Los Padres Hunting Season & ERP

Hello Friends, 

Lots going on across the Los Padres at the moment! We’ll cover much of that down below in Forest 411 but first lets talk about deer hunting season. The busiest and geographically largest deer season in the Los Padres is A-Zone South which opens this weekend Saturday August 13 and lasts through September 25. A-Zone covers most of the Los Padres basically from the Sespe up through Big Sur and while A-Zone has been open for archery over the past month or so, it’s this weekend that it opens for general rifle season. If you’ve not been out for opening A-Zone weekend, it’s certainly the busiest weekend of the year here in the Los Padres and you should expect to see hunters camping at most of the trailheads, turnouts and campgrounds that provide access into the forest. If you have plans to hike, backpack, ride or visit the forest this weekend, be aware that it might be very busy within A-Zone and if you’re not a hunter then you might want to rethink your plans and head elsewhere. If you are heading into A-Zone, be sure to wear brighter colors than you might normally wear and be courteous of the other forest-users. If you’re starting up a trail and come across some hunters, it’s always a good idea to ask where they are going and let them know where you are going so as to prevent any surprises further up the trail. Most of the hunters are very knowledgeable about the Los Padres and have been enjoying the forest for generations. Expect a busy weekend throughout A-Zone, be respectful, remember the current fire restrictions and of course everyone be safe out there.

Ecological Restoration Project (ERP)

The big news across the Los Padres has been the introduction of a proposed forest-wide fuels management project called the Ecological Restoration Project or ERP. At the moment ERP is within the scoping phase of the proposal and the Forest Service is currently inviting and encouraging the public to comment and share thoughts on the project. Information about ERP is available at the project page here as well as more information hereherehere and here. There is a lot of information flying around about ERP and we strongly encourage you to watch the FS webinar from earlier this week and attend an upcoming webinar that ForestWatch is leading. There are a couple takeaways you should keep in mind as you educate yourself on this project: 

  • There are two main sides to the fuels management debate (manage vs leave alone) and both sides believe they are doing what is best to protect the long-term health of the forest. 
  • The proposed ERP treatment acreage is staggeringly large but understand that the FS is looking to approve potential future treatment within that acreage. There are no plans to immediately treat that entire area, it would take decades to complete. The FS is essentially requesting the right to treat those areas as they see fit and when needed. 

Please do your research, educate yourself, talk it up, ask questions and be sure to share your opinion with the Forest Service.

The LPFA Ojai Chapter Adopt-A-Highway Volunteers unfortunately hit the jackpot during our July cleanup of Highway 33.

FOREST 411

• The LPFA Trail Crew and Trail Volunteers just wrapped up an incredible July where we maintained over 6 miles of Los Padres trails despite the oppressive heat. This was thanks in large part to grants we received from the National Forest Foundation, NFWF and donations from folks like you. We’re not sure we can replicate that success in August but we’re going to try. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED! 

• Late last month the Santa Barbara Ranger District issued an order to close the Upper Santa Ynez Recreation Area to all motorized vehicles. While the area has been closed to vehicles since 2016, this is the first formal closure the FS has issued. In addition to closing the area to vehicles, the closure also includes closing both Mono and Rock (Lower Caliente) Campgrounds due to nearby hazard trees and structures. The FS is hoping to reopen the area in FY 2023. Stay tuned….. 

• In response to repeated illegal camping along Highway 1 through Big Sur, Monterey County passed a new ordinance which has increased fines for illegal camping to $1,000. This ordinance is effective along Highway 1 between the Carmel River and the SLO County Line. 

• In case you’ve missed any of the recent LPFA talks or online programs, they are all posted and available to watch on our YouTube Channel. Check em out and don’t forget The Evil Root Ball Empire while you’re there….. 

• Earlier this summer the Forest Service received the go-ahead from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to begin fuels management efforts on two Mt Pinos RD forest health projects. No time table has been set for when the actual work will begin. 

• Did you hear the one about the four motorcycle riders who got lost and used InReach to have SAR deliver them food, water and maps? At the time they were illegally motoring in the San Rafael Wilderness and across the Sisquoc Wild & Scenic River? If only there was a way to track down their contact information…… 

• The Angeles NF is currently requesting comments to the River Values Assessment for the Piru Creek Wild & Scenic River. Piru Creek is located on the border of the Angeles and Los Padres. Be sure to check out the assessment and use your voice to comment

• For those of you in Ventura County or in case you’re looking for a way to avoid A-Zone, the Ventura Monthly shared an article about the Thomas Fire recovery and some summertime trails in the area worth exploring. Have at it…. 

• Last but certainly not least, the NY Times published a great article about ancient trees in the Los Padres and the study of historic droughts as they relate to tree rings. Not only is the content within this article super interesting, but the layout and artwork is fantastic. A+
AMAZING – Doesn’t quite look the same does it? photo LPNF Archives

UPCOMING EVENTS

A few upcoming dates, events, projects, presentations or things you might want to know. If you have any forest-related events to add to this list, let us know and we’re more than happy to pass along!  

Aug 13: SW Herpetologist Presentation, Wheeler Gorge VC, 10am
Aug 13 – Sep 25: A-Zone South General Hunting Season
Aug 17: Highway 33 Adopt-A-Highway, LPFA
Aug 18: Staying Safe on Trails w/ SBSAR, SB Library Talk
Aug 20: Saving the Condors Presentation, Wheeler Gorge VC, 10am
Aug 30: LPFA Trail Work Tuesday, TBD
Sep 2-5: Pine Ridge Trail Work, VWA
Sep 2-4: Big Sur Trail, VWA
Sep 13: LPFA Trail Work Tuesday, TBD
Sep 15: Tales of SB Backcountry w/ JWapotich, SB Library Talk
Sep 24: National Public Lands Day TBD, LPFA
Sep 30: Carrizo Trail Work, VWA
Oct 22: LPFA Party, Paradise Road
Oct 29: LPFA Used Camping Gear Sale
Oct 13-16: De Angulo Trail Work, VWA
November 2022: LPFA Working Vacation TBD, LPFA
Feb 4 2023: Volunteer Wilderness Ranger Training

Los Padres Reopens


Good news, most of the Los Padres reopened on Friday, more details below

Hello Friends,

As of Friday morning, the Los Padres Forest has finally reopened!  Woot woot…..!!!  It’s been a challenging month and a day since the first closure was announced and we’ve certainly heard quite a few complaints about not being able to enjoy the mountains and trails.  While the closure wasn’t fun, it did appear to work.  We collectively did our part, obeyed the closure, no new fires and now we’re mostly back.  Thanks everyone…..

That being said, there are some additional fire restrictions, extended regional closures and more information you need to know before packing up and heading for your favorite trailhead.  Here goes:

I. MORE FIRE RESTRICTIONS:
While the Los Padres has reopened…. there are additional fire restrictions in place.  Effective this morning, there are no campfires allowed anywhere in the Los Padres and cooking stoves are allowed only in designated campfire use sites.  Please read the Regional Order here.  This means no stoves in the backcountry (cold food & coffee only) and again no campfires anywhere in the LP.  Moving forward, the fire restrictions will be reviewed each week but it’s likely, especially with more hot weather on the horizon, that these fire restrictions will remain in place until we receive enough rain.  Remember, last year the Cave Fire started in November and the Thomas Fire famously started in December.  Stay tuned and we’ll share updates when available…..

II. PATIENCE PLEASE:
While the Los Padres has reopened…. that doesn’t mean all gates and campgrounds will immediately be open as well.  Both Forest Service and Parks Management staff are in the process of opening gates, dayuse areas and campgrounds along with changing out signs but it’s unlikely that everything will be completed this weekend.  If you are heading to the forest this weekend please be prepared for the possibility that your favorite road or camp may still be closed.  Patience might be needed and we’d expect that everything should be opened by sometime early next week.

III. DOLAN FIRE REMAINS ACTIVE:
While the Los Padres has reopened…. the area around the Dolan Fire remains closed.  The Dolan Fire is currently 98% contained but the area is likely to remain closed for some time.  The Dolan Closure includes most of the Monterey Ranger District including the Silver Peak Wilderness and all forest areas south of the Pine Ridge Trail.  Check out the closure map here.

IV. WEST CUESTA CLOSED:
While the Los Padres has reopened…. West Cuesta Road above San Luis Obispo remains closed due to resource damage.  The West Cuesta Closure went into effect in early September just before the larger fire closures and is expected to last until December 6.

V. TUNNEL TRAIL SANTA BARBARA CLOSED:
While the Los Padres has reopened…. the Tunnel Trailhead above Santa Barbara remains closed due to SCE road maintenance.  The closure is expected to last until October 30 and includes closing the main Tunnel Trailhead and all mid-slope Edison roads between Rattlesnake Canyon and Seven Falls.  There should be signs posted at all the major trailheads leading to and from Tunnel.

We realize some of these additional closures may not be too popular and we hate to put a damper on the excitement of the reopening but sharing information is part of the job.  We’re happy to be back and respectful at the same time….  Thanks…..

— • — • — • —

After years of bearing the brunt of the overgrown Sulphur Spring Trail, this friendly fellow came by to lend the LPFA Trail Crew a helping hand, or rather paw….
“Does this take 40:1 or 50:1?”  –  photo JMorris

FOREST 411
• We want to send a HUGE thank you to our buddy Kevin Cody who has once again setup a birthday fundraiser for the LPFA.  We’re so thankful to not only have Kevin looking after the forest and trails (he literally runs the trails with a Silky Saw) but also thankful that he values our contributions and is willing to help keep us chugging along.  Very cool, thanks Kevin!  And if anyone else would like to contribute on behalf of Kevin, check it out…..

• The opening of the forest also coincides with opening weekend of general deer hunting season in Zone D-13.  D13 lasts through November 8 and includes most of the Ojai and Mt Pinos Ranger Districts.  Check out the map here.  If you’re venturing into that neck of the woods you should expect to see quite a few hunters dispersed camping along the roads and pullouts.  Remember that most hunting occurs around sunrise and sunset and it’s always nice to chat with folks at the trailheads and share information.  Be safe everyone and remember no campfires.

• More good news, HikeLosPadres mastermind John Ziegler took advantage of the closure to clean and enhance the HLP website.  It was a race between getting the site back up and having the forest reopen and thankfully John won the race.  HikeLosPadres.com is back up and running!  Thanks John and look forward to seeing more new updates and reports from everyone soon…. 

• The LPFA will be hosting a virtual Zoom Seven Minute Storytelling night on October 29.  We’re looking for talented storytellers to share 7 minutes of slides documenting their adventures, exploits, history, studies or insights covering any Los Padres topics.  The presentation format should be really fun with each presenter having 21 slides and 20 seconds per slide.  It works out to be 7 mins per presenter and it’s a great way to cover a lot of material in a quick and entertaining structure.  If you’d be interested in presenting, please email us at INFO@LPForest.org and you can learn more about or sign up for the event here.

• We’ve had a few people ask about the Annual LPFA Used Camping Gear Sale that we’ve hosted over the past 4-5 years.  We’ve continued to receive fantastic donations from the public as well as Gossamer Gear but based on the current COVID regulations we’re going to postpone the sale for the fall and hope to reschedule in the spring.  Please stay tuned.  In the meantime, if you have any experienced camping gear you’d like to donate, let us know and we’d be happy to help find it a new home in the spring: INFO@LPForest.org

• The days are getting shorter and mornings cooler – meaning it’s time for the 2021 Los Padres Calendar!  Once again, if you have any great Los Padres photos from the past year you’d like to contribute, we’d love to include your photos in the calendar.  If any of your photos are selected we’ll send you a calendar and credit you as well.  This will be our 6th, 7th or 8th year of calendars and they’re always fun.  Thanks in advance…..

— • — • — • —

The 2020 Los Padres Calendar, just about in the rear-view, thankfully, right?

LP Trivia Night & Wilderness Bill Update

Shall We Play A Game? – Los Padres Trivia Night
LP TRIVIA NIGHT – DRAUGHTSMEN – 6PM

Hello Friends !

In case you haven’t heard, the LPFA is hosting a Trivia Night tomorrow 10/18 at Draughtsmen Aleworks microbrewery and taproom in Goleta – 6pm.  Draughtsmen chose the LPFA as the non-profit benefactor for the month of October offering a donation of $1 for each Karma Tap beer consumed over the course of the month.  As part of the month-long celebration, we decided to try a Los Padres themed Trivia Night that should be a lot of fun.  It’s going to be typical barroom style trivia format where teams of 2-6 players compete for prizes over four rounds of questions.  What’s a little different about our Trivia Night is that our questions will all be Los Padres related and we’ve lined up 4 Los Padres VIP’s to host each of the rounds.  Our VIP’s are SB mountain bike guru Chris Orr, backcountry packer extraordinaire Susie Thielmann, Los Padres historian and author Criag Carey, and Santa Barbara District Ranger Pancho Smith.  We’ve reviewed most of the questions and it’s going to be tons of fun.  There are some softball questions but also some a few that will challenge even the most seasoned Los Padres explorer.  Each of the VIP’s incorporated questions based on their background within the forest so there will be plenty of answer opportunities for all types of different forest users.  Bring your A game and come play with your team or come alone and join on with another team, it’s going to be great!  See you there……..

 

— • — • — • —

 

Cairn For the Condor Trail, Get it?
CENTRAL COAST HERITAGE PROTECTION ACT
Earlier this week U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal and Senator Kamala Harris reintroduced the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act, which if passed would designate nearly 250,000 additional acres of wilderness in the Los Padres, create two new scenic areas, over 150 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers and designate the Condor Trail as a National Recreation Trail.  2017 marks the third attempt for this bill with previous introductions in 2014 and 2015.  Here is a link from KEYT showing the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act introduction on Monday at the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens and the link above is the actual language of the bill.  It’s not exactly clear if this iteration of the bill will be more successful than the previous two, time will tell.  Stay tuned and keep your eyes peeled for updates……..

 

— • — • — • —
 

Manzana Trail Cribwall, Before and After, Spring 2017

FOREST 411

• The WHITTIER FIRE was officially declared fully contained on October 5.  Whittier started on July 8 and while the the acreage has not grown over the past couple months, a few pesky hot spots kept the fire from 100% containment.  While the fire is contained the closure order remains in effect within the fire perimeter along West Camino Cielo from Lizard’s Mouth to Refugio including the Tequepis Trail.

• Deer hunting general season started this week in Zone D13, which covers much of the Ventura backcountry mostly within the Mt. Pinos Ranger District.  Click here for a map of D13 and here for general information.  D13 started October 14 and ends November 12.

BIG SURealism

Pfeiffer Gulch (Canyon) Bridge, photo CalTrans  
Hello Los Padres,

Once again we find ourselves in the dog days of summer, closer to fall than spring but aren’t the dog days supposed to be lethargic and carefree?  That certainly is not the case here, in particular the Big Sur coastal portions of the Monterey Ranger District where the community continues to recover from the 2016 Soberanes Fire and subsequent winter storm damage.  Dog days?  More like a colony of ants, hustling and bustling to get ready for the coming winter…..  There’s a lot going on around these parts and I’m not quite sure where to begin so we’ll start at the heart and work out from there:

  • Access along Highway 1 has improved but remains closed at both Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge and Mud Creek.
    • Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is located just south of Big Sur Station and was famously demolished earlier this year after it was discovered structurally unsound.  Great progress has been made rebuilding the bridge and it is on schedule to reopen by October.
    • Also famously (recurring theme), a bypass trail was built around the failed bridge so that workers and residents could pass from one side to the other.  This bypass trail was initially only open for residents and workers but was opened to the public on July 1.  The public can now park near either side of the bridge and walk around to the other side.  Shuttle services are available to help usher tourists to and from the bypass trail.
    • Mud Creek, which again famously demolished a 1/3 mile chunk of Hwy 1 in May 2017, remains closed and won’t be reopened until sometime in 2018.  CalTrans is working on a plan to rebuild the new road over the slide.
    • The other major slide named Paul’s Slide has been reopened with a single lane allowing vehicles to pass 24hrs a day 7 days a week.
    • Pfeiffer Beach access remains closed due to both Sycamore Canyon Road damage as well as the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge closure.
  • All said, you can now drive north from SLO all the way to Salmon Creek Guard Station.  You can drive south from Monterey as far as Big Sur Station.  You can also drive over Nacimiento-Fergusson Road from Hunter-Liggett to access Hwy 1 and from there head north as far as the Big Sur Taphouse and south as far as Mud Creek.  Confusing, isn’t it.  Here’s a map that might help.

The newly minted Bypass Trail (aka Taphouse Trail), a shining example of community’ism.

  • All State Parks and Los Padres Campgrounds / Dayuse areas along Hwy 1 are open.  Now that being said, there are certain parts of the parks and campgrounds that remain closed due to winter damage.  If you are heading out that way to camp, BE SURE TO HAVE RESERVATIONS (note the new State Parks reservation service).
  • One rather large issue in recent years has been campers coming to Big Sur without reservations and having no place to camp or stay.  As a result many of these campers are ‘forced’ to camp illegally along roads or in turnouts.  The road most heavily impacted by the illegal camping has been Nacimiento-Ferguson Road.  It’s been well documented that illegal campers have left trash-piles, campfires and make-shift toilets along the sides of Nacimiento-Ferguson Road and as a result the Forest Service responded today by prohibiting dispersed camping along Nacimiento-Ferguson.

Doesn’t sound very dog days’ish does it…?  The Big Sur Coast is the most highly visited portion of the Los Padres Forest and for good reason – it is absolutely spectacular.  It’s unfortunate that not everyone cares for Big Sur the way most locals do.  And it’s equally important to step back and put yourself in the shoes of the people who come to visit Big Sur.  There is a great saying: come with solutions not problems.  Progress is being made.

— • — • — • —

West Cuesta View
FOREST 411
• In case you can’t get enough LPFA through these emails or Facebook, we are now on Instagram as well: Los_Padres_Forest_Association
West Cuesta Ridge Rd (aka TV Tower) in San Luis Obispo has reopened after being closed for nearly a year.  Great mountain biking!

Cherry Creek Road off Hwy 33 in Ventura County is usually opened seasonally on August 1 but due to gate damage has not yet opened this year.  We’ll keep you posted.

• Once again, A-Zone South general hunting season starts August 12 and lasts through September 24.  A-Zone includes most of the Los Padres.  For those of you new to hunting season, expect more people camping around the trailheads and more activity both at sunrise and sunset.

Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center is hosting a talk on August 12 on the geology of caves, volcanos, mountains and more.  Show starts at 11am, this is a great event for the kids and adults alike.

— • — • — • —

IMBA‘s Chris Orr teaches trail design at a Patagonia sponsored Trail Summit hosted by the OVLC

Fires, Hunting Season, Volunteer Opportunities, 411

 Whittier’s Final Gasp
FIRE FOREST & RESTRICTIONS

It’s been a fiery few weeks around the Los Padres.  It seems like wildfires are popping up just about every day but thanks to the excellent fire crews most of them haven’t developed into much.  That being said, we’ve had quite a few significant fires that have grown large enough to garner incident names and/or attention:

  • We had Hudson, in the eastern Cuyama, that didn’t get onto the Los Padres but burned just over 1,000 acres.
  • There were a series of seven fires in Santa Paula Canyon that burned 35 acres and has caused the closure of the popular Santa Paula Canyon Trail.
  • The biggest has been the Alamo Fire, which burned over 28,000 acres.  It also didn’t get onto LP soil but came really really close and caused multiple forest access closures.
  • And of course the Whittier Fire, which has burned over 18,000 acres, mostly within the Los Padres and remains 87% contained.  Tragically, 16 residences were destroyed at the hands of Whittier and a Forest Closure remains enforced across the Western Santa Ynez Mountains.

In response to the increase in fire activity, the Los Padres National Forest went into Level III Fire Restrictions effective July 17.  You can read all about it here.  The largest change in this order is the banning of target shooting across the Los Padres.

Summer is a tough time in the Los Padres.  Temperatures are really high across most of the forest and water is becoming scarce.  If you’ve got the itch to get into the forest please be careful and plan on doing most of your moving either early or late……..

A-ZONE SOUTH: August 12
Now, that being said, early August is also one of the busiest times in the Los Padres as A-Zone South deer (rifle) season kicks off.  This years general season goes from August 12 – September 24.  You can see on the map that A-Zone South includes just about all of the Los Padres.  If you are a hunter, have at it, be safe and responsible.  If you are not a hunter, you may want to pick your forest endeavors carefully, especially on weekends.  Be prepared to see more activity than usual along forest roads and at campgrounds and leave your antler hat at home.  If you have any questions, please contact your local Ranger District.
— • — • — • —


Four Fingers View, Channel Islands, Madulce Trail

MADULCE TRAIL PROJECT: August 4-6

In case you need a Los Padres Fix for your NDD or more likely your TWDD (Trail Work Deficit Disorder), the LPFA will be squeezing in a trail project August 4-6 along the Madulce Trail in the Dick Smith Wilderness.  Led by Mike Smith, we’ll be working the top mile of the trail from the Buckhorn Road out to the junction with the Madulce Peak Lookout Trail.  Most of the focus will be fixing tread and broken cribwalls on the north slope of the ridge, which in conjunction with the 5,500ft elevation should mean cooler temperatures.  We’ll be driving in from Santa Barbara Canyon and base-camping at nearby Alamar Camp.  If you’ve never been to Alamar or this part of the forest, it is spectacular and a real treat to be able to drive in 2 hours what normally takes 2 days to backpack.  As usual all food and tools will be provided for the volunteers.  If you have any questions or would like to sign-up, please let us know: INFO@LPForest.org

— • — • — • —

Colorful History, Mono Debris Dam

FOREST 411

• Got plans this weekend?  If not, throw the kids in the family roadster and head out tomorrow to Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center to see the Humane Society of Ventura County give a presentation at 11am.  The coolest thing about the Humane Society is that you never quite know what animals they’ll show up with.  They might have a blind corn snake?  They might come with dogs performing tricks?  Maybe a goat?  You never know….  But one thing for sure is that your kids will love it and spend the entire drive home begging you to adopt a cat or a mouse or an iguana.  No thanks needed.  See you tomorrow!

• Were you around 25 years ago?  Does June 19, 1992 mean anything?  It should, that was the day the Los Padres Condor and River Protection Act was signed adding more than 400,000 acres of wilderness and 80 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers to the Los Padres National Forest.  This included the creation of the Silver Peak, Sespe, Matilija, Garcia and Chumash Wildernesses as well as additional land added to both the San Rafael and Ventana Wildernesses.  That was quite a day, cheers to June 19!

• This week also marks the one-year anniversary of the Soberanes Fire, which burned from July 22, 2016 well into the winter months.  Soberanes consumed over 130,000 acres, destroyed dozens of homes and took the life of a dozer operator working on the fire.  Even a year later, we’re still reeling from Soberanes with road closures and forest closures continuing to impact life in and around Big Sur and the Ventana Wilderness.  More updates next time around….

• A press release was issued earlier this month about the continued closure of Hi Mountain Road in SLO County.  Hi Mtn Rd is an unpaved road that connects Arroyo Grande with Pozo going through both SLO County and Los Padres land.  It leads to a variety of recreational activities and campgrounds but remains closed as SLO and the LP work out an agreement on road maintenance.  The attached PDF tells the story better than we can.  Note that Hi Valley Road remains closed from the first gate down next to the creek coming up from Arroyo Grande out to Pozo.

— • — • — • —

Taking it Easy, LPFA Flume Chute Aid Station, SBER 2017

Sunny Days & Meteor Nights

SUN

Howdy Everyone,

SUN is the word of the week as some of us are bracing for what is looking like a hot weekend across the Los Padres.  By Saturday most of the LP should be seeing temps in the low to mid 90’s with some places creeping into triple digits.  Even coastal areas will be seeing hotter than usual temperatures.  While the nights have been feeling a tad bit ‘fallish’ over the past few days, most of the forest will see warm evenings to match the hot days.  This is the second weekend of A-Zone South hunting, if you are heading into the forest be sure to bring lots of water and drink it.  For those needing their NDD (Nature Deficit Disorder) fix, your best bet might be along the Big Sur coastal trails in Monterey County.  Be safe and be sure to share what you find on HikeLosPadres.com when you get back.



Not that hard to get away from lights in the Los Padres
Lights
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER

Each August the night skies above the Los Padres come to life with the Perseid meteor shower.  While the meteor shower happens annually, this year is especially vivid due to the lack of a moon this week.  Below is a link which helps explain all the details, rules, this/that and the other…… BUT your best bet is to get outside, away from the lights, take some time, lay back and enjoy the show……





San Luis based VWR Bill Obermeyer, escorting Smokey during the Fiesta Parade
Horse
FOREST  NEWS
CHORRO FIRE CONTAINED
The Chorro Fire, which started August 2 along Hwy 33 above Ojai, is now 100% contained.  Great work to the fire crews and Forest Service for knocking it back as quickly as they did.  The fire burned 282 acres and the closure of trails within and around the fire area has been lifted as of today.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  Remember that the Los Padres is in level III fire restrictions, more information here and here.

DON VICTOR DOWNED PLANE
A small Cessna plane crashed in the Los Padres near Don Victor Valley on the night of August 6.  The plane had taken off from Lompoc and was headed to Carlsbad when the pilot called out reporting engine failure.  Sadly when the SAR crews arrived both the pilot and passenger were found dead.




LPFA_Sawyer
NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY: September 26
More information to come but the LPFA will be hosting a trail project on the weekend of September 25-27 along the Alamar Trail in the Dick Smith Wilderness.  The last report we had from the trail was from summer 2014 when Forest Service interns reported at least 300 downed trees within the first mile and a half of the trail.  YIKES!  The Alamar Trail was burned in the Zaca Fire and the thick forest of coulter pines were utterly destroyed.  While the burned skeletons stood for a few years after the fire, almost all of them have now fallen leaving the trail tread buried under hundreds and hundreds of fallen pines.  The great news is that a new thick blanket of sapling coulters are now clawing up to replace the old forest.  The babies are now in the 6-8ft range and extremely healthy.  Nature taketh and nature giveth back, or something like that.  Anyway, back to the trail work: almost all the work will be crosscut sawyer cutting out trees from the trail corridor.  If you are a sawyer or would like to learn more about the sweet science of sawyering, this is a great trip for you.  More information can be found here or email to sign up: INFO@LPForest.org.

Hunting the Chorro Fire

Alamar Camp, Fresh after a LPFA Summer cleaning, photo Humphrey
AlamarCamp

Hi Everyone – hope you are staying cool and enjoying your summer,

We’ve had another busy week on the LP, to say the least.  Great work to the Forest Service and fire crews for knocking down the Chorro Fire, which started earlier this week near the junction of the Chorro Grande Trail and Hwy 33 above Ojai.  At the moment the Chorro Fire has burned 282 acres and is 90% contained.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.  As a result of the fire, the following roads/trails/camps are temporarily closed:  Pine Mountain Rd (Reyes Peak), Oak Camp, Chorro Grande Trail, Potrero John Camp and Trail, Boulder Creek Trail and the pine mountain portion of the Piedra Blanca Trail.  Please be sure to use extreme caution with your campfires, outdoor equipment or other potential fire related activities.  For more information on fire prevention and education, check the One Less Spark website below:



photo Humphrey

Deer
DEER HUNTING ZONE A

This weekend marks the start of deer hunting season in Zone A South.  You can see a map of Zone A here, but it basically covers all the Los Padres other than the section in Ventura and Kern Counties north of Sespe Creek and east of Hwy 33.  Zone A season is from August 8 (Saturday) through September 20.  For those heading into the forest this weekend, expect to see a lot more people than usual, especially at the popular deer hunting locations.  Depending on what activities you have planned, you may want to rethink your plans and be sure to wear bright colors.  Hunting occurs mainly in the hours around sunrise and sunset.  For those of you who will be hunting, be safe and good luck.  More information on hunting regulations and Zone A can be found here.



LizardMan

LPFA FACEBOOK

In case you weren’t aware, the LPFA has a small social media presence with both Facebook and Twitter accounts.  We try to post forest-related news, updates, articles and stories every day or two.  In fact trending right now is a topic involving the now infamous Lizard Man of Rancho Nuevo.  Check us out on Facebook if you haven’t already.




FOREST RELATED EVENTS

VENTURA COUNTY FAIR
The Ojai Ranger District will have a booth at the Ventura County Fair.  The Fair starts today and lasts through August 16.  Rumor has it that the Ojai District has won awards in the past for their great booths and that this years booth will be the best ever.  If you’re in the neighborhood be sure to stop by and say hello.  More information here:  http://www.venturacountyfair.org/

RAY STRONG PROJECT
If you haven’t heard of Ray Strong, chances are you’ve seen his work many times.  Ray Strong was a Santa Barbara based painter who is famous for capturing the soul of the Los Padres within his paintings.  He’s probably most known for painting many of the exhibit backgrounds within the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum.  In honor of Ray Strong, this summer there are a number of exhibits featuring his incredible work.  For those interested in art with a Los Padres flavor, be sure to find your way to one of these showings.  You can learn more about the Ray Strong Project and see a list of exhibit dates here:  http://www.theraystrongproject.com/

LPFA Transverse – A Zone Hunting 2014

                    Good Afternoon Los Padres,The main topic of today’s update is the start of the A Zone South hunting season, but before we get into that we have a special congratulations to share.  A few years ago, while on a trail project, I had the pleasure of meeting Matt and Sonia.  Matt and Sonia live in Ojai and over the past 5+ years have dedicated as much time to maintaining the trails of the Ojai and Mt Pinos Ranger Districts as anyone.  Matt is a Volunteer Wilderness Ranger / C certified sawyer and he literally jumps at just the mention of cutting out fallen trees.  It’s been said that Matt has the potential to cut out more trees in this forest than anyone ever.  He’s sort of a machine when it comes to the crosscut saw, those who have worked with him know what I mean.  What’s even better is that Sonia is along for almost all these trips as well.  They might be the coolest trail couple out there.  A great team, always safe, always fun and doing fantastic volunteer work for the forest.  Well, fortunately, they multiplied this past week and welcomed a healthy baby boy to the Los Padres.  While some of us were hoping they’d choose the name Sawyer, they picked the equally impressive name of Clayton.  Huge congratulations out to Matt and Sonia and we can’t wait to see Clayton out on the trail watching the saw sing.  Which we all know will happen very soon, if it hasn’t happened already.  Enjoy the time………

A   Z O N E    H U N T I N G

A Zone South hunting season starts August 9 and runs through September 21.  This is the start of the general season, archery was most of July and August.  Take a look at the links, attachments and maps below for more information.  A Zone South basically covers the entire Los Padres west of Hwy 33 and south of Rose Valley.  The first weekend of hunting season is usually the most chaotic and busy.  If you are heading to the forest this weekend, be prepared for busy campgrounds and potentially lots of people out and about.  You’ll want to wear bright colors if possible and leave the antlers at home.  Be respectful, safe and best of luck.

AZoneHunting

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/deer/cazonemap.html
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/wildlife/hunting/deer/zoneinfo.html