By Marianne Love , Staff Writer

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST -- Off-road vehicle enthusiasts can play in the mud today for the first time in months after cleaning up damage from winter rains to their playground.

For the past five weeks, some of the 200 members of Azusa Canyon Off Road Association poured an estimated 1,200 hours into cleaning up the San Gabriel Canyon Off Highway Vehicle area adjacent to state Highway 39.

It was either wait a year for the U.S. Forest Service, or do it themselves.

"Our first priority is fire protection and getting roads restored to do fire protection, and that leaves valid uses of forest standing in line,' Forest Service spokeswoman Kathy Peterson said.

Club members raised money and hauled in tractors, jackhammers and other tools to get the area ready for summer fun.

Peterson said barriers protecting the river from illegal crossings were washed away in the storms, but were repaired by club members.

"That's huge. They are advocates of responsible OHVs and deserve to be showcased,' she added.

Club members and the public migrate to the area 11 miles north of Azusa, mostly on weekends, where they say they find the perfect mixture of water, mud and dust.

New park hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

"When the (area) reopens, we the users will be given the best opportunity for success, so that the area stays open. The right to recreate is a serious matter,' club president Mike Bishop said.

Bishop said everyone must obey the old and new rules.

Stream crossings must be on a 90-degree angle. In the past, off- roaders could reach the other side of the San Gabriel River anywhere south of the East Fork bridge. Now, they must cross at two new designated spots.

"If we stay out of water we have the best opportunity for success. Stay out of the reservoir water and just play in the dirt and mud,' Bishop said.

It has been a battle to keep the OHV park open. In December 2001, the Azusa City Council recommended the forest ban OHVs, despite opposing pleas.

Environmentalists have said OVHs threatened the fish, birds and water.

Off-roaders say they're wrongly blamed for problems and consider themselves to also be environmentalists.

Group members, also referred to as Canyon critters, recently won the California Off Road Vehicle Association 2004 conservation award for their work in protecting the Santa Ana sucker fish and water testing schedule.

"The OHV area is opening because of volunteers,' Peterson said. "It is one of the uses with a potential for being abused, and we are very pleased with (the club's) commitment to use their OHVs in an appropriate manner.'

[ Media page ]   [ Home ]