a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

General discussions on hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest
justpeachy
Posts: 3066
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by justpeachy » December 30th, 2020, 3:26 pm

Chip Down wrote:
December 28th, 2020, 8:10 pm
This picture is taken at the same place as the pic in my OP above, but it's the winter version.
I was surprised and disappointed that in the last week of December I couldn't enjoy a peaceful calm snowscape.
So someone decided to drive their OHV through the snowy meadows? Great. :roll:

The Forest Service needs to do a better job of blocking vehicle access at the north trailhead.

User avatar
bobcat
Posts: 2764
Joined: August 1st, 2011, 7:51 am
Location: SW Portland

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by bobcat » December 31st, 2020, 8:55 am

Well into the '90s all those old jeep tracks around Silver Star were used by ORVs. DNR then designated separate ORV areas with plenty of trails and short "challenge" routes west of W-1200 and south of Larch Mountain. However, those areas are closed from Dec. 1st through April 30th. I've been passed by motorcycles on the Tarbell Trail and seen ORVs on the south ridge of Silver Star (a few years ago). Frankly, I'm surprised the incursions are so minimal because there are always those who fulminate that their generational "rights" have been trampled upon and the rules be damned. A lot of the the signage has also "disappeared."

jvangeld
Posts: 156
Joined: May 29th, 2018, 6:36 pm
Location: Proebstel, WA

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by jvangeld » February 5th, 2021, 8:17 pm

That's just garbage. Steve and I obstructed the southern approach, but we weren't able to get to the northern one. And, likely as not, they pulled out what we did place.

CTA is trying to get an excavator and an additional load of boulders up to the trailhead sometime this Spring. To my mind, the most effective thing to do would be to build a 20' tall retaining wall along the East edge of the parking lot. But they will do what they can.

Personally, I hate when any road is closed. But if people can't restrict themselves to driving on the road then I don't see an alternative to keeping it closed.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by Chip Down » February 5th, 2021, 8:41 pm

jvangeld wrote:
February 5th, 2021, 8:17 pm
... build a 20' tall retaining wall along the East edge of the parking lot.
I promise you, Mexico will pay for it :lol:

But why the east edge? Are you suggesting the parking lot should be closed? I don't see the point. I'm not trying to be difficult or argumentative, I genuinely wonder if I'm overlooking something.

jvangeld
Posts: 156
Joined: May 29th, 2018, 6:36 pm
Location: Proebstel, WA

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by jvangeld » February 6th, 2021, 9:30 am

Heh, I'm not suggesting that the parking lot be closed. Though I wasn't very clear.

By my reckoning, the road enters the parking lot from the North. The official trail leaves the parking lot to the South. Along the East edge is the slope that ORV's traverse to get to the abandoned road. If a 20' tall retaining wall was built against that slope, it would keep all but the most determined monster trucks with winches from passing. There might be more room for parking, too. Of course, I am pretty far gone into fantasy land with this idea. But I was thinking it would be a classy wall, like the ones at Crown Point or Rocky Butte. It could even have a stairway up to the abandoned road. It is nice to dream.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

User avatar
adamschneider
Posts: 3710
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: SE Portland
Contact:

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by adamschneider » February 6th, 2021, 9:43 am

jvangeld wrote:
February 6th, 2021, 9:30 am
By my reckoning, the road enters the parking lot from the North. The official trail leaves the parking lot to the South.
Your reckoning is half right. Both of the trails (the official one, and the old road) leave to the south, but Road 4109 comes in from the east, not the north.

jvangeld
Posts: 156
Joined: May 29th, 2018, 6:36 pm
Location: Proebstel, WA

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by jvangeld » February 6th, 2021, 3:25 pm

I gotcha. So then I am talking about a wall on the Southeast side of the parking lot.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by Chip Down » February 6th, 2021, 3:58 pm

jvangeld wrote:
February 6th, 2021, 9:30 am
... I was thinking it would be a classy wall, like the ones at Crown Point or Rocky Butte.
Would it be barricaded like Crown Point is currently, or accessible as Crown Point was pre-covid? ;)

jvangeld
Posts: 156
Joined: May 29th, 2018, 6:36 pm
Location: Proebstel, WA

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by jvangeld » March 3rd, 2021, 5:54 pm

Eh, it would probably be the last stairs people climb before they enter a COVID isolation camp. I denounce the idea.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: a different kind of volunteer opportunity on Silver Star, road 4109

Post by Chip Down » May 12th, 2021, 5:36 pm

Interesting that we have enough resources to remove a gate and decommission a road in a popular OHV area nearby, but nothing can be done to preserve Silver Star.
Attachments
20210512_120809.jpg

Post Reply