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Before venturing out, you need to know the latest news about road conditions, campground closures and fire restrictions. Here is a round-up of the current headlines pulled from US Forest Service press releases, the Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Forestry, National Park Service and other sources. FOREST HQ CLOSED TO PUBLIC ACCESS UNTIL MAY 7, DUE TO CONSTRUCTION - Apr 26, 2012 The Angeles National Forest administrative office (the Supervisor’s Office) at 701 N. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia, is closed to public access until May 7 because of construction of a new headquarters building on the premises. The employee move into the new building will begin Friday, April 27. Phone service to the old building will be turned off at 3 p.m. that day. Phone service in the new building is expected to resume on Monday, April 30. However, please excuse disruptions in service that may take place as the move into the new building is completed. [US Forest Service press release] SKIER DIES AT SIERRA-AT-TAHOE - Mar 19, 2012 Although the recent week’s worth of stormy weather proved highly beneficial to Lake Tahoe ski resorts, there was some tragic news at one ski resort, while a possible dangerous situations were avoided at two other ski resorts Creating dangerous conditions, the snowy terrain was partially to blame for claiming the life of a skier at Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort off Highway 50. Meanwhile, a skier was injured during a small avalanche Sunday at Kirkwood, while two skiers were rescued at Sugar Bowl on Monday morning. Sierra-at-Tahoe: A man from Gold River became trapped in the snow and died Sunday on a run at Sierra. Yiwei Hu, 54, was found by other skiers around 1:43 p.m. at Sierra. Hu was located in an expert terrain in the Castle Creek area of the resort, according to a statement by El Dorado County Sheriff's Lt. Tim Becker in a statement. This article is (c)opyright 2012 by the The Examiner. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [The Examiner] JOSHUA TREE PARK REGULATIONS UPDATED - Mar 14, 2012 Joshua Tree National Park has revised the Superintendent's Compendium, a list of park-specific regulations National Park Service superintendents are authorized to issue under the Code of Federal Regulations (36CFR sec.1.5). The Compendium codifies park regulations "necessary for the maintenance of public health and safety, protection of environmental or scenic values, protection of natural or cultural resources, aid to scientific research, implementation of management responsibilities, equitable allocation and use of facilities, or the avoidance of conflict among visitor use activities." The 2012 Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent's Compendium includes the following revisions: * Closes five new and one expanded climbing/bouldering routes to protect sensitive cultural resources. * Adds to the justification prohibiting public entry to mine adits and shafts to reflect    negative impacts associated with white-nosed syndrome on bat populations. * Modifies the weapons possession section to conform to the Credit Card Accountability and    Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. * Authorizes caching or storage of food supplies by backcountry and wilderness hikers for up to    14 days if properly tagged without being considered abandoned property. The 2012 revisions are adopted with the issuance of this press release. Warnings will be issued for the first 30 days. Questions about the Compendium and the current revisions should be directed to Acting Chief Ranger Jeff Ohlfs at 760-367-5548. [National Park Service press release] NEW INFORMATION MAY SAVE HIKING TRAIL - Mar 13, 2010 A hiker who went to court to force the California Department of Fish and Game to reveal the locations where bighorn sheep were sighted near the Bump and Grind trail has received the records he sought. In addition to releasing the information, the state agency agreed to pay $22,500 in attorney costs and fees related to Bermuda Dunes hiker Blaine Carian's trip to court to fight for the data. Carian, who lives in Bermuda Dunes, sought the information to prove his point that bighorn sheep aren't usually found near the popular hiking trail. Interference with the sheep was the primary reason cited by state officials when they closed off the top loop of the trail above Palm Desert. Carian had filed a request under the state public records law to obtain the sheep-sighting locations. But last Oct. 6, Fish and Game officials declined the request, stating that the public interest in protecting Peninsular bighorn sheep outweighed the public's interest in disclosure. In November, Carian responded by going to Riverside County Superior Court and seeking to compel Fish and Game officials to provide the records. This article is (c)opyright 2012 by the MyDesert.com. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [MyDesert.com] BALD EAGLE CHICK HATCHED AT BIG BEAR LAKE - Mar 8, 2012 The San Bernardino National Forest announces that a pair of bald eagles have successfully nested and produced a chick near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains – this being the first successful nesting recorded in recent times at Big Bear Lake. The new chick is estimated to have been born around February 11th and is nicknamed “Jack” to honor one of the Forest’s most dedicated eagle count volunteers, Jack Lubecki, who passed away a couple of years ago. The chick was first spotted on February 21st by Forest Service wildlife biologist Marc Stamer while on a field trip with a group of third graders from Big Bear Elementary School. “I was shocked to look through the spotting scope and see a bald eagle chick sitting up in the nest,” said Stamer. “The students, teachers, and parents were as excited to see a baby eagle as I was! It was a first for all of us!” The chick was born to a pair of eagles who built a nest on the national forest near Grout Bay in Fawnskin several years ago, but had not laid eggs until now. Dubbed Lucy and Ricky by local eagle-maniacs, this pair laid an egg in early January, unbeknownst to local eagle observers and biologists. The Big Bear Lake area has supported the largest wintering population of bald eagles for many years. Bald eagles migrate to southern California’s lakes and reservoirs for the abundant food supply (fish and waterfowl) and then return to nest sites in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Alaska, and Canada. Over the past few years, some bald eagles have taken up year-round residency in the Big Bear Lake area. “We have hoped to see bald eagles nesting in the area for many years since we have great habitat for them,” said Forest Service district biologist Robin Eliason. “Eagles mate for life and will use the same nest tree for several years, so we can expect to see bald eagles here year-round for years to come.” To minimize disturbance to this young eagle, the Forest is extending the annual seasonal closure beyond the usual April 1st date to June 15th instead. The “Forest Order” prohibits entry into Grout Bay Picnic Area, Gray’s Peak Trailhead, Gray’s Peak Trail, and the area directly around the bald eagle nest, to allow the chick to grow and learn to fly without human disturbance. “We hope our forest users understand the minor inconvenience of having to close some facilities in order to protect the bald eagles,” said Eliason. For over thirty years, the San Bernardino National Forest has maintained winter closures of its facilities in this area of Fawnskin in order to provide disturbance-free perching and foraging areas for bald eagles. Disturbance around a nest can cause the adults to leave the nest long enough that eggs and/or the chicks are susceptible to predation. It can also cause the adults to abandon the nest, eggs, and chicks. Even well-intentioned people who want to get close for a better view or for photographs may cause disruption to the nest. Because its populations were decimated by environmental contaminants, bounty hunters, and habitat loss in the lower 48 states, the bald eagle was one of the first animals protected under the federal Endangered Species Act. After many years of recovery efforts, the bald eagle was upgraded from “endangered” to “threatened” in 1995. Then, in 2007, it was completely removed from the federal Endangered Species List due the rise in its population numbers across the country. Bald eagles, however, are still considered endangered and a “fully protected species” by the State of California. The species is also protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Over the past decade, bald eagles have expanded their breeding distribution to include other parts of southern California, including Lake Hemet, Lake Skinner, Lake Matthews, Lake Henshaw, and the Channel Islands. There are also records of bald eagles for Lake Silverwood, Lake Arrowhead, Baldwin Lake, Lake Perris, and Lake Elsinore in the Inland Empire area. Several organizations have come together to help protect this bald eagle nest, including: the San Bernardino National Forest, National Forest Association (NFA), California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Bernardino County Parks and Recreation Department, and Big Bear Municipal Water District. The Forest Service and CDFG plan to use volunteers to both monitor the nest sites and provide the public with opportunities to view the eagles from a safe distance. The volunteers will be stationed with spotting scopes at Dana Point Park in Fawnskin. “We are working on getting volunteers scheduled to be there at least on the weekends and hopefully on a lot of weekdays” said NFA volunteer coordinator Meredith Brandon. People interested in helping monitor the bald eagle nest may contact Meredith Brandon at (909) 382-28420 or mbrandon@nationalforestassociation.org . For information about bald eagle viewing opportunities, contact the Forest Service’s Big Bear Discovery Center (909) 382-2789. [US Forest Service press release] FOREST SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO CHARGE FOREST FEE DURING APPEAL PERIOD - Feb 24, 2012 A decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this month does not yet stop the Forest Service from requiring all visitors to buy Adventure Passes. The Forest Service has 90 days to appeal the court's ruling in a 2008 case brought by four hikers who regularly visit the Coronado National Forest around Mount Lemmon, near Tucson. The court found the Forest Service at fault for charging parking fees to people who hike or picnic without using facilities such as bathrooms, picnic tables or trash cans. The San Francisco appeals court cited the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which bans such fees. "The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing the ruling, and that's basically all," said John Heil, public affairs spokesman for the Pacific Southwest Region of the agency. "We have nothing else further to add." Officials would not say whether the Forest Service plans to appeal the ruling. Attorney Mary Ellen Barilotti, who began filing suits against the forest access fee programs 10 years ago, explained the court's ruling is binding on all the Western states but not yet final. That means that park use without an Adventure Pass can still be prosecuted as a misdemeanor offense until the court issues an order. This article is (c)opyright 2012 by the The Ventura County Star. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [The Ventura County Star] INJURED HIKER AIRLIFTED OFF MOUNTAIN - Feb 12, 2012 A hiker who injured her leg was forced to spend a cold night in the mountains near Idyllwild until rescue crews could airlift her this morning, Riverside County Sheriff's officials said. The sheriff's department searched the area of Wellman's Divide Trail near Idyllwild after receiving a call shortly before noon Saturday from California State Park Rangers reporting a hiker had injured her leg and needed assistance getting down out of the mountainous trail. The Riverside County Mountain Rescue Unit and Desert Seach and Rescue found the hiker in the early evening but weather and terrain prevented an immediate airlift, sheriff's officials said. This article is (c)opyright 2012 by the The Desert Sun newspaper. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [The Desert Sun] MORE FLOOD DAMAGED AREAS REPAIRED AND REOPENED - Feb 9, 2012 Cottonwood Spring Oasis at Joshua Tree National Park, closed since it was damaged during last September’s flash flooding, has reopened for public use. In addition to Cottonwood Oasis, the park also reopened the road from Cottonwood Visitor Center to Cottonwood Spring, the Cotton Spring parking area, trails to Cottonwood Spring, Lost Palms Oasis, and the Mastodon Mine Loop Trail. Still closed to public use are Cottonwood Campground, the self-guided nature trail from Cottonwood Campground to Cottonwood Spring, and the canyon wash immediately below Cottonwood Spring. On September 13, 2011, a monsoon-like thunderstorm dumped more than three inches of rain on the Cottonwood area, causing extensive damage. The road through the Pinto Basin and Cottonwood Canyon was reopened in late October and the Cottonwood Visitor Center opened on November 3rd. Park crews are presently working in Cottonwood Campground to repair flood damage to picnic tables, grills, and eroded campsites. [National Park Service press release] VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR BIGHORN SHEEP SURVEY MARCH 3 AND 4 - Feb 3, 2012 Volunteers are needed on March 3 and 4 (Saturday evening and all day Sunday) to assist in an annual bighorn sheep survey in the San Gabriel Mountains, conducted by the California Department of Fish and Game, US Forest Service, and the Society for Conservation of Bighorn Sheep. No survey experience is necessary to participate but volunteers must attend a mandatory orientation on Saturday, March 3, at 6:00p.m. at Verdemont Community Center and Library in San Bernardino. Volunteers will then reconvene early Sunday morning, March 4, to hike with expert representatives to designated observation sites in the San Gabriel Mountains to count and record bighorn sheep. Participants must be at least 16 years old and capable of hiking one mile in rugged terrain, although some survey routes are longer. In general, hikes will not be along trails and accessing survey points will involve scrambling over boulders, climbing up steep slopes, and/or bush-whacking through chaparral. We highly recommended volunteers bring binoculars or spotting scopes in addition to hiking gear. Mountain weather can be unpredictable and participants should be prepared to spend several hours hiking and additional time making observations in cold and windy weather. For those who wish to camp, complimentary campsites will be available to volunteers on a first come, first served basis at the Applewhite Campground in Lytle Creek on the night of March 3. To sign up online, visit www.sangabrielbighorn.org or call (626) 574-5287 or (909) 382-2870 to receive a volunteer packet. The Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep, California Department of Fish and Game, and the Forest Service have conducted surveys for bighorn sheep in the San Gabriel range annually since 1979. The mountain range once held an estimated 740 sheep, which made the San Gabriel population the largest population of desert bighorn sheep in California. The bighorn population declined over 80% through the 1980s but appears to be on the increase with recent estimates yielding approximately 400 animals. [US Forest Service press release] SAN DIEGO HIKER STILL MISSING ON MOUNT RAINIER - Feb 1, 2012 Officials at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington said it could be spring before they know what became of a San Diego hiker, his companion and a separate hiking party — all apparently lost amid January blizzards. Mark Vucich, 37, of San Diego and Michelle Trojanowski, 30, of Atlanta had been expected to complete their winter hike on Jan. 15. Two other climbers, from Oregon and Korea, were due back on Jan. 16. Park rangers mounted intense searches for all four, using aircraft and organized ground teams. Their weeklong efforts were periodically halted by 100-mph winds and avalanche danger, park spokesman Kevin Bacher said Wednesday. This article is (c)opyright 2012 by the The San Diego Union-Tribune. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [The San Diego Union Tribune] YOSEMITES BIG OAK FLAT ROAD REOPENS - Jan 31 2012 Big Oak Flat Road, the continuation of Highway 120 within the park, reopened on Saturday morning. The park’s roads and trails crew worked throughout the week to clear the road of debris and rocks after a large rockfall occurred late on the evening of January 22nd. Temporary road closures will be in place this week to allow the park unrestricted access to repave the road. Exact days and times have not been established. Visitors are asked to call 209-372-0200 for 24-hour updated road and weather information. [National Park Service press release] BLM SEEKS NOMINEES FOR CALIFORNIA DESERT ADVISORY COUNCIL - Jan 19, 2012 The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) California Desert District is soliciting nominations from the public for six members of its California Desert District Advisory Council to serve a three-year term. The council’s 15 members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of 11 million acres (17 thousand square miles) of public lands in eight counties of Southern California. The council meets in formal session three to four times each year in various locations throughout the California Desert District. Council members serve without compensation. Members serve three-year terms and may be nominated for reappointment for an additional three-year term. The secretary selects council nominees consistent with the requirements of Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which require nominees appointed to the council be balanced in terms of points of view and representative of the various interests concerned with the management of the public lands within the area for which the council is established. Nominations will be accepted through March 5, 2012. The three-year term would begin immediately upon confirmation by the secretary. The six positions to be filled include one representative of transportation/rights-of-way groups or organizations, one elected official, one representative of renewable energy groups or organizations, one representative of non-renewable resources groups or organizations, one representative of environmental protection groups or organizations, and one representative of the public-at-large. Any group or individual may nominate a qualified person based upon education, training, and knowledge of the BLM, the California Desert, and the issues involving BLM-administered public lands throughout Southern California. Qualified individuals also may nominate themselves. The nomination form is on the Desert Advisory Council webpage: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/rac/dac.html. Nominations must include letters of support. Advisory Council members are appointed by the secretary, and will be evaluated based on their education, training, and knowledge of the BLM, the California Desert District, and the issues involving BLM-administered public lands. The Obama Administration prohibits individuals who are currently federally registered lobbyists to serve on any FACA and non-FACA boards, committees, or councils. Nominations should be sent to Teresa A. Raml, District Manager, BLM California Desert District, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley, CA 92553. For further information, please contact David Briery, BLM California Desert District External Affairs, (951) 697-5220 or dbriery@blm.gov. [Bureau of Land Management (BLM) press release] FIRE DANGER RAISED TO “VERY HIGH” ON THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST - Jan 12, 2012 Fire Danger increases with the unseasonable warmer, drier weather along with persistent Santa Ana wind conditions. Weather forecasts show that temperatures will continue to be slightly above normal coupled with infrequent storms and long stretches of little or no precipitation for the next few months. This will allow the finer grasses and lighter fuels to cure sooner increasing the potential for large fires. Fire officials are closely monitoring the weather and fuel conditions, adjusting staffing levels, and increasing or lowering fire use restrictions as deemed necessary. “During the recent wind events, firefighters responded to several fires during the evening hours, which is very unusual for this time of the year, which demonstrates how dry the fuels are,” stated Forest Fire Chief Shawna Legarza. “We will continue to maintain an increased firefighter staffing level until there is a significant change in the weather,” Legarza added. Fire restrictions and guidelines effective January 13, 2012 on the San Bernardino National Forest are as follows: * Wood and charcoal fires are permitted only in developed campgrounds and picnic    grounds and within agency provided fire rings or camp stoves. * Wood and charcoal fires are not permitted at Yellow Post campsites, Fisherman’s Camp,    or the following Pacific Crest Trail Camps:    Bench Camp, Deer Springs, Doble, Holcomb Crossing, Little Bear Springs and Mission Springs. * Campfire permits are required for propane and gas stoves and lanterns used    outside of developed recreation sites. * Recreational shooting is limited to Public Shooting Ranges operated under special use permit only,    except those engaged in legal hunting. * An approved spark arrester is required for any internal combustion    engine operated on designated forest routes.    These include chainsaws, generators, motorcycles, and off-highway vehicles. * Smoking is limited to an enclosed vehicle or building, or within a Developed Recreation Site. * Fireworks are always prohibited on the San Bernardino National Forest. The US Forest Service will be aggressively citing those who do not comply with the posted restrictions. Violation of these prohibitions is subject to punishment by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than six months or both, as Class B misdemeanors under federal law. Persons may also be responsible for resource damage, suppression costs and any injuries that occur if they are found liable for causing a wildfire. [US Forest Service press release] BLM REOPENS PACIFIC CREST TRAIL DAMAGED BY THE CANYON FIRE - Jan 11, 2012 The Bureau of Land Management has reopened approximately 30 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in northeastern Kern County that had been damaged during the September 2011 Canyon Fire in the Tehachapi area. Ridgecrest Field Office fire crews performed emergency stabilization operations on the burned portion of the trail, removed approximately 200 hazard trees and widowmakers and also replaced numerous burned signs along the trail. Treatments to the trail focused on public safety according to Ridgecrest Field Office Manager, Carl Symons. “The treatments completed on the trail will provide a high level of safety for visitors along the congressionally designated national trail. The falling of hazard trees, for instance, was necessary to provide for an increased safe environment.“ The replacement of burned signs was completed in accordance with legislation and standard trail design and is necessary to guide visitors to the correct trail alignment due to numerous OHV trails that cross the trail through-out the affected area. A map of the area showing the previously closed area can be viewed at: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/ridgecrest.Par.2743.File.dat/CanyonFire_PCT.pdf . For further information, contact the Ridgecrest Field Office at 760-384-5400. [Bureau of Land Management (BLM) press release] NEW NO FISHING ZONES FOR CALIFORNIA - Jan 3, 2012 Love it or hate it, the waters of Southern California just became a whole lot more conservation-friendly. After more than four years of meetings, votes, controversy, and public pleas both for and against the idea, January 1, 2012 marked the official roll-out date for 36 brand new state-sanctioned marine protected areas (MPAs) dotting the Pacific Ocean between Point Conception and the Mexico border. Designed first and foremost as a tool of protection for underwater ecosystems, the MPAs create a variety of new recreational and commercial fishing regulations for certain strategic areas throughout state waters. “This is a great day for the ocean,” declared Mike Sheehy, the director of watershed programs for Santa Barbara Channelkeeper. “We have been waiting a long time for this.” The new Southern California system, which totals some 186 square miles of ocean, is just the latest part of a larger statewide effort to deliver on the mandates of the Marine Life Protection Act that was passed in 1999. Similar arrays of preserves and reserves have already been crafted and implemented for areas between Point Arena and Point Conception, while others are still being fleshed out for the northernmost coast of California. This article is (c)opyright 2012 by the The Santa Barbara Independant. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [Santa Barbara Independent, Inc. By Ethan Stewart] PUBLIC MEETINGS SCHEDULED TO ADDRESS WEST MOJAVE DESERT ROUTES OF TRAVEL DESIGNATIONS - Dec 21, 2011 The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has scheduled eight public scoping meetings to gather public comments and recommendations on the preparation of environmental assessments for eight travel management areas within the West Mojave Planning Area. These eight travel management areas are identified on the attached map, and each one will be a focus of one of the eight meetings. This information will be used to compile travel management area information and develop preliminary route network alternatives for the West Mojave planning area. Area residents and other publics interested in the public lands and the area public lands route network are encouraged to attend. Public input relative to local area knowledge, issues and opportunities, including route access changes, are needed. Meetings for Travel Management Areas under the jurisdiction of the Barstow Field Office will be held at the Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311. Meetings for Travel Management Areas under the jurisdiction of the Ridgecrest Field Office will be held at the Kerr-McGee Bldg, 100 West California Ave, Ridgecrest, CA 93555. All scoping meetings are from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m, and include a presentation and an open-house opportunity to review maps and provide route-specific and location-specific comments to the BLM. The public is encouraged to attend the travel management plan meetings to assure that comments are accurately captured, including location, route or site identification, specific issues, and rationale. You may also provide written comments.  * Monday, January 9 TMA 1: Broadwell Lake, Afton Canyon and    East of Barstow Signing Subregions in the Barstow Field Office.  * Wednesday, January 18 TMA 2: Sierras, Darwin, and North    and South Searles Signing Subregions in the Kerr-McGee Center.  * Thursday, January 26 TMA 3: Juniper, Rattlesnake, Morongo,    Wonder Valley and Joshua Tree Signing Subregions in the Barstow    Field Office and the northern most portions of PSSC in WEMO.  * Monday, February 6 TMA 4: Jawbone, Middle Knob and    Lancaster Signing Subregions in the Kerr-McGee Center.  * Thursday, February 9 TMA 5: WEMO North Barstow Desert    Wildlife Management Area Signing Subregions North of I-15 and SR    58 in the Barstow Field Office.  * Tuesday, February 14 TMA 6: Ridgecrest, El Paso, Rands and    Red Mtn Signing Subregions in the Kerr-McGee Center.  * Thursday, February 16 TMA 7: El Mirage (including Edwards    Bowl area), Fremont, and Iron Mountains Signing Subregions South    of SR 58 in the Barstow Field Office.  * Tuesday, January 21 TMA 8: Lands adjacent to Stoddard and    Johnson OHV Areas, and other Signing Subregions in the Barstow    and Needles Field Offices South of I-40 and North of SR 247    including, and East of Interstate I-15. Preliminary alternatives will be provided for review and public comment after scoping for specific areas are completed. Additional public meetings will be held by the Desert Advisory Council Subgroup currently being formed for the West Mojave Route Network. The public will have the opportunity to participate in these subgroup meetings. The BLM will consider public comments, as feasible, until the BLM proposed Travel Management Plans are published. For more information or to submit a comment contact: Edy Seehafer, West Mojave Project Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311, by email at cawemopa@blm.gov , or by phone at (760) 252-6021. Additional information is also posted at the West Mojave Amendment Website at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/west_mojave__wemo.html. Please respond by April 15, 2012 with scoping comments and/or to be added to the mailing list. [Bureau of Land Management (BLM) press release] CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS MANAGERS URGE BROWN TO APPOINT NEW DIRECTOR - Dec 19, 2011 The managers who operate California's state parks say they have lost faith in their leader, and are urging Gov. Jerry Brown to appoint a replacement. Ruth Coleman, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, was appointed by former Gov. Gray Davis in 2002. It has been rumored for weeks that Brown is considering a new appointment for the post. Evan Westrup, a spokesman for the governor, declined to say Monday whether a new appointment is in the works. In a Dec. 14 letter to the governor, the State Parks Peace Officer Management Association shared a recent poll of its approximately 125 members. The poll found that 93 percent want a new director. About 56 percent of the members participated in the poll. This article is (c)opyright 2011 by the The Bellingham Herald. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [McClatchy Newspapers By Matt Weiser] BALD EAGLES SEEN IN LOCAL MOUNTAINS - Dec 17, 2011 On Saturday December 17th, the first bald eagle count of the winter was conducted by local Federal and State biologists and volunteers around lakes in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. This year marks the 34nd season that the San Bernardino National Forest has organized monthly winter bald eagle counts! The cloudy, wet winter weather provided challenging conditions for volunteers hoping to observe one of our magnificent national birds. Despite the weather, the count was successful in tallying the bald eagles spending their winter vacations at local lakes. A grand total of 9 eagles (5 adults and 4 juveniles) were observed at the lake areas during the 1- hour count. Four eagles (3 adults and 1 juvenile) were observed in the Big Bear/Baldwin Lake area; 2 juvenile eagles at Lake Arrowhead/Lake Gregory; and 2 eagles (1 adult and 1 juvenile) at Silverwood Lake. While no eagles were observed at Lake Hemet (probably due to the steady rain that was falling), 1 adult was observed at Lake Perris. Juvenile eagles are distinguished by a brown head and tail; adults are recognized by the famous white head and tail - it takes 4-5 years to acquire full adult coloration. Juvenile eagles are the same size as the adults. Approximately 80 volunteers braved the wet winter conditions to participate in the 1-hour eagle census (~35 at Big Bear area, 3 at Lake Arrowhead/Lake Gregory, 3 at Lake Hemet, 25 at Silverwood Lake, and 14 at Lake Perris). The Forest Service and State Recreation Area biologists would like to thank those volunteers for their dedication in getting up early on such a cold damp day during the busy holiday season! The number of bald eagles in southern California is usually low in December and increases in January and February as more eagles migrate south. Please join us for the other counts this winter in order to get a glimpse of our beautiful national bird and help us with our long-term study. There are three remaining Eagle counts for this winter, scheduled for the following Saturday mornings: January 14, February 11, and March 10. Mark your calendars now. No experience needed. Volunteers should dress warmly and bring binoculars and a watch. · Big Bear Lake area volunteers: Contact Robin Eliason at 909-382-2832 for more information. · Lake Arrowhead/Lake Gregory volunteers: Contact Robin Eliaosn, Wildlife Biologist, at 909-382-2832. · Silverwood Lake State Park volunteers should contact the park office at 760-389-2281. · Lake Hemet volunteers: Contact Ann Poopatanapong at 909-382-2935 for more information. · Lake Perris State Park volunteers should contact the park office for information at 951-940-5600. [US Forest Service press release] INJURED CLIMBER RESCUED AFTER 30 FOOT FALL - Dec 16, 2001 A 65-year-old man fell 30 feet and suffered injuries to his lower extremities while rock climbing in the Saddle Rock area on the afternoon of Friday, December 16th. Rangers learned of the accident around noon. Ten members of JOSAR, the park’s search and rescue team, responded. They were assisted by emergency personnel from San Bernardino County Fire Engine 36, Morongo Basin Ambulance, and a Mercy Air helicopter. The victim was carried from the base of Saddle Rock to the park road, where he was loaded into an ambulance and taken a short distance to the Oyster Bar parking area for medical transport by Mercy Air to Desert Regional Hospital in Palm Springs. Ranger Mike Shuman was IC. [National Park Service press release] CREWS COMB PARK FOR SIGN OF HIKER - Dec 14, 2011 A dozen volunteers searched a two-mile stretch of Quail Wash Saturday for any signs of a hiker missing since June 2010. Bill Ewasko, who lived in Georgia, had hiked in Joshua Tree National Park several times before. The hiker left his rental car at Juniper Flats Backcountry Board June 24 and was reported missing the next day after he did not check in by phone with his girlfriend. Leading Saturday's search was Mike Melson, founder of Temecula-based Trinity Search and Recovery. The search team assembled just outside the park boundary and formed a line roughly 200 feet wide, with searchers evenly spaced about every 15 feet. Each person was in contact with the rest of the searchers via two-way radios. Team members on each end of the line and one in the middle kept in visual contact by holding up hiking poles with orange streamers attached to help maintain the line's integrity as they traveled slowly through the brush. The premise for Saturday's search was a cell phone "ping" recorded by a Yucca Valley cell tower about an hour after sunrise, three days after Ewasko went missing. There is virtually no cell phone reception in the park at all except for areas bordering the Morongo Basin. This article is (c)opyright 2011 by the Hi Desert Star. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [Jimmy Biggerstaff, Hi-Desert Star] BLM LIFTS WHITEWATER CANYON CLOSURES - Nov 17, 2011 The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in cooperation with CalFire, is lifting the closure of more than 4,000 acres of public land in Whitewater Canyon northwest of Palm Springs, effective Nov. 21. The canyon has been closed to the public to help protect the canyon’s valued landscape from potential wildfires. However, cooler weather and recent rains have greatly reduced the potential for wildfires. Information about Whitewater Canyon can be found on BLM’s Palm Springs/South Coast Field Office website, http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings.html, or by calling (760) 833-7100. [Bureau of Land Management (BLM) press release] PINTO BASIN ROAD, OTHER FACILITIES REOPEN - Nov 3, 2011 Joshua Tree National Park continues to recover from the torrential rains and severe flooding that seriously damaged the park on September 13th. Park Route 11, the Pinto Basin Road, was reopened for visitor use on Tuesday. The Cottonwood Visitor Center also reopened. The Cottonwood Campground and Cottonwood Springs Oasis will remain closed, though, as repairs to the campground and area trails have not yet been completed. Other visitor facilities that reopened on Tuesday included the following four-wheel drive roads that intersect the Pinto Basin Road – Old Dale Road (from Route 11 north to the park boundary), Black Eagle Mine Road (from Route 11 east to the park boundary), and Pinkham/Thermal Canyon Roads (from Route 11 southwest to the park boundary). Two self-guided natural trails, the Botanical Nature Trail located adjacent to the visitor center and the Bajada Nature Trail near the park’s south boundary just north of Interstate 10, have also reopened for public use. The Pinto Basin Road is open for two-lane travel along its entire length, but several short unpaved sections remain where travelers should reduce speeds and exercise caution. For further information about Joshua Tree National Park facilities and services, the public can call 760-367-5500, or visit the park’s website at: http://www.nps.gov/jotr. [National Park Service press release] ESTE STIFEL SELECTED AS BLM CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DISTRICT MANAGER - Nov 3, 2001 Este Stifel has been selected as the new District Manager for the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Central California District announced Jim Kenna, BLM California State Director. Este has served as the BLM California Senior Technical Advisor since December 2010, coordinating statewide strategic planning efforts, policy review and development, and issues and assignments that directly support State Director resource management initiatives. She has provided leadership for significant, ongoing BLM California projects and initiatives, including military withdrawals at the China Lake Naval Air Station and the Marine Corps Chocolate Mountains Gunnery Range, and abandoned mine lands program issues. Este also provided management oversight regarding the BLM’s implementation of remedies for the West Mojave Resource Management Plan. “Este is an experienced manager with many years of public service in natural resource management,” said Kenna. “She also brings considerable first-hand knowledge of BLM’s California’s statewide resource programs and field operations.” Este is no stranger to the BLM. She previously served four years as the Lower Potomac Field Station Manager for the BLM-Eastern States. “Este is firmly committed to fulfilling the mission of the BLM and enhancing the opportunities for partnerships and cooperative management of our public lands,” added Kenna. Prior to joining the BLM, Este held several positions with The Nature Conservancy on the East Coast, including as the Southern Blue Ridge Project Director. She also held positions in the private sector in marketing and production. Este has an admitted love of the outdoors. When she can, she enjoys bicycling, kayaking and snowboarding. Her love of the outdoors also played a role in her moving out West. Este grew up in the Tidewater area of Virginia, and holds Masters of Environmental Management and Business Administration degrees from Duke University. Her undergraduate work in environmental studies was completed at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. [Bureau of Land Management (BLM) press release] HIKER IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER FALL IN PALM SPRINGS - Nov 3, 2011 A man who suffered a head injury while hiking above Palm Springs was rescued Thursday and taken to a hospital, a police sergeant said. Search-and-rescue teams and firefighters hiked up to the 78-year-old man, who was about a mile up the Lykken Trail near Ramon and La Mirada roads, after a call came in around 10:30 a.m., Palm Springs police Sgt. Troy Castillo said. Police said the man was hiking with a partner, and that person called 911 for him. It wasn't immediately clear how the man was injured or how severely, but he remained conscious, Castillo said. This article is (c)opyright 2011 by the KPSP Local 2 News. Read the rest of the story on their web site by clicking HERE. [KPSP Local 2 News] BLM TO LIFT CAMPFIRE RESTRICTIONS IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT DISTRICT - Oct 19, 2011 Effective Oct. 21, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s California Desert District will lift its campfire restrictions on all BLM-managed public lands in Southern California within the California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA). BLM-managed lands in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, and western Riverside County that are designated as “State Responsibility Areas” remain under Stage II restrictions. Those areas only permit campfires within approved fire pits and grills in developed recreational sites. “Because we have declared our fire season over, the public will not be required to obtain a campfire permit throughout the CDCA,” said Teri Raml, California Desert District Manager. “However, campers still are required to provide proper clearance of flammable fuels to a minimum of five feet and to have a shovel or other extinguishing tools readily available.” The following elements of the fire-prevention remain in place and are prohibited: * Use/ignition of all fireworks; * Possession or discharge of a firearm using incendiary, tracer, steel core, or armor-piercing ammunition; * Ignition or burning of any tire, petroleum product, wires, magnesium, or any other hazardous or explosive materials; * All off-road vehicles being operated on public lands must be equipped with a properly installed spark arrester; These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions in Title 43 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 9212.1. Any person who knowingly and willfully violates the regulations shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000, imprisonment of not more than 12 months, or both. For more information, contact any of the following BLM offices: California Desert District Office, (951) 697-5200; Barstow Field Office, (760) 252-6000; El Centro Field Office, (760) 337-4400; Needles Field Office, (760) 326-7000; Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, (760) 251-4800; or Ridgecrest Field Office, (760) 384-5400. [Bureau of Land Management (BLM) press release] FALLS DAY USE AREA SET FOR MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION - Oct 14, 2011 The popular Falls Day Use Area will undergo a major overhaul and reconstruction starting this fall and completion planned for the spring. The day use area is nestled in the community of Forest Falls at the base of the San Gorgonio Wilderness, often referred to as the Alps of southern California, truly a gem for visitors looking to escape the heat of summer or begin a hike in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. The Vivian Creek Trail into wilderness starts here, and the Momyer Trailhead is nearby. The $702,728 contract was awarded to William Kanayan Construction out of Rim Forest, California as part of a Forest Service National Infrastructure Improvement (CMII) program. The contract includes improvements to access roads, parking areas, new restrooms, picnic tables and grills. In addition, water systems will be upgraded, accessibility improvements will be made along with a new entry station and picnic area host camp-site. The Falls Day Use Area reconstruction project was selected as a national priority project, which is intended to address the Forest Service's most critical health and safety infrastructure needs at areas heavily used by the public. The Falls Day Use Area was built in the 1930’s and parts of the site were upgraded in the early 1980’s. During the winter months the upper portion of the day use area will be closed and until project completion in the late spring, there may be intermittent site closures. Forest visitors can check the status of the site by either calling ahead to the Mill Creek Work Center at (909) 382-2881 (closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays) or by checking on-line at http://www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf [National Forest Service press release]