| Ranger Report - Crews and Volunteers are Working HARD! |
Tuesday, June 2nd
| Hey, let us know what you see out there! Send a couple photos along with your hiking, biking, 4x4in, horseback riding, etc. dventure story. We are always very happy to hear from our trail friends. cleelumtrails@yahooo.com |
Hi Everyone! Well, another hot weekend has come and gone and the snow is melting, just
not fast enough for most of us who are anxious to get into the high country. Our
Maintenance Crew is busy assessing winter trail damage and logging out trails. So far, it
has been relatively easy to keep up with the snow melt. This weekend, our Education and
Enforcement crew was out on the trail system working with our great volunteers. The
Taneum area is always the first to melt out, so we continued to push to the snow line. You
can see the report on the front page. Still not making four corners but we expect to this
weekend.
The Enforcement Report: It has been a relatively peaceful spring with everyone just enjoying
their public lands! This weekend we wrote several Northwest Pass violations in the
Taneum/Manastash and Miller Bear area. Please remember to buy your Annual Pass or a
Day Pass at the trailhead. This is one fee that actually supports the very trails you enjoy so
much. The majority of these trailhead fees go back into maintaining the trails. We had one
report of an off-road motorcycle riding the lower part of Granite Creek Trail. We went out and
tried to fix the damage. This trail is very well signed, so there are no excuses. A description
of the rider and bike was taken and the area will be patrolled. Another case of the 1%ers
making everyone in their sport look bad!
So, let’s talk about the 99%ers! We had a GREAT bunch of volunteers helping clear trail all
weekend. Our volunteer crew (the V-Team) makes it possible to divide into three or four
different groups to work an entire area. Without their help, we would not be able to keep up
with the snow melt, so thank-you, everyone!
The Manastash is still, for the most part, snowed in, and Table Mountain has a seasonal
motorized closure until the 15th of this month. As for hiking, the only trail that is completely
snow free is Granite Creek. I will update our weekday crew’s progress Thursday afternoon
so you can plan your weekend!
Our packstring is finally home! They winter in Ellensburg and they are now back at the
Station getting into shape and getting ready to work. Katie is taking over the Packstring
duties as Todd Stiles took a job at Yellowstone. Katie is an experienced packer and is
excited about getting out on the trail and working with the trail crew and our volunteers!
The weather is definitely cooperating. It has been beautiful! Remember, most of our District
dries very quickly after the snow leaves the ground. Our weekend crew has already found
one fire caused by carelessness, so make sure you totally extinguish all campfires and
deposit cigarettes in ashtrays (not on the ground!).
Thank-you, and we will see you on the trail!
Tips and Regulations for Motorized Travelers-
Riding or wheeling through the snow causes deep ruts which, in turn, causes expensive
trail damage when the snow melts and the water runs down the trough. Please do not ride
or wheel through the snow!
Tips and Regulations for Wilderness Travelers -
Remember No Campfires are allowed at these lakes.
The wood that is available in these rocky alpine areas needs to return to the soil for the
delicate vegetation that does grow there and not picked clean for campfires. The plants are
fragile and have a very short growing season when they are not covered by snow.
Nothing scars the land as bad as a campfire ring and nobody likes camping in ashes.
Fire rings also tend to attract litter.
Keep the campsites in better condition than you found them.
Protecting these lands is all our responsibility!
Leave No Trace Ethics are especially important at these popular destinations
not fast enough for most of us who are anxious to get into the high country. Our
Maintenance Crew is busy assessing winter trail damage and logging out trails. So far, it
has been relatively easy to keep up with the snow melt. This weekend, our Education and
Enforcement crew was out on the trail system working with our great volunteers. The
Taneum area is always the first to melt out, so we continued to push to the snow line. You
can see the report on the front page. Still not making four corners but we expect to this
weekend.
The Enforcement Report: It has been a relatively peaceful spring with everyone just enjoying
their public lands! This weekend we wrote several Northwest Pass violations in the
Taneum/Manastash and Miller Bear area. Please remember to buy your Annual Pass or a
Day Pass at the trailhead. This is one fee that actually supports the very trails you enjoy so
much. The majority of these trailhead fees go back into maintaining the trails. We had one
report of an off-road motorcycle riding the lower part of Granite Creek Trail. We went out and
tried to fix the damage. This trail is very well signed, so there are no excuses. A description
of the rider and bike was taken and the area will be patrolled. Another case of the 1%ers
making everyone in their sport look bad!
So, let’s talk about the 99%ers! We had a GREAT bunch of volunteers helping clear trail all
weekend. Our volunteer crew (the V-Team) makes it possible to divide into three or four
different groups to work an entire area. Without their help, we would not be able to keep up
with the snow melt, so thank-you, everyone!
The Manastash is still, for the most part, snowed in, and Table Mountain has a seasonal
motorized closure until the 15th of this month. As for hiking, the only trail that is completely
snow free is Granite Creek. I will update our weekday crew’s progress Thursday afternoon
so you can plan your weekend!
Our packstring is finally home! They winter in Ellensburg and they are now back at the
Station getting into shape and getting ready to work. Katie is taking over the Packstring
duties as Todd Stiles took a job at Yellowstone. Katie is an experienced packer and is
excited about getting out on the trail and working with the trail crew and our volunteers!
The weather is definitely cooperating. It has been beautiful! Remember, most of our District
dries very quickly after the snow leaves the ground. Our weekend crew has already found
one fire caused by carelessness, so make sure you totally extinguish all campfires and
deposit cigarettes in ashtrays (not on the ground!).
Thank-you, and we will see you on the trail!
Tips and Regulations for Motorized Travelers-
Riding or wheeling through the snow causes deep ruts which, in turn, causes expensive
trail damage when the snow melts and the water runs down the trough. Please do not ride
or wheel through the snow!
Tips and Regulations for Wilderness Travelers -
Remember No Campfires are allowed at these lakes.
The wood that is available in these rocky alpine areas needs to return to the soil for the
delicate vegetation that does grow there and not picked clean for campfires. The plants are
fragile and have a very short growing season when they are not covered by snow.
Nothing scars the land as bad as a campfire ring and nobody likes camping in ashes.
Fire rings also tend to attract litter.
Keep the campsites in better condition than you found them.
Protecting these lands is all our responsibility!
Leave No Trace Ethics are especially important at these popular destinations
| Kenny, one of our hard working Maintenance crew members, checks out a damaged North Fork Bridge. Click here if you want to see the photo gallery. |
| Creek crossing on Granite. |
| It's a nice time to be out, even if you can't get to the high country. |
| Eugene, the company Jeep. Look for Merrick Graves behind the wheel. |