SBNF Route Designation Process

[Mitch]

Hey guys,

It is impressive that you folks take the time and effort to protect our access to the forests and trails. I will fire off some letters ASAP. Thanks for the info and I'm bummed that there was a meeting in Hesperia about these issues and I didn't know about it.

[Materdaddy]

I too used Russ' letter as a template with modifications and added:

Several times in the last few months I have taken passengers, who are now physically unable to hike, to the Heartbreak Ridge and Pontiac Sluice trails. These trails should remain accessible for people who can no longer hike, backpack and camp while designating the surrounding areas as wilderness. The National Forests should not be restricted to only those able to hike and camp.

That's great! I'd send one saying that, but I'd be lieing. Glad to hear you're helping out some less mobile people see what our beautiful mountains have to offer!

[stever]

I too used Russ' letter as a template with modifications and added:

Several times in the last few months I have taken passengers, who are now physically unable to hike, to the Heartbreak Ridge and Pontiac Sluice trails. These trails should remain accessible for people who can no longer hike, backpack and camp while designating the surrounding areas as wilderness. The National Forests should not be restricted to only those able to hike and camp.

Using the letter created by Russ (thanks) as a template, I have sent this information to my off-road friends asking them to send to the Forest Service as well. The response has been overwhelming positive, and they too are encouraging people they know to do the same.

Perhaps we can all lend some support to this effort and help get the word out. I spoke with a popular Jeep shop in the area today (nameless as I did not ask for permission to mention them) and they too will be sending letters. In fact, they will be advising their customers to do so as well.

For those who attend TDS, spread the word. My personal goal is to get 50 people to write letters on behalf of keeping the trails open.

[ECV Jeep]

Using the letter created by Russ (thanks) as a template, I have sent this information to my off-road friends asking them to send to the Forest Service as well. The response has been overwhelming positive, and they too are encouraging people they know to do the same.

Perhaps we can all lend some support to this effort and help get the word out. I spoke with a popular Jeep shop in the area today (nameless as I did not ask for permission to mention them) and they too will be sending letters. In fact, they will be advising their customers to do so as well.

For those who attend TDS, spread the word. My personal goal is to get 50 people to write letters on behalf of keeping the trails open.

[FishPOET]

Couple of points I'd like to clarify here. Any trail with a "W" or "E" designation is designated for motorcycles only (we may have some 50" trails that are W/E - Doug?), that's where the "street legal" comes in. "Green sticker" trails can be traversed by the _appropriate_ street legal vehicle, in this case it looks like a motorcycle trail has been "widened" by use by full size vehicles. What we really want is for the designation (number) of the trail to be _changed_ to a "N" trail.

My guess is that the trail is 2W47X, not X2W47

You are correct on all counts Jeff.

The first thing for everyone to understand is the law of the USFS is that if any route is unmarked, it is not available for vehicular travel. You can at anytime receive a citation for vehicular travel on any unmarked route in any national forest. Also, the SBNF does not have any open riding areas. All travel must be on marked trails. For now, the BLM is exactly the opposite. They allow access unless signed as closed to motor vehicles.

Any trail designated with a N or S is a trail wide enough for automobiles. Some are designated street legal only and some are designated green sticker (which always includes street legal)

Any trail designated with a W or E is a trail 50" wide or less. They are designated for motorized vehicle travel, non-motorized vehicle travel (bicycles), equestrian use or pedestrians (hikers). The restriction that keeps us off these trails is the width restriction, not the green sticker restriction.

Cleghorn is 2N47

I am assuming that the bypasses are being called 2W47X. (the X stands for a connector route) That would mean that they are classified as a 50" wide trail. This is exactly the same crap they pulled on us with 3N24 Baldy Mesa Trail. For years everyone was allowed to use the bypasses. Last year they finally signed the bypasses as legal routes and then signed them all as 3W24X which effectively closed them down to any vehicle wider than 50".

There is still much debate as to how ATUVs (Rhinos, etc) will be classified. The industry lobbying group is trying to get them classified as street legal. As of right now they are not allowed on street legal only roads and they are also not allowed on 50" trails.

[sarah]

Sarah, I had trouble getting this email generator to work properly. I may be the only one. I ended up cutting a pasting the material into my normal email. This could be made easier if you posted the email address, subject line and body text in plain text someplace (in addition to the email generator).

I think this is important for those of us who like to use the trails to get on board with this. To that end, I will be sending copies of my emails to my friends so that they too can join the fight.

Thanks for keeping us informed.

Not sure what you mean, the email address, subject line and most of the body is there, what sort of issue did you have? Feel free to PM me.

Thanks.

[ECV Jeep]

OK KIDS!!! Russ, Mat and I have been working on a couple of email forms to make it easy for you to send in your comments. Now, there is no excuse! Doooooo it, NOW!

http://myjeeprocks.com/reports/categ...action-alerts/

Sarah, I had trouble getting this email generator to work properly. I may be the only one. I ended up cutting a pasting the material into my normal email. This could be made easier if you posted the email address, subject line and body text in plain text someplace (in addition to the email generator).

I think this is important for those of us who like to use the trails to get on board with this. To that end, I will be sending copies of my emails to my friends so that they too can join the fight.

Thanks for keeping us informed.

[Old Fart]

Couple of points I'd like to clarify here. Any trail with a "W" or "E" designation is designated for motorcycles only (we may have some 50" trails that are W/E - Doug?), that's where the "street legal" comes in. "Green sticker" trails can be traversed by the _appropriate_ street legal vehicle, in this case it looks like a motorcycle trail has been "widened" by use by full size vehicles. What we really want is for the designation (number) of the trail to be _changed_ to a "N" trail.

My guess is that the trail is 2W47X, not X2W47

[maddmike]

sorry, put up a request for a list of places to petition for trails to be kept open and sarah already posted it.

should have read before i posted. oops.

[Kodiak Spirit]

closed routes dissapear...

I went to the meeting they had in Hesperia, along with most of the club I'm in, and we really scoured the maps. I met up with some MJR members and was humbled by the maps he had in his hand. I am ashamed to say I haven't paid much attention to the route designations, I just wheel with other guys that "know the trails" but one thing I noticed is that when they close a trail like Pontiac or the Gold Mtn. rock garden the trail just dissappears from the map and if you don't know the old route #'s you got nothing to say... There were quite a few uniformed individuals that refused to acknowledge the names of the trails, only the route designations. I wrote my $0.02 allready, thanx to the info found from MJR ! and strangely enough the old maps are not available anymore... or at least I cant find them. I would love to have a pack of maps like that one...

[sarah]

OK KIDS!!! Russ, Mat and I have been working on a couple of email forms to make it easy for you to send in your comments. Now, there is no excuse! Doooooo it, NOW!

http://myjeeprocks.com/reports/categ...action-alerts/

[sarah]

Yikes, did anyone go to the meeting in Running Springs? I know we have a few BB/Arrowhead people here ....

[Materdaddy]

I'm sending mine now. FYI, the SBNF site says:



If we have any PHP geeks around here that want to help me create a web form for everyone to use for "easier" submission of comments, please send me a PM.

PM sent.

[RAT]

The area around Pontiac Sluice and Heartbreak Ridge is proposed to be designated as "Wilderness". This means that motorized vehicles would not be allowed. I cannot attend any of the route designation public meetings, so here is a copy of a comment letter that I have sent in. If you would like to keep the route open to motorized vehicles, I would appreciate it if you would attend one of the public meetings or send in a comment. According to the SBNF website, comments can be submitted by mail or email and should be received by March 9. More information about the Route Designation Process can be found here and here
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February 22, 2007

San Bernardino National Forest
ATTN: Richard Thornburgh – OHV Route Designation
602 S. Tippecanoe Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92408

RE: Route Designation – Heartbreak Ridge (2N61Y)

Gentlemen:

Reference is made to the San Bernardino National Forest Route Designation Project Proposed Action map of Onyx Peak (ONYX_PEAK.PDF)

I recently discovered that the area known as Heartbreak Ridge and Pontiac Sluice (vicinity of 34º13’N 116º42’ W) lies within a zone designated as “RW- Recommended Wilderness” under the 2005 Forest Land Use Plan. The existing OHV route to the summit branches off of 2N61Y and is shown as a dotted line on the map. I presume it would be closed to motorized use once the area is designated as Wilderness.

This is a popular OHV route that provides scenic vistas of Yucca Valley. A memorial to U.S. Marine Corps MAJ Alan Rowe is located at the summit of Heartbreak Ridge, and the logbook at the memorial shows many visits to the memorial each month, year round. The trail has been in use for many years; it is described in Charles Wells “Guide to Southern California Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails” which was published in 2003.

I respectfully request that a corridor be placed around the trail through the proposed “Recommended Wilderness” zone to allow continued motorized access to Heartbreak Ridge. Although it is definitely a black diamond route, the trail to Heartbreak Ridge should be designated for street legal use.

Sincerely,


RUSSELL W. CHUNG

Cc: pacificsouthwest-san-bernardino@fs.fed.us
Cc: comments-pacificsouthwest-san-bernardino@fs.fed.us

Thanks Russ.

Kurt

[RAT]

I sent a letter as well. We all need to get on board here cuz these trails are prime wheeling spots. Like Sarah said, if anyone can get us all on the same page it would be great; not only for us but for the entire wheeling community as well.

Rat