Katrina, I was pretty sure that this point would come up. I know next to nothing about the process that is going on with the forest service and what the plan is that they will be presenting in June. I have read in this forum that they may present something in June and that some kind of special designation is probable or possible.

I hope it is not far fetched that one of the stipulations for the area is that it is a fire sensitive zone and therefore no open flames would be allowed, including smokes.

The alcohol one is a bit more tricky but because of the nature of the place alcohol and drugs perhaps could fit within some part of the special designation because of the nature of the area.... remote with lots of use and no readily available medical etc., should something go wrong that is alcohol or drug related. These "rules" would have to be accompanied with VERY stiff fines for those who are caught.

At this point it is more important to get the guidelines right and worry about who and how to enforce later.

On the enforcement issue.... This is one area where the access issue IS and issue that could help or hinder the preservation of Deep Creek as we know it.

If there were a fee that was charged to support some government agency, ie, Forest Service for their increased enforcement requirement and if access where made a bit more "remote" most of the hooligans just wouldn't bother.

There are many that are already paying Mike. I know nothing of the issue but apparently there are allegations of "vigilante enforcement" already. The problem is that this enforcement is "access" and should be based on the contents of ones "pack" that is being carried into the canyon. If the Forest Service had "search" authority at the top, the problems at the bottom would be minimal. That coupled with stiff fines at the bottom for being caught with inappropriate materials, alcohol, etc., should just about do the trick.

Again, there will be those who complain about the fact that we should have free access. As a matter of principle we should! However, as a matter of principle we should never have to lock our doors or pay for jails to house convicts. Unfortunately, that is part of what goes along with a society that is as free as ours is. There are those, and always will be those that make bad decisions that affect others negatively and must be policed and / or stopped.

Just a side note. I made a visit to Miracle Hot Springs in the Kern River Valley just below Lake Isabella a couple of weeks ago. The reason I considered the trip was a very high recommendation that I had received from someone I met in the main pool at Deep Creek. When I arrrived I found that the place had been destroyed by the Forest Service. A sign posted said it was because of harmful bacteria. My suspicions are that it was because of uncontrollable rowdiness at night. The place is VERY accessible. Just 70 yards from a paved parking lot.

Again, I'm not sure of all the facts here but maybe there is something that can be learned from what possibly happened at Miracle Hot Springs.

Will