Tuesday Night: Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group Meeting

Details for Tuesday night's Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group Meeting were shared last-minute with Patch, but here is more on tonight's agenda.

The meeting will be held at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive, just west of Lake Avenue, next to the Sheriff's Station and across the street from Rite Aid.

Meetings Chair Robert Staehle shared the following:

Please join us to work on restoration of the Altadena Crest Trail and associated issues.

The lack of maintenance for the Brown Mt. Fire Rd (from Millard Cyn Campground parking lot west to the top of Rising Hill Rd), which provides access for emergency fire trucks and crews as well as evacuation routes for local residents, is on the agenda for this meeting. 

See input about a November Altadena horse rescue in the area that some say highlighted Brown Mountain's issues here.

This is an important issue not only for trail use, but because the unpaved Brown Mt. Rd provides a critical fire line between the Angeles Forest and hillside homes. In recent years, that road was passable by passenger car and fire trucks; however, it is gradually approaching impassable due to rock fall, shrubs, saplings and weeds now that neither the USFS or L.A. County takes responsibility for its maintenance. 

The USFS has apparently, without pubic notice or input, downgraded the status of the Brown Mt. Fire Road from a "Level 3" roadway to a less maintained "Level 2" (as defined in the "USDA Forest Service Handbook" under Road Maintenance Levels 7709.58,10,12.3). Level 2 permits vegetative encroachment, surface irregularities, and other impediments to car and fire truck use.

Your participation and views are important. All are welcome!

Please bring trail conditions, concerns and photos to this meeting for discussion.