Comment: new route to Spirit Lake?

[fireweed]

The USFS is proposing to reopen the old "road" to Spirit Lake that was built for the construction at the lake right after the eruption. 

Short story, comment now and insist that any route, road, or trail that is built be open to recreation access and access to the shore of Spirit Lake for the public.  The Mt. St. Helens Monument guidelines specifically state that fishing and non motorized boating is "ok" on the lake, and the original plan had a trail along the lake shore that "could be used for fishing sometime in the future." 

I know (personally) that the scientists in charge of the Monument DO NOT support the public having access to their lake, and they will do what they can to keep us out.  Pass the word to fishing guys, too (but don't highlight fishing, just access to the lake)
Thanks
Comment  comments-pacificnorthwest-giffordpinchot-mtsthelensnvm@fs.fed.us

Article: http://tdn.com/lifestyles/outdoors/road-to-spirit-lake-may-reopen-for-tunnel-work-study/article_74aa8e44-bdf0-5503-9e31-dd6a62d97638.html

[Magnum_Willys]

 
Its been 37 years shouldn't their "scientist" be about ready to retire ?

[fireweed]

Its been 37 years shouldn't their "scientist" be about ready to retire ?

I keep hoping...

[Elkaholic daWg]

 Looks to me as if they couldn't   give a _________ less about "us" and the pubic who ironically THEY work FOR!!!!!!

"The agency wants to have limited administrative access to the southwest shore of Spirit Lake."

 "Administrative Access?"

 

[kentrek]

Interesting.....

[fireweed]

"administrative" is catch all for keep the public out.  Their is a huge area of the monument that is under an "administrative closure" that has never been commented on or considered in the open and is directly against the USFS's own guidelines. 

...however...one of the scientists did contact me and the idea of using this route as a public trail was discussed and may be considered IF enough people express interest in such a route (and a group would volunteer to adopt it's upkeep).  My USFS contacts are saying that having the public adopt and maintain trails will be a big push for them.

[Elkaholic daWg]

"administrative" is catch all for keep the public out.  Their is a huge area of the monument that is under an "administrative closure" that has never been commented on or considered in the open and is directly against the USFS's own guidelines. 

...however...one of the scientists did contact me and the idea of using this route as a public trail was discussed and may be considered IF enough people express interest in such a route (and a group would volunteer to adopt it's upkeep).  My USFS contacts are saying that having the public adopt and maintain trails will be a big push for them.

"Trail" Well of course!

[Booman2]

Spirit Lake has been closed to fishing since the mountain blew.  2 USFS biologists managed to use federal money to buy rods, reels, a boat with an illegal gas outboard motor and have "test fished" the lake for 30+ years. To date, we have seen nothing in the way of research papers from the data they claim to have a critical need to obtain.
 IMO, this is a private fishing lake used by the 2 biologists at taxpayer expense.

[PolarBear]

 
And those "biologists" have been catching 8-12 pound trout out of Spirit Lake. We spent a couple of hours talking to one of them about it and they had zero plans on making it open to the public.

[fireweed]

In 2009 the WDFW made a push to open the lake to fishing via a limited draw.  The scientists bucked them the whole way.  One reason there is no trail now to the lake is because the WDFW is legally responsible for fishery management, but without access to the lake, there can be no fishery even if WDFW wants one.  Control access and you control fishing no matter what the law says.  The planned access trail was simply moved away from the lake.

[fireweed]

here's an updated link with the USFS scoping letter and--guess what--they are proposing an administrative trail with no public access.  TYPICAL

https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51305

[headshot5]

Can natives fish the lake?  Just out of curiosity...