Regarding signs stating that an area is closed, I don't think the fact that a person passed no signs when entering a closed area, would stop them from getting a citation if caught. I don't recall anyone suggesting that the Bowen Ranch is responsible to put up Forest Closure signs. I think that most visitors that use the Bowen Ranch access route in seeking the springs would expect that this Business, which has in the past referred to itself as " The Gateway to Deep Creek Hot Springs " would be aware of whether or not DCHS was open for visitation, or not, at least thats my opinion of it. I don't like or agree with DCHS being closed given the conditions of this situation. There are those of us in the newly formed DCV group that feel that since we are a group that represents itself as " working in cooperation " with the local agencies, and hands out an information brochure that states this plainly, that it is in the best interest of the reputation of our group to show that we will do, what we advise others to do in our literature. I agree that unreasonalbe or unjust laws or policies should be contested by the public. This closure, in regards to DCHS visitors, in my view, has another agenda behind it than any real danger presented to the public who visit these springs. There are now public roads that enter and travel through the burn areas in many places and yet it is apparently considered safe by the policy makers. DCHS is miles from the nearest burn area, and this is considering a straight line direction. To actually hike from DCHS to these burn areas is many miles. The Willow Fire burnt right down to the edge of DCHS, probably within 20 feet of the Aniversary pool. The " expert " consultants at that time were all crying out that there was now the potential for disaster from mud slides, land slides, huge flash floods. None of this ever happened and you must ask yourself, how many hundreds of thousands of dollars where paid to these " experts ". In the end, the hills did not slid into Deep Creek, the local plants in large part have now regrown, and, none of this would have been any differant if people would have continued to visit DCHS during that year long closure of the area. Now we have nothing at all wrong with DCHS and any area reasonably close to it, and again its closed, for the publics saftey of course!
