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The Reds Meadow Road is now closed for the season due to the amount of snow received in the most recent storm. Logging operations remain in progress, removing down trees from the wind event of Nov. 30, 2011. Due to the tree removal operations the Reds Meadow Road has been plowed, and will continue to be cleared of snow to facilitate the removal of the trees. However, because of hazards associated with hauling the trees out of the valley on potentially slippery roads, for safety reasons the road will be closed to all public use, including bicycle, skier, snowmobile and pedestrian traffic, and  access to Reds Meadow Valley will be prohibited when logging operations are in progress.

Normal road closure procedures state that after Oct. 15, the Reds Meadow Valley Road is closed to the public after the first accumulating snowfall. The most recent storm dropped over a foot of snow at Minaret Vista and on the Reds Meadow Road, thus bringing about the seasonal closure.

The Forest Service will post “Area Closed” signs at the point of closure when restrictions are in place. Generally, the area closure will be in place Monday through Saturday from pre-dawn to sunset, but may also include some Sundays. The closure will be posted at the gate beyond Minaret Vista or at the road to the Vista just beyond Mammoth Mountain Inn, depending on Ski Area Operations. Access to the Minaret Vista and beyond along the San Joaquin Ridge will not be allowed via Hwy 203 when the closure point is near the Mammoth Mountain Inn.

The Forest Service is continuing its clean-up efforts from the November 30 wind event that toppled thousands of trees in the Reds Meadow Valley, surrounding area and throughout the Inyo National Forest. A logging contractor is in the process of removing 3.5 million board feet of timber from the Reds Meadow Valley to help reduce the risk of wildfire and threat of insect or disease infestation.

The Forest Service is asking that the public cooperate and respect this necessary closure to ensure their safety, as well as the safety of the crews working in the area. Anyone entering the closed area may be issued a citation.

For more information, please call the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center at 760.924.5500 or visit the Welcome Center at 2510 Hwy 203 next to the Mammoth Ranger Station. -FS

Inyo National Forest Supervisor Jon Regelbrugge recently updated Town Council, on the fuels removal project that started earlier this month affecting the Reds Meadow Valley and Devils Postpile area. Concerned citizen Paul Payne asked Regelbrugge whether the Forest Service planned to repair any damage to the main road down to Reds Meadow Valley after it completes the work. Regelbrugge responded that the road was damaged before the work started, there is no money to do any repair and the Forest Service has no plans to conduct any repairs once its work is done.

Trucks carrying out large quantities of wood will create traffic snafus during several daytime periods. A press release said visitors should expect short traffic delays and could be stopped for 15-20 minutes at the Minaret Vista Entrance Station while loaded log trucks travel the single-lane portion of Reds Meadow Road. Log hauling delays will mainly be between 6-10 a.m. Regelbrugge told Council other traffic controls might also be implemented going to and from the valley floor as the project evolves.

A half-mile of temporary roads was to be constructed to access treatment areas. Heavy equipment will be used to remove trees from treatment areas, including a dozer, loaders and a helicopter in very hard to reach sections. Trees will be hauled from the Reds Meadow Valley on large log trucks, which Payne suggested will likely mean more damage to the narrow road already pocked by potholes and failing patches.

Some of the wood is to be “sold off,” but according to Scott Kusumoto, with the Bureau of Land Management’s Interagency Vegetation Management Team, part of the interagency effort, “sold” in this case translates to a “stewardship trade contract.” The contractor will waive their fees for rights to some of the wood, and also pay a certain amount toward road upkeep, though Kusumoto said the actual money would only pay for superficial touchups. Whether any significant federal funding to cover any major roadwork becomes available in the future is hard to say at this point, he said.

According to Public Affairs Officer Nancy Upham, this week Regelbrugge confirmed Kusumoto’s assessment. “A small amount of the fees paid by the contractor, approximately $25,000, does go into a Surface Replacement Deposit fund,” she explained. “As Scott Kusumoto said, this does not come close to covering the major road work necessary to repair the existing condition of the Reds Meadow road, with most of the problems existing before any logging trucks went down or up the road.”

Simple potholes and other patching work will most likely be covered by that fund, she went on to say. “This work will likely happen next spring or summer as the logging trucks will be lucky to get all of the logs out before the snow flies,” Upham noted, adding that Regelbrugge also seconded Kusumoto’s assessment that the U.S.F.S. can only wait until there is more funding for expanded road rehab.

Pictured: Work has begun in Reds Meadow to remove hazardous fuels caused by downed trees from last years’s wind storm. (Photo: Kirkner)/

The Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Ranger District recently announced the beginning of the wind-fallen tree removal work in Reds Meadow Valley, for hazardous fuels reduction. The tree removal work will take place on approximately 220 acres and will be accomplished under a contract known as the Red Devil Stewardship Sale.

Contractors were expected to begin this work on Monday, Sept. 10. Work will continue through the fall, likely into the end of October or early November, depending on weather.

For safety, visitors to the Reds Meadow Valley are urged to not enter areas where tree removal work is in progress and to drive slowly on the Reds Meadow Road because of increased traffic associated with tree removal activities. Visitors should expect short traffic delays as a result of tree removal work. To facilitate safety, traffic may be intermittently stopped for 15-20 minutes at the Minaret Vista Entrance Station while loaded log trucks travel the single lane portion of Reds Meadow Road. The log truck hauling and traffic delays may be most focused during the early morning hours, 6 – 10 a.m. The time of day when traffic delays occur may change as the contractor progresses with tree removal work. Other traffic controls may also be encountered in Reds Meadow Valley.

In preparation for tree removal work, the contractor will construct a half mile of temporary roads to access treatment areas. The contractor will use heavy equipment to remove trees from treatment areas, including a dozer, heel boom loaders, and a helicopter. Trees will be hauled from the Reds Meadow Valley on large log trucks.

Additional information may be obtained from the project Contracting Officer, Scott Kusumoto, via email at skusumoto@fs.fed.us or 760.924.5522. -Press Release

District Ranger Jon Regelbrugge of the Mammoth Ranger District, Inyo National Forest, has made a decision to implement Alternative 2 (Proposed Action with a minor modification) for the Reds Meadow Valley Wind-Fallen Tree Removal Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project, as described in the Environmental Assessment, or EA. Fuels reduction work will occur in close proximity to recreation developments in the Reds Meadow Valley. The purpose of this project is to reduce the amount of surface fuels so the potential for a high severity wildfire is decreased and wildfire defensible space is created around recreation developments. These recreation developments include areas around Reds Meadow Resort and Pack Station, the National Park Service Ranger Station at Devils Postpile, and Forest Service campgrounds. The project was planned under the authorities outlined in the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003.

The project will implement fuels reduction treatments on approximately 220 acres managed by the Inyo National Forest. The fuels reduction work will include removal of wind-fallen trees, and disposal of slash by piling and burning, chipping and/or prescribed burning isolated patches where slash occurs in dense concentrations, commonly called jackpot burning. The one minor modification to Alternative 2 will allow the option of tree removal using a helicopter in lieu of cable yarding in treatment areas with slopes steeper than 30 percent. This modification will provide for more effective fuels reduction treatment in steep areas, due to practical limitations on using cable yarding to remove down trees in these areas.

Implementation of the project will begin as soon as practical, likely during late summer and fall of 2012.  Fuels reduction work will continue over the next 1 to 2 years, until the project is completed.

-Press Release

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Reds Meadow Valley Road is now scheduled to open to the public on Friday, June 29, providing public access to Devils Postpile National Monument, Rainbow Falls, Reds Meadow Resort and recreation sites, trailheads,  and campgrounds in the Reds Meadow Valley. All regular rules, fees and restrictions will be in place upon opening of the road, including mandatory use of the shuttle bus. Information on fees, the mandatory shuttle bus and exception vehicles can be obtained on the Inyo National Forest website, www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/inyo/specialplaces. The Forest Service plans to open the road to exception vehicles at 9 a.m. on Friday. The first bus into the Valley will leave the Mammoth Adventure Center at 8:45 a.m.

The US Forest Service, National Park Service and several partners have been working hard to remove fallen trees, hazards and debris and make repairs to infrastructure damaged in the November 30 wind event that toppled tens of thousands of trees in the Reds Meadow Valley, surrounding area and throughout the Inyo National Forest. Invaluable assistance has come from other partners such as the Pacific Crest Trail Association, Student Conservation Association, Youth Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps, American Conservation Experience, Friends of the Inyo and Backcountry Horsemen of California.

Reds Meadow and Devils Postpile Campgrounds will be open on a first come-first served basis at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 29. The Forest Service is planning to open Pumice Flat and portions of Minaret Falls Campground in subsequent days. Campsite availability will be tracked by staff at the Minaret Vista Ranger Station and campers will be informed of availability upon arrival at the Station, beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday. Group campgrounds remain closed and reservations are not being accepted at this time.

Most of the area trails have been cleared and are open to the public, including access to the primary destinations of the Valley, Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls. The Forest Service estimates that nearly 2,000 trees have been cleared from trails in and around the Reds Meadow Valley. Maps that display information on the status of all area trails and identify remaining problem areas are available on the Inyo National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/Inyo/Blowdown.

The Forest Service is making every effort to clear recognizable and identifiable hazards from developed recreation sites (roads, non-wilderness trails, campgrounds, trailheads, etc.). Hazards continue to be present in the general forest areas and in a small number of developed recreation sites. Hazards have not been cleared in Agnew Meadows and Upper Soda Springs Campgrounds and these areas are closed to all public entry. Numerous and varied hazards exist in wilderness and other undeveloped forest areas. Visitors to these areas should understand the risks and know how to identify and avoid potential hazards.

Road work, repairs and removal of logs from the Valley will continue throughout the summer. Visitors may experience unexpected delays. Temporary road closures may be necessary and will be scheduled in an effort to minimally disrupt public use and enjoyment of the area.

For more information, please call the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center at 760.924.5500 or visit the Welcome Center at 2510 Hwy 203 next to the Mammoth Ranger Station. -Press Release

Forest blowdown event further explained; Road to Red’s expected to open by July 4 

Natural phenomena tend to intrigue us, so it’s no wonder that this past Monday evening it was standing room only at the Mammoth Welcome Center Auditorium for a presentation on the Nov. 30, 2011 forest blowdown event in Reds Meadow and the Devils Postpile area.

National Weather Service meteorologist Rhett Milne provided details on what happened during that windstorm, from a meteorological perspective, and National Park Service employees shared data they have collected so far about the trees themselves, as well as updates on public access.

While the event affected large sections of the San Joaquin River watershed from Tuolumne Meadows to Mt. Whitney, knocking down thousands of trees along the way, it was Reds Meadow and the Devils Postpile area that took the brunt of the damage.

Dubbing it the “Devils Windstorm,” Milne unveiled its magnitude.

Using data he obtained from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, he could see that the event lasted 12-15 hours, about twice as long as a normal windstorm in the area.

“A low pressure system and a high pressure system in concert caused the extreme winds,” Milne said. The orientation of the Reds area drainage in relation to the orientation of the wind built up the pressure.

“An incredible pressure gradient looks to be the main driver of the wind event,” he said. “There was huge [air] pressure in the Reds area; 20 millibars in 13 miles.” Comparatively, Milne said, 20 millibars of pressure would normally be spread out across the entire state of Nevada.

According to the MMSA data, winds at the top of the Mountain were sustained at 140 miles per hour with gusts of at least 150 miles per hour (the equipment was accidentally governed at a maximum of 150 mph so gusts may have gone higher). Down at Mammoth Yosemite Airport, wind gusts were clocked at a mere 35-40 mph, according to Milne.

“We don’t know the actual speeds in the Reds area, but 150 mph sustained winds equal an EF3 tornado or a category 4 hurricane,” Milne said, putting the magnitude in perspective. “Past wind events [in the area] don’t even compare to the Devils Windstorm. Those events didn’t even break 100 mph sustained winds.”

Kathy Hilimire, a National Parks Service scientist currently studying the trees in Reds Meadow, further expanded on that perspective by reporting that in the Devils Postpile area there are approximately 190 trees down per mile.

“Eighty-six percent of the trees are uprooted while 14% are snapped,” Hilimire said. “We lost more big trees than small, but no particular species was affected more than others. The wind was indiscriminate when it came to that.”

Hilimire added that three things created the perfect storm that led to the outcome of the event: big winds, a long duration, and an atypical wind direction.

“The winds came from the north/northeast, which is not the usual direction of wind we receive here,” she said. Usually winds come from the south, southwest.

One item for scientific study, according to Milne, is whether or not the trees have adapted root systems to anchor them against the usual direction of the wind. The atypical direction on Nov. 30 would then have caught the trees on their weak sides.

Other factors that may have come into play include no snowpack on the ground at the time of the event.

“Would snow have encased the trees and helped hold them down,” Milne asked rhetorically. Going from a really wet winter in 2010/11 to a dry period may also have affected the stability of the trees.

While these factors will need to be studied further, Milne did say that future wind events such as the Devils Windstorm could be predicted by watching pressure gradients. He did not, however, believe that the unique event was related to climate change.

Public Access

On Monday evening, Inyo National Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta stated that it is the Forest Service’s goal to open the road to Reds Meadow by July 4. Cleanup crews are working around the clock and on a media visit to the Reds area on Thursday, it was clear from the many cleared roads and the crews onsite that a lot of progress had been made.

Mammoth Firewood hauling logs from the Rainbow Falls trailhead entrance on Thursday morning, June 14 (Photos: Kirkner).

According to Jon Kazmierski, District Recreation Manager for the INF, the agency plans to have access to Rainbow Falls and Devils Postpile available to visitors once the road opens. Trailheads should be cleared and Pumice Campground, the Devils Postpile Campground, and most likely the Reds Meadow Campground should be open.

Other campgrounds such as Agnew and Soda Springs, which were hit the hardest by the downed trees, won’t be open for a while.

“Once the road opens the public should expect things to be normal except for fewer campgrounds,” Kazmierski said. However, the Forest Service has solely been focusing on clearing hazards from the developed recreation areas, so anyone wandering out of these areas should do so at their own risk.

What about the wood?

The Forest Service’s main contractor for hauling out the wood is currently Mammoth Firewood because the task requires the large machinery that a commercial company can supply. Eventually, the Forest Service expects to also hold a salvage sale to send many of the enormous logs to lumber companies to be used as wood products.

One bonus for campers at the Devils Postpile Campground this summer will be free campfire wood. This wood is only for campers at the Devils Postpile Campground, not for the general public. Not only is it a nice bonus to the campers, it also helps keep the public from bringing in its own firewood which could contain non-native insects that could do harm to the forest.

Last November 30 a powerful windstorm tore through a number of areas of the state, and some areas were hit exceptionally hard, including the Reds Meadow Valley of the Inyo National Forest, Devils Postpile National Monument, and many of the trails leading into the surrounding Ansel Adams and John Muir Wildernesses. As we near the beginning of summer many are wondering about camping and trail access, including to the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails in this area. The following is provided as an update from the US Forest Service and the National Park Service of what is known as of the end of May. Currently there is still no public access to Reds Meadow Valley, the Reds Meadow Road remains closed to all traffic including pedestrian and bicycle, and there is no projected opening date for public access at this time.

Currently the Forest Service has suspended campground reservations in Reds Meadow Valley. Wilderness reservations are still being taken for July and later in the summer, but at this time there are no predictions for dates that specific trails will be clear. The temporary freeze on wilderness reservations for trails accessed by Reds Meadow Road will be lifted as soon as the road is open for public access. Pacific Crest and John Muir Trail hikers planning to come out for re-supply through Reds Meadow are encouraged to visit the Inyo National Forest website for updates and trail status.

The trails to Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls have been cleared and are passable, and the day use areas at Starkweather and Sotcher Lakes are also clear. It is anticipated that the first campgrounds to open will be Reds Meadow, Devils Postpile and Minaret Falls, followed by Pumice Flat.  The last to open will be Soda Springs and Agnew. For up-to-date reports on the campground and trail clean-up progress, including pictures and maps, visit the Inyo National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/Inyo/Blowdown.

The Extent of the Damage

The late-arriving winter allowed access down into the Valley and onto the trails for an initial assessment of the damage, with estimates of more than 10,000 trees being uprooted and downed in the Reds Meadow area and trails alone. Surveys showed that all nine wilderness access trails out of the Valley were obstructed to some degree and that at least half of the 45 miles of trail were densely covered with down trees, described by some as looking like a “giant’s game of pick-up sticks.” Roads, campgrounds and picnic areas in the Valley all sustained some level of damage, including 20 picnic tables, 14 bear boxes, 4 fire rings and 4 toilet buildings, of which 2 were seriously damaged.

According to District Ranger Jon Regelbrugge, “Our crews are working as fast as they safely can, and our goal remains to open as much of  Reds Meadow Valley and the trails leading out of it as soon as is feasible.” The mild winter and spring have allowed crews and equipment to begin the clean-up work throughout the month of May, and substantial progress is being made in clearing down trees from trails and campgrounds, and repairing damaged roads.

Many trails in a wide area were impacted by the windstorm including the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the John Muir Trail which were both obstructed north and south of Devils Postpile. Other affected trails include Purple Lake, Fish Creek, Mammoth Pass, and the River, High and Shadow Creek Trails near Agnew Meadows. In the Mammoth Lakes Basin, portions of which were also hit hard by the wind event, some trails still have minor obstacles. Other less affected areas of the Forest, including Whitney Portal, and the Paiute Pass trail out of North Lake in the Bishop Creek drainage, have been cleared and there should be no impacts to summer access.

The steady progress being made on clearing the obstructed trails will be accelerated even more in early June  with the influx of crews and volunteers from the Pacific Crest Trail Association, Student Conservation Association, Back Country Horsemen, AmeriCorps and Friends of the Inyo all adding their skill, expertise and muscle to this massive effort.

Despite the fact that this was a low snow year, approximately 200 inches of snow fell in Reds Meadow Valley, and the ground is still very wet.  This has impeded the work of crews and equipment in some areas where there is no access at this time. Even as trail obstructions are cleared, in some areas trail damage is significant and it may be many weeks until some of the trails are passable to all users, particularly to stock.

The work that still needs to be done to clear developed sites and trails is multi-layered. Down trees must be removed. In the many cases where the whole rootwad was unearthed it must be dealt with and the hole left by the unearthed rootwad has to be filled in. It is estimated that there are around 400 rootwads that need to be removed and the holes filled within campgrounds and developed recreation sites in the Valley. Hazard trees (damaged trees with the potential to fall) are being identified and depending upon their location must be taken down. Damaged infrastructure is being repaired.

Public access to Reds Meadow Valley is currently not allowed, including a prohibition on pedestrian and bicycle traffic. This is primarily due to public safety. Portions of some roads and trails are damaged to the point that even once they are cleared of down trees, they still pose a hazard to the public until they can be repaired. There is a lot of heavy equipment working in the Valley and on the road, and crews are working on the trails. The crews and equipment operators are working in hazardous areas where knowing the location of every person is essential to maintaining safety, for themselves and anyone else in the area.  Visitors wandering around do not facilitate workers being able to do their jobs safely and efficiently. The public’s cooperation in this endeavor is greatly appreciated.

For more information please contact the Mammoth Welcome Center at 760-924-5500, call the Inyo National Forest Wilderness Permit Office at 760-873-2483 and visit the Inyo National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/inyo. -FS

Supervisor Vikki Bauer recently made a trip to Washington, D.C. to secure funding for cleanup required after the November 2011 tree blowdown in the Reds Meadow valley and Devils Postpile National Monument. On Tuesday, she announced that the trip had been successful and the National Parks Service had approved funding for the cleanup project.

“The NPS funding will be used inside the monument and that money was approved at $184,000,” Bauer said by email on Thursday. “It will be used to get the Devils Postpile trail and the Rainbow Falls trails ready for visitors as a first step. They have cleared one campground already but can’t let people in until they are sure that there are no damaged trees ready to fall down. A standing tree assessment needs to be done.

“The USFS funding is not confirmed yet. They say they are still doing some assessment work.” She confirmed that the USFS money, if confirmed, would be used to clean up the USFS areas and infrastructure that surround the monument. She believed just under $300,000 had been requested by the Inyo National Forest.

Some fallen “sailors” (Photo: Dan Molnar)

The Eastern Sierra has seen its share of powerful winds, but the gusts that blew through much of California on Nov. 30, 2011, were particularly ferocious. The same wind event that pummeled the greater Pasadena area in Southern California was even fiercer in the Eastern Sierra, toppling thousands of trees in the Middle Fork San Joaquin River watershed of the Inyo National Forest (INF). The epic level of devastation has led to a recovery effort that’s become known, unofficially, as “Operation Blowdown.”

Reports from the U.S. Forest Service say the tangle of trees resembles “a giant’s game of pick-up sticks.” Winds well in excess of 150 miles per hour were recorded, often registering “off the chart” gusts on monitoring equipment at the top of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

What generated the wind that caused the damage? No one knows with any real certainty yet, but scientists and weather researchers are already studying the event. Federal forest and land agencies, and numerous nature and environmental groups such as the Sierra Club and Friends of the Inyo among others, are already pooling their resources to stage the massive cleanup effort that will be involved in getting things back to, or at least as close to normal as possible.

“How do we respond so that people can recreate, and assist scientists and researchers in finding out the cause?” Sue Farley, INF and Bishop Bureau of Land Management Vegetation Project Manager, asked.

The damage occurred in random patches, from Island Pass to Fish Creek, and throughout the Reds Meadow valley and down to the Whitney Portal. According to INF Wilderness Trail Manager Michael Morse, who covers the North Zone including Mammoth, volunteers have already hiked and documented about 45 miles from Reds Meadow, Crater Creek, Fish Creek and up to Thousand Island Lake.

Morse said downed trees in sections of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and Mammoth Pass exhibit characteristics suggesting they were hit by a “microburst,” typically a column of plunging air, producing damaging winds at the surface that have similarities to a tornado. It’s not been determined, however, if this event qualifies as a “microburst.”

There are, he said, hundreds of trees in 10-foot-high piles. Everything in a SW aspect was hit, and the patterning seems to fall within the 7,500 feet to 9,000 feet timberline. Farley said the wind took out a lot of “sailors,” which are often the biggest and oldest trees that have large canopies, those resembling “sails.”

Not unlike tornado damage, the event’s randomness is both perplexing and yet awesome in the level of devastation. “There are at least 2,000 to 3,000 trees down that we know of,” Morse related. “The volunteers stopped counting after 800 trees and had only gone 3 miles.”

The Mammoth Lakes Basin only had about 100 trees downed. “We used to think of that as a lot,” Farley said. Still unknown are what happened in the Fish Creek drainage and Duck Pass areas.

In the Reds Meadow valley hundreds of trees are down in campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, and access trails. Extensive clean-up work is needed to remove downed trees and to repair the roads, trails, utility lines, restroom buildings, picnic tables, and food storage lockers damaged by fallen trees. “This is uncharted territory to deal with damage of this magnitude,” Deanna Dulen, Superintendent at Devils Postpile National Monument, noted. “You have to see it to believe it,” Morse remarked. “Even when you see it, it’s still hard to get your head around it,” Farley added. “We’ve never seen anything like it in recent history.” Records, Farley indicated, point to a similar event that occurred approximately 150 years ago.

In terms of trails status, Morse said the 9 trailheads in Reds Meadow valley all have debris. The PCT has been deemed “impassable,” with lots of climbing required. One hiker who emerged from the trail not long after the event said it took his group about 25 minutes to go a half-mile in some parts. Officials are working with the PCT Association on alternate routes. The official kickoff of the PCT hiking season is April 30, but most hikers don’t arrive until late June.

There are some trails, however, that have little or no damage. The Piute Pass and the Golden Trail out of Lone Pine only have about 40 trees to address, and nearby June Lake and Lundy Canyon have minimal, if any, tree issues.

Meanwhile, Farley said the INF has been working on an inventory of the downed trees, and a strategic plan to complete and repair work as quickly as possible, in a manner that will have the least impact on public use this summer.

“Our goal is to open as many of the Reds Meadow valley recreation sites and trails to the public as soon as is feasible and safe,” Jon Regelbrugge, Mammoth District Ranger, said in a media statement. “Every site in the valley has some amount of trees down and damage,” INF Recreation Staff Officer Jon Kazmierski reported.

Least affected: Pumice Group sites, which have no infrastructure damage. Most affected: Agnew Campground, which has only 3 sites not impacted. Destroyed there are picnic tables, bear boxes, fire rings and restroom facilities. Numerous “root wads” — about 400 — will need to be cut apart and removed, and craters left from the root systems will need to be filled in. “That might be a total rebuild,” Kazmierski suggested, but added that much of Agnew is buried at the moment. “You literally can’t see the campground for the trees,” Farley said.

This season’s snow drought, which lasted into January actually proved to be a “blessing in disguise,” according to Kazmierski. A regular snow pattern would have put the effort much further behind. “If we’d waited until the spring melt off to reveal the damage, we’d have had no clue what was in store at this point,” Morse assessed.

Reservations have nonetheless been suspended for the time being over what Kazmierski said was general “uncertainty” about access to the Valley.

Many of the camps, however, aren’t likely to look the same as they did before the “blowdown,” and there will be stumps and tree limbs removed on an ongoing basis throughout camping season.

The break in snow allowed downed trees to be removed from Reds Meadow Road, Reds Meadow Campground, the Rainbow Falls trailhead, and the Ranger Station area and Devils Postpile trail. Kazmierski said the Lakes Basin campgrounds will likely open on schedule, as well as the Convict Lake and Sherwin campgrounds, which are both getting new restrooms (not related to the wind event). Those he said are still on track to be ready on or before Memorial Day weekend.

Farley said implementing any strategy will depend on “variables that can’t be pinned down now,” such as weather, residual snowpack and emergency funding sources. Earlier and later timing scenarios are likely to be developed during the next few weeks with roads listed as a top priority, since access is the key to everything.

Also in the mix are partnerships with organizations such as FOI, which has amassed significant trail maintenance experience as part of its successful Summer of Stewardship programs. Local trails and camping sites with 20-30 trees downed could be handled by FOI and its volunteer crews, letting the INF and its crews focus on large scale work.

“We are already planning for the Inyo needing extra help,” Stacy Corless, FOI Executive Director, said. Corless said that FOI’s help will extend to an annual trails trip with the PCT Association staged out of the Red’s Pack Station on June 30-July 6.

Environmental concerns are also part of the strategy. “As we remove, we’ll be mindful of wildlife and environment protection,” Farley pointed out.

The INF is seeking any experienced retired or volunteer tree fallers and saw cutters. Contact the local INF offices or Friends of the Inyo to sign up.

At the end of November, 2011, a huge windstorm brought down hundreds of trees in the Mammoth Lakes Basin (shown here), as well as in the Reds Meadow Valley. (File photo)

On Nov. 30, 2011 a ferocious wind toppled thousands of trees in the Middle Fork San Joaquin River watershed of the Inyo National Forest. The tangle of downed trees looks like a giant’s game of pick-up sticks. The forest damage occurred in patches, from Island Pass all the way down to Fish Creek, and throughout the Reds Meadow valley.

In Reds Meadow valley hundreds of trees are down in campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, and access trails. Extensive clean-up work is needed to remove downed trees and to repair the roads, trails, utility lines, restroom buildings, picnic tables, and food storage lockers damaged by fallen trees. “This is uncharted territory to deal with damage of this magnitude,” observed Deanna Dulen, Superintendent at Devils Postpile National Monument.

What caused all of this damage? Did the jet stream touch down? No one knows with certainty, but scientists and researchers are very interested in the study of this wind storm.

Perhaps more importantly, many who live here and visit this area are interested in enjoying camping, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding in Reds Meadow and Devils Postpile,  just as they have every summer for many years.  The question on everyone’s mind seems to be how will this damage affect recreational opportunities for the coming summer season?

“Our goal is to open as many of the Reds Meadow valley recreation sites and trails to the public as soon as is feasible and safe,” stated Jon Regelbrugge, Mammoth District Ranger.  Inyo National Forest and Devils Postpile National Monument staffs have been working on an inventory of damages, and a strategic plan to complete clean-up and repair work. The strategic plan will identify steps to complete work as quickly as possible, in a manner that will have the least impact on public use this summer.

By taking advantage of the lack of snow, some clean-up work was accomplished in December and January. The Inyo National Forest, Devils Postpile National Monument and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area partnered in this effort. The downed trees have been removed from Reds Meadow Road, Reds Meadow Campground, Rainbow Falls trailhead, and the Ranger Station area and Postpile trail.

The remainder of clean-up and repairs will commence as soon as snow melts and the area can be accessed for work. Recreation sites and trails in the southern portion of Reds Meadow valley will most likely open to the public first, because this is where the snow usually melts the earliest. Campgrounds and overnight facilities expected to be open first include Reds Meadow Campground and Reds Meadow Resort. The trails to open first are expected to include Rainbow Falls, Devils Postpile and Fish Creek trails. The earliest day use sites expected to open would be Sotcher and Starkweather Lakes, and the Ranger Station and picnic areas at Devils Postpile. It is expected that the public will be able to use these areas while work is being conducted to open other recreation sites.

Two important variables in regards to the clean-up efforts and damage repair are the weather and funding for the work that needs to be done.  The timing of winter storms and snowmelt will dictate when clean-up work can be completed. The extent of the storms and the timing of the snowmelt can’t be predicted, which means that an exact date for opening Reds Meadow valley is not known. Both the Forest Service and the Park Service have applied for special funding for clean-up efforts, and are waiting to hear if those funds will be awarded. The Inyo National Forest and Devils Postpile National Monument will continue to share updated information about summer recreation in Reds Meadow valley as clean-up work continues. For updates and photographs regarding the damage and clean-up efforts please go to the Inyo National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/inyo.  -USFS