Outdoor Adventure USA

Cnynrat wrote:

cruiserlarry wrote:Whether due to erosion, or fault activity, it is likely those shear walls pose a serious thread to anyone or anything below them when they fracture. I'm hoping this will be a precautionary, temporary measure, to monitor what is happening in that area.

If they're concerned about danger from rockfall, I'd rather be in my FJ when the walls come down than hiking through the canyon. I agree though that we need to wait to see what the reasoning is - hopefully Scott can get some good info from the Ranger.

While it does afford more protection than walking, I'm not sure how much help the FJ roof would be if one of those large boulders comes a callin'...

I dont think the FJ will help much...

I guess my point would be if they are concerned about falling rocks, then why not close the canyon to everyone? Surely a hiker is just a likely to get whomped by a falling rock as a wheeler.

Maybe they don't like hikers!

raYGunn wrote:Maybe they don't like hikers!

I hadn't thought of that!

raYGunn wrote:Maybe they don't like hikers!

Ok here's a small update from today.

I called the main ranger station (760-767-5311) and talked to "Ranger Bob". He was very friendly but did not really have any clear info to give me.
He told me that the most likely cause of the new signs and stakes was that the dead end canyon eventually ended up in state wilderness area. He also said that it was most likely a re-closure and not a new closure. He figured that the canyon was supposed to be closed anyway, but the stakes had just been removed and never reinstalled. In his words, "the problem with these kind of canyons is that people in lifted 4x4's, usually with locking axles, tend to push the route farther and farther into the canyon just for a driving challenge".
I asked him if there had been any sort of EIR (Environmental Impact Report) done. He had no idea either way.

The best info I got from him was to call later in the week and talk to the supervising ranger, Paul Reisman. He said Reisman would be able to give us exact info as to why the canyon was closed, and if it was a new closure or a re-closure.
Another thing to watch out for is the brand new ranger they just hired to be assigned to the Fish Creek area. Bob told me the new ranger is a greenhorn and only started this week. New rangers are the worst for enforcing every little code in the rule book.

I think if it is a new closure we have more chance of possibly reversing it than it it was a re-closure.

One question I had for the rest of you. Have you been wheeling in the last few years? Does anyone know if it was ever closed off before? Also was there a closed sign a couple miles into the canyon where the wilderness boundary was?

Tank wrote:One question I had for the rest of you. Have you been wheeling in the last few years? Does anyone know if it was ever closed off before? Also was there a closed sign a couple miles into the canyon where the wilderness boundary was?

Good work. That's pretty much the same info I got.

As far as ever seeing a sign back in there before, no. I don't ever remember not being able to head up into the canyon. Also, there's really no wilderness boundary with the park, you just have to say on the designated routes. Although, you could think of the whole park as a wilderness area with roads and trails that you can access into it.

BorregoWrangler wrote: Also, there's really no wilderness boundary with the park, you just have to say on the designated routes. Although, you could think of the whole park as a wilderness area with roads and trails that you can access into it.

Did you call this morning. My ranger said he overheard another ranger talking to someone about Sandstone Canyon earlier.

Actually there is wilderness within the park boundaries. Here is the actual definition. http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/21299/files/prc5019.pdf

I couldn't find a link to the actual map, but I know that there is a large wilderness area in the canyon sin nombre area that might extend up to Fish Creek.

There is alot of legal info here that could be useful. It is the "Anza-Borrego Desert State Park General Plan".
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21314

I'm going to be heading out to Ocotillo Wells tomorrow. Does anyone know if the ranger station near Blow Sand has Jurisdiction over Sandstone? If so, I'll stop in and see what I can find out.