoration.......we were on existing roads, used for years and years). There was a gate with a pad lock. We had to turn around and go back down. We then went up the next canyon to finish our run. Just info for those who might plan on doing the same. We saw no closed signs.