Month: April 2009

Trespassers & Threats

After seeing the hikers on Easter come up through my property, I posted this on the Ventana Wilderness Alliance Forum:

“Because Ventana Wilderness is closed, the Silver Peak Wilderness has increased numbers of hikers, campers, and other users, as it should. Some of these users are not respectful of private property. I had 4 hikers come up Home Ridge on Easter which lets out right by my spring road, who hiked through my property without my permission. They were greeted by my four guard dogs, who fortunately did not attack. Trespassers are fair game to my pack. I’m not implying that these trespassers are members of VWA by posting here, I do not know. But I do know that other hikers also read this forum, as well.
All I ask is that when you hike an area, please find out where the private property is located, and do NOT hike it without the owner’s permission. Do not assume that the owner, living on the edge of the Silver Peak Wilderness, will not mind. We do. Just stop by the PV station and ask. Many people do not seem to know (or care) that there is private property here. On Home Ridge alone, there are at least five parcels besides my own, which is at the top, two of whom also complained about the hikers. Hike the Prewitt Loop. Home Ridge is not a trail, but a dozer cut left from the Chalk Fire. Please. I won’t be as nice with the next trespassers.”

I got a very nice response from Boon, with a positive suggestion on how to prevent this. But I also received this threat from an anonymous poster:

“Re: Private Property & Silver Peak Wilderness

Postby guest on Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:46 am

Oh.. An arms race.   

To protect myself, from being attacked if I wander off a trail and onto private property, I will naturally not want to be hurt by dogs. I will now need to carry my 9mm ruger, and have my protective pit-bulls with me. They and I are quite harmless unless an aggressive dog or gun-toting pot-grower happens my way. ( Not that all or even most protective land owners are pot-growers)”

I see this person as an aberation, and certainly not indicative of the vast majority of the VWA members. But he has certainly given me pause for thought about how I handle trespassers in the future. I’m not going to get into “an arms race” with this jerk, but if I am not nice to trespassers this year, you have this idiot to thank for it. I don’t know who he is, so any trespasser could be him — carrying a 9 mm Ruger. Nice, huh? 
You can see the entire thread here:
http://www.ventanawild.org/forum08/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=187

Living in the Wilderness pet peeves

With spring break being both before and after Easter, and the increased users here, due to the continuing closures elsewhere, it is time for me to address my two biggest pet peeves about users to the Forest surrounding my home. 

The first is trespassers. I don’t know where some users get the idea that because I live in the Wilderness, I won’t mind hikers, bikers, motorcycles, and even the occasional vehicle, if someone cuts the lock off my gate. I do mind. My dogs mind. I had four hikers come through on Easter, like they were entitled. Actually, they were lucky my pack of four dogs did not bite them. Find out where the private property is when you go hiking, and hike around, not through it. Please. As the season progresses, and my patience is tried, I will no longer be nice about it.

The second is, of course, campfires. As of April 10th, permits are now required for all areas outside developed campgrounds or day use areas, which on the South Coast are Mill Creek Day Use, Sand Dollar Day use, and Willow Creek Day use. The only two campgrounds open are Plaskett Creek and Kirk Creek. EVERY where else, a permit is required for a fire or a stove, as of April 10, 2009. And remember, that permit is only good IF campfires are allowed at all. One yahoo thought it meant he could use it, even though campfires had been completely banned. Also, do not have a fire unless you have BOTH water and a shovel with you. Make sure you clear the area well and completely, AND make sure it is completely and totally out when you leave.

Plaskett Ridge Rd. has been devastated by Sudden Oak Death, and it will not take much this season to set her off. I don’t know how I could handle another fire after last year, but I imagine I will. This year’s rain totals have been extremely low, and winds are drying out the vegetation earlier. I suspect a campfire ban may go into effect earlier than usual, and the USFS may have to close the forest completely at some point, to minimize the fire danger.

My plea is to respect private property, and to be fire safe this year, please. Thank you.

Temporary Bridge for State Park?

Article in Today’s Monterey Herald indicates that the state MAY be erecting a temporary bridge so that it can open for Memorial Day weekend. This is part of that article:

“It’s only temporary, but Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park could have a new bridge in time for the influx of summer campers.

The temporary structure is similar to the one that provided temporary crossing over the Carmel River in 1995 when heavy rains caused the permanent Highway 1 bridge to wash out, said Ken Gray, services manager for States Parks Monterey district.

‘Our goal is to get the campground open by Memorial Day,’ Gray said. ‘We are still doing the planning for (the temporary bridge). There’s no guarantees, but that’s our goal.'”

Sounds like the temporary solution, a “Bailey” bridge, is one that Sam Farr has been pushing. Let’s hope it is in place next month. It will only be one lane, and therefore subject to traffic control, but it is better than what is there now — nothing. This could be good news for the Big Sur business community. It is not a done deal, yet, but hopefully heading in that direction.

CT News Release, South Coast

Today’s Date: Friday, April 10, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT ON HWY. 1 JUST SOUTH OF LIMEKILN CREEK BRIDGE

 

BIG SUR – The project consists of a drainage improvement on Hwy. 1, just south of Limekiln Creek Bridge for two weeks starting Monday, April 13, Caltrans officials today announced.

Work consists of one-way reversing traffic control with flaggers and work hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8 am to 4 pm and from 8 am to 2 pm on Fridays. Up to 15 minute delays can be anticipated. Work is scheduled to be complete in early May, weather permitting.

An existing drainage cross culvert, which outlets over the bluff, will be abandoned and a new replacement system is to be installed, draining in a more suitable location.

 

Storm Watch, 4/9/09

As of 11:00 pm, we never did get any rain down here on the South Coast of Big Sur. The radar images on the news tonight (out of Bakersfield, of all places) had the rain going east from Monterey, not south.

3:00 pm – Nothing up here, yet, in fact, a bit of sun, but here are some photos sent to me by Jo-Ann Allison. First, the now infamous car in the culvert, from the Highway One side. It appears to have washed down from the parking lot in the debris flow. Whoever owns this car, has lots of photos for his or her insurance company:

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And this one shows the line of cars, both in front of, and behind Jo-Ann, trying to get through Highway One, on Tuesday, around noon, BEFORE the slide completely shut it down later that afternoon. Also note the fence at the Lodge which was partially taken out.

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And here is one, again from the Highway and Jo-Ann’s car, showing how the parking lot and the Highway were “one” with each other, thanks to the mud. It also shows the loss of parts of the fence. (okay, there WILL be one, maybe, below.)

 

Rain likely later today. For now, up here anyway, overcast, foggy, and dismal. Matches the mood of my cold perfectly. Another day to try to stay warm, dry, and inside. I’ve been promised more photos this afternoon.

Photos of the mudslide

Tuesday afternoon saw another blow to the Big Sur State Park, who has suffered set-back after set back toward its goal to open by Memorial Day.  I think Mother Nature is telling us she is not ready for millions of visitors to her scarred and healing hills. When she tries to tell us gently, we sometimes don’t hear her, so she has to YELL to be heard.

These photos by Rain Greenslate, Chief of Maintenance Big Sur tell the story so well. She and Jo-ann are sending more tomorrow. Thanks ladies for sharing these with us and I will post as many of them tonight as I can, and more tomorrow!!

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Cal-Trans News Release & Report from the locals

Ah, Mother Nature. How much we love you!! Just when we get complacent that the storms are over and Big Sur sur-vived, as only she can, you come along and remind us — of your awesome power — and incredible sense of humor!! Wild and colorful displays for us, along with 80 degree weather one day, and cold, heavy rains and mud slides the next. Yes, dear lady, you are one grande dame. We honor and respect you here in your turbulent arms!

From my friend, Debbie, in the valley:

“Well, lots of digging out going on.  Just heard on the scanner they are going to try a escort a few cars through the park entrance area a few at a time on a need basis.  Jo-Ann just left here to try to get to her office.  She had to leave her car last night and wade through the day use road to get home.  Quite a mess.  Juan Higuera overflowed the culvert and brought debris down my driveway again.  I was here and the guys kept going to check on it.  Dogs fine and barking at them at the time.  I went home, no problem.  Basil hoe’d out rock from the culvert and all is flowing fine again.  River was never an issue.  Just raised up a bit and is the dark stinky muddy thing it has been all winter during storms.  I spoke with Debra briefly earlier, they are closing the Lodge tonight because they have to close the sewer plant – really don’t know what that story is.”

Cal-Trans News Release:

“MONTEREY COUNTY – Highway 1 reopened with one-way reversing traffic control with flaggers at 11:30am today after closing yesterday at 6pm due to heavy mud slide activity for four miles from south of Ventana to north of the Big Sur Park (Campgrounds), Caltrans officials have announced.

Maintenance crews will continue working in the area to clear any debris and get the highway fully open. Up to 30-minute delays can be expected and motorists should proceed with caution. Updates will be available as conditions change.”

And if you haven’t seen the photos (still trying to find out the name of the photographer) in the post below, take a look!