TRĀL MONTHLY MEETING

January 12, 2011

In Attendance:

The meeting was called to order at 7:08 PM by Rich Smith.

Area Updates

Mesquite – Dave reported that Mesquite looks good. The area is clean and all signs are still up.  There is some traffic heading down the wash, so that’s something to keep an eye on.

Bulldog – Patrick reported that people are turning right at the 3554 gate and a trail is starting to be cut in.  Alan suspect’s people are bypassing the nasty area up the trail.  There also seems to be fireworks in the area, so Alan will have the Public Relations folks do an update to tell the public that fireworks are illegal on the Tonto.

Open Discussion

Rich talked about the pamphlet that is being paid for by the Yamaha grant.  Forest Service has solicited the use of their intern to help get maps together for the pamphlet.  Patrick and Bret have provided input on the Bulldog map, and we have had input on the Rolls and Sycamore area from other volunteers.  We hope to have the pamphlet out in the next 2-3 weeks.   

The Forest Service would like an inventory of trails in the Rolls area.  There are roughly 250 miles of trails in the area, with about 50 of those being legal.  Rich passed around a sign-up sheet for interested volunteers willing to GPS the trails.  Amy would like volunteers trained and qualified through the OHV Host Program, but TRAL isn’t in favor of this as it hasn’t been a requirement for other projects, specifically the Photo Point project to GPS springs within the Tonto.  Further discussions to follow on this topic.

We are looking to install signs in the Rolls area on the 22^nd of January.  We need volunteers to help with this project.

We will have a Meet and Greet on February 12^th in combination with our first patrol.

TRAL is holding an OHV Host Academy at the Sunflower Administrative facility.  The Academy will be held on the 29^th of January from 9 AM to 5 PM and is a requirement for participation in the OHV Host Patrol program.  To sign up, visit the TRAL website.

Forest Service Update

The Travel Management Plan continues moving towards Draft Final.  They are expecting the plan to be out for public comment in the next 3 months.  If there are no appeals, then the earliest we could see maps is late fall of this year.  So far, every State that has submitted Travel Management has had appeals, so the Forest Service is anticipating the same.

Sugarloaf will be closed M-F from 5 AM to 6 PM starting January 24^th and lasting till January 28^th.  This is due to heavy equipment hauling debris from the construction site to the dump site.

Fossil Creek Road has been closed until April due to unsafe road conditions.

Road crews are in the process of grading the roads, so if you come across them, give them plenty of room to maneuver.  They are on the 11 road right now.

The remains of two of the three hikers that went missing in the Superstitions several months ago have been found.  They were approximately 3 miles from the water trailhead.  The third hiker remains missing.   

A bighorn sheep was spotted on the mountain at Usury Pass on December 24^th.

Bald Eagles are incubating right now around Bulldog, so a partial closure has been initiated until January 30^th.

Amy thanked TRAL and Copper State Cruisers for coming out to the Cottonwood Camp clean-up this past weekend. 

Game and Fish Update 

The day after Thanksgiving, G&F made contact with roughly 100 OHV users and issued 20-30 tickets for various violations, and made 1 arrest for a felony warrant on an escaped convict from Washington.

With no other business to address, the meeting was adjourned at 8:02 PM