FAWK!!!! SPIDER LAKE CLOSED AGAIN this year :(

[geberhard]

FAWK!!!! SPIDER LAKE CLOSED AGAIN this year!!

*posting this on chit chat as well* please pass this along, we need some action

Really sucks, whow are the dumbasses that are causing this crap??? Why teh fawk are people messing with the trail, driving off of it again? Shit, shoudl we start policing ourselves so this will not happen? Pretty soon the trail will end up closed because of dumbasses.

Last year because of human waste (crap) and thsi year becuase of people driving off the trail, rocks and bushes, etc.. WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More info here:

http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/spider_05.htm

and

http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/projects_05.htm


"The Rubicon Trail Famous Spider Lake Closes Again!
When Will We Get Management Rather Than Closures?
by Del Albright, BlueRibbon Ambassador and FOTR Trail Boss


For the second year in a row, Spider Lake of the Rubicon Trail has been closed to motor vehicle access. This time it's for resource damage. Last year (2004) it was for human waste. The closure is smaller this year, but once again, Spider Lake has been closed to us while really no management has occurred to fix any of the problems that Friends of the Rubicon (FOTR) has been pointing out to the USDA Forest Service and various County officials for years!

Citing resource damage (ie. vehicles driving over rocks and bushes, and getting off the trail), the Eldorado National Forest (not El Dorado County) has once again shut us out of Spider Lake. Admittedly, this time it's only our vehicles that can't get into the vicinity of Spider Lake. Last year, even walking in the area was prohibited because of the human waste issues. This year, the Forest Service is concerned that continued resource damage, as well as pollutants from our vehicles, will degrade and possibly contaminate the lake. Last year it was thought that the human waste would cause fecal coliform contamination in the lake (it didn't because we cleaned it up).

NOTE: Last year the closure was for possible human waste contamination that NEVER panned out. There was no impact to the lake -- no bacteria found. Also, last year the closure was initiated by El Dorado County, followed by a Forest Order from the Eldorado National Forest. This year (2005) it was only the Eldorado National Forest issuing a Forest Order.

Here's the deal:
1. FOTR has invested over 10,000 hours of labor into the trail since 2001. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of OHV Trust Fund money have gone into the trail -- mostly sponsored by El Dorado County.
2. FOTR has offered up many solutions to both the County and the USDA Forest Service. Not nearly enough has been done by either agency, especially the Forest Service to MANAGE the Rubicon Trail and especially Spider Lake.
3. Spider Lake (USFS property and private property) still does not have any designation routes to and from; it has no designated camping areas; it has no signs telling us what can and can't be done; it has no management of the Little Sluice area even though the two are directly connected and many agency personnel feel that the Sluice exacerbates the Spider Lake problems due to human use concentration.
4. FOTR has said many times that Emergency Closures should be reserved for when management fails. There has not been nearly enough management of the famous Rubicon Trail to warrant closures like this. It is time for management.

Read more here: http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/projects_05.htm

Please spread the word. Email me if you have any questions.
thanks, Del "

[ROCK HUGGER]

Dude, this is old news. If you followed the Rubicon forum or FOTR you would have know long ago

[geberhard]

Originally Posted by ROCK HUGGER

Dude, this is old news. If you followed the Rubicon forum or FOTR you would have know long ago

Did u bother going to the FOTR link??

"As of today, July 20th, FOTR just got word that the closure notice is finally posted on the USFS web site (obscurely at best, but there nonetheless). FOTR received our information from second hand USFS sources and handouts at meetings. Go here to see the USFS posting: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/about/regs/orders/

There are signs showing the closure on the kiosk at Loon Lake now. And as of July 1st, there are carsonite signs in place around the Closure. Oh, you ask, when did the Closure go into effect? May 27, 2005. So if you were in there between Memorial Day and now, you were in violation of a Forest Order. Don't sweat it though.....it was not posted nor was adequate public notice given."

[derek]

so they finally posted what has been in effect for like a year now.
there are signs that mark the boundary that vehicles are not supposed to pass.

derek

[randii]

Don't get sucked into who knew what first... there's no gain.

Get involved with Friends of the Rubicon and the Rubicon Trail Foundation and help us work to reverse this closure and fight to prevent future closures...
http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/rubicon.htm
http://www.rubicontrail.org/

Randii

[jca]

You guys act surprised?? No surprise here. Last year they took an inch...This year a foot...next year a yard...the following a mile, until they have the WHOLE. Don't give them the inch, foot, yard, mile with out a fight!!! Research the fight for Glamis and Pismo. Research their tactics. Look at how they do business!!! This is normal. They will play to the fact of cooperation and concessions (give and take) but it is always us giving and them taking. I said last year that we needed to fight them. Make them win in courts. Make them spend money and time!!! There was no evidence of the lake getting polluted by the people so now they have changed tactics.. Hold rallies, Raffle's and outings to raise money to make them fight. Every thing you give them with out a fight save them money and time and lets them use that money and time to take more.


Give them nothing and make them take it!!! No compromise at all!!!!

[hammerman94]

Maybe we should start policing ourselves. Any ideas of how we could do it? I think embarresment tatics would work good. Ant time we see some one on our local trails we post thier names and rigs with or with out pics on all the local forums and maybe even at the local trail rides or shows. It might cause couple of redneck fights but I 'm down for that! Let me know any ideas you guys might have.

[G.C. Bandit]

Ok heres the deal, i have been up there almost every weekend since memorial... I have not once seen a vehicle drive down to the backside of the lake or even been where they shouldnt of. Im pretty sure all of the damages that they r saying happend, was from a while ago. Because since memorial weekend, spider has been closed to vehicles....
From what one of the forest guy told me, was once the terrain starts to filter down twords the lake, u can no longer continue... Its simple, so u see someone where they shouldnt be, regulate!!! ANd there r signs up there too!

[randii]

Originally Posted by G.C. Bandit

... I have not once seen a vehicle drive down to the backside of the lake or even been where they shouldnt of. Im pretty sure all of the damages that they r saying happend, was from a while ago. Because since memorial weekend, spider has been closed to vehicles....
From what one of the forest guy told me, was once the terrain starts to filter down twords the lake, u can no longer continue... Its simple, so u see someone where they shouldnt be, regulate!!!

Suggestions on how to regulate, Bryan?

Randii

[EBSTEVE]

I was up there Tuesday (walked up to see the lake) and there were a fair amount of tire tracks but no signs of anyone.
It sucks that you can not camp there but it's understandable with all the mountain money I have seen there in the past.
Me and a group of about 8-10 people did the walk from the bypass on the far side of the little sluce to the lake and back and packed out a bunch of garbage.

[teapot]

Here we go again