Glamis Alert - ISDRA Overflight Info

[PerrySoCal]

As part of the Milkweed lawsuit, overflights of the closures in Glamis are required. The BLM is in charge of these flights. John Stewart arranges them. There is always a representative of the dunes users (us) in the plane. Occasionally one of the environmentalists (them) will be there also. The idea is to get an accurate count of the number of incursions into the closed area's by off road vehicles.

This is your chance to do something to help keep Glamis open to OHV use.


Perry

Here is the ISDRA Overflight schedule. I am looking for volunteers
to fill out the rest of the schedule.

Any assistance you can provide would be appreciated.

Interested volunteer's should contact me to get their name on the
list and any additional information.

I can be reached by phone: (619) 390-8747 or cell (619) 508-8840,

And, I can always be reached by email at: john@muirnet.net


Flights are scheduled for Saturdays leaving at the Imperial County
Airport in Imperial, CA.
a
BLM Contact is Neil Hamada @ 760 337-4451, cell 760-791-5896 or
nhamada@ca.blm.gov

Please arrive 30 minutes prior to take off to go through pre-flight
safety orientation. Flight time is approximately 60 minutes.

Neil Hamada
Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area Manager
1661 South 4th Street
El Centro, CA 92243


Dec 4 1000 Bo Neece
Dec 11 1000 Jason Thompson
Dec 18 1000 David Kern
Dec 25 1100
Jan 1 1100
Jan 8 1100
Jan 15 1100
Jan 22 1100
Jan 29 1230
Feb 5 1230
Feb 12 1230
Feb 19 1030 Jon Pergl
Feb 26 1030
Mar 5 1030
Mar 12 0900
Mar 19 0900
Mar 26 0900
Apr 2 0900
Apr 9 0900



--
John Stewart
Director, Environmental Affairs
United Four Wheel Drive Associations, http://www.ufwda.org
Natural Resource Consultant
California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, http://www.ca4wdc.com
Recreation Access and Conservation Editor, http://www.4x4wire.com
Moderator, MUIRNet - Multiple Use Information Resource Network

To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE to MUIRNet, send email to john@muirnet.net.

John will update me as needed.

[PerrySoCal]

Here is a report from this weekends overflights.

By Jon Pergl

The flight left Imperial Airport in the city of Imperial, just North of El Centro at 10:00 A.M. with the pilot, Scott Womack of the BLM, Terry Frewin of the CBD, and myself. It took 20 minutes to reach the Patton Valley area and the small closure at Butter Cup. We found it riddled with tracks and called in three violators. Then we flew North West along the West boundary of central closure paralleled by sand hwy. Along that route we saw tracks going approx. up to 100 yards into the closures and back out. Only one person was actually seen in the closed area and he was called into ground units. In the North west section of the same closure closer to Road Runner Scott called in over 14 more riders. We then went to the small central closure East of Geko, that area also had many fresh tracks, and 12 violators were called in. We then continued North past the 78 and headed up to the Mammoth wash area. There were few riders going along OUTSIDE the closure only old tracks going into the original closure. Up at the camping area we came upon 11 more riders in three different groups that needed to be called in. After that we headed South along the Rail Road tracks and found nobody in the East side of the large old closure. We followed the tracks all the way to the South boundary of the central closure and found up to 20 riders just above Patton Valley on top of the hill. Some riders resting in the closed area, some riding in the dunes to the North, All were called in by Scott. We then headed back to the Airport. The flight terminated on the ground at 11:45 P.M.


Most of us do not agree that the closures are necessary. But unfortunately RIGHT NOW it’s the law. And if we the duners do not up hold the law it leaves a big gaping hole for the CBD to go to court and take action that will limit our riding area to even less, if not close it all together. The BLM is, in my opinion, and my observation during the fly over, their best to keep the people out, baring fences like they have at places like Pismo for example. I, like you, do not want to see fences in the middle of the dunes nor at entrances.

There is the old cliché that says “ it only takes a few bad apples