California State Parks closures target 70 of the state's 278 parks

Come fall, Californians could find themselves with fewer parks to visit and fewer services available at parks that are open. That was the tenor of the plan that California State Parks officials outlined Friday as they targeted for shutdown 70 of the state's 278 parks because of budget problems.

The closure plan is far from final, and if it does come to pass the closures wouldn't go into effect until September, said State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.

Coleman also raised the possibility of diminished services -- i.e., closing bathrooms, lifeguard towers and other facilities -- throughout the state park system to cut $11 million in the coming fiscal year and $22 million in the 2012-13 fiscal year. But the budget details haven't been finalized.

Times Daily Travel and Deal blogger Mary Forgione has the details, including the full list of parks slated for closure, on her post: California State Parks: Salton Sea, Palomar on list of possible shutdowns

Photo: Tufa formations have an unreal look on Mono Lake at sunset. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

 

Some Angeles National Forest trails closed by Station fire to reopen

 

The Angeles National Forest announced Thursday that it will reopen about 98,000 acres of forest that has been closed since the 2009 Station fire. As I reported in Outposts on April 1, forest officials have been doing public outreach and relying a lot on volunteers to clear out invasive species as part of the forest restoration. Shown above is a hillside in the San Gabriel Mountains that burned in the fire and was adorned with wildflowers in spring 2010 -- proof that this fire-adapted ecosystem can rebound.

Areas that will reopen include Charlton Flat Picnic Area, Gould Mesa Campground, Bear Canyon Trail, Paul Little Picnic Area, Mill Creek Summit Picnic Area, Silver Moccasin Trail, Sunset Ridge Trail, Indian Canyon Trailhead, Canteen Trail and the entire San Gabriel Wilderness area. Forest officials say more than 100 miles of hiking trails are being reopened.

In addition, the U.S. Forest Service announced that the portion of the Pacific Crest Trail that runs through the forest will reopen, with some minor reroutes. This is good news for PCT thru-hikers, who had a roughly 40-mile detour last summer.

Hikers should also be thrilled that the Angeles National Forest has finally posted a high-resolution zoomable map showing the closure area (frame grab image at right). A word of warning: Downloading the map can be excruciatingly slow; I found it quicker to just use the online zoom feature.

Check the Angeles National Forest website for the latest Station fire restoration updates.

-- Julie Sheer

Photo credit: Julie Sheer. Map credit: Angeles National Forest

Figueroa Mountain: Where the poppies are

When it comes to spring wildflower peeping in Southern California, there are generally two hot spots: deserts and mountains. Because of the wacky winter weather this year, the Antelope Valley poppy bloom is less than stellar, but the blossoming is on in a big way at Figueroa Mountain (above), in the Los Padres National Forest.

After checking the Theodore Payne Wildflower Hotline online report (updated weekly) and a Figueroa flower update on the Los Padres website, we decided to skip the desert and head up the coast. On a Santa-Ana-wind-warmed afternoon, we set up camp north of Santa Barbara at Refugio State Beach (warning to tent campers: this is RV heaven), then headed with our dog back south to Arroyo Burro Beach. Possibly even more colorful than the wildflowers was that evening's sunset, tinted garishly from the sundowner wind that blew particulates out to sea (below).

Angeles National Forest trails update, post-Station fire

A few of the most popular trails in the Angeles National Forest front country that were damaged by the 2009 Station fire may reopen by Memorial Day, according to acting forest supervisor Marty Dumpis at a recent event on the forest's recovery. That's nearly two years after the fire burned more than 160,000 acres and damaged 250 miles of trails. I wouldn't pencil in that Memorial Day hike just yet, though.

Dumpis and Angeles trails program manager Andrew Fish spoke to a full house at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center during the Sierra Club-sponsored event (at right). They detailed the challenges of trying to balance ecological integrity in the most-visited national forest in the U.S., noting that forest recovery is a 3-5-year process. Some of the trails that MIGHT reopen by Memorial Day include:

* Mt. Lowe Camp and fire road

* Gabrielino Trail from Red Box to Newcomb Pass

* Silver Moccasin Trail from Charlton Flat to Highway 2

In the Mt. Lowe area, the Sunset Ridge Trail MAY open this year, and Fish is hoping the Mueller Tunnel will open in the fall. Also targeted to open later this year, said Fish, is the lower Arroyo/Gabrielino Trail, from the trailhead near JPL to the first check dam at the Paul Little picnic area. I can attest that this trail in particular is a real mess, but people are still hiking it illegally.

What has to happen before trails can be rebuilt? Imagine the mother of all backyard weeding projects. Ongoing work includes removing invasive plants, which are thriving in streambeds and along the 130 miles of "line" bulldozed during the firefight; restoring habitat destroyed by the fire and subsequent rains; and replanting trees. About 110 miles of trail have been assessed and repaired so far.

So what's the holdup? In two words: manpower and money.

California Fish and Game wardens in the spotlight on 'Wild Justice,' premiering Sunday on National Geographic Channel

California Department of Fish and Game wardens certainly have an interesting work schedule. Dealing with illegal hunters, methamphetamine users, illegal pot growers and probation violators, it seems no two days are alike. 

These 240 law enforcement men and women patrol wide swaths of the state's 159,000 square miles of land, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams and more than 1,100 miles of coastline, often alone and in rural areas where backup can be hours away. And often, many of the people they come in contact with are armed.

The real-life bravery of California game wardens is brought to light in the new National Geographic Channel series "Wild Justice," premiering Sunday at 9 p.m. with two hourlong episodes before moving to its regular night and time, Wednesdays at 10 beginning Dec. 1.

The 11-episode series follows the lives of California’s Fish and Game wardens, on call 24/7, as they defend against human threats to the environment, endangered wildlife and the cultivation of illegal drugs.  On foot or horseback, by car or off-road vehicle, by plane or by boat, this small group of law enforcement officers covers a large territory in pursuit of poachers, polluters and illegal marijuana growers, while still making sure hunters and anglers follow the rules.

Though the show appears to focus on the "dirty" side of the job, it's not all trouble -- wardens also promote and coordinate hunter education programs and represent the DFG at schools and meetings of hunting and fishing clubs and other special interest groups.

"One thing about this job is that everything changes," DFG Warden Brian Boyd comments in one episode. "It's one reason why I like it and the reason some people don't like it, cause you can't set your clock to it."

"Wild Justice" episode descriptions through mid-December are after the jump (the rest of the descriptions are still pending):

Vehicular mistaken identity has pot growers loading marijuana into Fish and Game warden's truck

Two men were arrested after attempting to load 127 pounds of marijuana into a truck occupied by two California Department of Fish and Game wardens, mistaking the vehicle for one they believed belonged to their supplier.

DFG wardens Aaron Galwey and Scott Williams were on the lookout for deer poachers in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest the night of Aug. 30 when a group of men, one armed with a shotgun, approached the vehicle.

"Things unfolded so quickly that they immediately commanded them to keep their hands within view," DFG spokesman Pat Foy told the Record Searchlight. "They very quickly figured out what the situation was."

The wardens were able to handcuff two of the men but three others escaped. Those arrested are in the U.S. illegally and face deportation in addition to the drug and weapon charges.

Fortunately, the wardens were unharmed during the incident.

"We basically count on them [marijuana growers] being armed," Foy added. "The fact that only two wardens got out of that situation without anybody getting hurt is what everybody is thankful for."

The seized marijuana -- enough to fill two sleeping bags and four duffel bags -- was processed and ready for sale, leading Foy to believe that the group was not amateurs.

"To have these guys come out with 127 pounds -- that was a lot of work," Foy said. "They were very clearly knowledgeable about what they were doing. They made up all the elements of a drug trafficking organization."

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Marijuana plants. Credit: Associated Press

Evolution Valley backpack

Right hand jammed in my shorts pocket, collar of my Buzz Off shirt pulled up past my chin, and cuff tight over my left hand — which was gripping a fly rod, only fingertips exposed — I made my way down the John Muir Trail from McClure Meadow, above, back to our campsite in Evolution Meadow in Kings Canyon National Park. The tiny rainbow/golden trout hybrids, below left, were biting in Evolution Creek (hitting on every cast), and so were the mosquitoes.

Zzzzzt, zzzzt, ouch! The skeets paid no mind to my high-tech clothing, drilling right through it and into my shoulders — and they also found my left fingertips. Ahh, spring, er, August, in the Sierra. We'd long wanted to visit out-of-the-way Evolution Valley and finally decided to do it, avoiding big passes and opting for entry via Florence Lake, with a brief interlude at Muir Trail Ranch en route. We hiked about 30 miles in 5 days.

Field & Stream, Trout Unlimited name West's 'Best Wild Places'

Field & Stream and Trout Unlimited recently named the "Best Wild Places" in the western United States. The six locations are all located on public lands and are considered the finest intact public wildlife habitat remaining in the American West. Each is also, unfortunately, facing some sort of threat to its existence.

"Americans have a unique opportunity to visit some of the nation's best wild places because they're located on public lands," said Anthony Licata, editor of Field & Stream. 

Both Trout Unlimited and Field & Stream are running a series of online features that detail each of the destinations, providing virtual tours, travel information, hunting and fishing opportunities, wildlife viewing tips, and information on how to get involved in the effort to protect these areas. The magazine will also feature all six destinations in an article in the December/January issue.

"These are high-quality landscapes that offer some unique fishing and hunting opportunities on public lands all across the West," said Chris Hunt, of Trout Unlimited's Sportsmen's Conservation Project. "But they all face challenges that could significantly degrade the quality of the experience. They need a hand from sportsmen and -women to ensure the continuation of our hunting and fishing heritage."

The Best Wild Places are listed after the jump.

Bigfoot alive and well and living in North Carolina

Bigfoot has apparently gone blond and lives in North Carolina. At least according to Cleveland County resident Tim Peeler, who told local authorities of his encounter with the 10-foot tall creature, reports the Charlotte Observer.

Peeler thought he was calling coyotes, but instead got surprised and frightened by what -- or who -- came a-calling.

"Instead of them, him," Peeler, who lives in a rural area near South Mountains State Park, told NBC affiliate WCNC NewsChannel 36.

"This thing was 10-foot tall. He had beautiful hair," said Peeler, adding that it looked like the creature had six fingers on each hand.

"I come out here and rough-talked him and run him off," continued Peeler. But then the creature returned.

Luckily the encounter ended safely when Peeler got a bit more aggressive. "I said, 'Get away from here! Get! Get!' and he went right back up that path again."

Sgt. Mark Self of the Cleveland County sheriff's office responded to the suspicious-person call placed by Peeler.

"It scared me," said Self. "This is just totally blowing my mind that they even brought it back up," adding that the Sasquatch legend has been in the county since the 1970s.

"It doesn't bother me now -- I don't think there's anything to it," Self said. Still, the sheriff's office plans to continue its routine patrols of the area. "If we see something, we’ll try to capture it and take it into custody," he added.

So campers and hikers visiting the state park, one of North Carolina’s least-developed recreational sites, be forewarned -- you might want to plan on carrying a big stick, and leaving the coyote caller at home.

-- Kelly Burgess

Video from NBC affiliate WCNC NewsChannel 36, North Carolina

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Busy Memorial Day weekend expected at Yosemite National Park

A busy commute is expected just about everywhere for the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, and Yosemite National Park will be no exception.

To help visitors better enjoy their time while there, the park communications office has released the following update, featuring travel suggestions, current conditions and facilities status:

People planning trips into the park are strongly encouraged to arrive before 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m. to avoid long waits at the entrance stations.  Visitors may also choose to ride the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, which picks up in multiple locations along Highway 140 from Merced and provides multiple drop-off locations throughout Yosemite Valley.  Once visitors arrive in the park, they are urged to ride the free shuttle throughout Yosemite Valley, utilize the bike paths, or walk.

All campgrounds on the reservation system are full.  There are a very limited number of first-come, first-served campsites available throughout the park -- visitors should arrive early to secure a campsite.  All trails within Yosemite are open, however some may still have snow patches and ice present on the trail.  Hikers should be aware that spring weather can be unpredictable and change without warning.

Post-Station Fire wildflower hike

"All is not lost!" proclaimed the leader of a recent California Native Plant Society and Sierra Club hike in the Station Fire burn area bordering the Angeles National Forest. She meant the return of mountain flora after last year's wildfire that burned 250 square miles, the largest fire in L.A. County history. Sure enough, there were carpets of purple phacelia and other colorful "fire followers" amidst the scorched hillsides and blackened skeletons of chaparral in Hall Beckley Canyon Recreation Area above La Canada. Chemicals from the ash and smoke helped nurture the bloom.

If you want to see this show, do so quickly because the flowers are only expected to last into early June. Here's what was blooming: large-flowered phacelia (which only pops up the season after a wildfire), caterpillar phacelia, Canterbury bells, datura, morning glory, California evening primrose, woolly blue curls, Indian pink, lupine, prickly phlox, California poppies, deerweed and more.

The trail starts on Palm Drive near the corner of La Sierra Drive and leads to the forest boundary and eventually to Mt. Lukens (in about 8 miles). It's hot and exposed, but try to make it at least to the water tank, several miles in (no good trail map exists as far as I know). At one point the trail squeezes between several-foot high phacelia (shown above).

Don't venture into the Angeles National Forest unless you want to pay a hefty fine. The forest is still officially closed and fines range from $5,000 for an individual to $10,000 for a group. The forest website has a memo describing the Station Fire closure, which is expected to continue through September.

For more information on wildflowers, check out Theodore Payne's Wildflower Hotline at (818) 768-3533, which usually only posts updates through May.

—Julie Sheer

Photos by Julie Sheer/Los Angeles Times

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There's still time to find a California campsite for Memorial Day weekend

There's still hope for procrastinators who haven't yet made their California campground reservations for the Memorial Day weekend.

While many campgrounds, RV parks and resorts are booked for the three-day holiday weekend, there is some availability. To help those scrambling for a spot, Camp-California.com has compiled a listing of those that have yet to fill up.

As of Friday morning, there were at least 87 areas in the Golden State that still had sites and some cabins available, though they are likely going fast.

"If you hurry, you just might be able to snatch a campsite or book one of the growing numbers of park model cabins, yurts and other rental accommodations that are now available at many campgrounds throughout the state," said Verna Wiseman, director of communications for the California Assn. of RV Parks and Campgrounds, which operates Camp-California.com.

Some parks offer online reservations via the Camp-California website, though those looking for a spot may want to call parks directly for availability and reservations.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A recreational vehicle parks by Yosemite Falls. Credit: Los Angeles Times

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