Is it open yet?
Any been to Placer river valley?
- Thread starter ak800rmk
- Start date
A
Adrenalin
Well-known member
http://www.cnfaic.org/advisories/current.php
says its closed but also says lost lake is closed and i heard it was opened on monday ?
Still closed and raining like crazy.
Placer
Bad news is that it is still closed.
Good news is that there is an awsome base. I was down plowing out our parking lot last night at the Portage Hwy. (Whittier Turn) and it was not raining and the last storm gave us another couple inches. The areas I did not plow in the parking lot last week, froze rock hard and what was over knee deep snow, you can now walk on it with no problems. It was 34 at 8pm on my way down and it was 38 at 1am on my way back.
Another good dump and I bet they will start to think about it as long as it dosn't settle too much. I'll check with Carl at the FS today about it and get his thoughts. I am heading back down there today to work in the parking lot and will report back any new finding when I get back.
Chris
Bad news is that it is still closed.
Good news is that there is an awsome base. I was down plowing out our parking lot last night at the Portage Hwy. (Whittier Turn) and it was not raining and the last storm gave us another couple inches. The areas I did not plow in the parking lot last week, froze rock hard and what was over knee deep snow, you can now walk on it with no problems. It was 34 at 8pm on my way down and it was 38 at 1am on my way back.
Another good dump and I bet they will start to think about it as long as it dosn't settle too much. I'll check with Carl at the FS today about it and get his thoughts. I am heading back down there today to work in the parking lot and will report back any new finding when I get back.
Chris
subscribed, cant wait to see more of placer this yr.
Ditto, last year was awesome
Yes it was. I only went there 3 times last yr. and the last time I went there, we where coming back from carter lake and it was -22 there. We rode till about 2pm. On our way back home we stope at placer at the very last parking lot just before you head up turny, every other one was FULL. We didnt make it but 300 yards from the lot and found untouched 2-3ft. I said to my self, if the lot was that full, why go farther LOL.
Curiosity
Has anyone else noticed on the new improved FS Current Advisory page that they added Skookum as a seperate area for open or closed. Kind of interesting seeing as Chugach Powder Guides seems to think its their private play area. I was wondering if Snow Safaris might know if something is in the mist with that. Is one of my absolute favorite riding areas. Isn't it part of the Placer Drainage?
Has anyone else noticed on the new improved FS Current Advisory page that they added Skookum as a seperate area for open or closed. Kind of interesting seeing as Chugach Powder Guides seems to think its their private play area. I was wondering if Snow Safaris might know if something is in the mist with that. Is one of my absolute favorite riding areas. Isn't it part of the Placer Drainage?
They have closed Skookum April 1 for the last 4 years (complete bs) Claim it is for the crust skiers, but it is for the heli dicks. They have no problems dropping groups of skiers ABOVE groups of sledders. (serious avy hazard) Please take pictures of this every time it happens, and maybe we can get it back. On a good year, Skookum is amazing in April. Heli dicks use it because it is close and cheap for them due to fuel burn. Same deal with Seattle Creek...
I am with you on it being bs closing april 1. If they need to save on fuel n take our riding area, maybe the FS should open the Girdwood valley to snowmachining.
W
Winter Project
Well-known member
I emailed Carl Skustad(FS ranger) about that, the next day he returned me email and said, "When the shoulder of the highway starts to show the underlying vegetation, we have to close it." The powder guides have definitely struck a deal with the park service. In the remote chance that is the reason, the DOT should quit running their plows so close to the edge of the pavement. Also, that isn't natural vegetation, its D1 runoff mixed with gravel, thats like closing down Turnagain Pass because the snow has melted off the asphalt. This might seem like a joke, but is anyone friends with Todd Palin?
Here is a map from the FS with the range and township of the section that is closed after March 31st each year. It also cites the Code of Federal Regulations numbers if you want to look it up. In the lower RH section is the forest order number to reference as well.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/news_releases/kenai_workshop/pdf-2007/Skookum.pdf
I wish everyone who has an opinion about the areas and if they are open or closed were as at all the meetings when the USFS was re-doing the Master Plan of the CNF. There were little to no snowmachiners at the meetings that were packed with Non-motorized users. We lost a lot of ground in the process and IT WILL NOT CHANGE until the current Master Plan expires in about 9 years (I think?).
I do know that CPG is permitted in areas of CNF just like we are and they use the areas that work for their operation, like we do. They do not have any special arrangement with them. This is a government agency we are dealing with, The united states forest service USDA. Even Todd can't help! The state of Alaska will not go up aginst the USFS and tell them how to manage the nations lands. Although, I do agree about the pilots decision to land and drop off above sledders is dangerous and lame!
Sorry to piss on the parade guys. I'll let everyone know when it comes time for the management plan to be changed again.......
Chris
W
Winter Project
Well-known member
Can you please post a message before these meetings, i would gladly attend these meetings... thanks for the info, it makes me less angry.
I would go also.
X2
Thanks for the link Snow Safaris, i had a feeling you would know the most about this.
As directed in the Chugach Plan, the use of snowmachines (snowmobiles and all motorized over snow vehicles, including
off highway vehicles) and the landing of, or the dropping or picking up of any materials, supplies, or persons by means of
helicopters that are utilized for winter recreational activities is prohibited in the following area from April 1st of each year,
through April 30th of each year.
I agree with Trav907 if you can post the meetings time,date and location i will attend. The way i read it is even the heli guys cannot access the valley either. Will be interesting come April 1.
Thanks for the link Snow Safaris, i had a feeling you would know the most about this.
As directed in the Chugach Plan, the use of snowmachines (snowmobiles and all motorized over snow vehicles, including
off highway vehicles) and the landing of, or the dropping or picking up of any materials, supplies, or persons by means of
helicopters that are utilized for winter recreational activities is prohibited in the following area from April 1st of each year,
through April 30th of each year.
I agree with Trav907 if you can post the meetings time,date and location i will attend. The way i read it is even the heli guys cannot access the valley either. Will be interesting come April 1.
No Problem
I'm glad to see you did your homework! You are correct, CPG is not allowed in Skookum either after March 31st. They move on to other terrain as we all do, just so the 'crust' skiers can follow our tracks up to the glacier and to Carpathain peak, I have seen less then 1/2 dozen skiers after April 1st per season in the last 10 years. But yet when the forest plan was being reviewed, the room was overflowing with people screaming about their right to access the area and about how much enjoyment they get without the noisy, smoking, drunk, law breaking, motorized users around.
We have never seen CPG in Skookum after March 31, but I have seen plenty of riders heading in there who 'didn't know any better' or couldn't understand the english on the closed signs, i guess???
Wanna piss off the USFS, go play in a closed area. Problem is that they don't have the resources to enforce and it ends up being a 'few' that make us all look bad at the end of the day....
I will be glad to post when there are meetings about use in the CNF. It's amazing, back around 2000-2004 we couldn't even get a dozen riders to show up at meetings to voice their right to have their favorite area's represented and not taken away. It seems that there is more people taking pride in their freedoms that some have taken for granted for so many years!
We have been fighting the USFS for 4 years now about access on the Twentymile river in the summer months for our jetboat company. If we don't speak out and up, that area might become permit only for all users in the summer, commerical or not!
Thanks for the link Snow Safaris, i had a feeling you would know the most about this.
As directed in the Chugach Plan, the use of snowmachines (snowmobiles and all motorized over snow vehicles, including
off highway vehicles) and the landing of, or the dropping or picking up of any materials, supplies, or persons by means of
helicopters that are utilized for winter recreational activities is prohibited in the following area from April 1st of each year,
through April 30th of each year.
I agree with Trav907 if you can post the meetings time,date and location i will attend. The way i read it is even the heli guys cannot access the valley either. Will be interesting come April 1.
I'm glad to see you did your homework!
You are correct, CPG is not allowed in Skookum either after March 31st. They move on to other terrain as we all do, just so the 'crust' skiers can follow our tracks up to the glacier and to Carpathain peak, I have seen less then 1/2 dozen skiers after April 1st per season in the last 10 years. But yet when the forest plan was being reviewed, the room was overflowing with people screaming about their right to access the area and about how much enjoyment they get without the noisy, smoking, drunk, law breaking, motorized users around. We have never seen CPG in Skookum after March 31, but I have seen plenty of riders heading in there who 'didn't know any better' or couldn't understand the english on the closed signs, i guess???
Wanna piss off the USFS, go play in a closed area. Problem is that they don't have the resources to enforce and it ends up being a 'few' that make us all look bad at the end of the day....
I will be glad to post when there are meetings about use in the CNF. It's amazing, back around 2000-2004 we couldn't even get a dozen riders to show up at meetings to voice their right to have their favorite area's represented and not taken away. It seems that there is more people taking pride in their freedoms that some have taken for granted for so many years!
We have been fighting the USFS for 4 years now about access on the Twentymile river in the summer months for our jetboat company. If we don't speak out and up, that area might become permit only for all users in the summer, commerical or not!
W
Winter Project
Well-known member
So may 1st i can go back to Skookum!!!! YAY!!
Also if you look at the closure area... its only the skookum drainage and glacier area, those aren't the only rideable areas. North eastern section beyond the railroad tracks. So technically, the entire area isn't closed. This is great news!
So this area is closed primarily for use of cross country skiers then? So ten people get to enjoy this amazing terrain rather than 300-400? We all need to attend the next meeting.
When I emailed Carl, he said nothing in regards to a closure because of skiers... only vegetation!?
Also if you look at the closure area... its only the skookum drainage and glacier area, those aren't the only rideable areas. North eastern section beyond the railroad tracks. So technically, the entire area isn't closed. This is great news!
So this area is closed primarily for use of cross country skiers then? So ten people get to enjoy this amazing terrain rather than 300-400? We all need to attend the next meeting.
When I emailed Carl, he said nothing in regards to a closure because of skiers... only vegetation!?
Last edited:
T
theultrarider
Well-known member
I'm glad to see you did your homework!
We have never seen CPG in Skookum after March 31, but I have seen plenty of riders heading in there who 'didn't know any better' or couldn't understand the english on the closed signs, i guess???
Wanna piss off the USFS, go play in a closed area. Problem is that they don't have the resources to enforce and it ends up being a 'few' that make us all look bad at the end of the day....
I will be glad to post when there are meetings about use in the CNF. It's amazing, back around 2000-2004 we couldn't even get a dozen riders to show up at meetings to voice their right to have their favorite area's represented and not taken away. It seems that there is more people taking pride in their freedoms that some have taken for granted for so many years!
We have been fighting the USFS for 4 years now about access on the Twentymile river in the summer months for our jetboat company. If we don't speak out and up, that area might become permit only for all users in the summer, commerical or not!
Chris,
It is very ironic that the turn out was just the opposite here on the Peninsula. Did you attend any of the meeting down here. The ones in Soldotna and Moose Pass wee both standing room only. The FS guys were shocked after the Anchorage meeting being mostly skiers. To my knowledge, there were zero skiers at any of the meetings down here. I think we did an outstanding job of speading the dates of the meetings here the old fashioned way, word of mouth and grab your buddy make him go, and make him grab a buddy as well. We fought hard for the Lost Lake, Nellie Juan, Carter Cresent, Trail Lake, and Ressurection areas. Alot of good came from those meetings here. I think it is great that we will now have spring riding every other year in Ressurection trail system even if we are shut out every other year. They were wanting to shut us out all together. Same goes for Nellie Juan. We won the "corridor access" to the back country there when they were ready to shut that as well. Those guys do listen, if you present a thought out case and don't just rant that they can't close it cuz I've ridden there for 30 years! Thanks for fighting on that end Chris. Guys, Like Chris mentioned, there will not be any changes to the CFN mater plan anytime soon. But when it does come up, if you like to ride, you need to find the time to be part of the proccess. And by all means, please respect the closed areas!
Good Info
I appreciate and respect everyones opinions. We need to stand together to protect our rights to enjoy our recreation and areas, as well as following the rules. I just get a little down on March 31st knowing its the last ride in my fav area for another season. Its a case of anxiousness for more snow as the options right now are a couple hour drive north or south, and i prefer to avoid the circus at the top of the hill as much as possible.
I appreciate and respect everyones opinions. We need to stand together to protect our rights to enjoy our recreation and areas, as well as following the rules. I just get a little down on March 31st knowing its the last ride in my fav area for another season. Its a case of anxiousness for more snow as the options right now are a couple hour drive north or south, and i prefer to avoid the circus at the top of the hill as much as possible.
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