[Via Medicine Wheel]
We have been asked by the land management agencies to remind everyone that
the areas affected by the Waldo Canyon fire are completely CLOSED to any
public access. This includes Rampart Reservoir, Waldo Canyon, Shubarth
Trail, Williams Canyon, Stanley Canyon, etc. While the original closure
order was valid through October 1, 2012, we have been told that it will be
extended through at least May 1, 2013, at which time it will be reevaluated.
You can find a map of the closure area by clicking here
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5380581.pdf
And a copy of the closure letter by clicking here
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5380580.pdf
Anyone found violating the closure will be fined $500.00, so please respect
the closure. We understand the area is being actively patrolled.
While no decisions have been made about the future uses of the area, MWTA
has the issue on our radar and we’re offering to help the Forest Service
with any trail reconstruction or new trail building over the next few years.
Thanks!
Tuesday September 11 at 6:00 PM – Trail work.
FOMP is pleased to be holding a our final volunteer trail work and tree trimming work session of the 2012 season!
FOMP and USFS provide all necessary tools. Volunteers should wear appropriate clothing for performing outdoor landscaping type of work. Volunteers should bring leather gloves, a personal water supply, eye protection, sunscreen, and bug repellent. We meet rain or shine unless there is lightning active in the area. In the event that you are joining us late we always leave a note at the trail head parking lot or you can call Jon Nordby (719.640.1347) or Chris Tirpak (719.439.8865) to find out where in the Preserve we are working that evening.
We make every effort to accommodate volunteer preferences and abilities at each event. Generally we perform activities such as water bar building or renovation, trail renovation, maintenance, and trimming, etc. So, pretty much everything from trimming back scrub oak or digging lots of dirt to moving boulders. We assign duties based on interest and capabilities. Kids are welcome to join their parents; however, we do ask that you evaluate whether this is an appropriate activity for your child or not.
Meet at the main trailhead parking lot at 6:00PM! (map: http://bit.ly/FOMPMeetingSpot)
Thanks and we hope to see you out there soon!
FOMP
At the last volunteer work session FOMP Volunteers discussed holding an extra trail work session this evening (Tuesday July 24, 2012) to get some additional work completed.
We are cancelling that work session due to work conflicts.
Thanks and stay tuned, we will have more to come!
FOMP
Mt Herman Rd Re-open Map Click to Zoom
A quick announcement – the 12-10 order (see previous posts or email) closing much of the area forest is still in effect. Please respect the clsure and stop by and say hello to the out of town rangers assigned to keep Mt. herman Rd. closed.
We know that the closure will continue through at least Monday – beyond that we have no information but as soon as we know so will you!
Thanks!
It has been a chaotic couple of weeks in the area and we have up to date information on what is open, what is closed, maps, orders, and volunteer opportunities!1. Open or Closed?
At the top of everyone’s mind … what is open and what is closed?
The good news, the Preserve is OPEN! Despite some signage to the contrary it is open. We’ve worked witht the USFS to correct the signage and post maps. You do need to steer clear of Mt. Herman Rd – the machinery working on the road can throw rocks and debris 200+ feet – so stay away from the road. USFS 715 “Stoopid Trail” is closed where it turns SW in the SQ corner of the preserve. We have placed a sign there – that leads you into the closure – stay out or risk a ticket.
The bad news, Mt. Herman Rd and everthing West of Red Rocks Rd to Palmer Lake and then West on 322 to Rampart Range Rd is CLOSED. There was a new order in place as of Friday closing this section.
Why: So that the Forest Service can finish cleaning up the fire line on Mt. Herman Road – they are using masticulating machines and feller bunchers and they are also removing all the logs from the Mt. Herman Rd fire line. This will continue for several more days at the very least, maybe a couple of weeks. We hope that it will re-open after that but we have no firm date or commitment from the USFS yet. If we get one we will let you know.
Please have a look at this zoomed in map of our area from the latest USFS closure order.
Full map and closure order (Adobe PDF Reder required), these are somewhat large, be patient:
Waldo Canyon Fire Area Closure Order 12-08
Waldo North Closure REVISED map
A list of other regional openings and closings is at the end of this email/post.
2. Fire
We still have high fire danger so be aware. The recent rains have not changed the fire danger.
3. Shooting Range Update
After FOMP volunteers cleaned up over 60 (yes 60!) bags of trash and debris from illegal shooting on Mt. Herman Rd the FS then cleaned up just as much 2 days later and closed parking and roped off these areas. There was approximately 2 acres total sutdown to shooting in areas that are not safe to shoot in the first place. Social ranges that were on the top of ridgelines with not backstop were closed down. Much, muc more remains to be done to make Mt. Herman Rd a safe place for other recreational users as some of the remaining social ranges have been utterly destroyed and shooters are shooting uphill with stray and ricochet bullets landing in Limbaugh Canyon still as well as on the Mt. Herman hiking trail. We continue to work with the USFS to try and make the Mt. Herman corrider a safe place again. The illegal shooting is just that – illegal and unsafe. It is in areas where shooting is allowed unfortunately many (and it appears a majority) of the recreational shooters on Mt. Herman Rd choose not to follow the rules of the USFS and are destroying trees and other resources as well as creating very dangerous situations for themselves and others. FOMP’s BOD continues to work with the USFS for good solutions for all parties including recreational shooters.
4. Monthly Trail Work Session Information
FOMP is pleased to be holding a volunteer trail work and tree trimming work session!
FOMP==== List of Known Open / Closed Regional Trails ====
Thanks to David Wagner for putting this list together – we will try and update it as he provides updates and eventually make it a seperate post on www.fomp.org
Open:
Falcon Trail (Air Force Academy) with military ID update: The Falcon Trail (Air Force Academy) is only under FPCON ALPHA, so only drivers license is required — update #2: Falcon Trail may be only partially open unless you have a military ID – please verify before you go!
Trail Closures due to the Waldo Canyon Fire:
For official news and the latest updates on the Waldo Canyon Fire see the multip agency Incident Information System “InciWeb”. InciWeb has information about all current and past fires. Active fire are updated as information becomes available.
InciWeb home: http://inciweb.org/
Waldo Canyon Fire: http://inciweb.org/incident/2929/
Update: Cafevelo Bikes is so excited to hear about the progress FOMP has made getting the shooting areas on Mt. Herman cleaned up that they would like to buy a coffee for any volunteer who shows up and helps tomorrow! FOMP will be collecting names and giving it to the owner on Wed. If you can not make it please be sure to show your support and drop by Cafevelo Bikes and show them some love in return for encouraging everyone to get out and participate and ride!
FOMP urgently needs you for this special work session!
Tuesday June 12 at 5:00PM or 6:00 PM – Trail work to clean up and reclaim shooting ranges in conjunction with USFS.
FOMP is pleased to be holding a volunteer work session with USFS!
Please bring heavy duty black trash baghs if you have them, work gloves, bug spray and a personal water supply.
Primary work location will be up Mt. Herman Rd. about 4.5 miles, at the upper Limbaugh entrance. About 1 mile past where 715 crosses Mt Herman Road. Look for the vehicles, hard to miss.
Thanks and we hope to see you out there soon!
FOMP