BTW you guys at least have to give me credit for finding this website
The Gate
Moderator: Chip
The Gate
So I was one of those pesky off roaders that was tearing up your trail before the gate was erected. It was a very sad moment for my friends and I when it happened last year and would like to discuss what can be done to open the gate up again for general public use. There ware always bad seeds in a group. My freinds and I always cleaned up our trash and never drove on vegetation. So would there be a way for an offroad club to be allowed usage of the trail with a clause that if we screw up we get our key taken away? I would just like you to put yourselves in our situation. Thanks for your time.
BTW you guys at least have to give me credit for finding this website
BTW you guys at least have to give me credit for finding this website
Good Luck
Your best way to gain access to the area is to learn how to hang glide.
Seriously, your efforts should be directed towards the forest service. They control the gate, we do not. Sure we have a lock and a combo but that's for member access and it's not going to change no matter how much lobbying you do.
None of our members have access or permission to the area for offroading, even though they technically could since they have the combination. We just don't jeopardize our situation here since our objective is to secure a good place to launch hang gliders and paragliders.
I'd suggest starting a dialog with the forest service first or find another place to ride.
Putting ourselves in your situation was done for years. Your fellow offroaders tore the place up for years, left their junk around for others to clean up, and basically scarred the hillsides having their "FUN" with no responsibilities. How many times have the authorities had to come and rescue vehicles that were tumbled, stranded, highsided and the like?
We've had countless work "parties" to clean up all the junk that others (not likely the offroaders) left. Let me tell you its no "party". The SHGA and the forest service have a long standing relationship that has put us in their favor. That relationship has taken years to develop with a lot of meetings, work, and communication.
Seriously, your efforts should be directed towards the forest service. They control the gate, we do not. Sure we have a lock and a combo but that's for member access and it's not going to change no matter how much lobbying you do.
None of our members have access or permission to the area for offroading, even though they technically could since they have the combination. We just don't jeopardize our situation here since our objective is to secure a good place to launch hang gliders and paragliders.
I'd suggest starting a dialog with the forest service first or find another place to ride.
Putting ourselves in your situation was done for years. Your fellow offroaders tore the place up for years, left their junk around for others to clean up, and basically scarred the hillsides having their "FUN" with no responsibilities. How many times have the authorities had to come and rescue vehicles that were tumbled, stranded, highsided and the like?
We've had countless work "parties" to clean up all the junk that others (not likely the offroaders) left. Let me tell you its no "party". The SHGA and the forest service have a long standing relationship that has put us in their favor. That relationship has taken years to develop with a lot of meetings, work, and communication.
I did walk in the ranger station down the road, but was not at all taken seriously and just told the gate was permanently locked basically because of people like me. Would anybody know any direct contact information for the person in charge of the matter? If anything I'd like to know of any similar trails still open to public use.
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JT
LSK,
This is a link to contact infromation for the Angeles National Forest.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/contact/
You probably need to begin with Mike McIntyre, the ranger for the Los Angeles River District. Unfortunately, he is in the office you visited and received little sympathy for your cause. Our people have tirelessly worked with him and his superiors to achieve the reprieve we have from unconditional closure. Each time we appear to fail in preventing unauthorized entry, we risk losing our easement.
Don't misunderstand our group's lack of support for you. I used to love taking the roads all the way to Wrightwood and beyond. They're closed for me, too. It's just that hang gliding already has a tenuous foothold in L.A. We can't afford to lose this site. And we love flying more than mud-whomping.
Your sport, with or without the bad seeds, conflicts with our interests. Each time it rains, the monster trucks, ATVs, bikes, etc., head for the hill to tear through the mud. Great fun... but not for us, as the rain afterward erodes the road and makes it less passable. And yet the bad seeds continue to follow.
We can finally maintain a windsock at launch without having someone wrap a chain around it, yank it down and burn the PVC sheath with the oaks they tear out nearby. We just replace the expensive lock each time some vandal destroys it or fills it with Crazy-glue. Can you and your people help us with that?
I suggest you start a club of your own and work with the FS. You'll have to offer up some pretty impressive service to them; maybe you could start by offering to join us in the committment our club has made to the FS to assit with the rehabilitation of the illegal moto-X track. You'll also need to exhibit enormous responsibility in return for a place of your own, preferably, not on this mountain but we can live with it if there's a bit of mutual respect.
This is a link to contact infromation for the Angeles National Forest.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/contact/
You probably need to begin with Mike McIntyre, the ranger for the Los Angeles River District. Unfortunately, he is in the office you visited and received little sympathy for your cause. Our people have tirelessly worked with him and his superiors to achieve the reprieve we have from unconditional closure. Each time we appear to fail in preventing unauthorized entry, we risk losing our easement.
Don't misunderstand our group's lack of support for you. I used to love taking the roads all the way to Wrightwood and beyond. They're closed for me, too. It's just that hang gliding already has a tenuous foothold in L.A. We can't afford to lose this site. And we love flying more than mud-whomping.
Your sport, with or without the bad seeds, conflicts with our interests. Each time it rains, the monster trucks, ATVs, bikes, etc., head for the hill to tear through the mud. Great fun... but not for us, as the rain afterward erodes the road and makes it less passable. And yet the bad seeds continue to follow.
We can finally maintain a windsock at launch without having someone wrap a chain around it, yank it down and burn the PVC sheath with the oaks they tear out nearby. We just replace the expensive lock each time some vandal destroys it or fills it with Crazy-glue. Can you and your people help us with that?
I suggest you start a club of your own and work with the FS. You'll have to offer up some pretty impressive service to them; maybe you could start by offering to join us in the committment our club has made to the FS to assit with the rehabilitation of the illegal moto-X track. You'll also need to exhibit enormous responsibility in return for a place of your own, preferably, not on this mountain but we can live with it if there's a bit of mutual respect.
Just ask and all will be forgiven.
Jeez,
What did you expect? Say pretty please and they would just let you in? There's plenty of places to ride in SoCal, and areas set aside for just the sort of thing.
Unforntunately you cannot speak for all of the others in your group and you aren't likely to give the forest service the reassurances they require.
Blame the bad apples all you want, without a clear plan on how you'll police yourselves and the enforcement mechinisms your willing to put in place, you and your "club" will be fighting an uphill battle.
What did you expect? Say pretty please and they would just let you in? There's plenty of places to ride in SoCal, and areas set aside for just the sort of thing.
Unforntunately you cannot speak for all of the others in your group and you aren't likely to give the forest service the reassurances they require.
Blame the bad apples all you want, without a clear plan on how you'll police yourselves and the enforcement mechinisms your willing to put in place, you and your "club" will be fighting an uphill battle.
LSK
I apologize for the rude response you've received, but knowing the amount of funding the Forest Service has requested in their effort to repair the off road damage up there, I don't expect there's much you can do to convince them to let motorcycles and OHV in through the gate (short of buying your own land up there). The main reason we're allowed in is due to our clubs legal land ownership rights and 25 year history as volunteers in the forest.
I can be reached at wspromo123@yahoo.com if you'd like to discuss it further and a little more private.
Joe
I apologize for the rude response you've received, but knowing the amount of funding the Forest Service has requested in their effort to repair the off road damage up there, I don't expect there's much you can do to convince them to let motorcycles and OHV in through the gate (short of buying your own land up there). The main reason we're allowed in is due to our clubs legal land ownership rights and 25 year history as volunteers in the forest.
I can be reached at wspromo123@yahoo.com if you'd like to discuss it further and a little more private.
Joe
It is a shame both the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains are closed to motocross riders. If responsible clubs existed that policed their members with staying on designated trails and kept proper spark arrestors it might be allowed. But its not. However you can ride here:
Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1192
"Hungry Valley is the second largest unit of California State Park's Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Located in the Tejon Pass north of Los Angeles and along the Interstate 5 corridor, Hungry Valley offers 19,000 acres and over 130 miles of scenic trails for motorcycle, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV), dune buggies, and 4x4 recreation. All levels of Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) operator skills will be challenged by the wide variety of terrain and trails at Hungry Valley SVRA. "
Its a bit of a drive - but 19,000 acres
.
Doug
Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1192
"Hungry Valley is the second largest unit of California State Park's Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Located in the Tejon Pass north of Los Angeles and along the Interstate 5 corridor, Hungry Valley offers 19,000 acres and over 130 miles of scenic trails for motorcycle, All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV), dune buggies, and 4x4 recreation. All levels of Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) operator skills will be challenged by the wide variety of terrain and trails at Hungry Valley SVRA. "
Its a bit of a drive - but 19,000 acres
.Doug
