Greg, can you post the text to the letter in the form? The link you provided brings me to a blank page in gmai.

Monterey County Weekly published a thoughtful follow up editorial by editor Sara Rubin.
https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/op ... 71f31.html

VWA trail crew volunteers and volunteer wilderness rangers have been hard at work on some of the trail issues in the Ventana and Silver Peak. We have been hampered by the wet weather and road closures but accomplishments during and just after the closure include:
--Work on slides on the Arroyo Seco Trail, Pine Ridge Trail, and Salmon Creek Trail
--Clearing fallen trees on Terrace Creek Trail, Arroyo Seco Trail, and the Pine Ridge Trail
--Scouting the major trails including Pine Ridge, Big Sur, Marble Peak, Santa Lucia, Carrizo, Arroyo Seco, and most of the Silver Peak
--Digging new holes for toilets at Ventana Camp and Terrace Creek Camp

A big thank you to all the volunteers for your help!

The good news is that most of the Ventana and Silver Peak Wilderness Areas are once again open. See the link below for the new Forest order and details about what remains closed. This order is in effect for 60 days through May 9, 2023 and keeps compromised roads, trails, campgrounds, and day-use sites closed to the public while Forest engineers, partner groups, volunteers, and contractors work on repairs as funding becomes available. Road crews and resources from other national forests in California have been assisting with road clearing and maintenance projects to reopen additional areas once they have been repaired.

Forest personnel continue to coordinate with city, county, state, and federal partners to prioritize, plan, and implement the storm damage response and recovery. The Los Padres Forest Association and Ventana Wilderness Alliance, among others, have provided critical support both in assessing damaged areas and leading repair efforts. See this link for the revised forest order and closure details. The Monterey Ranger District details are in Exhibit A.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 093963.pdf

Betsy, I have to agree. Yes, there are some bad issues to address, however as things were surveyed many of the trails can be opened now from what I can see.

Hopefully, they will go back to normal operations closing only facilities that need repair and opening many of the areas people love to traverse. The LPFA also sent out a message indicating the same thing.

See the editorial in Monterey County Now discussing the storm related closure. https://www.montereycountyweekly.com/op ... 13071.html

The 60-day order is due to expire on March 14th. Hopefully the atmospheric river today hasn't impacted things too much. River levels seem to be dropping and the rain mostly gone.

And while it is true there might be dangerous driftwood and small landslides, the closure was meant to address the big landslides that drop a hundred feet with no safe way around.

The closure just went on way too long!!!

but wait ! We must see the long awaited report ! From the closure order:

"The full extent of damage to the Forest will be known once a full assessment is completed, which will likely take
many weeks."

Lets hear about the dangerous driftwood on the beaches which could have resulted in a stubbed toe.
Lets hear about the small landslides along long forgotten trails like ojito camp trail or the dangerous brushiness of the puerto suelo trail. will the report mention the brush folded over the trail by heavy snow along turner creek, or double cone trail?
or did the "full extent of damage will be known" not cover this?

This past Monday, the Los Padres Forest Association issued a call to its members: It is time to open the forest.

In a measured, logical tone the Association called for the USFS to rescind the closure order and allow people to once again access the public lands and wilderness areas of this magnificent resource. Wilderness is by definition a challenging place to visit and travel in, it wouldn't be wild if it was otherwise.

We should all read it and follow the LPFA lead; it is time to ask the Forest Service to do their job and return these public lands to the citizens.

You can read the letter here:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#searc ... GmnGSmHcJK