Elbe hills focus group meeting change

pokey · Sep 3, 2011

We will have a change in the location of our upcoming focus group meeting. On September 8 at 7:00 PM-8:30 PM we will meet at Graham FD Station #91. This is the Silver Creek Station located at 10012 187th St E, Puyallup. The station appears to be west of Meridian. Lipoma Firs Golf Course is to the east of Meridian at this intersection. Please enter through the back door as the main entrance will be locked. Do not ring the doorbell as I think it alerts emergency responders.

Topics of discussion will include: the Busywild Trail, plans for rehabilitating it, etc

pokey · Sep 9, 2011

Notes from the meeting

My notes from the Elbe hills focus group meeting on 9/8/2011

Past events and happenings, Nancy has a WCC crew working at the park doing maintenance work. Been there for the past 3 weeks.

The PNW4WDA work party got work done on the mainline and lower sunrise trail. Created some diversion barriers to keep water from running down the trail into one of the dispersed camping spots.

WTF has been very busy rebuilding and improving the log crawl area.

Nancy will have the rental machine up there for the rest of this month to get a few more projects finished before the rain starts.

Busywild, Nancy and the DNR were very unhappy with the comments made on the NWW forums about how the DNR "lying to us" about keeping the busy open during the logging process. The outcome of this is that they will most likely not even try to keep trails open during logging anymore. They will just be closed until the project is finished.
There was lots of discussion about how the trail has changed from the logging. Its no longer dark in there in the middle of the day. Seems quite a few of the holes and approaches were changed around to facilitate the logging. Not to many worries though as the trail will recreate itself once the users get it back and the rain moves back in.

Discover pass, The DNR will most likely start enforcing the pass and writing tickets in Nov. They have been educating people for a while now

Equipment, Nancy has been busy researching small tractors and is figuring out what kind of machine to buy with the grant money. Looking at small excavators with multiple buckets. Also looking at rubber tracks and the new hybrid tracks made of both steel and rubber.

Upcoming events,
WOW wp on sept 17th and 18th May have to be rescheduled (more to come)
Snow Jam event is the only one on the calendar at this time (Jan)

Next meeting is on November 10th. Nancy's boss Doug will be at this meeting.

Corey Y · Sep 9, 2011

pokey said:
Nancy and the DNR were very unhappy with the comments made on the NWW forums about how the DNR "lying to us" about keeping the busy open during the logging process. The outcome of this is that they will most likely not even try to keep trails open during logging anymore. They will just be closed until the project is finished.

At the meetings leading up to the logging operation we were told that the trail would be open and clear of logs on weekends. The last DNR meeting before the logging operation was started, no one from the DNR showed up to the DNR public meeting. And now the DNR is unhappy that we complained about the trail being closed? What did they expect, a thank you letter?
:haha:

JAWS · Sep 9, 2011

Crazy Daze said:
At the meetings leading up to the logging operation we were told that the trail would be open and clear of logs on weekends. The last DNR meeting before the logging operation was started, no one from the DNR showed up to the DNR public meeting. And now the DNR is unhappy that we complained about the trail being closed? What did they expect, a thank you letter?
:haha:

Acually they said they would try to keep it open on weekends... What do you care you dont even run the Busy very often. i dout you were affected at all...

I apresheate the DNR working with us to keep it open as much as it was/has been... Rather than just closing it all together...

crash2 · Sep 9, 2011

JAWS said:
Acually they said they would try to keep it open on weekends... What do you care you dont even run the Busy very often. i dout you were affected at all...

I apresheate the DNR working with us to keep it open as much as it was/has been... Rather than just closing it all together...

Good Job casey

Corey Y · Sep 9, 2011

Growing trees and selling timber is the top priority for the DNR and ORV use is down the list a ways. It is nice of them to let us use the area. I wonder why Nancys boss is going to be at the next meeting.

CHOP SHOP · Sep 9, 2011

JAWS said:
Acually they said they would try to keep it open on weekends... What do you care you dont even run the Busy very often. i dout you were affected at all...

I apresheate the DNR working with us to keep it open as much as it was/has been... Rather than just closing it all together...

Exactly. ^^^

Work with what you have, instead of bitchin about what you (corey) dont use.

I am fortunate for what we have and if they need to log the tree farm so be it.

Corey Y · Sep 9, 2011

My gripe is more with the lack of communication between users and DNR on the trail closure.

You guys are right, I only do the Busywild trail once a year.

JAWS · Sep 9, 2011

Crazy Daze said:
My gripe is more with the lack of communication between users and DNR on the trail closure.

You guys are right, I only do the Busywild trail once a year.

Maybe this year try N get out on the Busy alittle more... Help us get it back to a diamond status... Its a little wider now so it will be a little easyer to get ur rig threw.. :awesomework:

boardbysled · Sep 9, 2011

Less canopy cover = more rain hitting the ground instead of the canopy = more mud, but less canopy cover during the summer also means more sun, thus more drying out.

pokey · Sep 9, 2011

boardbysled said:
Less canopy cover = more rain hitting the ground instead of the canopy = more mud, but less canopy cover during the summer also means more sun, thus more drying out.

Actualy, Less canopy will mean more wind and sun getting in so things will stay dryer year round. The tree canopy can only absorb so much water then everything else gets through to the ground. There are however fewer trees to "drink" up the water so that could change things as well. Also now that its thined the surviving trees will grow faster thus "drinking" up more ground water.

Jaydog · Sep 9, 2011

If you talk to Nancy, tell her to lean more toward the hybrid tracks, as the rubber tracks won't last long, mine got torn up pretty bad out there in just a couple days :awesomework: