Before venturing out, you need to know the latest news about road
conditions, campground closures and fire restrictions. Here is a round-up of the current headlines pulled from US Forest Service press releases, the Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Forestry, National Park Service and other sources.

THIS WEEKS SCHEDULED DFG TROUT PLANTS - February 28, 2010
The following lakes and streams, listed by county, will be re-stocked this week by the California Department of Fish and Game. All plants are subject to change depending on road, water and weather conditions. More specific dates are not given so that fishing activity will not be focused right after the time of the plant. Occasionally, operational problems may cause alteration of the schedule.
Los Angeles - Alondra Park lake
Los Angeles - Belvedere Park lake
Los Angeles - Cerritos Park lake
Los Angeles - Downey Wilderness Park Lake
Los Angeles - Echo Park lake
Los Angeles - El Dorado Park lakes
Los Angeles - Hansen Lake
Los Angeles - Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
Los Angeles - La Mirada Lake
Los Angeles - lake in Hollenbeck Park
Los Angeles - Legg Lake
Los Angeles - Lincoln Park lake
Los Angeles - Little Rock Reservoir
Los Angeles - Peck Road Park lake
Los Angeles - Puddingstone Reservoir
Los Angeles - Santa Fe Flood Control Basin
Orange - Carr Park lake
Orange - Eisenhower Park lake
Orange - Greer Park lake
Orange - Huntington Central Park lake
Orange - Laguna Lake
Orange - Trabuco Creek
San Diego - Chollas Reservoir
San Diego - Lindo Lake
San Diego - Murray Reservoir
Riverside - Diamond Valley Lake
San Bernardino - Big Bear Lake
San Bernardino - Mojave Narrows Regional Park lake
[California Department of Fish and Game (DFG)]

MISSING HIKERS FOUND IN CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST - February 21, 2010
Six hikers missing overnight in the Cleveland National Forest were found early Sunday safe and uninjured. Family of the six women and two men called authorities when they did not return by 6 p.m. Saturday from a day of hiking. The group of experienced hikers, whose ages range from early 40s to late 50s, met at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Pine Creek Trailhead for a recreational hike. They had no known medical conditions and had food, water and appropriate clothing. The San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s Search and Rescue Unit and ASTREA helicopter found the group in a canyon three miles from the intersection of Lyons Valley and Japatul roads at 8:30 a.m. This article is copyright (c) The San Diego Union Tribune. To read the rest of the article, click here.
[Janine Zúñiga, The San Diego Union Tribune]

PUBLIC COMMENTS SOUGHT ON IMPLEMENTING SAFETY OPTIONS - February 13, 2010
The National Park Service (NPS) proposes implementing safety options at abandoned mine lands in Mojave National Preserve. The purpose of this project is to mitigate human and environmental hazards present at the Preserve. This action is needed to; improve visitor and staff safety at Mojave while accommodating the use of the abandoned mine land sites by wildlife (principally bats), minimize impacts on historic fabric and the visual character of the historic landscape, and minimize potential adverse effects on natural resources using mitigation measures. The EA examines two alternatives: no action and the National Park Service (NPS) preferred alternative. The preferred alternative includes installing a variety of abandoned mine safety techniques, such as metal grates, fencing (permanent or temporary), bat gates and cupolas, cable mesh nets, foam plugs covered with backfill, or back-filling alone, in multiple mine openings at Mojave. A variety of safety techniques would be implemented by the National Park Service either individually, or in combination under alternative B. Comments must be received no later than February 22, 2010. Public comment may be submitted online at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment website, http://parkplanning.nps.gov/moja. Click on the Open For Comments link at the top of the page. If you do not have website access, you may direct comments regarding this project to the park in writing by mail or hand delivery to:
Superintendent
ATTENTION: AML EA
Mojave National Preserve
2701 Barstow Road
Barstow, CA 92311
[Danette Woo, National Park Service]

BODY OF MISSING THOUSAND OAKS HIKER DISCOVERED IN PARK — January 22, 2010
The body of a Thousand Oaks hiker was discovered today in a rain-swollen creek at the bottom of a steep canyon in Wildwood Regional Park, which had been closed because of the rains, authorities said. Matthew Chidgey, 40, was the subject of a search after he failed to return from his solo outing Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. He had told his roommate he was heading for the park’s waterfalls. A helicopter from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department assisted in recovering Chidgey’s body from the park, authorities said. Hikers and park visitors are urged to wait at least three days after a rainstorm before accessing the trails in the park, authorities said. At the time of Chidgey’s disappearance, the parks' trails had already been closed by park officials and marked with warning signs. This article is copyright (c) The Los Angeles Times. To read the rest of the article, click here.
[Steve Chawkins, The Los Angeles Times]

FIRE DANGER LEVEL LOWERED FOR THE ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST — January 22, 2010
As a result of recent heavy rains and snowfall, the Angeles National Forest has reduced the Fire Danger level to LOW. The Fire Danger level will be downgraded from "High" (Level III) to "Low" (Level I) effective Sunday, January 24, 2010. The change to "Low" is a result of the substantial rain and snow received throughout the Forest during this past week. Fire restrictions on the Angeles National Forest are determined by a graduated system that becomes more restrictive as fire danger levels increase and decrease when the conditions change. The "Low" fire danger level is the lowest level of a six-level, graduated fire danger rating system. A variety of factors determine the level, including the moisture in vegetation, weather conditions and nationwide firefighting equipment and personnel needs. Visitors are reminded that the large area burned by the Station Fire and adjacent downhill areas remain closed. Open campfires are permitted in developed campgrounds that are not part of the closure and that are not subject to normal winter closures. Gas, jellied or propane-type camp stoves are also permitted in campgrounds and trail camps and in backcountry areas with a valid California Campfire Permit. Spark arrestors (required year-round) should be checked to make sure they are in good working order on all off-road vehicles, chain saws and other equipment with internal combustion engines. For more information about the Angeles National Forest, including a map of the Station Fire closure area, please visit: www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles.
[Angeles National Forest press release]

RAINS KEEP SAN CLEMENTE STATE PARK CLOSED - January 21, 2010
Raging waters undermined the entry road into San Clemente State Park, forcing state officials to close the park. They took the action at 2 p.m. Thursday after the park's maintenance chief noticed that a culvert beneath the road had collapsed. A blown-out culvert beneath the entry road into San Clemente State Park forced the state to close the park this afternoon. "The water blew out the culvert," said Rich Haydon, park superintendent. "There is a real and present danger that the roadway will collapse." He said the park and its 160 campsites could remain closed for seven to 10 days while emergency repairs are arranged. The road, which leads from Avenida Calafia uphill to the park's entry kiosk, is the only road into the park, Haydon said, and he cannot risk allowing any vehicles to drive over the weakened spot. This article is copyright (c) Orange County Register. To read the rest of the article, click here.
[Fred Swegles, The Orange County Register]

THIS WEEKS SCHEDULED DFG TROUT PLANTS - January 20, 2010
The following lakes and streams, listed by county, will be re-stocked this week by the California Department of Fish and Game. All plants are subject to change depending on road, water and weather conditions. More specific dates are not given so that fishing activity will not be focused right after the time of the plant. Occasionally, operational problems may cause alteration of the schedule.
Los Angeles - Castaic Lake and Lagoon
Los Angeles - Elizabeth Lake
Los Angeles - Hansen Lake
Los Angeles - Peck Road Park lake
Los Angeles - Puddingstone Reservoir
Los Angeles - Pyramid Lake
Los Angeles - Santa Fe Flood Control Basin
Orange - Centennial Regional Park lake
Orange - Mile Square Regional Park lake
Orange - Ralph Clark Regional Park lake
Orange - Tri-City Park lake
Santa Barbara - Lake Cachuma
Ventura - Casitas Lake
Ventura - Lake Piru
Ventura - Rancho Simi Community Park lake
Riverside - Lake Cahuilla
Riverside - Perris Reservoir
Riverside - Skinner Reservoir
San Bernardino - Glen Helen Regional Park lakes
San Bernardino - Silverwood Lake
San Bernardino - Yucaipa Regional Park lake
[California Department of Fish and Game (DFG)]

TWO SURVIVE SMALL PLANE CRASH IN PARK - January 19, 2010
Two men survived the crash of their small aircraft in a remote area of the park on Monday. Rocky Harvey of Joshua Tree, California, and flight instructor Warner Henry were airlifted by helicopter to Desert Regional Hospital at approximately 2:30 a.m. yesterday morning. The two men had a variety of injuries and were experiencing hypothermia but were expected to survive. Harvey and Henry took off from Joshua Tree on Monday morning with a plan to fly to Palm Springs. When their Cessna 172 failed to arrive at its destination, the Civil Air Patrol notified rangers, who sent a small team into the field around 3:30 p.m. to begin their search in the area of Quail Mountain, the park’s highest peak. Civil Air Patrol had tracked the plane to this general area before it lost contact. Weather in the area at the time included blowing rain, hail, and snow, with sub-freezing temperatures occurring during the following night. Incident commander Dan Messaros called out the Joshua Tree Search & Rescue team (JOSAR) to support the search effort. A JOSAR team was put into the field at about 8 p.m. on Monday night. At about 10:15 p.m., the aircraft was located near the summit of 5,814-foot Quail Mountain, and initial first aid was rendered to the crash victims. Both men were trapped in the wreckage, requiring the use of battery-powered saws to remove them from the downed aircraft. They were flown from the site by a Riverside County Sheriff’s Office helicopter, then airlifted to Palm Springs by Mercy Air. The crash is presently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. At the time of the crash, 8:45 a.m. on Monday morning, weather in the area was poor with a low cloud ceiling and reduced visibility.
[Joe Zarki, Public Information Officer, National Park Service]

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