District Ranger Michael McIntyre submitted his own report about last night's meeting of the Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group, where the Forest Service updated the plans for the Cobb Estate:
The Forest Service made a short presentation to the ACTRWG (Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group) on the status of the work to date. I reviewed the process to date, the meeting in March and the field visit in June. We had maps that displayed all the paths and trails out there with "official" trails, user trails, fire damage paths, and possible trail additions. Also we had aerial photos which showed the Cobb Estate area in the 30s and 50s.
Several points were raised in the discussion. The overall goal is to have a management strategy for lack of a better phrase that will help provide oversight and guidance for activities within the Cobb Estate. That would include a trail network that is environmentally sustainable and meets the needs of the user groups. Other issues such as after hour use, invasives, etc. could also be addressed in this plan. But the result will be the removal of some of the user trails. A valid point was raised that an attractive, useable trail system needs to be in place before any trails are removed, and that was acknowledged.
The next step on the big picture level is to get people together to develop the vision for the Cobb Estate. From there, we can task out the development of the facets of the Management Strategy in terms of priority, funding, etc.
That being said, the first step that the Forest will be doing will be the blocking and rehabbing of the dozer line near the entrance to prevent it from turning into another trail that would be environmentally a problem. Hopefully the vegetation would be able to restore itself by next spring.
