Pleasant Canyon Grading...


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Posted by kris on January 07, 2004 at 14:10:24:

In Reply to: Re: Vandals Big time up Pleasant Canyon posted by Last Chance Rand on January 06, 2004 at 17:12:43:

Do I want to feed a fire here ? No, I dont. So dont take this the wrong way...

ok, ok... (I mis-took him for a greenie...)
Well, I must have mis-read Savoir Faire intent... :-)
As far as the grading of the "riparian section" last fall, what were the dates of this grading ?

I was up there on the 11th of October, I drove Pleasant into Mddle Park and back.
In the morning, we saw fresh cat-tracks from just outside of Ballarat, all the way to the World Beater. In many areas, it appeared that they had gone thru there within the previous 24 hours or less as there were almost no tire tracks over them. I also stopped at the cabin at the World Beater and read the registry. There was a reference to a guest of the cabin following that cat up a day or 2 before. If someone is heading up there soon, figure out if that was someone here or on one of the other boards and ask them what went on...

Thru the wet area, the metal plates were all set aside just out of the vehicles path. The vegitation was very recently cut but there was almost no evidence of a blade clearing a path but in a few places where it appeared the ground was only leveled. I do remeber one area near the bottom where debris was pushed off to the south side of the road. A bit of an eyesore, but it did create a small pool for watering purposes, and there were various fresh tracks in the mud...

On the way down (almost at the bottom) we had a vehicle breakdown that we could not move out of the road (no room). In the hour we were there, the workers from the World Beater came up on us and we talked for a good 1/2 hour. They said that they try to do as little as possible in the wet areas but that they still need to get their truck thru. Its a full size long bed with a good amount of rocker damage.

If in fact they had been given a "Right of Way" permit for access to the World Beater then the following may apply...
43cfr2801.1-1(d)
...The holder shall be allowed in the performance of normal maintenance to do minor trimming, pruning and clearing of vegetative material within the right-of-way or permit area and around facilities constructed thereon without additional authorization and payments...

You can interpret that any way you want, unfortunately I dont have the time to find it stated any clearer in the cfr's.
Now, this doesnt address the grading of the road in a "riparian area", but remember that Inyo County grades Surprise Canyon Road up to Chris Whict Camp, and maintained it further until the flood in the 80's.

I dont "really" want to talk about Surprise as that is another topic in itself, but as far as your "Wild and Scenic" comment goes, you may be correct. The problem that will need to be addressed in Surprise is that there was no mention in the report of there ever being a road in Surprise Canyon above Chris Wicht. The report refers to that section as being considered as "Scenic" but with a road there, that designation creates a conflict in that for Scenic designation, there cant be a road crossing (or occupying the same space as) the creek as Surprise Canyon Road does...

The other closures...
Right. Its the BLM's fear of being sued. Just like almost every other closure. You said Surprise, not me...
But, like I said, thats anothe topic...

Im not condoning what Manele Bay did to the road, but I dont like to see name calling when the only reason that area is open to the extent it is today is because of mining interest. If they do expand operations, then the "recreational" opportunities and value will definately change. Until then, I just wouldnt make waves.

kris.




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