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Sequoia Trail News

December 2018

Cannel Project Cancelled By District Ranger

Stewards recently discovered that Sequoia Kern River District Ranger Al Watson cancelled the Cannel Trail Reroute Project to reopen the middle section of the Cannell Trail to dirt bikes by moving two short sections of trail out of the meadow.

In 1979 the trail was designated as a motorized National Recreation Trail. For ten years, Stewards has been working to get the section of Cannell trail reopened. The past three years the Forest Service has been planning a ten mile reroute for the trail.

Stewards meeting last week with Ranger Al to discuss the cancellation of the project. We suggested scaling back the project to just rerouting the trail out of the two meadows where the real issue is. Ranger Al said that could be possible after completion of Sequoia Forest Plan Revision. We think this is an important project and will continue to urge the Forest Service to let Stewards volunteers do the work to move the trail out of two meadows for the benefit of hiking, horseback, mountain biking and dirt bike recreation.

The Forest Service is going to return $11,000 in OHV planning grant funding which expires at the end of this month for the Cannell project,, even though the Forest Service often tells the public they are short on funding.

Stewards took over the adoption of the Cannell Trail this year because the trail was not getting the maintenance it needs.

First Aid CPR Classes in January

For those Stewards whose First Aid CPR needs to be renewed for chainsaw operation or for those of you who want to learn the basics, the Los Padres National Forest will be hosting a First Aid CPR Class at the Ojia Ranger Station on Wednesday January 2nd and Sunday January 13th from 9am to 1:30 pm. To register, please contact Beth Pfeiler bglidergirl@aol.com or 661-972-9379

Help Needed On The Trails

I hate to sound like a broken record, but we have hardly any volunteers to help out on upcoming December Trail Appreciation Days 12/15, 12/22
I keep meeting riders on the trails who tell me they have not volunteered this year, but they would really like to. Here is your chance. These dates we will be using dirt bikes to access the project areas.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
You can learn more at http://stewardsofthesequoia.org/events-schedule.html

Whiskey Flat Walk In Trail Project January 12th

Stewards will be brushing the overgrown Whiskey Flat Trail on January 12th.
This will be a walk in project. We will be crossing the river in rafts to gain easy access to inner sections of the trail.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Winter Road Closures

Due to recent snow, the Forest Service has closed the following routes to prevent resource damage-

FH 90 , or 24S15, Rancheria Road 25S15, Sandy Creek Fire Road 24S07, Alder Creek Road 25S04, Saw Mill Road 26S03, Lower Basket Road 26S37, Cooks Peak Road 25S21.
Sherman Pass road 22S05 has 10 inches at 7500 ft. By North Meadow 4WD trail

Wildfires Are Finally Out

It is such a tragedy when people die and lose their homes in wildfires. Our hearts go out to all the victims.
Perhaps even more tragic is much of this could have been prevented. The intensity of many of these fires could have been greatly reduced, or fires even prevented, if our forests were actively managed to reduce fuel loads.

When people see forest fires or smoke filled skies they should be thinking, why are our forests burning more than they ever did before? The answer is simple.

Extreme environmental groups are constantly filing lawsuits preventing active forest management, with the result that our forests are so overloaded with fuel they burn in larger and larger out of control unnatural fires.

Our forests have been sacrificed on the alter of failed environmental policy.

Wouldn't it be nice to have healthy forests and clean air, instead of burned landscapes?

• What can our government do to stop these misguided lawsuits and encourage renewable resource harvesting to promote forest health?
• What can be done to encourage the creation of needed timber mills, so we can produce a product, pay taxes and provide jobs, rather than pouring endless money into fighting fires?
• Why is our nation so concerned consumed with reducing already low passenger car emissions, but oblivious to the billions of tons of choking carbon emissions from preventable forest fires?

We need to become better stewards of our forests, before we burn the few forests we have left.

See a Short Slide Show About How We Can Save Our Forests CLICK HERE Read More About Preventing Forest Fires HERE

Over the years your donations helped Stewards reopen this trail along with eight others and so much more.

Yet today 84% of Stewards members have let their donations expire. Please make your donation now so we can continue our efforts to keep your trails open. Thanks

With your help Stewards of the Sequoia will continue to keep the Sequoia National Forest A Land Of Many Uses and open to all