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MyspaceUpdate: Forest officials have confirmed they will be rescinding the order re-opening the trails as described below. As soon as this occurs we’ll report it in the Independent. Sources say that residents in the Tunnel Road area were furious that any of the burned area trails were opened so soon, espcecially as homeowners there are still recovering from the fire’s impacts.
Los Padres Forest officials announced today that trails closed during the Jesusita Fire have now been re-opened to the public. These include the Arroyo Burro, Jesusita, Tunnel and Rattlesnake Canyon trails. However, trail users should exercise extreme caution as many of the trails have suffered major damage.
This includes scree material that has sloughed down on the trail, making passage across some sections difficult. Tons of loose rock has also fallen onto the trails, making footing difficult and in some cases, there is still the potential for rockfall. Users should also be aware that brush and in some cases, trees, have fallen across the trails, adding to the difficulty.
Ray Ford
Trail sign at upper Tunnel Trail connector survived but not too much more.
For those who do want to explore the burned area trails a few cautions are advised. Travel in groups and have at least one cell phone with you on the trail in case of difficulty. Without ground cover, the soil is much warmer than prior to the fire (on average the burned area soils are 10-20 degrees hotter than with cover) and there is little shade on many of the trails. This is especially a concern for those who bring dogs along with them. A personal recommendation: hike any of the burn areas at least once without your dog before you consider taking it along the next time.
More Information is available by calling Los Padres National Forest headquarters at (805) 968-6640 or Los Prietos Ranger Station at (805) 967-3481. Visitors are reminded that the Gap Fire area treated with hydromulch is still closed to use.
Trail Volunteers Needed: Over the next year, local trail organizations will be working with Los Padres Forest to help rehabilitate trails damaged during the Jesusita Fire. The Santa Barbara Trails Council (sbtrails.org) will be coordinating efforts to support the rehabilitation projects. SBTC encourages you to join with them to help rebuild the trails.
Adding your name to the volunteer list for the burn area rehabilitaiton projects is easy: simply email the Outdoor Guy here at the Indy (ray@independent.com) and let him know you want to help our trails.
Previous Month
Comments
Readers,
If you have any compassion for those who lost so much in the fire, you will not invade their privacy by parking in their neighborhoods, checking out the damage to their homes, their lives, along the way.
We are just starting to put everything back together again and it's a long painful process. Please don't make it any worse.
Thanks.
TunnelRoader (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2009 at 11:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm SHOCKED at this. Those of us in the recent burn areas are still navigating around utility trucks trying to restore services still out, restoration companies, clean up crews AND all the lookie-loos. So in addition we have to add hikers?
Mountain Drive was closed to residents for a long time to only residents to give them all some space. Personally, while my house still stands but I am surrounded by peripheral damage (to include 3 decimated neighbors) I'm not ready for people poking around my yard. I live on Tunnel and think this is inappropriate to open the road so soon. None of us want to become spectacles, plus our trail CANNOT handle any traffic now.
While we recover from the fire every day we now have our minds thinking of rain, loose debris, loose rocks, no root systems and mudslide possibilities within the year. Until we know how stable the hillside is wouldn't it be smart to keep people away for awhile?
Keep the traffic away until we can get up/down the road easily. Keep the spectators away; we're not ready physically OR emotionally. Our insurance guys are still here! Protect our trail for a little while longer until we know what the future holds with our unstable hillside!
It's emotional enough as it is, much less becoming a side show and having to deal with additional UNNECESSARY bodies, dogs and traffic.
Give us some time to heal, PLEASE.
Thanks,
Jen Jones
Tunnel Rd Resident
macnjen (anonymous profile)
May 20, 2009 at 11:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is conflicting news regarding the open status of the trails. Look for clarification on this matter and heed the request of the residence in any trail head parking areas.
toadalee (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2009 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Beyond the impact on local residents, the trails really are NOT ready for use. There are many scree landslides from the uphill side of trails, rocks, fallen brush and trees. Traffic up there now would cause a lot more damage, particularly where the trail footbed is giving way.
If you are a regular on these trails take the opportunity to explore the other trails we have - or even better, volunteer to help rebuild.
Groups taking action are:
1. The Santa Barbara Trails Council (sbtrails.org) mentioned by Ray above.
2. The Multiuse Trails Coalition (http://www.multiuse.org)
3. SB Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers (http://www.sbmtv.org)
4. Los Padres Forest Alliance (http://www.lpforest.org)
5. And I expect the Sierra Club as well.
kevsteele (anonymous profile)
May 21, 2009 at 4:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is OUTRAGEOUS that anyone would THINK of hiking after the Jesusita fire. The damage that hiking causes to the loose rock and shale is INCOMPREHENSIBLE, as well as being EXTREMELY DETRIMENTAL to the privacy of those who are SUFFERING in the vicinity of the trails. Please do not cause any more AGONY to the victims of this fire by hiking on the trails.
Hiking is not only HEARTLESS and MALICIOUS to the victims of the fire, it is INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS with patches of PERILOUS GRAVEL in some parts of the trail, and other sections which have become partially obstructed by HAZARDOUS, INCOMPLETELY BURNED BRUSH. Geologists estimate that each hiker to use the Tunnel trail will cause roughly 100 BILLION METRIC TONS of soil erosion ~ nearly 200% of the erosion caused by the fire itself.
The fact that a CHAIN LINK FENCE has not yet been erected to keep ILLEGAL HIKERS off the trails is a testament to the POOR DECISION MAKING ABILITIES of the city government. These are the same people who planned the I madonnari festival to take place DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE BURN AREA. This is no time for festivals or chalk painting people! It is a time of LOSS and would make much more sense to CANCEL UNECESSARY CIVIC ACTIVITIES, ERECT BARBED WIRE FENCES and post POLICE OFFICERS to ARREST ANYONE who INTERFERES WITH THE HEALING PROCESS, ESPECIALLY HIKERS!!!
TeresitaBob (anonymous profile)
May 25, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)