Just wondering if anyone has heard if they are intending on opening Fordyce back up soon? Have they realized that our vehicles aren't going to burn the place down?

I imagine the trail will reopen when the Fire Restrictions are lifted this Fall.

Use your time to get involved in the many local "National Forests" trail closures. See the Land Use section.

I imagine the trail will reopen when the Fire Restrictions are lifted this Fall.

Use your time to get involved in the many local "National Forests" trail closures. See the Land Use section.

just in time to close it cause it'll be too wet. oh man I hate cali now.

Expect a Winter Closure of Fordyce next Fall 2008 when this whole OHV Route Designation process is over with. The ElDorado is closing its higher elevation trails for 4 months of the year, expect the Tahoe to be little different.

This is not just Cali. It is nation wide. The current enhanced fire restrictions are Tahoe only.

I imagine the trail will reopen when the Fire Restrictions are lifted this Fall.

Use your time to get involved in the many local "National Forests" trail closures. See the Land Use section.

I've been following the Route Dez, sending emails, and writing letters. I'm burned out, sick of hearing about it, and just plain want it to go away.

No worry, the route designation will go away next year and so will YOUR TRAILS.

Again, the only way this "abomination" can possibly go away is in the political realm. I have been to all but one public meeting since this process started in November of 2004 in the Tahoe. The bureaucratic engine behind this "thing" is just too large to have much of an affect within the previously setup, documented and guidelined process. It's called railroading!

We need to make this a controversial issue outside the Forest Service!

AND you think you're sick of hearing about it!!

I talked to the Forest Service and the unofficial word is that it will take 1 to 2 inches of rain before they will consider reopening the forest. That's not an official thing, just something that needs to happen before they will even look at it.

I've been following the Route Dez, sending emails, and writing letters. I'm burned out, sick of hearing about it, and just plain want it to go away.


But we just got started!!! There's still 153 NF's to go!!!

Bump, any word on this? We had some good rain in the area this weekend, hoping that some of these forests Tahoe and Plumas are going to open up soon!!!

Also, deer season opens on the 22nd and Im planning on wheeling Fordyce and hunting as in years past.

Bump, any word on this? We had some good rain in the area this weekend, hoping that some of these forests Tahoe and Plumas are going to open up soon!!!

Rain, we didn't have but a few drops in Grass Valley! I guess that's why Sierra Valley is so green.

It will take IMHO at least several good rains forest wide before the enhanced fire restrictions are lifted. I expect Hunting season to be greatly effected with many hunters having to change their plans or getting tickets/citations/warnings and being thrown out of the Forest or shown to other locations.

deer season opens on the 22nd and Im planning on wheeling Fordyce and hunting as in years past.


better change you plans.:smokin:

Be patient guys (I know we all have been so far). Weather is cooling and the rain usually comes by the end of September to beginning of October. All it will take is a couple good dumps and we will be back on the trail. I like fall wheeling on fordyce anyway, no dust, less bugs and more fun. November will be a blast I am sure. Turkey day on the trail is sounding better and better.:D

It will be a miracle!:(

I'm not waiting for rain to run the trail. I'm going to run it this weekend!:flipoff2:

















































Well, more correctly I should say I'm going to walk it. I can't stay away this long so my wife (Tinkerbell) and I are going to hike Fordyce.:D

Be sure to tread lightly. :flipoff2:

Lighter than you I'd imagine Husky Boy!:flipoff2:

Lighter than you I'd imagine Husky Boy!:flipoff2:


Cold as ICE!

But I thought a bigger, wider footprint would actually dammage the trail less. :confused:

Lighter than you I'd imagine Husky Boy!:flipoff2:

Fawker...when you call to "check in" I will let it roll to voicemail so I can finish my beer. :flipoff2:

KCRA Weather is showing a little rain tonight and tomorrow for the sierras. This could be some good news for us all. One step closer to wheeling.

OK, so I got a good dumping in the Sacramento area. Anyone know if the Sierra up and around Fordyce got some good rain? Fingers crossed!

Snow above 7k

OK, so I got a good dumping in the Sacramento area. Anyone know if the Sierra up and around Fordyce got some good rain? Fingers crossed!

Ya we got some rain last night. It is raining right now! We should get some more tomorrow.:D

I contacted the Truckee national forest and they e-mailed me back that they might reopen it with enough rain. They didn't state how much rain was required but it does help.

I plan on contacting them next week after the rain this weekend.

It's been raining solid here all morning (and a good chunk of last night too). I sure hope they open it for us next week. My jeep is home-sick.:grinpimp:

it was raining hard this morning up here.

i was told last weekend at the roundup that they would open it with 2" of rain. might be b.s. but thats what i was told. the guy said he was on a crew that went in with the forest service to survey the conditions not to long ago

open...open...open...open.......Please!!! I haven't had the new rig up to Fordyce yet!! I will be saying a little prayer...and I ain't the religous type either...:shaking:

My sources say it rained all night on the trail. :D

I wonder if it is muddy yet on the trail.... heheheh




:grinpimp:

open...open...open...open.......Please!!! I haven't had the new rig up to Fordyce yet!! I will be saying a little prayer...and I ain't the religous type either...:shaking:

Heheheh... sounds like one of the old Marshall's commercials:D

I wonder if it is muddy yet on the trail.... heheheh




:grinpimp:

So what your sayin' is I can plan on next weekend?....heheheh:grinpimp:

So what your sayin' is I can plan on next weekend?....heheheh:grinpimp:

I think what he's saying is if it gets too muddy, they'll probably keep it closed. This is sounding more and more like a Barrett Lake type of deal where they will only allow it to be opened under ideal conditions. Hopefully that isn't the case.

Tinman was going to hike the trail. I'm curious to hear how it went - meaning how the condition of the trail is and if there are any recent tracks up there.

I'm back. 14 hours on the trail Indian Springs to Meadow and back. 26 miles round trip including side trips. I'd estimate the water release at somewhere around 100 to 125. Made water crossing #2 interesting to get across! The others were no big deal. It rained all day Saturday and absolutley dumped Saturday night. The trail is not muddy but has been totally wetted down. I can see maybe still having a campfire ban but there is no way a rig can start a fire on that trail (layman's opinion) and that's what I'm going to say when I write the forest supervisor tomorrow to petition him to open up Fordyce to motorized travel.

I did not see any evidence of recent usage or anybody driving the trail Saturday. I also did not see a single other hiker which I think is really funny considering how hard they are trying to keep us off the trails so they can enjoy them more. Where are they??

I'll write more tomorow. I need to take a soak right now. If I can make it to the tub.:D
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This was a hard undertaking but we're glad we did it. Everyone should try it (with proper preparation and safeguards) sometime. There are things on the trail you'll never see if driving or just walking around outside your rig. Man I love the Fordyce trail. Fun and challenging to wheel and stuningly beautiful to see.

There are parts that are going to need work so stay tuned. If we can't get to them this year we are going to hit it hard next spring.

We will get to hit them this year... I must imagine there will be a couple month window we can use before things get too nasty up there. If I plan it in advance (my life is VERY busy right now), I would love to help you guys work on the trail. I have Maps, GPS, chainsaw, 8274, and some good ol' elbow grease I can volunteer. I hope this is enough rain for them to lift the BAN. I hope...

It has been a while since I have seen the trail so unused,I have a group together to run the rubicon next weekend but.....seeing how the trail is very wet I am making calls to see if there up to fordyce instead.(depending if they lift the ban).

I'm truly impressed, Bret. You're already in shape for that trip next year.

Thanks for the update. It's encouraging to hear that people are heeding the motorized travel restrictions. I really hope they open it back up soon! :D

I was out in the Sierra Valley this weekend and noticed some snow up on the peaks that way. Rained off and on out there, humiditys are up, fuel index's are down; couldnt imagine them keeping it closed.

On another note, deer season is open and I plan on hunting it hopefully next weekend from the top side if I dont go to the UNR vs. UNLV football game.

does anyone have the number for the forest service guys so we can start calling up and asking if it's back open yet?

You can get the phone numbers on the Tahoe NF website but I would be cautious of any info I got from someone below the top tier of the supervisory level. I will keep on this today and post up anything I find out here.

...On another note, deer season is open and I plan on hunting it hopefully next weekend ...

Yeah I was out hunting near the hwy 88 hwy 89 intx near deer valley. We got rained & snowed on. We saw alot of deer though, good luck.

Thank you very much for the report, I am anxiously awaiting for our beloved trail to be open (like everyone else)! I have also been very curious to know if there were others using the trail anyway (maybe because they "did not know").

Very interesting, thanks again.

JW

Thank you very much for the report, I am anxiously awaiting for our beloved trail to be open (like everyone else)! I have also been very curious to know if there were others using the trail anyway (maybe because they "did not know").

Very interesting, thanks again.

JW

I find it unlikely that someone "Wouldn't know". I was up at Jackson Meadows and Spaulding, Faucherie etc several times this summer (gotta go camping somewhere, right?) and there were signs posted every 100 ft or so. I went around to the Meadow Lake side and there were signs all over there too. There is no way a person could "oops, I didn't see the sign" out there. And as tempting as it was to go "poach" a trail or two, I didn't out of respect. We are fighting for our rights to use this land, the last thing we want to do is make a bad name for ourselves. Obviously not many people have run the trail though and I am glad to see we are all respecting the rules with which we disagree so strongly. Good show of restraint everyone.

I have received word from Steve Eubanks, the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor, that fire restrictions will be lifted very shortly. Check the TNF website for the first official word. As soon as I see it there I will post something here unless someone beats me to it.

It's been a while since we've used the trail so remember:

1. Pack out what you pack in (and more if possible.)

2. Be fire safe (providing campfires are permitted.)

3. Tread lightly! This time of year is always a good time to be extra careful about our impact on the trail.

. Tread lightly! This time of year is always a good time to be extra careful about our impact on the trail


This can not be stressed enough!

If you guys want this trail to stay open PLEASE be cautious and stay on the trail.

From our sources, it will re-open Wednesday....Fires will also be allowed.

EXCELLENT! My thanks to everyone who worked hard to make this happen! Thanks for Four Dice and the other adopt-a-trail clubs, Friends of the Tahoe Forest for their networking, Cal4 for political insistence, and the individual letter-writers who weighed in at the forest level. Thanks especially to the users who honored this closure even though it sat poorly with us...

Randii

No shiat!! I can't believe this, sounds too good to be true.:smokin: So my next ? is how busy will this trail be this weekend...geuss I should go up thursday then...LOL

EXCELLENT! My thanks to everyone who worked hard to make this happen! Thanks for Four Dice and the other adopt-a-trail clubs, Friends of the Tahoe Forest for their networking, Cal4 for political insistence, and the individual letter-writers who weighed in at the forest level. Thanks especially to the users who honored this closure even though it sat poorly with us...

Randii

No doubt big thanks to all who helped out and voiced their mind. I know it was really hard to stay off the trail and we (rockzombies) convinced a few of our buddies to not even waste their time driving up to "have a look around" just knew that the more we stayed away the better it would look.

This can not be stressed enough!

If you guys want this trail to stay open PLEASE be cautious and stay on the trail.

May I add to this, PLEASE stay on any trail, not just this one!!

My wee-wee just twitched! Hell ya! :D

This is great to hear! Can't wait to get up there once it's open!

Jeff

Great news!! I cannot wait until we can go back up. I was up the last weekend it was open and that was a long time ago. The bummer part is I can't go for two weeks because I am headed to Mexico.:D

:beer::beer:BIG THANKS to everyone who has worked to help get this reopened.:beer::beer:

Pursuant to Title 36 CFR 261.50(a), the prohibitions listed in the Forest Order number 17-06-04 applicable to the Tahoe National Forest, signed July 2, 2007 by Steven T. Eubanks, are hereby terminated as of midnight on September 26, 2007.

Nevada City …Fire restrictions in the Tahoe National Forest (TNF) will be lifted at midnight on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, announced Steve Eubanks, Forest Supervisor. The cooler temperatures and wetter weather prompted Forest Service officials to end restrictions. This enables recreationists to have campfires in the backcountry and operate internal combustion engines in the forest. As fall progresses, visitors are reminded to be very fire safe as the weather can turn warm, dry and windy. “Please do your part to be fire safe. This past summer, 65 abandoned campfires were discovered and put out. This continues to be a major frustration. People are not using common sense when it comes to fire safety,” stated Eubanks.


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see you there :D

Full info..

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/news/07_news_releases/07_sept_24_fire_restr_lifted.shtml

very good. See you there.

right on. be there next year. maybe memorial day. anybody want a 14 bolt with 5.13's and a detroit to trade fr some longs :flipoff2:

right on. be there next year. maybe memorial day. anybody want a 14 bolt with 5.13's and a detroit to trade fr some longs :flipoff2:

pm me and give me a price on that detroit....hell maybe the whole axle for the right price.

Anyone know how high the river is? I just went to dreamflows.com and it says that fordyce creek is not available.

About this high.:flipoff2:
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Seriously, not high. I'd estimate somewhere between 100-125 last weekend.

Just e-mailed Dreamflows' administrator to see if he can acquire and post the info, but as Tinman says he hiked it last weekend. This time of year there is usually no problem, you can take a look at the historical graphs on Dreamflow to confirm.

Great News!

Thanks! :D

Just to make it clear, I called the TNF and they stated it will be open Sept. 26 at midnight.

Sweet, I be up there very soon..

right on. be there next year. maybe memorial day. anybody want a 14 bolt with 5.13's and a detroit to trade fr some longs :flipoff2:

DUDE BRING IT TO THE SWAP MEET!
ITS FOR A GOOD CAUSE!

Website says it is open NOW! (it was still showing closed this morning)

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/recreation/yr_south/roads.shtml

Fire Restrictions
17-07-04 (Fire Restrictions) is repealed as of September 27, 2007 (.pdf) or (.html). If you have a valid California Campfire Permit, campfires and gas stoves will be allowed anywhere on TNF lands.

going up there tonite makeing first traks :flipoff2:

17-07-04 (Fire Restrictions) is repealed as of September 27, 2007

Says open on the one link and says the restrictions dont get repealed until 9/27, which is it??????

going up there tonite makeing first traks :flipoff2:

hahaha nice.

I'll be there friday! woooo (that's the sound of sheer excitement!) :D

It figures... my birthday is this weekend. And of course, I have plans to go down to the bay area with a bunch of friends... I would rather be crawling... oh well there is always next weekend... :mad3:

great news! I hope i can make it in this season, but jeep has no rear axle installed :shaking:

I'm there for sure. I can't wait for this weekend!!!

Myself and 5 others are heading down from Meadow lake saturday morning camping at winch hill 1.GEARMAN I have a feeling you wont be the first tracks you see up there ,just what some of the locals have told me.:)

well if i wasnt then they must have walked in cause there wasnt a single fresh track at all from cisco at the 4th crossing down to the first crossing.:flipoff2: it was nice not a single rig up there to ruin my day.:D

I contacted the Truckee national forest and they e-mailed me back that they might reopen it with enough rain. They didn't state how much rain was required but it does help.

I plan on contacting them next week after the rain this weekend.

when you get the ok lets run it calll me lance :flipoff2:

well if i wasnt then they must have walked in cause there wasnt a single fresh track at all from cisco at the 4th crossing down to the first crossing.:flipoff2: it was nice not a single rig up there to ruin my day.:D

Damn you sure sound bitter in your ol'days...LOL Why you being a hater? You act like you were never one of those guys. Sure wish you would have gone wheelin' with some of us Zombies! oh well next time sean.

Damn you sure sound bitter in your ol'days...LOL Why you being a hater? You act like you were never one of those guys. Sure wish you would have gone wheelin' with some of us Zombies! oh well next time sean.


Rob, when you heading up?

Jeff

well if i wasnt then they must have walked in cause there wasnt a single fresh track at all from cisco at the 4th crossing down to the first crossing.:flipoff2: it was nice not a single rig up there to ruin my day.:D

ok:)

going for a day run sat.

Yup, first tracks yesterday.... nice and peacful, weather was perfect.. theres even big ferns growin inthe middle of the trail... didn't see another rig all day..

Rob, when you heading up?

Jeff

Today in like an hour! WE have alot of friends going cause of two birthdays and its October fest!! So you there ..right?:smokin:

Today in like an hour! WE have alot of friends going cause of two birthdays and its October fest!! So you there ..right?:smokin:

hammer down son! I'll shoot you my 20 in a while and see where yall are at. Take the sloth down a peg and get some round ones for me and Jereme :D

hammer down son! I'll shoot you my 20 in a while and see where yall are at. Take the sloth down a peg and get some round ones for me and Jereme :D

WTF PHIL? you make no sense. Get some sleep.



Rob is Keith making it too?

WTF PHIL? you make no sense. Get some sleep.



Rob is Keith making it too?

I make a dolla out of 15 sense

Today in like an hour! WE have alot of friends going cause of two birthdays and its October fest!! So you there ..right?:smokin:


Where are the Zombies camping at?

Jeff

Those that are going will probably be right at the end of the gravel road, in the trees by the lake, if not down by or around the first crossing. BigRob said he wanted to go down by the river! (in a van :) )
To have a quieter camp, but somehow I don't see that happening! LOL

damn it, its not even oct , and you are doing october fest. oh well. hopefully illbe drinking free boose in montery. have fun.

j

:Ddamn it, its not even oct , and you are doing october fest. oh well. hopefully illbe drinking free boose in montery. have fun.

j

That's what I thought!! Well I will be at 2 parties saturday, Craig has baby duty, Brian has get the Rig ready for comp duty, Brenden will be in Santa Barbara, your in Monterey (have fun), I think really on 5 or 6 zomibes are going! But there is always 2 weeks from now!!!! :D

:flipoff2: say what you want but YOU missed out!! besides October fest. wasn't a Zombie gig anyway its for everyone. We had a blast there was no crowd, we had big fire and goodtimes.:grinpimp: oh yeah did I mention it snowed...fawkin' awesome!!

Despite the rain, snow, getting sick and all the shiat I broke....I couldn't have had a better time!!!:evil: