[pct-l] Trailhead parking, Big Bear, CA - DON'T

[Marion Davison]

We received a warning citation from the CHP this weekend when we parked 
at a PCT trailhead.  Below is a letter we sent to the CHP.  It describes 
the situation.

Marion

************************************

To: Sgt. Morton, CHP Station Supervisor
31230 Highway 18
Running Springs 92382-0997
909-867-2791

From:  Ray Davison
[ Address deleted ]

Subject:  Parking warning dated 4/08/07 by officer 101-32
Date:  4/09/07

On Highway 18, above Baldwin Lake, where the road crests before it 
starts down to the desert, there is what appears to be a parking area, 
and historically has been used as a parking area, though it has rather 
recently been reduced in size and given a more defined boundary.  Over 
the weekend of April 7 and 8, an associate and I parked our vehicles 
there and each received one of your yellow stickers threatening to 
remove our "abandoned vehicles" from the highway right-of-way.  

We were both parked 30 to 40 feet from the roadway, and behind a tree.  
How can you claim that that constitutes being on a highway right-of-way?

That parking area is the point where the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) 
crosses Highway 18.  It is a common access point to the PCT.  We are 
volunteers for the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA).  On the 
subject weekend we were doing trail maintenance.  We were out for one 
night.  In the past we have parked there and been on the trail for 
several days.  

While on the trail that weekend we met an early hiker headed for 
Canada.  He reported the trail south of highway 18 needed some serious 
work.  The practical way to work that section of trail is to park at 
least one vehicle each at the subject parking area and at Onyx Summit, 
one of which would serve as a shuttle to get everyone back to the same 
point.  We would then spend several days hiking between the two parking 
areas, clearing the trail as we went. On the subject weekend we noticed 
that the Onyx Summit parking area has been turned into a dumping area 
for logging debris.  

So it appears that at this time you will not allow us to park at the 
summit above Baldwin Lake, and a logging operation is preventing us from 
parking at Onyx Summit.  That makes 13.6 miles of the trail inaccessible 
from the outside.  At this point I have not investigated the 
ramifications for the trail southbound from Onyx summit.  

If you, and/or some other agency has declared that what looks like a 
parking area, and has historically acted as a parking area, is really a 
highway right-of-way, aren't you obliged to post it as to its current 
designation, so that innocent back country users are less likely to use 
it for parking?  Do you really have no concern that we would come off 
the trail and find that we are stranded?  Also, we often work the trail 
with pack stock.  That would make being stranded at that location even 
more interesting.  

Would the display of an adventure pass have any effect on the 
situation?  We generally
do not display them where they are not required.

Also, steering column locks, parking brakes and transmission park 
functions were only designed to hold a vehicle in one place.  They were 
not designed to survive the vehicle being forcibly moved.  So even if 
you put the vehicle somewhere nearby, and we were able to reclaim it, we 
still might not be able to get home.  

I would appreciate any clarification and hopefully some rationale that 
you can provide for your policy.  Meanwhile, the PCTA has an internet 
based communication system, and I will do what I can to notify others to 
avoid parking in your area.


Thank you