I guess I'm new to trail restoration/conservation but I don't see how a fire will effect a trail system?   I'm sure trees will fall and fire line will be cut but how does that constitute a trail being lost, I rode Middle Creek yesterday and I didn't see any areas that a fire would destroy aside from being black for a while, no disrespect I'm just curious why Stonyford will be "lost"

dose any one remember the mendenhall fire at Pillsbury back in the late 80s, they used that as an excuse to close Pillsbury than after years of presure on the USFS we got back 18 miles of trail, it wasn't good.  iv seen OHV areas recover quickly after fires and some not so. at the speed things get done at stonyford i don't think it will recover any time soon, we do need to monitor the situation closely and be ready to pressure the USFS to get it reopened

Sucks it wont look like this for a long time.....

BigMattyG, on 11 July 2012 - 04:40 PM, said:

When a forest fire occurs in an area with trees, those trees become weakened to the point that they topple over with ZERO warning, and they are know as widow makers...Not to mention any bull dozer activity that might have occurred in the firefight process. Until thoser trees come down, either by loggers, or plain gravity, those forest will just be too dangerous to be in. Hard to say if loggers will come in to deal with the situation. In most cases they do - let's hope they do..
.
  Even if they do, for the next year or ? (depending on lots of factors), winter storms, resulting in the blow down of fire weakened trees, and possible erosion will cause problems.

Edited by dyrtmon, 11 July 2012 - 11:41 PM.

I have ridden in an area that burned shortly after the fire has been put out.  It is gnarly.  Literally trees exploded from all the heat built up.  Craters where trees use to be.  The fire breaks the dozers make are huge and all silt.  More than likely all the burnt charred trees that remain will be removed.  It will be awhile until Stonyford is the same again.  If you look at a map of the area that burnt so far at Stonyford, a lot of trails have been impacted.

http://inciweb.org/incident/2998/

I've been all around the world, and this is truly one of the most special places I've ever been, really sad.  Mad at myself for taking it for granted and not spending more time there.  Hope all is not lost to the the OHV community, and God be with all the fire crews out there.

What happens when a wilderness area burns? Can we close it, and open it up to OHV?

Slackkinhard, on 12 July 2012 - 08:20 AM, said:

It's not a Wilderness Area yet, but our esteemed Senator Boxer just introduced the Berryessa Snow Mountain Wilderness bill which she says is so good for the area and all who have enjoyed it, that it will instantly cure cancer in all who will visit it in the future...

Heart breaking. Truly an amazing place to ride, my riding career all started there. Little Stony every thanksgiving looks to be a thing of the past now. Shouldnt have taken it for granted...

hockdog, on 13 July 2012 - 01:11 PM, said:

So if a wilderness area was to burn, what excuse would they have for not letting us ride there?  Saving something?

Yep, Boxer introduced the Berryessa Snow Mountain Wilderness bill in the senate a few days ago.  Its pretty much a done deal now.  Better shine up those hiking boots.  Oh well, you get what you vote for.

Slackkinhard, on 13 July 2012 - 01:41 PM, said:

They will argue that the fire was human caused, probably by some hedonistic reckless off road thugs, and that will be the basis for beginning the shutdown process to the off road community, the enviro-wacko's don't need solid facts, just some liberal sympathetic judge to rule in their favor.  Once an area is closed, it takes years and truckloads of money and a lot of people and lawyers to get it back, can you say Clear Creek?Jawbone/Dove Springs area?  Pismo?  The Sierra Club actually had members who were pushing to make Lake Berryessa a non-motorized boating lake, and the sick part is, they had the Bureau of Reclamation heading that direction!!!  There was one Sierra Clubber that said that motorized boat wakes were eroding the natural shoreline of the lake through the Narrows, and that's why motor boats are bad for the lake.  How can you have a natural shoreline on a man-made lake?  I guess the dumbass never saw that big concrete man-made dam at the end of the lake....

Very Sad to hear about this. I just rode those trails... I will miss Stonyford for awhile now

Its was probley started by some enviromentalists. Thats the sad truth. And it will probley be blamed on us.

I talked to Diane at the Work Center in Stonyford and the soils engineers and the resource specialists will have to do an evaluation as far as restoration of the area befor they can open anything back up.  Trails will have to be rerouted or closed, erosion measures will have to be in place before the winter rains take over, and a lot of man-hours will have to be spent to meet The Forest Service's criteria for  opening up trails again.  There will be volunteer opportunities for the OHV community to pitch in and do work parties so we can keep this area open and show the Feds that we are here to help, and not let the enviro-nazi's have their way because we were asleep at the wheel.

I'm going to take a road trip up there next week and check out how bad it really is, I'll try to post some pictures if I can figure it out...

hockdog, on 15 July 2012 - 02:25 PM, said:

  I was thinking of the same thing from the MC side

Let me know when, I'll hook up with you.  Sometime this week, or the weekend?  PM me, we'll go see what's up.

ossidog, on 15 July 2012 - 05:07 PM, said:

Me too in the next cupla weeks..

Thursday or Sunday?