Write a letter to the Forest Service

Please join us in telling the Forest Service that expanded Off Road Vehicle use in the Tahoe National Forest must not happen.

Use the facts below and the facts in the previous pages to write your letter. If you have favorite places in the Tahoe National Forest, be as specific as you can about how they will be affected by expanded OHV use.

1. Access Roads in Peril!

The Forest Service has requested that you use their road numbering system when talking about specific areas. The road numbers are on the Preferred Plan map (Link to Alt 6 DEIS) However, this is really complicated. Don't let this put you off writing! Use your own map--one that you're used to and talk in general terms (i.e. "the roads marked in red off Bowman road".)

Road Classification Issues around Grouse Lakes Non-Motorized Area, Castle Peak and Pierce Meadows

The Preferred Alternative proposes to change the classification of all access roads to the Grouse Lakes Area from 'Highway Legal' to 'Open to All Vehicles'. The Proposed Alternative did not make those changes.

We understand that part of the reason for this change is to save money on road maintenance. In practical terms, it is favoring one form of recreation over another. As roads are allowed to deteriorate, only high clearance vehicles and their occupants will be able to access these trailheads. If motorcycles and ATVs are allowed access to these trailheads, ORV users WILL test the boundaries of the roadless area. User conflicts WILL increase. During the summer, trailhead parking lots are full to overflow with hiker's vehicles enjoying the Grouse Lake Area. Most of these cars are not high-clearance.

The Grouse Lakes Non-motorized Area is a very popular hiking and camping destination. Environmental groups have spent nearly 30 years helping the USFS to secure a unified ownership in an area that was part of the checkerboard pattern of ownership. It is one of the few areas people can go to enjoy quiet recreation on the Tahoe National Forest without the impacts of louder forms of recreation.

Route 0014 from Bowman Lake Road to Grouse Ridge Lookout is an access road (5 miles) to a trailhead with campground facilities. If the roads are allowed to deteriorate to the 'Open to All vehicles' classification, two impacts will occur:

1) ATVs and dirt bikes would be introduced to the trailheads of the Grouse Lakes Non-motorized Area. The incidence of trail-pouching WILL INCREASE if this is allowed. There are no natural barriers to tie trail closures to. ORVs will go around any barriers set up to keep them out of the Area. Current barrier schemes (in use at Pierce Meadows include dropping trees and digging 'tank-traps'. The damage these efforts entail would not work at Grouse Lakes for many obvious reasons. Friction between user groups will also increase. The incidence of off-route pioneering of trails will increase in an area that previously was not impaired by these activities. An increased law enforcement presence would be required.
2) As the road is allowed to deteriorate, the users of the Grouse Ridge Non-motorized Area (Hikers mostly) will not be able to reach one of the best hiking spots in the Forest. On most summer weekends, this trailhead is full of regular passenger cars. The quiet recreation that the hikers seek will be destroyed by the whine of 2-cycle engines, the dust plumes from their tires and the destruction of trails due to increased erosion. This flies in the face of the best use for this particular part of the Forest.

Recommendation: Do not change the classification of this road.

Route 0017 is the access road from Bowman Lake Road to the Carr-Feeley Lakes Trailhead (3 miles). Trailhead parking and a walk-in campground is available at this point.

The Carr-Feeley Trailhead is another very popular 'jumping off' point for hikers, mountain bikers, backpackers and fishermen. If the roads are allowed to deteriorate to the 'Open to All vehicles' classification, two impacts will occur:

3) ATVs and dirt bikes would be introduced to the trailheads of the Grouse Lakes Non-motorized Area. The incidence of trail-pouching WILL INCREASE if this is allowed. There are no natural barriers to tie trail closures to. ORVs will go around any barriers set up to keep them out of the Area. Current barrier schemes (in use at Pierce Meadows include dropping trees and digging 'tank-traps'. The damage these efforts entail would not work at Grouse Lakes for many obvious reasons. Friction between user groups will also increase. The incidence of off-route pioneering of trails will increase in an area that previously was not impaired by these activities. An increased law enforcement presence would be required.
4) As the road is allowed to deteriorate, the users of the Grouse Ridge Non-motorized Area (Hikers mostly) will not be able to reach one of the best hiking spots in the Forest. On most summer weekends, this trailhead is full of regular passenger cars. The quiet recreation that the hikers seek will be destroyed by the whine of 2-cycle engines, the dust plumes from their tires and the destruction of trails due to increased erosion. This flies in the face of the best use for this particular part of the Forest.

Recommendation: Do not change the classification of this road.

Route 0017-006 is a link between the Carr-Feeley Access Road and the Lindsay Lake Access Road (.7 miles). I believe that the Lindsay Lakes are a great opportunity for ORV folks to enjoy lakeside camping. The Lindsay Lakes Road is and should remain 'Open to All Vehicles'. The road classification of the 0017-006 link to Carr-Feeley Road should not be changes as ATV and dirt bike traffic would be encouraged to feed onto Route 0017. ATVs and dirt bikes should not be allowed on Route 0017-006.

Recommendation: Do not change the classification of this road.

Route 00843-037 is the access road to Faucherie Lake from Bowman Lake. Faucherie Lake lies completely inside the boundaries of the Grouse Lakes Non-motorized Area. Faucherie has a boat ramp and a walk-in group campground. It is a lovely and quiet alpine lake. I have witness the quiet shattered at Faucherie by the illegal entry of ATVs. Unauthorized play areas are created by this folks on the north end of the dam. If ATVs and dirt bikes are allowed to the lake then the quiet of the area is lost and the incident of off-road pioneering will increase. The lake is drawn down slightly during the summer and some riders will find it inviting to ride along the shore of the lake around the gates blocking off vehicle access to the group campground.

Campers with ORVs that wish to pitch camp beside a lake have that opportunity at Weber, Bowman, Lindsay and Sawmill campgrounds in the near vicinity. Faucherie Lake is a place of quiet recreation and should be allowed to remain so. The section line between sections 12 and 13 is the northern boundary of the Grouse Lakes Non-motorized Area. Route 00843-037 (.6 miles) should remain closed to ATVs and dirt bikes south of this boundary.

Recommendation: Do not change the classification of this road south of the section line between Section 12 and 13.

Route 0018-006 is a road that leaves Bowman Lake Road and goes through private in-holdings to Blue Lake. The route (1.25 miles) beyond Blue Lake is not used much and is in bad shape. The end of the route in section 10 (privately-held property) is very close to the Lake Spaulding Trail. The Lake Spaulding trail follows the north side of Fordyce Creek and links up with a trail from Eagle Lake. It follows the line of an old narrow gauge train track. The ties are still evident along the trial. Route 0018-006 should end at Blue Lake to avoid the poaching of this trail with historic relevance.

Recommendation: The 1.25 miles beyond Blue Lake should be removed from the Travel Plan altogether. The route should be ripped and restored.

Route YRS-G3w is on the ridge east of Baltimore Lake. It is the entry point for trail-poaching to Baltimore Lake.

Recommendation: This route should not be included in the Travel plan.

ORV advocates may argue that they need access to these spots as well as hikers do. They do have access. In the 'Open to All Vehicles' classification the additional ORVs on these roads would be ATVs and dirt bikes. Both are trailered to the Forest by the user's primary vehicle. ORV folks who would like to visit the trailheads and go for a hike can do so now by using their primary vehicles.

The total mileage that I propose remain 'Open to Street Legal Vehicles' is 9.3 miles out of the 276.4 miles of roads that the Preferred Plan would change to 'Open to All Vehicles'. 1.25 miles of very rough road would be ripped and restored at the end of Route 0018-006.

TKN-J5 'South of Castle Peak'

Comments:
- This route crosses Castle Creek and wanders through mule ear meadows and red fir forests up to granite spur at the base of the volcanic rock that forms Castle Peak. At a point two-thirds of the way up, this route hits a very steep section composed of very soft soils and interspersed boulders. The route is perpendicular to the contour and is VERY susceptible to erosion. The track is already littered with boulders ripped out of the soil and has become deeply pitted by troughs that will become gullies unless this section is rerouted.
- Above the erosion-prone section is a relatively flat segment that goes through an established red fir forest. There are multiple routes in this area. If the 'pioneering' tendencies of the OHV users are not curbed here, the forest floor will become compacted with many intersecting roads spread out over a large area instead of being limited to a specific defined-width route
- The lower segment of the route is susceptible to the impacts of 'dispersed camping.' The meadow grasses have been crushed and the soils compacted in several areas.
- It is in the proposed Castle Peak Roadless Area. Please verify

Conclusion: This route is in the proposed Castle Peak Roadless Area and should not be included in the OHV Route Designation. Given the sensitive nature of the soils and meadows in this area, it would be unnecessarily detrimental to add the impacts of further OHV use to this route.

Recommendation: TKN-J5 should be removed from the Travel Plan altogether. The route should be ripped and restored.

TNK-J4 'West of Andesite Peak

This route is shown on the preferred alternative as a single route. It is not. Within 1 mile of the start of the route there are three forks in the road. Multiple 'unauthorized routes' tear through alpine meadows and across areas of fragile soil. The end of this route points to Round Valley, Peter Grubb Hut and the Pacific Crest Trail. It is in the proposed Castle Peak Roadless Area. Please verify

Recommendation: TKN-J4 should be removed from the Travel Plan altogether. The route should be ripped and restored.

South Fork River between Eagle lakes and Spaulding Reservoir (Pierce Meadows Area) listed as a system road - it has numerous problems due to ORV use and should be considered in this plan.

Problem: S. Fork of the Yuba River should be protected from erosion and water pollution resulting from the interface of OHV routes and the River.

Solution: Close OHV routes that provide direct access to riverbed and that created surveyed Resource Damage to the River and its water quality.

1) Use of Riverbed of South Yuba River as OHV areas
- Upper Ford - 1300' of riverfront between 20' and 500' at widest point has been reduced to a barren gravel bar by ORV use over the years. Willows are being trampled. River banks are being eroded away on both sides of the river by multiple entry points to the river and by indiscriminate OHV 'play'. Trees are being toppled every year because the riverbank is weakened by OHV 'play'. Willows planted during a USFS restoration project on river right above ford have been cut down.
- Lower Ford - impacted area extends for over 430' of river front (100' to 170' wide). Multiple cutbanks on either side of river. USFS tried to close all but one on each side in 2005. Defeated by flood and overtopped by OHV users. Watch for attempted to 'create' another cutbank thru willows on south side. Watch forested island in SE quadrant disappear under OHV impact.
- Below Lower Ford, river right - OHV users have driven around and over USFS barriers to access river bottom and beach. 450' by 20' to 60'. Watch for stream bank erosion and toppled trees. Roots are driven over, expose and trees will topple. 3 parallel roads parallel the river. Campfire ring within river bed.
2) Human waste - Prevalent through out the entire area, within 100'of river in many cases and at Upper Ford actually in the riverbed while FS toilet is only 200 yards away. No apparent attempt to bury human waste. Danger to Water Quality.
3) Off route use - There are multiple routes leading off into forest that are not authorized - USFS has created barriers and OHV users have overtopped them or gone around them. Most barriers have failed to contain the abuse for more than one year.
4) Oil spill - water pollution - water quality issue - South Fork of Yuba is a water supply and should be protected from direct assaults on its water quality.


Trails proposed for the West and East Yuba Roadless areas

• YRN-M36 – CLOSE – motorcycle route in roadless area

Downieville bike trails
Other trails YOU may care about

2. Wildlife is threatened
3. Rivers, streams and meadows will be damaged
4. Erosion and sediment will clog our streams
5. Oil pollution is an unavoidable by product of ORV use
6. Air pollution wasn't considered in the process of developing the Preferred Plan
7. Noise pollution wasn't considered in the process of developing the Preferred Plan. Loss of quiet enjoyment for thousands of visitors to the TNF
8. Lack of funding for maintenance
...This will result in lack of access

Click here to write NOW to the Forest Service to Just Say No to expanded ORV use in the Tahoe National Forest

Contact us for more information