Pineview Access Dilemma

[dubob]

Okay, boys & girls, I got an answer back from the Ogden office regarding my email to them.  Here is what they said.

Mr. Hicks,
 
Thank you for your questions regarding access to Pineview Reservoir.  Below are the posed questions and the responses as received from the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. 
 
Question #1: What is the rational for denying access to a Federal public property (Pineview Reservoir)?
 
There are many access points to Pineview Reservoir during the winter season that are open to the public.  Pelican Beach/Ouist, Spring Creek, Pineview Trailhead/Windsurfer, Old Highway, Browning Point, and Winters Grove are open and accessible.
 
Question #2: Why is USDA allowing false information to be published and presented to the public?
 
We strive to keep our information current on the Forest website.  We will ensure the information related to Pineview recreation sites is updated as conditions change.
 
Question # 3: Does the Ogden Ranger District have the blanket authority to deny access to this property without public input?
 
Ogden Ranger District personnel, under the direction of the District Ranger, have the authority to manage developed recreation sites within the District boundaries.  Port Ramp is one of those sites and is designated a day use site. Federal regulations (36 CFR 261.70 (u)) state that occupancy in a day use site is prohibited between the hours of 10pm and 6 am., therefore Port Ramp is only open during the designated hours. The gate allows the district to better enforce the regulation. 
 
Pineview recreation sites are not maintained during the winter season.  Maintenance is suspended each year approximately the end of October.  The Forest Service is working with partners to improve recreation opportunities around Pineview Reservoir.  These improvements will provide year-round for access to the reservoir.

I did a little more research to check out their list of access points and responded back with the following rebuttal.

Thank you for your response.

I took a closer look at all the access points you listed and found your analysis of their suitability to be flawed.

Pelican Beach/Ouist: Not plowed in winter.  No suitable parking for vehicles with trailers.  Steep bank unsuitable for access on snowmobiles/UTVs.  3-mile plus walk one-way to the Narrows pulling ice fishing gear (50 to 100 lbs) in a sled.

Spring Creek: Not plowed in winter.  No suitable parking for vehicles with trailers.  Steep bank unsuitable for access on snowmobiles/UTVs.  3-mile plus walk one-way to the Narrows pulling ice fishing gear (50 to 100 lbs) in a sled.

Pineview Trailhead/Windsurfer: No suitable parking for vehicles with trailers.  Steep bank unsuitable for access on snowmobiles/UTVs.  Is this lot plowed in the winter?

Old Highway: No such designation shown on Google maps or maps available through USDA websites that I can find unless you are referring to North Arm.  No suitable parking for vehicles with trailers.  Terrain from this lot to the reservoir isn’t conducive to foot or machine traffic such as snowmobiles/UTVs.  3-mile plus walk one-way to the Narrows pulling ice fishing gear (50 to 100 lbs) in a sled.

Browning Point: No suitable parking for vehicles with trailers.  Concrete barriers block all access except foot traffic.  2-mile walk one-way to the Narrows pulling ice fishing gear (50 to 100 lbs) in a sled.

Winters Grove: No suitable parking for vehicles with trailers and Huntsville doesn’t generally allow parking on city streets.  Terrain from this lot to the reservoir isn’t conducive to foot or machine traffic such as snowmobiles/UTVs.  3-mile plus walk one-way to the Narrows pulling ice fishing gear (50 to 100 lbs) in a sled.

In the past, there has only been two viable machine access points for ice fishing; Cemetery Point and Port Ramp.  Your management decision to close these two access points has left only two real access points for walk-on ice fishing: Windsurfer Beach and Browning Point.  To state that the other 4 access points you listed are viable access points for ice fishing says that you have never ice fished Pineview on foot or have never ice fished period.  Either way, you don’t understand the hazards and/or difficulty of using any of those 4 sites to gain access to Pineview for ice fishing.

Your management decision to close Cemetery Point and Port Ramp, however well intended, is short sighted and creates a serious breach of the USFS Mission Statement: “Is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.”  You definitely are not meeting the needs of the present generation with regard to recreational opportunities on Pineview Reservoir – IMHO.

My goal with this ‘pot stirring’ is to get your office to rethink your decision to close off the only viable machine access points to Pineview and deny access to hundreds of ice fishing enthusiasts who require machine access to use the public properties the Federal Government has set aside for such usage.  It appears to the general public that Pineview Reservoir is being managed for the convenience of the Government employees assigned the responsibility of managing the property instead of for the benefit of the general public who uses it.  And, again, this is just my humble opinion.

I do see that the incorrect information about gate closures has been corrected.  Thank you for that.

In your answer to Question #3, you state that the Port Ramp is a day-use only site.  It’s my understanding that the Cemetery Point area is also a day-use only site.  So why are they both being locked up 24/7?  If the problem is vandalism, then secure the vandalized facilities with vandal proof hardware.  If garbage/trash is a major problem, then secure better collection services.  Do either the Port Ramp or Cemetery Point have day-use fee collection stations?  If not, why not?