Gnat Flat Road 3330??

[wall of wood camp]

Just checking to see if anybody has been on the gnat flat road from the taneum road down at the pavement just past icicle campground up to the top where it turns off to tamarack springs?  I was on it about three weeks ago drove down from the top it was supposedly closed but there were no signs of it being closed until I hit the bottom and the barricades with the gate attached appeared to be pulled completely off the road and there were campers trailers wall tents you name it everything up the hill.  looking to be going back up there for another camping/scouting trip but didn't want to drag the trailer up their to find the road closed back up.  there is no reason for it to be closed if it is.

[bobcat]

This might help:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoYAOUjMeXDfODy-HWHg-zDrx8kb4ADOBro-3nk56bqF-RGGGSZOCoCAPi8eX8!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjJNMDAwMDAwMDA!/?navtype=TOPNAVIGATION&cid=stelprdb5308177&navid=120000000000000&pnavid=&ss=110617&position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Okanogan-Wenatchee%20National%20Forest%20-%20Cle%20Elum%20Ranger%20District

[Griz231]

I spent 15 days up there for archery. It's open as far as I'm concerned.

[wall of wood camp]

Thanks Griz I'll go with that.   Bobcat the link works but is not very helpful because it has said the same thing for over a month now and it doesn't seem to be too accurate thanks for the help though.

[runamuk]

I was told it was still closed when I was out there last weekend, saw a fair amount of ranger activity too so....

[bobcat]

Sounds like it's officially closed, but UNOFFICIALLY open.   

[runamuk]

Sounds like it's officially closed, but UNOFFICIALLY open.   

I think if you park and walk in you are safe I may try and drive out further today or not had a spot I was gonna go check out but the ranger told me the roads to gnat flat and gooseberry were closed but the road to south fork meadow was open.... the original closure was at the taneum campground (which is closed due to a sort of missing entrance road  its now a creek bed ) but they said they got it open a few weeks ago.....and since manastash has road closures you cant find maps of the taneum  thankfully nice people made me a copy

[dblungshot]

Camps all over Gnat's Flats and lots of activity over archery season.  People were even camping up Manastash Rd? I took the extra time and legally accessed this area, but seeing all the vehicles and activity shows me no enforcement was taking place.  I asked multiple campers and no one said any ranger stopped or was seen. 

I don't know what to think or what is going to take place during ML.  Frusterating that Ranger website roads are closed but no enforcement...It's a lot of work to be legal but I now question it.  This was a weird situation.

Good luck

[bigtex]

Camps all over Gnat's Flats and lots of activity over archery season.  People were even camping up Manastash Rd? I took the extra time and legally accessed this area, but seeing all the vehicles and activity shows me no enforcement was taking place.  I asked multiple campers and no one said any ranger stopped or was seen. 

I don't know what to think or what is going to take place during ML.  Frusterating that Ranger website roads are closed but no enforcement...It's a lot of work to be legal but I now question it.  This was a weird situation.

The issue is $. How are WDFW, USFS and Kittitas County SO suppose to enforce all the laws in the woods when they are all so short staffed it's pathetic. Just because there isn't an officer there stopping people doesn't mean its alright to violate the law. There is also no such thing as Rangers with the USFS that patrol/enforce laws. USFS Rangers are the people selling maps at the Ranger District.

There is one USFS LEO to cover the Cle Elum District. One Kittitas County Deputy that works USFS lands full time from about May - November in the Cle Elum District. Outside of that some seasonal USFS employees have the authority to write petty offense tickets, but guess what, the summer season is over and their job is done. WDFW has to patrol the whole county. In comparison, about 20 years ago there were 4 Deputies that patrolled USFS lands during the busy season.

[fishingnut71]

dblungshot. how do you legally access a CLOSED area legally? Closed means closed! Unless you work for the state and are on the clock huntin. Authorized vehichles only.

[dscubame]

Is it a closed area?  One access road may be closed with other access roads to the same "area" open.  Happens all the time and nothing wrong with it.

[runamuk]

dblungshot. how do you legally access a CLOSED area legally? Closed means closed! Unless you work for the state and are on the clock huntin. Authorized vehichles only.

you can walk in its closed to motorized vehicles...so you can legally park and walk  seems simple to me

[TheHunt]

It might be open for handycap hunters.

[Recurve-Elk]

I talked to a wildlife officer while up early archery hunting.  He said someone illegally pulled the barricades on the 3330.  So it is still closed, but people are just using it.

[Griz231]

There is one wash out up there on 3120 and it's BS that they close the main road going in.   I understand closing the road that is washed out but come on man!
The area isn't closed, u can access from Joe Watt canyon. That is what the cle Elm ranger told me before the archery season.
It's all political BS anyway.