Upper Entiat Valley - Closed

[muleracks]

The Entiat River Road (FS 5100) 7 miles down valley from Cottonwood and around 40, square miles is closed to even pedestrian traffic.  That area is roughly double the size of the burn.  Most of the fire was low intensity; only 15% burned hot.   Unless Ranger Flanagan changed her decision, nearly all of the Slide Ridge (GMU 246) on the Entiat Side is closed.
That part of the Clark unit (GMU 244) has no access because the road and the first 5 miles up valley from the burn is closed to even foot traffic. The High Hunt is "toast" in the Entiat Valley.   Here is a map of the closured area:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3819267.pdf

[grundy53]

 

[jrebel]

Silly...

[Elkaholic daWg]

Well young and fit.....how do you like this? It is ALL about control

[crabcreekhunter]

Well that is just predictable ain't it, hope it opens up for you muleracks!

[UBA]

if she gets it her way the whole valley will be closed 

[Wanttohuntmore]

What's the reason for the foot closure?  Afraid a snag will fall on people?  I think some of their decisions are very political and not logically based.

[antlerking]

All these closures, Maybe just maybe the heard will actually come back and have a chance in the most hunted GMU in the state.

[muleracks2]

Ranger Flanagan might just be anti-hunting; ask her at the Entiat Ranger District office (509) 784-1511 or e-mail jflanagan@fs.fed.us   The upper Entiat is the only burn area closed to the public, with the exception of a very small piece below Hatchery Creek along the Wenatchee River (head of Tumwater Canyon; 9 miles east of Leavenworth; about 10 acres).
This is really weird. 
Dan B.  Glad your cabin is okay.  About 12 cabins near Pope Creek have had their permits suspended.  You can still access the North Fork and Saska Pass if you go in from Big Hill.  Long rough hike to the wilderness from there.

[timberfaller]

Don't ya just love CONTROL under the Public Safety excuse!!!

Besides all the "greenie wheenies" making the "decisions" as USFS employee's 

[muleracks]

The Forest Service (Ranger Flanagan) has finally agreed to host a meeting to explain the reason(s) for closing the Entiat River Road and trails.
Meeting is Monday, June 1st, 4:30 to 6:30 at the Entiat Grange Hall.

It is an open house format so you can come and go as you please.  Feedback to them (509) 784-4700 or jflanagan@fs.fed.us  P.O. Box 476, Entiat zip 98822

[NOCK NOCK]

    I will be there, never miss a chance to mix it up with the Forest Circus 

They were supposed to open the 5900 road....still gated...but a FS employee told us it was OK to take motorcycles up it. They claim the road is closed because of heavy damage from suppression equipment...NOT, I rode the whole road, it is in very good shape. 

[crabcreekhunter]

March 29th was doing some work on our property and headed up 5900 road, gate was open and said it would be closed April first, made it to 5902 before we hit much snow.. Road was in normal shape not like they are going to grade it! Headed up camping next weekend see where the dirt bike takes me!!

[muleracks]

5900, Shady Pass is in as good a shape as it ever is.  They did a lot of work on it during the fire.  Not damage.
For the Entiat River Road the biggest (far reaching) reason given by the District Ranger for closing the road is "There's no way to get people out of there safely if more fires occur".     If no alternative egress is the new Forest Service criteria, nearly all of the trailhead will be closed.  Not a precedent we want to allow.  None of her other season have stood up to scrutiny.

Monday, June 1st, 4:30 to 6:30 (F.S. open house format) at the Entiat Grange Hall at the library behind the grocery store in Entiat.

[bobcat]

Wow! That's the reason? There are forest service roads all over the state, lots of them, that if people travel to the end of the road, and there's a fire, that road would be the only way out. Geez! They might as well just shut down all public lands then, if they feel the need to protect people from every possible thing that Mother Nature might dish out.