We did it!

Got an email today informing me that the CLOSURE is NO LONGER IN EFFECT.... it has been OFFICIALLY RESCINDED!

Will confirm this with the DIST SUP first thing in the MORNING!

According the the new Inyo Nat Forrest WP Site, George Creek is NOW OPEN year round with a Quota and NO RESTRICTIONS!

Thanks for all your help and letters!

Here is a link to the unofficial notice of 9/25/10.....

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... &%20Events

EDIT: ADDITIONS

Awesome. Thanks Chief and everyone else for all your hard work on Access issues in our areas. I can't wait to head up there this year (well 2011).

WOW! great job! thanks from everyone!

+1. Thanks, Chief for making this happen. Looking forward to climbing it!

Thank you to Chief and all of those involved. Land use policy is always a very touchy subject and often times there is no "right" answer - yet in this case I think we found the right answer, let us climb! Haha.

Chief, or anyone else who knows, how long had this restriction been in effect for?

Woohoo! Stoked to get up that thing now!

Vitaliy M wrote:Chief, you are like 2 weeks late on this!!!!! There was a whole thread on it earlier...

thanks hun!

Wasn't OFFICIAL then. I don't comment on any ACCESS issues until an OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION from the LO to myself or any of the folks that I am working with, is completed.

Again, I will personally get the formal Action letter this morning from Marg or Mary (the Inyo & Whitney Area Dist Sups) and Confirm the Opening.

The OFFICIAL CLOSURE was affected in MAY of 1981, 29 years!

Edit: Changed 1971 to 1981. Typo.

Gary Schenk wrote:

The Chief wrote:...George Creek is NOW OPEN year round...

Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for!

Please be more specific Gary?

Vitaliy M wrote:Chief, you are like 2 weeks late on this!!!!! There was a whole thread on it earlier...

thanks hun!

Um, actually, Chief has been working very hard to get this restriction rescinded for some time. Give credit where credit is due, as I do not see you (or myself) out there with boots on the ground trying to improve access.

My bust...1981!

Hit the wrong key! My math is just fine.....

Will post the OFFICIAL LETTER when I return from Bishop this afternoon.

Here is the link to the UNOFFICIAL NOTICE:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... &%20Events

i am sure there were a few people behind the scene getting this closure rescinded, but i am pretty sure the chief deserves a pat on the back for this too.

thanks the chief...

we will get back to our internet fued on another thread... someday... maybe...

1000Pks wrote:Now we will most likely never have bighorns on Willie, and now tons of crap thanks to enviro club minded trash and all, they'll all be a coming big time.

1000PKS...

That particular herd moved to the west side of Tyndall over 20 years ago. Maybe longer. That is a well documented fact within the SNBH research community.

The 2nd biggest herd is on the Wheeler Crest/Pine Creek area. I have almost hit 3&4 of them with my truck, on four different instances, in the past year and half, on Pine Creek Rd.

The largest herd is in the SF of Tuttle Creek/ Langley Area. Also well within regular human contact.

There are 12 designated CHA's for this animal that was officially done so in Aug 2008. All within established regular human contact areas.

Your concern is valid yet very unfounded as they are no longer in that area. The primary reason that this Closure was rescinded.

The official Forest Service Order rescinding the closure is in the process of being emailed to me. As soon as I receive it, I will post it up. I was reaffirmed down in Bishop that all the USFS WP offices on the Eastside were in fact notified of the Order and are processing WP's based on the established quota.

On a side note, we need to consider a working party to build an established trail so to minimize the proliferation of trails all over George Creek. Next Spring has many of your names on that. Time to step up to the plate and do your parts.

Thanks again for all your support and letters.

The Shepard Pass trail WAS NEVER IN ANY DESIG HUMAN CLOSURE AREA... NEVER!

It was always in the Domesticated Animal Closure, not in the Human. It was always open.

The CADFG NEVER had any plans nor ever did MOVE any herds.

Moot post 1000PKS

Thanks for doing this for the SummitPost community Chief!

1000Pks wrote:Proficient at confusing the issue, I see.

The standard WF route up Willie was subject to closure, by my maps. I used to work closely with DFG, and they liked to leave it open to further planting, in the 1970's. Herds move by themselves, unless it is a trapping op. That impact is coming, this is obvious. Real enviro clubs don't like this by them, or at least in the past.

Better get real, or else the USFS may not bother with any letters! I don't waste my time either on confused minds.

WTF are you talking about 1000PKS???

Your "Maps" don't mean a thing.

The original Forest Order Map, USForestService - 1981 - Order 04-81-3 California Bighorn Sheep Exhibit A, is what dictated since day one. The Williamson Area map on Exhibit A, clearly indicates that Shepards Pass was NEVER in the Human Closure Area. Just the DAC Area. I made the District Sup aware of this Map two years ago when this all started and she in turn informed all her WP Reps of this. They were all misinformed and all thought that the Domesticated Animal Closure Area included Humans for well over 25 years.

Appears that you have misinterpreted the "Map" as well.

Are you aware that there were two closures.... Domesticated Animal and Human?

1000Pks wrote:You may likely face some opposition from true enviro clubs for this reason, I will not be one of them, myself. The USFS cannot so easily issue dictums, as they may soon see. So, it's not a done deal, yet. Cork the champagne and prepare for work!

Again, you are talking out of your ass.

The USFS has a slew of protocols that it follows, regardless of what any "enviro clubs" say.

In this case, ALL entities that were involved in the original closure process, including the single man that did the majority of the studies and demanded it be closed in the late 70's, John Wehausen, came to the conclusion that the Closure was no longer necessary. They all made this public during the final stages during the five years of the CHA EI's and decision making process that concluded in Aug of 2008. I went to them personally and asked that they re-emphasize this to the WHITNEY DIST SUP in order to have her rescind the original 1981 USFS Order doing so. Some even went and saw her personally agreeing that it should be rescinded and the area reopened to the public asap.

It took time but it came through. And after having a face to face with the USFS White Mtn Sup in Bishop this afternoon, it is indeed a done deal. He will email me the final order no later than the end of business this Friday.

Just for everyone's edification, especially Pete "1000pks", below is a copy of the original Closure Map from the Original Closure Order:


Please do take note that Shepherd's Pass is no where near either of the two Closures.

Again, here is the link to the UNOFFICIAL NOTICE:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsint ... &%20Events