Partial Re-Opening of San Gorgonio Wilderness

[zippetydude]

Looks like some good news here:

http://members.boardhost.com/sgva/msg/1437146602.html

I may head up and explore the ridge tomorrow and see what I can see. If I do I'll take pics and post them when I get back.

z

[Florian]

That is good news! Here's link to map showing what trails are open ..

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC ... 845984.pdf

-Florian

[Hikin_Jim]

That is good news! Here's link to map showing what trails are open ..

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC ... 845984.pdf

There's a pretty good sized screw up on that map. Did anyone catch it?

HJ

[zippetydude]

Hi Florian, HJ. Jim, if you mean that they don't want us to set one foot north of the trail even though the area was untouched by fire west of West Barton Creek, I'm not sure that's an error. They're opening the trail, but are trying not to get sued by this litigious society. You and I both know there was no impact west of Barton Creek, but I'm guessing that had little bearing on their decision. Or did you mean that the trail seems to be closed from SB Peak to DL Saddle? Same response. It looks like Coon Creek is open as well up to the cabin. If it's something else you're talking about, I just popped in here and it's after 11:00, so I'm not at my best...fill me in. But thanks for the puzzle...I love puzzles and just studied the map for the 4th time. Fun.

I may not go after all tomorrow...the storm was absolutely insanely wildly beautiful this morning here in Yucaipa, with crashing thunder and flashing lightning and lashing rain and...well, you get the picture, so I'm not sure I'll go tomorrow after all. In any case, I can't wait to get back out there!

z

[gonehigher]

Falls Creek from the Alger Traverse to FF has not been open for many years. Chalk that up to an old map and someone not familiar with the area. The Sky High Trail below the approach to the summit on the San Bernardino ridge trail shouldn't be open. The trail from John's Meadow to Columbine on the San Bernardino Peak Trail isn't an "official" trail. Other than that this follows the fire map.

[Hikin_Jim]

if you mean that they don't want us to set one foot north of the trail even though the area was untouched by fire west of West Barton Creek, I'm not sure that's an error.

I think you mean south, but no that's not the error I'm referring to. Something far more egregious.

HJ

[Hikin_Jim]

The trail from John's Meadow to Columbine on the San Bernardino Peak Trail isn't an "official" trail.

Well, no, that's an official trail. It's listed a "secondary" trail, but it's official. I once referred to it as "unmaintained", but I was corrected by some people in the SGWA. It does get occasional maintenance, it's just not as high a priority as the primary trails.

The Sky High Trail below the approach to the summit on the San Bernardino ridge trail shouldn't be open.

Yeah, it looks a little odd to have a trail just go to the T1S12/7 section boundary. I mean it doesn't connect to anything, right? But, while odd, it's not an error. It's also really good news for peak baggers. This means that Dragon's Head Peak and Pi Peak are "in bounds" and open to climbing.

Falls Creek from the Alger Traverse to FF has not been open for many years.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, we have a winner. The lower section of the Falls Creek Trail has been closed for roughly half a century. The lower part of the route doesn't even exist anymore; they built homes over it. You cannot find the trail as marked on the map; it simply doesn't exist. There are ways to connect to what is left of the trail if one knows the area, but it certainly isn't a regular trail anymore and hasn't been since some time in the 60's from what I've been able to put together.

HJ

[Sally]

This is VERY good news, zippetydude! Part of the black cloud that has been hovering over my head has lifted! I could even JOYFULLY get all scratched up on Momyer Trail, and I am not kidding!

[gonehigher]

Looking at the new "What's Open" map and Caltopo, Big Horn, Dragon's Back and the Tarn are still in the closure area. Listening to the radio, on Friday they had helicopter drops going on the backside of Big Horn. Wish it was open, but I understand why that map grid has it still closed. Also, if you look at the map very carefully, the peak has been granted a special area all it's own that's open withn that same quadrant.
The trail from John's Meadow to Columbine is not on the FS list of inventoried trails and has no number designation. Trail maintenance of both that trail and the connector between Lodgepole and Fish Creek Saddle is more that people use them and not really "official" FS acknowledgment. FWIW the FS did have a trail crew up on the JM to Columbine trail four years ago clearing trees. Act of respect to the trail users.
Was great to get out this weekend on Vivian and get stuck in a nine hour downpour inside my tent at High Creek. The natives (the animals - not the locked out trail hikers) are restless and have now restored their ownership of the woods. Saw a Bobcat on my way out yesterday above Vivian Creek Camp hunting down a chipmunk. A deer running through High Creek Camp. And tons of ground squirrels marking their domain with ablomb. The birds have taken over the high country! Watch your back!

[Hikin_Jim]

Looking at the new "What's Open" map and Caltopo, Big Horn, Dragon's Back and the Tarn are still in the closure area.

Well, maybe I'm missing something, but that's not what I'm seeing. I'm seeing T1SR2E Section 13 as outside of the closure and Section 18 as inside of the closure. Here's the closure plotted on CalTopo (not the whole thing, but in the San Gorgonio summit area) . It sure looks to me like Dragon's Head Peak and Pi Peak are outside the closure, yes? Bighorn Mtn and the tarn are closed, as you say, and yes there's a special carve out in Section 7 for the summit of San Gorgonio Mountain. Good job USFS!!

The trail from John's Meadow to Columbine is not on the FS list of inventoried trails and has no number designation.

Not sure about that. The trail from John's Mdw to Manzanita Flat/Manzanita Spg was shown on the USFS San Gorgonio Wilderness map that came out in the 80's as was the Lodgepole to Fish Creek Saddle. The closure map shows a designator of 1E16 for the entire Johns Meadow Trail all the way to Manzanita Flat from the Forsee Creek Trail.

HJ