Editor’s note: Condor Call always has the forest areas listed on page 6 where you can check out conditions before you go.
Los Padres National Forest officials issued a 60-day closure order on Jan. 13 – March 15 affecting four ranger districts in response to the extreme winter storm that delivered punishing rain and wind across the Forest.
The closure order will be superseded or terminated when conditions and recreational access improves. Forest employees will be assessing the extent of the damage over the coming weeks and months and will scale back the closure based on improving conditions.
Forest Service law enforcement officers will strictly enforce the closure order, which carries a penalty of $5,000 and/or six months in jail.
The closure order and especially penalties brought an immediate thumbs down from long-time backcountry scribe Jack Elliot, who said “hiking is not a crime...six months imprisonment is what they give rapists in Santa Barbara County.”
The Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA) has a different take, announced on its website: “Obviously no one is happy about the closure, but there is just too much damage across the forest at the moment.”
“In the days following the last storm, we've had many volunteers attempt to survey trails and forest roads. Literally every report we're seeing, every attempt to drive a road, every attempt to hike a trail, is coming back reporting massive damage.”
“We are working closely with the Forest Service to help survey and document the damage and are looking forward to getting our boots on the ground ASAP to repair the trails,” it concluded. Meanwhile, LPFA’s Trail Fund needs you to donate now.
LPFA and volunteers who are cleared by the Forest Service are exempt from the closure as they are helping rebuild trails and other chores.
Over the last month, the Los Padres received more than 100 percent of its annual rainfall along with extremely damaging wind events. The “atmospheric river” delivered record rainfall amounts January 8-10 ranging from 17 inches at San Marcos Pass in the Santa Barbara district to 18 inches in the Ojai district backcountry. These weather events have caused flooding, debris flows, slope failures, bridge, road and trail failures, and serious impacts to administrative and recreation facilities.
Future storm events are expected to compound existing damage. The full extent of damage to the Forest will be known once a full assessment is completed, which will likely take many weeks. Forest personnel are continuing to work with city, county and state partners on post-storm damage assessments and repairs when conditions are safe for work and travel.
“We’re taking this precautionary step to ensure visitor safety as we determine the extent of the damage and develop a strategy to prioritize and address the extensive impacts to infrastructure and natural resources,” said Los Padres Forest Supervisor Chris Stubbs. “I’m asking the public to heed the closure order while these recovery efforts are underway. My intention is to re-open closed areas as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
For more information, visit Los Padres National Forest’s website: fs.usda.gov/lpnf