Alpine Winter Recreation Project - the details

The Alpine Winter Recreation Project provides improvements for both muscle-powered winter recreationists and snowmobilers. The following pairs of opportunities were developed by skiers, environmentalists, and snowmobilers working together and are contained in the project. We expect each pair to be implemented simultaneously.

Forestdale Creek and Monitor Pass

Non-motorized opportunity. The Forestdale Creek area (along Forestdale Road), from Red Lake south to Forestdale Divide, would be closed to snowmobiles when there is sufficient snow at the Blue Lakes SnoPark for snowmobile use. This snow condition typically occurs from early or mid-December through early or mid-April; the area would therefore be closed to all snowmobile use for most of the winter season except for local property-owners. The rest of the winter snowmobiles would be restricted to the road. This is a major improvement; currently about half the Forestdale Creek area is open to snowmobiles. The new mid-winter closure would also be easier to enforce than the current partial closure.

Snowmobile opportunity. The Monitor Pass area would be made more accessible to snowmobiles, and portions would be opened to them that are currently closed. A staging area would be created at Loope Canyon, above the current road-closure point. This would also afford better access for non-motorized users wanting to access the Heenan Lake non-motorized wildlife area, which would remain closed to snowmobiles. The Monitor Pass deer-habitat area would remain closed to snowmobiles when deer are present. There is no guarantee that the Monitor Pass area will open to snowmobiles in any given year. Snowfall in 2006 - 2007 was so little that the area would have remained closed to snowmobiles all winter.

Highways 88 and 4

Non-motorized opportunity. The "north" side (actually west) of Highway 88 from Carson Pass to Pickett Junction would be closed to snowmobile use. That means that Crater Lake, Scotts Lake, and Stevens Peak would be off-limits to snowmobiles. The one exception would be a snowmobile route on an existing road through the area that connects the Armstrong Pass area with the lands in Hope Valley south of Highway 88. This would enable snowmobilers to ride from South Lake Tahoe to Blue Lakes, and would receive minimal grooming to define the route but not create a raceway. Some lands on the south side of Highway 88 also would be closed to snowmobile use along with Fish and Game land near Pickett Junction.

Snowmobile opportunity. Snowmobile staging at Centerville would be improved. Centerville is at the eastside winter-closure gate on Highway 4. Snowmobiles currently park there, but use is low because a section of Highway 4 (the "Flintstones") is avalanche-prone. An old road that bypasses the Flintstones would be repaired where it has been washed out. Highway 4 from Centerville to Ebbetts Pass may be groomed for snowmobile use. This area is not popular with skiers and snowshoers.

Parking and access

Non-motorized opportunity. Create a parking area at Red Corral on Highway 88 to increase access to quiet-use terrain north and south of Highway 88, and improved parking at Pickett Junction (Burnside Lake Road). These two parking areas may become SnoParks. Shoulder-parking on Highway 88 would be prohibited over a four-mile stretch except for several turnouts. Red Corral is surrounded by lands designated non-motorized.

Snowmobile opportunities. Parking, including overnight parking, would be added at the Blue Lakes SnoPark. Trees would be pruned and markers installed along the primitive Deer Creek road from Blue Lakes to Highway 4. This old road divides the Mokelumne Wilderness into two pieces. Snowmobilers occasionally use this route. These minor improvements are intended to help motorists stay within the non-wilderness corridor. This snowmobile route would not be groomed.

Marcus Libkind, chair, Snowlands Network