Tellico Closure Order is Official

[k9crazy]

Today the USFS came out with their Closure Orders.

The Summary is:

1. A one-year closure of Lower Trail 2 (from the intersection with Road 420 west to Road 402), Trail 7, a portion of Trail 8 (from the intersection with Trail 9 to the intersection with Trail 10A), and Trail 9 in the Upper Tellico OHV area which prohibits operating motor vehicles on these trails during the closure period and sets penalties for violating the provisions of this Order.

2. A seasonal closure of the Upper Tellico OHV Area which prohibits operating motor vehicles on trails within the Area during the period between January 1 and March 31 each year and sets penalties for violating the provisions of this Order.

SFWDA in cooperation with UFWDA and BlueRibbon is evaluating these orders and will be responding accordingly.

Go to this thread for the whole document text: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=604044

[McCracken]

that's f'ing fantastic. I have got to get my truck running this weekend and ride before it closes on the 1st.

What really bums me out is that when no one rides those trails then the sediment load will decrease and thus prove their point like they've tried to preach for the entirety of this. I hate to be the wet blanket but unless everyone continues to go to Tellico and ride after the 31st of March then I foresee the whole joint getting closed. I can't believe that the USFS would make a decision like this after all the years of hard work that's been put in to help the area.

What's the response going to be from UFWDA and SFWDA? Will it take over a month like it did before?

edit: From the SFWDA website:

...Public involvement began on September 17, 2007 when a letter was mailed and emailed to groups and individuals known to be interested in management of the Upper Tellico OHV Area. The “scoping letter” requested comments on the proposed Forest Supervisor’s Orders. As a result, approximately 200 responses from individuals, groups, organizations and other government agencies were delivered to us by mail, emailed, phoned in or by personal visit to the District office. These responses conveyed numerous issues, and are summarized in the Response to Public Comments, in the project file.
Additionally, approximately 700 form letters were received by email from those people who supported any and all closures of the trail system. And approximately 400 form letters were received from people who favored trail repairs and reroutes, but not trail closures.
In the 30 day scoping period that began on September 17 newspaper articles were published in the Asheville Citizen-Times, The Cherokee Scout, and the Clay County Progress...

You mean to tell me all they got from us was 400 letters and those dipshit fishheads produced almost twice as much? that is embarassing and I hope I'm wrong. As many people that visit this site each day and did not write should be ashamed. United we stand, divided we load our shit up and go wheel a private park for $75 a day 5 hours away. Awesome.

[Never Monday]

Originally Posted by McCracken

What really bums me out is that when no one rides those trails then the sediment load will decrease and thus prove their point like they've tried to preach for the entirety of this.

BUT if the sediment load is from natural conditions what better way to prove our point.

[BadAssXJ]

Originally Posted by McCracken

that's f'ing fantastic. I have got to get my truck running this weekend and ride before it closes on the 1st.

What really bums me out is that when no one rides those trails then the sediment load will decrease and thus prove their point like they've tried to preach for the entirety of this. I hate to be the wet blanket but unless everyone continues to go to Tellico and ride after the 31st of March then I foresee the whole joint getting closed. I can't believe that the USFS would make a decision like this after all the years of hard work that's been put in to help the area.

What's the response going to be from UFWDA and SFWDA? Will it take over a month like it did before?

edit: From the SFWDA website:

...Public involvement began on September 17, 2007 when a letter was mailed and emailed to groups and individuals known to be interested in management of the Upper Tellico OHV Area. The “scoping letter” requested comments on the proposed Forest Supervisor’s Orders. As a result, approximately 200 responses from individuals, groups, organizations and other government agencies were delivered to us by mail, emailed, phoned in or by personal visit to the District office. These responses conveyed numerous issues, and are summarized in the Response to Public Comments, in the project file.
Additionally, approximately 700 form letters were received by email from those people who supported any and all closures of the trail system. And approximately 400 form letters were received from people who favored trail repairs and reroutes, but not trail closures.
In the 30 day scoping period that began on September 17 newspaper articles were published in the Asheville Citizen-Times, The Cherokee Scout, and the Clay County Progress...

You mean to tell me all they got from us was 400 letters and those dipshit fishheads produced almost twice as much? that is embarassing and I hope I'm wrong. As many people that visit this site each day and did not write should be ashamed. United we stand, divided we load our shit up and go wheel a private park for $75 a day 5 hours away. Awesome.

100% correct, it is fucking sad we couldnt produce more than 400 emails, when we have a thread in this forum with over 6000 views concerning tellico closures.

This will NEVER be a good outcome for us, it will only snowball from here, they got what they wanted to start with, they have their foot in the door, and from what I have read on other closures that is how it always starts out.

I say we all should go buy a TN/NC trout stamp and fish the fuck out of Tellico and anyone you see fishing you should say, Yeah I used to use the OHV to wheel but since they closed that down we figured we loved this area so much we would take up fishing, it will be so fucking overcrowded, trashy, and I have never seen a fucking fly fisherman doing a tellico clean up anywhere along those streams.

Sorry for the rant, guess more I type the more it starts bothering me.

[trailworthyxj]

Someone post up the email address where we are supposed to send our objections. I signed the online petition and Im willing to do whatever nessecary to keep them from closing it completely, as im sure most PBBer's would be if the info on how to go about it was a little easier to find.

[Wes in TN]

How public are the studies that are being conducted? How objective (fair) are the sampling criteria? I guess what I mean is, are we getting rail-roaded here by people shaping the testing to get the results they want? Take for instance the silt content of the river after a prolonged hard rain on a busy weekend, is that being compared to a similar rain event during the closure? Are samples being taken over several days and averaged, is rainfall over the testing interval being taken into account? Or is it as bad as comparing the silt content of the river during dixie run after a rain to that of any day they please, say after a period of no activity and no rainfall and calling the two equal? Has anyone from "our side" considered an independent study?

[grn97TJ]

I still can't believe they only received 400 letters from us. I wrote one and between here and my local board alone we should have surpassed those numbers! I will still continue to ride up there as long as its available, but that may not be much longer if this continues. So did SELC drop the lawsuit becuase of these changes?

[Fl-Krawler]

i sent a letter for every member of my family...BUT in those letters i did put that i was ok with seasonal closures, as long as no trails are permanately closed.. i wonder if b/c i put that, if my letters got lumped into the 700 that were favoring closures

[KiGrind]

Originally Posted by Fl-Krawler

i sent a letter for every member of my family...BUT in those letters i did put that i was ok with seasonal closures, as long as no trails are permanately closed.. i wonder if b/c i put that, if my letters got lumped into the 700 that were favoring closures

I agree. Those numbers sound like bullshit. I'd like to know they categorized them. That and I always wondered if they actually counted the letters that where done with some online template for those that couldn't write a simple letter. Wonder if a spam filter would nab those.

[cdazzle]

too little.... too late....

the hand started writing on the wall long ago.... now it's about finished.

[GATRTRO]

Don't be naive. The USFS knew what they were going to have to do and actions were more than likely in place before you all were even asked to write letters. It doesn't matter if they received 10,972,045 letters, it would still result in the same action.

[McCracken]

Just FYI, I spoke with a woman at the ranger district and she says this is IMMEDIATE. They are now in the process of blocking these trails. If you had planned to run Tellico this weekend, it may be too late. I also heard from a source that they saw the guardrails already up there on the sides of the trails so that kind of confirms the immediate action. This is a sad day for us and the numbers may be bullshit but the decision has been made.

[redneckengineered]

Looks like Morris Mountain this weekend and for a long time to come (badass park btw). I'll take my money and spend it elsewhere. At least I know it'll be put to good use.

[Never Monday]

hgtd

[TBItoy]

Originally Posted by McCracken

I also heard from a source that they saw the guardrails already up there on the sides of the trails so that kind of confirms the immediate action. This is a sad day for us and the numbers may be bullshit but the decision has been made.

I've been to tellico 11 weekends this year. The blocking rails have been laying in the woods beside the posts since they opened the trails back up in March.

We are taking my buddy's Ranger that we just finished next weekend (29th).

[GSW]

Originally Posted by McCracken

These responses conveyed numerous issues, and are summarized in the Response to Public Comments, in the project file.
Additionally, approximately 700 form letters were received by email from those people who supported any and all closures of the trail system. And approximately 400 form letters were received from people who favored trail repairs and reroutes, but not trail closures.

OK, the email I sent and the typed letter I sent don't fit into either of their tidy categories and neither of them were fawking form letters. Do those not warrant consideration since they present unique thoughts and ideas that don't fit their agenda?

[McCracken]

Mine wasn't either but they used some tid bit that they could use to fill space that didn't have to do with the forest but with the local economy. Since it was in my letter I guess it's fair game.

[Tellico Cabins]

I don't think those numbers are correct. After the cut off date and before they were all counted, I personally went to the FS office and Rick showed me the pile of letters, (we had much more.)
Rick at FS said someone from TU computer grab email names and sent them in one bulk. However, Rick said they would only count them as one.

EVERYONE, please don't give up on TELLICO.
We (sfwda.org) Rescue Tellico committee are on it. They don't say a lot on the website as we don't want the bad guys in on it.
I can say, you need to go on SFWDA.org use the FOURM, they want to hear from you. It motivates them.
nLets get not give up!
Heather Spivey is doing a great job on Fourms with good information.

Chuck and I (Helen) want to Thank everyone for your support in the past and in the Future.
Merry Christmas

Chuck, Helen & Beach Davis
www.tellicocabins.com

[redneckengineered]

Chuck/Helen, can you confirm that lower 2, 7, and 9 are closed?

[navy-jeepster]

I can also tell you that SFWDA, UFWDA & BRC are working this as we speak.
We will pass out info on what is needed as soon as possible.

We are not going to give up on Tellico.

Please be patient, and I would say, do not beat up the Forest Service too bad, but that won't happen.

Todd

[redneckengineered]

I just got off the phone with the actual ranger not the receptionist. He assured me the ENTIRE park (except for that small portion of 8 where the bridge is down) is open and will remain open until January 1st at which point the new closures will go into effect. I said I’m coming a long ways to ride and if I get there and 2,7, and 9 are closed I’ll be hot and he said bring it on and ride it’ll be open. We’re going this weekend baby!

[jonnyjpr]

Sure is sad that this is gonna happen

[Tellico Cabins]

All trails except the small portion of 8 will be open until Jan 1st, 08.

Yesterday, the receptionist was giving wrong info and she is now giving correct info.
If we see any different I will post it.
Helen
Tellico Cabins

[Bigcountry]

Helen and Chuck I want to say thank you for supporting Tellico and us for many years and we are not giving up on Tellico and supporting. Please let us know when and where we need to support, give money, write letters etc. Thank you

And to all you people who did not write letters you deserve to never ride Tellico AGAIN. What did you expect was gonna happen. We have to ACT when things like this happen. NOW go support SWFDA and donate write letters and see what they can do but it will be a WHOLE YEAR before anything will happen. You happy now being that LAZY PERSON YOU ARE!!!!!! Thanks for nothing you 6000people that view this everyday and did NOTHING to help and now just go run these trails 1 more time and wait until 2009 to run them again.

[jeff still]

Originally Posted by Bigcountry

Helen and Chuck I want to say thank you for supporting Tellico and us for many years and we are not giving up on Tellico and supporting. Please let us know when and where we need to support, give money, write letters etc. Thank you

And to all you people who did not write letters you deserve to never ride Tellico AGAIN. What did you expect was gonna happen. We have to ACT when things like this happen. NOW go support SWFDA and donate write letters and see what they can do but it will be a WHOLE YEAR before anything will happen. You happy now being that LAZY PERSON YOU ARE!!!!!! Thanks for nothing you 6000people that view this everyday and did NOTHING to help and now just go run these trails 1 more time and wait until 2009 to run them again.

Amen