There are many off road enthusiasts in addition to myself who live on or near Hillside Drive in Topanga, with access to the Musch trail at the end of this quiet street. However, if we want to access Topanga State Park legally on wheels, we have to ride or drive several miles along State Rte. 27, Topanga Canyon Blvd, a very busy, narrow, and fast commuter thoroughfare, not one that our kids would be safe riding.

I can think of at least 15 kids of Mtn. Bikers, and dozens more whose parents don’t ride but might benefit from trying it with their friends. If the Musch Trail were open to bikes, all these kids would have an everyday outdoor healthy activity available to them, one that is currently denied. This is a real shame in this day and age of childhood obesity and couch potatoes.

I regret that I missed the deadline to submit my comments directly to the Topanga General Plan Team myself, so I’m doubly grateful that you were on the ball on our behalf.

Rick Denman

[...]Mountains Restoration Trust is now taking reservations for the 2011 Rattlesnake Avoidance Clinic for Dogs[...]…

The NPS is extending the public comment period for the Draft San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment to January 9, 2012.

Given the certainty that 6-12 trailworkers would lose interest after showing up for at most two events, one must ask if it’s worth starting something that would at best be 20% completed, and more likely only 10% finished.

Regarding the sweco work that was done, even several weeks ago it was clear that a singletrack was forming and the brush was starting to grow back. That’s the good news. The problem for the future is that the road was insloped so rainwater will run to the uphill side of the trail. This would be fine on a road where there is a gutter or ditch to collect the water and remove it from the trail. But Rogers Road has no such features, so the water will carve a big rut when it runs down the edge of the trail. Trail standards require an outslope of about 5% so that the water will run off the downhill side of the trail and not form a rut in the area of the trail tread. The rut that will form because of the current inslope will have to be dealt with at some point in the future. Fortunately the trail isn’t very steep where the sweco work was done, so the water won’t run very quickly and will take longer to carve a deep rut.

As for the rest of the trail, it’s an utter embarrassment. If Dale had been allowed to continue his work, we would all be enjoying one of the most incredible sections of singeltrack in all of southern California. Instead, we have a horribly overgrown trail that is VERY dangerous for all trail users right now. The brush is masking horrible ruts and rain damage, which could lead to users riding off-trail, or over the side, which could lead to major injury or fatality. Line of sight/visibility is also greatly affected, which causes user conflict and potential for collision.

I’m shocked at CORBA’s lack of involvement regarding this matter. I see NO upcoming Rogers trail days for the entire year. Paperwork has never been an issue in the past regarding permission for TSP trail days, which begs the question…when did CORBA fall out of grace with TSP management? It’s such a shame to see this incredible trail fall off CORBA’s radar.

Regarding my personal involvement, I’ve attended about 75% of Rogers trail days over the last 10 years. Problem is, scheduling ONE trail day a year simply doesn’t “cut it” for this trail. We all know that the brush grows so fast on Rogers, it needs more attention than annual. This is where Dale and is sweco would have been so effective. Oh well.

This trail is so dangerous right now, it should probably be closed to bikes. Perhaps I’ll put a call into Lynette and suggest it be closed to bikes. I’ll keep you posted on her response.

Please also notify the LA Equine Advisory Committee and Equestrian Trails Incorporated when the next draft comes out.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for your input. If you have to ask why a governmental process takes so long, we invite you to get more involved with CORBA and learn first hand! The Project Evaluation Form (PEF) is not just a form, it is a process that identifies and prioritizes a number of criteria for any given project before they can be implemented. Because of the nature of Rogers Road Trail’s tread surface and potential instability in places, the PEF could be quite lengthy.

Your comment about “a few internet complainers” is way off base. Topanga Sector Superintendent Lynnette Brody received dozens of calls and emails from individuals from all user groups, from both sides of the hill, ranging from concern to outrage. In fact, the grading was halted because Maintenance Supervisor Dale Skinner did not submit a PEF for the work and was doing the grading and brushing without authorization. Subsequent discussions with CORBA and other groups resulted in further examination of the actual width of grading, and width and height of brushing, with the general consensus that it should not necessarily be as wide and high as initially performed near the west end of Rogers Road Trail.

As for scheduling trail maintenance on Rogers Road Trail, it was one of the first things we discussed with Supervisor Skinner. We were told that we would need to submit additional paperwork to his office including liability forms in order to schedule new trail work. We requested the paperwork and to date have not received it. But thanks to your comments, we have renewed vigor in pursuing a brushing crew to tackle the overgrowth below the Lone Oak. I hope we can count on you to help us!

So while we sit around and wait for the bureaucrats to decide what & when is appropriate maintenance to this road bed, why hasn’t corba scheduled any trail days for this trail? Surprising negligence, when you consider that Rogers Road is corba’s crown jewel of trail openings.

Such a disappointment. It grows back, people!