HomeMy Public PortalAbout2017 USDA Bear Basin Path Correspondence _USDA United States Forest Payette National Forest 102 West Lake Street
Department of Service McCall Ranger District McCall,ID 83638
_ Agriculture 208-634-0400
File Code: 2300
Date: June 2, 2017
Jackie Aymon � O
Mayor
City of McCall
216 East Park Street ,
McCall, Idaho 83638 `d
Dear Mayor Aymon;
Thank you for your letter of March 17, 2017 requesting a safe pathway connection to access
Bear Basin trails from the City's Bear Basin Connector path. The Forest Service granted the
City of McCall an easement for the Brundage Mountain Road Number 50451 from Highway 55
to the National Forest boundary which was recorded in Valley County on November 4, 2008. I
concur with signing this portion of the road as the official pedestrian/bike access to the
connection on National Forest System land. No signing should be added designating trails on the
Forest at this time.
Officially adding portions of trail on the Forest that you have indicated on the map requires an
environmental analysis. The next collaborative forest landscape restoration project undertaken
by the Payette National Forest may include the portion of the McCall Ranger District west of the
southern end of the Warren Wagon Road including the Bear Basin area. I will ask our
interdisciplinary team to include your trails proposals in their field analysis that is beginning in
the near future. The field work will ultimately provide the information used to frame a proposed
action for the entire project when that step is reached. Bear in mind this is a multiyear project
with a decision not expected until 2019. I understand the portion of trail indicated on the map is
a single track trail at both the north and south ends and an old roadbed in the middle. If you have
different information or I am mistaking this trail for something else please let me know.
The Forest is trying to eliminate the proliferation of new trails on the National Forest that are
being created by well-meaning users. I appreciate you contacting Susan so that we can
ultimately work together towards a trail system that is sustainable, can be maintained and makes
sense. Please contact Susan or I with other ideas you have or hear of for the Bear Basin area so
we can consider them in the upcoming project if it makes sense to do so. Thank you for your
interest.
Sincerely,
LISA J. KLINGER
District Ranger
cc: Susan Jenkins, Kim Pierson
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