Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 6283 | TRs | Pics Location: Lyle, WA
Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:51 pm USFS cheating on it's MFK road commitments?
Tom commented he has heard that the MFK gate will be locked as soon as a foot bridge is completed, and that the USFS folks are not going to put maintenance into the road beyond before making inholders responsible for it as they promised.
How much of this is the real deal?
Split this off so as not to drift the "Teeth" thread...
-------------- "Civilization is the process of setting man free from men."
- Ayn Rand
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 2972 | TRs | Pics Location: In the woods, by the big tree
Wed Aug 30, 2006 1:58 pm
Tom:
Where did you hear this? I live in North Bend within walking distance of the ranger station. I'd be happy to trot down there and rattle a few cages, and report back. Over the years, there have been so many "false starts" and rumors, and a couple of outright cannards, about what was going on up the Middle Fork that I've lost track of it all.
I was one of the people who urged the USFS to keep the road open all the way to the trailhead at Hardscrabble (it's about 6 miles closer to Dutch Miller than Dingford Creek). Oh, well.
Per my conversation with the ranger station today, they're locking the gate in November. Not that they said anything about maintenance, but that's what I know about the situation.
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 8568 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila
Wed Aug 30, 2006 2:10 pm
Dave Workman wrote:
I was one of the people who urged the USFS to keep the road open all the way to the trailhead at Hardscrabble (it's about 6 miles closer to Dutch Miller than Dingford Creek). Oh, well.
If they maintained it to Hardscrabbles, there'd be no reason to close the road at all. The washouts and "bad" portions of the road all occur down valley from the Hardscrabble trailhead. The last .5 mile from Hardscrabble to the turnaround at the DMG trailhead is relatively troublefree.
-------------- "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
I heard this from the caretaker at Goldmyer. When I asked about the gate she told me it would be locked as soon as the footbridge went in. I was a little confused by this because my understanding of the final deal was the FS had to upgrade the road to standard before they could pass it on to the inholders for maintenance. I mentioned this and asked if the plan was to upgrade the road after it is locked. She sighed and said that while the FS might be singing a different tune publicly, under their breath it was pretty clear they had no intention of doing anything to the road. She was lamenting the fact the road wouldn't be bikable if it wasn't improved, because even though there is a bike trail on the other side of the river, it's not bikable every day and it also requires a ford over Burntboot creek to get to Goldmyer.
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 2972 | TRs | Pics Location: In the woods, by the big tree
Wed Aug 30, 2006 2:20 pm
Dayhike Mike wrote:
If they maintained it to Hardscrabbles, there'd be no reason to close the road at all. The washouts and "bad" portions of the road all occur down valley from the Hardscrabble trailhead. The last .5 mile from Hardscrabble to the turnaround at the DMG trailhead is relatively troublefree.
Exactly. That road right below Hardscrabble is in remarkable condition considering that it hasn't been touched with a blade in years. I know where the washouts always occur, and there's really not a lot that can be done because the river changed course several years ago. I was there once right after it did that and it was quite a spectacle.
The slide area is about the only other really bad spot, IIRC because the road as it goes up and beyond the Dingford trailhead isn't in all that bad of shape, either. It's just when the road drops back right down to the river that the problems begin.
Joined: 06 Aug 2006 Posts: 2972 | TRs | Pics Location: In the woods, by the big tree
Wed Aug 30, 2006 2:28 pm
Tom wrote:
I heard this from the caretaker at Goldmyer. When I asked about the gate she told me it would be locked as soon as the footbridge went in. I was a little confused by this because my understanding of the final deal was the FS had to upgrade the road to standard before they could pass it on to the inholders for maintenance. I mentioned this and asked if the plan was to upgrade the road after it is locked. She sighed and said that while the FS might be singing a different tune publicly, under their breath it was pretty clear they had no intention of doing anything to the road. She was lamenting the fact the road wouldn't be bikable if it wasn't improved, because even though there is a bike trail on the other side of the river, it's not bikable every day and it also requires a ford over Burntboot creek to get to Goldmyer.
Is that so? You know, that's useful information. When you make a deal, it's best to keep up your end of it. I wonder if anyone has spoken to Reichert's office about that. It's in his congressional district, and I know Reichert. I think this might get his attention.
There are times even in the summer when only a raving lunatic would try to ford the river at Burntboot...or anywhere else for that matter.
If you are on good speaking terms with this lady, you might suggest she call Reichert's office on Mercer Island. If she's right about the USFS crawfishing on an agreement, they ought to know about it.
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 1079 | TRs | Pics Location: Silverdale, WA
Wed Aug 30, 2006 3:26 pm
Anything the FS promised would be in the record of decision and it took about 2 minutes to find it. It says "The Forest Service will pull culverts (about 15) and replace all but four with drivable dips, for access by hikers, pack-and-saddle, mountain bikes and in-holder high-clearance vehicles. New right sized pipes will replace four existing culverts.
Additional work will include filling holes in the road, smoothing out the travel surface to its current width, and brushing (cutting) vegetation along the sides."
It is obvious that this work will occur but it doesn't say that it will necessarily happen before the gate is locked.
It would make sense to me they would do that after gating the road. The thing that really surprised me was hearing the FS was singing a different tune under their breath. It would be disappointing if true.
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 12260 | TRs | Pics Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:26 pm
What makes the Goldmyer person think the FS is going back on their contract? From what I'm reading here, it looks as if she made that claim, but that's all. Any reasonable idea where the claim comes from?
What you say makes sense that they'd do the work after the gate is in. The gate isn't in, so work hasn't begun. If so, it's a timing issue, not a contractual issue.
-------------- "The next couple of miles smelt like burnt turkey and kept reminding me of thanksgivings with my ex-wife. "
chris-mbhc, NWHiker's Bulwer-Lytton contestant for 2011
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 8568 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila
Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:40 pm
Uh, the gate is IN. It's not locked, but it's definitely there.
-------------- "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
Joined: 15 May 2003 Posts: 12260 | TRs | Pics Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:43 pm
It makes sense that they'll work on the road after the gate is not only in, but locked. November seems an odd time to start road work, but perhaps they'll get it to a stopping point & pick it up again in the spring.
I don't know - just like no one knows if the FS has broken their contract.
-------------- "The next couple of miles smelt like burnt turkey and kept reminding me of thanksgivings with my ex-wife. "
chris-mbhc, NWHiker's Bulwer-Lytton contestant for 2011
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