Upper Entiat Valley - Closed

[dreamingbig]

So how do we get her decision over turned?  I am willing to help in the fight.


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[NOCK NOCK]

muleracks,
I received the petition you sent.    and will work hard on filling some pages up.



Have you thought about starting a Facebook Page to get more of the public aware of this access issue and to collect signatures for the petition (not sure if electronic signatures would count) anybody know?
I could get a FB page going, just let me know.   

Nock Nock

[grundy53]

Road 5900 (Shady Pass) road is in the best shape in the past 30 years.
They spent the last half of the summer working on that road.  Ranger Flanagan does not want anyone in her forest; that is obvious.

More crazy news:  She closed all of the roads and trail that provide a view of the burn.  Garland Peak #1408, Shetipo #1429, Tommy Creek Road #5605 are all closed.  Reason: "Due to safety concerns resulting from the Duncan fire."
These are on the ridge across the valley; not remotely involved with the fire.  If you see how light the burn is you will be really pissed.
Check the website Entiat Ranger District, recreation, trails.
Ranger Flanagan can be reached at (509) 784-4700 or jflanagan@fs.fed.us
Forest Supervisor's office at (509) 664-9200 or deputy supervisor jkuiken@fs.fed.us

I sent Flanagan an email yesterday morning. Haven'y heard back from her yet...

[Skyvalhunter]

She will just send you the e-mail she has been sending out for the past few months. Best thing you can do is sign the petition get others to sign it and send it off.

[NOCK NOCK]

She will just send you the e-mail she has been sending out for the past few months. Best thing you can do is sign the petition get others to sign it and send it off.

And YES, sign the petition. The squeaky wheel will eventually get the grease.

Here is the E-mail I just sent.

How about the FS actually do something proactive and resolve the issue at Pope Creek so that the valley road may be re-opened?



Re-structure/strengthen Pope Creek as it flows (should flow) through the alluvial fan were it junctures with the valley road, then install a much larger culvert for it to pass through under the road, and finally strengthen the channel it will run through from the valley road to the Entiat River.



OR do this (see attached pic.. Slide Ridge Sign)......It has worked well for years below Slide Ridge.



More than likely your answers will be "We do not have the funds to re-build Pope Creek"

I am betting that there are PLENTY of people out there that will volunteer and donate time, machinery, and money to get this done.



I look forward to your replies.

[timberfaller]

Got informed yesterday that once the road is graveled, Shady pass will be opened back up to the public.

Sounds like emails and phone calls have worked

Keep the Pressure ON!!!

[muleracks]

http://landslides.usgs.gov/hazards/postfire_debrisflow/2014/20140716duncan/

You can drag the map over to look at the Carlton and Chiwaukum fires as well.  They are far more colorful. 

The USGS did their Post Fire Debris Flow study and found no high risk areas; not even Pope Creek.  Even FS hydrologists confirm that Pope Creek is not going to have a landslide.

I wrote a letter to the Safety Valve (Wenatchee World newspaper) but messages and phone calls to Ranger Flanagan jflanagan@fs.fed.us   or (509) 784-4700 plus getting signatures on the petition from access.entiat@yahoo.com   It also does not hurt to contact the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest management  Jkuiken@fs.fed.us (509) 664-9200

They need to know that we want to get back into the mountains.  Archery season opens Sept. 1st for those big Entiat mule deer.

[grundy53]

Never did get a reply from Flanagan.

[muleracks]

Ignoring people is one of her traits.  At the Open House, we forced her to host, she wore civilian clothes with no FS issued name tag.  She did talked to  people
when cornered in the hallway but did not really answer their questions.  Very secretive manager.

[jrebel]

Shady pass from 25 mile to entiat river road  is open now I think.  Opened on the 17th from an article I read a couple weeks ago.  Correct me if I'm wrong.....I will find the post.

[jrebel]

Here it is...it opened the 15th.

[muleracks]

So when do the gates close again.  Net time it rains, next snow.  The Entiat Ranger District installed 3 gates in the upper valley and 6 in the Mills Canyon area after the burns last summer.  Gates can close at the whim of the Forest Managers (Ranger or Supervisor); wet road, snow, wolf etc.

[UBA]

Hey guys. Help get the road opened again

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/access-entiat

Don't worry about the donation page. Your name will still go on the list.

[NOCK NOCK]

News Release

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
 



215 Melody Lane • Wenatchee, WA 98801 • 509-664-9200 • fs.usda.gov/okawen
 

CONTACT: Public Affairs Officer Cathy Dowd, 509-664-9314
 

August 14, 2015

Duncan Fire Closure to be Re-evaluated

 

Wenatchee, WA— The Duncan Fire closure area on the Entiat Ranger District will be evaluated over the next month to determine whether the landscape has recovered enough to be safe for public entry.

The area was closed based on the recommendations of the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team after the 12,691-acre lightning-caused Duncan Fire in 2014. Portions of the upper reaches of the Entiat River watershed burned with such high severity that even a relatively small storm could cause flash floods and debris flows putting human life and safety at risk.

Debris flows have already occurred in the area due to rainfall on moderately burned areas. The most severely burned areas have only experienced light rainfall so the debris flow potential remains high.

“It’s been a year since the Duncan Fire but accounts of conditions to date suggest that there is little vegetation recovery in the most severely burned areas,” explains Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Resources & Planning Staff Officer Stuart Woolley. “However, we want to complete a formal evaluation of the area that can be used as a benchmark for future recovery planning.”

As part of the current evaluation the Forest Service will collect satellite images of current conditions within the closure area and compare those to post-fire images to determine vegetation growth in the burned areas. Forest personnel along with the BAER team lead will be revisiting sites on the ground to check the accuracy of the satellite images.

“We are evaluating recovery because we want to reopen the area, but we have to make sure it is reasonably safe for people to enter,” said Forest Supervisor Mike Williams. “To ignore the findings in the BAER report would be irresponsible.”

Since the fire, protective measures have been implemented within the burn area to reduce damage in the event of floods and debris flows. Culverts are being removed and drainages are being built to keep roads from washing out. Culverts that recently have been removed were already partially plugged with debris, contributing to build up of additional debris and failure. This work is not intended to permanently close roads or eliminate access to the area but to protect the road systems.

A much larger area adjacent to the east and north sides of the Duncan Fire closure has been temporarily closed due to fire activity and firefighter operations on the Wolverine and Blankenship Fires. View the full closure map at http://go.usa.gov/3sMyj. This temporary closure will limit access to areas west of Lake Chelan to the Entiat River and from Big Creek north to Company Creek in the Glacier Peak Wilderness towards Lyman Lake. Lyman Lake can still be accessed on Phelps Creek Trail 1511. Much of Glacier Peak Wilderness can still be accessed from the Wenatchee River Ranger District and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Call local ranger district offices for assistance in planning your visit near these areas. 

-End-


Now that right there is funny... (highlighted red)
I am so sick of the FS lying and BS 

Here are two pics, #1 is the 5901 road off Shady pass, huge Kelly hump.....Not going to close any roads huh? 

#2 is a pic of the gate at the junction of Shady Pass & 25 mile creek road. When they did finally open Shady pass, at least they could have picked up all the surveyor tape they used to block off motorcycles from going around the gate. This is nothing less than littering by the FS themselves.

 

 

[jeffitz]

Only a couple weeks until high buck,wonder what the chances are we will be able to get to Ice Lakes or Larch Lakes? Is the entire area burned or closed or what?