|   We're officially closed now | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 5:34 AM | | I was all stoked to go for a long ride in the Canyon on Saturday--only to find a pale green forest service pickup in the trailhead parking lot and lots of "closed" signs everywhere I looked. I spoke with the forest service dude for a few minutes and learned that even though the trailheads start in a city park, they climb up into the Pike Nat'l Forest and there isn't a clear boarder between where the park stops and the forest starts. They weren't taking any chances and had closed off any trail that could possibly lead into the forest.
Luckily, we have some other low altitude options and I was still able to get a ride in but it's really a shame that 75% of our trails are closed. They are predicting that it might be as long as three months before the Hayman fire is completely put out--I really hope that we won't be losing our trails for the whole summer. Then again, I would rather lose them for one summer than for the next 15 years... |
| dude... | FlipFantasia
Jun 17, 2002 5:40 AM | | that really sucks, I'm feeling for you guys! we've been the opposite here, last tuesday night we got over 200mm of rain, in one night, that's what, over 6"....insane, the canal that runs from lake ontario to georgian bay is closed from our city south because of too much water....one extreme to the other! |
| That's a shame... | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 6:13 AM | | I don't know if it's some sort of screwed up natural weather cycle or if this is more evidence of damage humans have done to the environement. Either way, it's really a too bad... |
| We feel your pain, down here in New Mexico..... | krank
Jun 17, 2002 6:07 AM | | Yesterday we went to do some hiking at the Sandia Peak, and all we saw on the way up was yellow tape at all the trail heads and all the BBQ's were covered with tape also. The grass was so dead on the ski area, that you could almost just go straight down the ski runs. We're getting used to a new sound as well, slurry bombers are constantly flying overhead, coming in to refill with slurry and take off again. I will say that we're very happy that the USFS didn't start any of the fires this year, like the other year when they started the Cero Grande. Los Alamos is so bad that some people are worried about spontaneous combustion! Yet people still flick their focking cigarettes out the window! |
| Your situation is even worse than ours... | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 6:11 AM | | I hope we all get rain soon!
K (really wishes the USFS (empolyee) hadn't started any fires up here!) |
| we got a trace amount on friday night....... | krank
Jun 17, 2002 6:40 AM | | Got a good monsoon rain, with marble size hail, on friday evening. It was great, except for the hail. Looking at 95 degrees plus, today. |
| We've got a new phenomenon here in town... | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 6:50 AM | | ...fire-induced weather patterns. On Friday we had four seperate hail storms move through the neighborhood. The moisture we are getting is partially from the burning forest and the heat is causing freak wind patters--which cause freakishly large hail. We only got inchers at the house but they were reporting 2.5" hail about three miles away from us. |
| The only storm's we've been getting lately..... | krank
Jun 17, 2002 7:08 AM | | are dust storms! Can't wait for the real monsoons to start.
That's crazy, I know about the wind's that fires create, but didn't know that they make hail too. You guys are getting weird weather! |
| Oh no! | The Weasel
Jun 17, 2002 7:38 AM | | Check out this link. Certainly a stupid mistake, and not intentional. Non the less, you can't always stop this stuff, nor should it be. |
| duh | The Weasel
Jun 17, 2002 7:43 AM | | Her's the link: http://www.msnbc.com/news/763669.asp
This is just a reply to the post that the USFS didn't start this one. Hope you guys get some rain, quick. |
| I meant any of ours here in New Mexico..... | krank
Jun 17, 2002 10:44 AM | | The majority of the NM fires have been lightning strikes. HEY I GOT IT! Let's ban mother nature! She shouldn't be allowed in the forrests!
I'm very shocked about that lady. Why couldn't she have just thrown it away? Oh wait, that'd be littering |
| I heard yesterday... | Timmy
Jun 17, 2002 6:33 AM | | That the Hayman fire was started by a camp fire from a forest service employee who should have been enforcing the ban.
Wow! if you weren't fuming (no pun intended) before, you should be now.
It would be a lot easier to handle if it were a 17 year old idiot and a can of beer, but a USFS employee?
Wow! |
| Yeah, that really sucks | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 6:46 AM | | I understand and agree with the closures, but it makes it so much harder to deal with them knowing that the fire that caused them wasn't caused by a bubba and his beer (no offense REV). I wonder how this will effect the idea of closing rest of the forests...
K (wishes the lady would have owned up to it from the get go instead of reporting it as an illegal campfire...) |
| In ascending order of outrage... | Jettstream
Jun 17, 2002 7:13 AM | | Word is that she burned a letter from her estranged husband in an existing fire ring. That's it. Apparently the hot black ash from the burned paper blew into grass after she turned her back. Now, aside from possibly years in the pen and a bazillion dollar fine, she's probably been sentenced to a life of carrying a crushing guilt load with no chance of parole. She was momentarily stupid, but hardly criminal.
And, instead of "a 17 year old idiot and a can of beer", how about a dozen of them with a keg and a 5' high bonfire? They were busted in the woods near Keystone last Wed night, with no fire ring and no way to put out flames if the fire got away from them. (It didn't.)
No word on the sociopath that was lighting roadside fires near Conifer last weekend. If he does get busted, he better hope that the cops keep him protected from the local residents. |
| id just move... | phishin
Jun 17, 2002 6:36 AM | | heh, I probably would. If they closed our trail network. I got 2 things that hold me to this boring city. My job and my trail network. Hell, girlfriend wants to move to Austin. Wonder if they got trails there, bwahaha.
If they want my state tax money they'd better keep my trails open danm it.
- JB |
| I support closing the forest | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 6:53 AM | | There are too many clueless people. I would rather loose the forest for one summer than for the next 15 years because some idiot started something. Luckly, there is still about 50 miles of singletrack in town that I can still ride...for the moment at least. |
| I have only 1 network... | phishin
Jun 17, 2002 7:09 AM | | at a place called Turkey mountain. Top notch topo stuff, and really beutifully carved singletrack. If they closed them id be bound to the road.
Thats why Id move,
- JB |
| We're still open up here, k. | Jettstream
Jun 17, 2002 7:24 AM | | For now at least. But I have heard that the Roosevelt/Arapahoe NF is drawing up closure plans. We *might* get shut down soon too, and be left with only the Open Space trails. |
| No!!! | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 7:36 AM | | Damn--I so hope they keep Arapahoe open for at least the next week so I can get in at least one day at Keystone. What's even worse is that they pushed the opening date forward (they listed 6-22 but the opened 6-15) and I didn't know it so I've missed a weekend already. For as much as I understand the closure, I am going to be pissed if I don't get to ride up there at least once this year!
Do you have a link where I can read about the possible A-hoe NF closure? I might have to head up to Keystone some time this week just in case... |
| Nothing solid yet. | Jettstream
Jun 17, 2002 8:11 AM | | I've just heard mentions in a couple of news articles that the Forest people were planning ahead for a possible closure. I don't know how likely it is, or how soon it might happen. If Arap Forest restrictions do tighten, though, the first places to go would probably be the social camping areas, like, oh, for instance, where some of the Ned trails are.
Keystone is in the White River NF, btw. Now relax, and don't grip the handlebars so tightly.
Hey, can you send some of that rain and hail up thisaway? I know we let you down with deliveries of snow this winter, but pleeeeeze? |
| I'm 90% sure that it's Arapahoe | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 8:18 AM | | Loveland Pass is Arapahoe for sure. I'm almost certain that the Keystone trail map used to say they were in Arapahoe (although there is no mention of this on their web trail map). I'll try and find out for sure... |
| Yes we are | Kitchenware
Jun 17, 2002 7:41 AM | | Alex and I were just talking yesterday evening about dragging you (kristian) up here for a day of riding. We rode up in Ned yesterday and the riding up there never fails to amaze me. We rode some new (to us) stuff on West Mag that was simply amazing! Js, where we usually ride some road up Tennesee, we took some single track up a good portion of the way and avoided some of that loose rock jeep road stuff. There are some lawn chairs up near the top now in a meadow that make for a cool lunch/dinner stop. :) I didn't take any pics (left the cam in the van), but you know the area anyway Js. :D
Kristian, you should come up soon and we'll get you on some good twisty ST. Maybe not as technical as you're used to riding, but a real hoot nonetheless. There are also limitless freeride lines (established ones) up in that area.
jim |
| I'm all for it! | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 7:57 AM | | I'd say that I'll be up this weekend, but I'm going to Keystone for sure (unless the close the Arapahoe). I'll definetely be up for it sometime soon though.
Wanna ride the lifts on Saturday? It might be our only shot this summer... |
| Hmmmm. Doesn't ring a bell. | Jettstream
Jun 17, 2002 8:20 AM | | You might have found something new. Did the meadow with the lawnchairs look like this (minus the snow)? |
| Man that (necessarily) sucks! | jonny boy
Jun 17, 2002 7:31 AM | | I'll be doing a lot of travelling on the weekends this Summer, well I suppose I do that anyways. Already researching trails up in Wyoming. Hope the further reaches of Colorado stay open, but if necessary to close I understand... |
| Bummer. I guess this gives you plenty of time to... | Howard Roark
Jun 17, 2002 8:03 AM | | ...read Dostoevsky??
I never imagined CO would be subject to forest fires. For some reason, only NM and AZ come to mind when I think of fires. |
| Pikabike and I walked into the burn area yesterday...... | bobcat
Jun 17, 2002 8:23 AM | | ...not the Hayman fire, but the small fire between Evergreen and Conifer that erupted back in May. We took the Cub Creek trail up to the Wilderness boundrary and went through the burn. First indication of the fire were red-stained trees and ground from the slurry bombers. Very strange sights and smell .......no one on the trails yesterday... |
| Black Mountain Fire Pictures | jasonb
Jun 17, 2002 3:42 PM | | The Black Mountain Fire between Conifer and Evergreen was right in my backyard. Cub Creek Trail which leads into the northern area of the burn is one of my frequent rides. I was able to hike back into the area after we were evacuated and got these pictures...
http://home.bertolacci.org/gallery/BlackMountainFire
Since then I have been riding in the Winter Park/Fraser area. Got a long ride in on Sunday along the High Lonesome Trail which is part of the CDT. Anyone have CO ride plans for the coming Sunday?
jason |
| White River Natl. Forest update - FYI | Ðave in KC
Jun 17, 2002 8:34 AM | | I will be in Snowmass Village this time next week.
I spoke with the White River Natl Forest Rangers office this morning, and there are no current plans to close this area. Of course, no fires are allowed other than propane cookstoves. We had planned on car camping, but with the current situation, we now plan to stay in our hotel accomadations (at the base of the ski lift). You don't need anymore beer drinking rednecks in your forests at this point ;). Besides, what fun is camping without a campfire? I'll just stay in my all expense paid "ride-in/ride-out" hotel room.
Sorry to hear about everything that is going on our there. I'm sure it's stressful and you are concerned.
Regards,
Dave in KC |
| my condolences. | francis
Jun 17, 2002 1:27 PM | | You and my Arizona friends must be bummin!!! Time to buy more bike parts to pass away the time? A road bike?
francis |
| Luckily, we have some pretty decent trails within city limits... | kristian
Jun 17, 2002 1:53 PM | | ...which makes it a whole lot easier to deal with. Hopefully they won't need to close down any more Nat'l Forests this summer though! Pray for rain throughout the Southwest! |
| Seems the USFS needs to 86 themselves.. | zilla
Jun 17, 2002 3:03 PM | | I just read in the paper where a USFS employee has been arrested for starting the fire. Seems she was out enforcing the no-fire policy and decided to burn a letter from her exhubby.. Bad move as it started the fire.. So much for protecting us from ourselves.
zilla |
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