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Nightmare Gulch/Stewards of the Sequoia

By bobc1,
in California

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bobc1

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I received an email from Chris Horgan/Stewards of the Sequoia that he was involved with the "temporary" closure of Nightmare Gulch.  The following was included in the email:

 

Red Rocks State Park Seeks Illegal Road Closures

Nightmare Gulch, Cudahay and other closures appear to be attempts by some State Park Staff to push Off Roaders out of the Red Rocks area where they have historically recreated.

Two months ago Stewards contacted Superintendent Russ Dingman to ask about the status of routes and if proper procedures had been followed for closures.

Dingman stated that NIghtmare Gulch has been under temporary closure since 2013. We think that is an awful long time for a temporary closure. When asked why Nightmare Gulch was closed Dingman said it was a public safety issue caused by a rock slide. We asked what was being done to fix it and he stated that was not public information. When asked for copies of the closure orders he said those were internal documents that could not be released to the public. That he wished he could provide the information, but it was above his pay grade. That he was just as frustrated about this as we are.

Over the years OHV groups like Bakersfield Trailblazers and Ridgecrest Geargrinders have offered to fix any problems on the trail, but Dingman has repeatedly turned them away.

Stewards requested any and all documentation from State Parks head office regarding the Nightmare Gulch. Four days ago we received all the things Dingman said could not be given to the public, confirming our concners that Dingman is not being honest or doing his job properly.

We discovered there was one email from a private individual that 4x4's had crushed desert tortoises on the trail. As a result State Parks spent $48,000 on a study which determined Nightmare Gulch was not even suitable habitat for Desert Tortoise or Mojave Ground Squirrels. Seems State Park specialists could have figured that without wasting $48,000.

There is no documentation from the now 5 year temporary closure of Dingman or Parks Staff having reviewed the closure or considered any way to reopen the trail. They seem focused on spending money on pointless studies, ignoring volunteers and locking the public off their lands.

Stewards will be sending a letter to State Parks Director Lisa Magnat explaining our concerns and asking that Nightmare Gulch Trail be reopened and that Superintendent Dingman be replaced with someone who can manage an area instead of foisting more illegal closures on the public.

 

I replied to Chris:

 

Hello Chris:

 

This is Bob from Acton.  I am very happy that you are looking at the Nightmare Gulch situation.  FYI, I rode NG the day after the flash floods in 2013.  Yes, it was definitely more difficult than prior to the rains but completely doable.  The day after the rains it was still very muddy in sections that increased the difficulty.

 

Approximately two weeks later I again rode it with my son and another "mature" rider (read, "Old. I'm 66 and my friend is 70.").  It was much easier than with the mud but probably twice as difficult as prior the the flash floods.

 

Completely doable, though.  I was really irritated with the closure as it was one of the few legal fun routes and was used by 4X4's extensively.

 

You are the only person/organization that I have ever seen get any positive results.  I hope you are successful with NG.

 

BTW, about a year or two after the closure of NG, I was talking to a Red Rock Ranger, "Ted," about the closure.  He told me that his boss (I don't recall his name) had attempted to ride a 4WD quad through NG after the flash floods and independently determined that it was unsafe to traverse.  I told Ted that I had ridden it by myself the day after the floods.  Ted replied that studies had to be done to determine what is safe and not destructive to the area.  More BS.

 

Good luck.  Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.  NG is only an hour from my house.

 

You caught me at a good time with some cash so I rejoined the trail donation insurance for $100.

 

Thanks for your attention to this matter,

 

This is really great news that Chris is looking at the Nightmare Gulch closure.  He is the only one I have ever seen accomplish anything.

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RAZR_

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pcvance on ADVrider lives in Visalia and rides the Sequoias.
sign in/sign up on ADV and look him up on the Sequoia National Forest Report thread.

I know a cool guy that knows the trails very well in the Sequoias...  lives in Visalia...  great tour guide...  has a bunch of great riding buddies...  Names Perry...  goes by pcvance on ADV Rider.  Look him up.   http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/sequoia-national-forest-report.800175/
 

someone please tell me that this guy can read
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