Gila NF: Another Portion of the Catwalk Expected to be Re-Opened

Glenwood, NM; May 17, 2013— Work is going full steam ahead for re-opening an additional portion of the popular Catwalk National Recreation Trail located on the Glenwood Ranger District, Gila National Forest. Forest employees, many of them firefighting personnel, are working to replace an additional ¼ mile of the trail up to the octagon (the 8-sided view area) in hopes of having work completed by Memorial Day weekend. “Although we are working towards this date, we may face some challenges with fire season upon us,” says Pat Morrison, Glenwood District Ranger. No fees are currently being charged at the Catwalk. Once the new toilet is installed, the $3.00 per vehicle fee may be reinstated.

 

“The Forest Service is supportive of the Catwalk restoration recognizing its popularity among local citizens and tourists from throughout the country and internationally; the local economies of the Glenwood area and Catron County are also of high value to us,” adds Ranger Morrison.

On May 26, 2012, the Catwalk and Whitewater Picnic Area were closed due to public safety concerns from the Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex, the largest wildland fire in New Mexico history. Since October 6, 2012, the Catwalk trail has been partially re-opened from ¼ mile from the picnic area, including the portion of the picnic area located at the Catwalk entrance.

During times of rain events, it will be necessary to temporarily close the opened portions of the  Catwalk recreation area due to potential flashfloods and flooding. 

For other fun activities in the Glenwood area, a glimpse back in time of a historic mining community can be enjoyed at the Ghost Town of Mogollon. There are also a number of historical sites including Cooney’s Tomb, WS Cemetery and Meador’s stage stop.

Free camping opportunities are available at the Bighorn Campground and the  Hot Springs Trailhead both near Glenwood plus Pueblo Park Campground, 20 miles northwest of Glenwood.

The Blue Range Wilderness, one of the three wilderness areas on the Forest, offers abundant opportunities for hiking and solitude. From west of the San Francisco River, the road system provides opportunities for ATV rides, including some loop rides.

Please contact the Glenwood Ranger District, 575.539.2481, for further information.

Gila NF Lightning-caused Fires Keep Fire Personnel Alert

Lightning-caused Fires Keep Fire Personnel Alert

May 15, 2013, Silver City, NM-  An upper level storm system from the west mixed with a cold front from the east delivered dry lightning late last week, keeping fire crews vigilant and ready to take action.  Several fire lookout towers reported lightning strikes in a variety of locations across the Forest, including the Black Range, the Blue Range Wilderness, and multiple locations in the Quemado Ranger District. 

Initial attack handcrews, engines, and air resources mobilized to at least 9 verified fires by Friday afternoon, all remaining ¼ acre in size or less. Limited amounts of rain and hail were reported across the forest as well.  “Right now, we have sufficient resources to handle what we have, but I am concerned about the predicted warming trend this week,” states Gabe Holguin, Fire Staff Officer for the Gila National Forest.  “There might be additional fires reported as a result of these storms and having enough resources to meet the need will be critical.” Drier conditions with mostly sunny and warm weather are predicted . 

Another concern of the Forest is the number of abandoned campfires that are being found in the Bear Mountain area.  “Southwest New Mexico sees plenty of lightning-caused fires each year,” reports Ellen Brown, Fire Prevention Officer, “Any human-caused fire that can be avoided allows fire crews to focus on the lightning fires that are inevitable.”  The Gila National Forest is activating Stage 1 restrictions beginning Tuesday, May 21^st, which limit campfires to developed campgrounds with agency-provided fire rings or grills. “We look at the number of abandoned campfires being reported as well as fire activity and predicted weather when deciding to restrict campfire use,” says Brown.  The Gila National Forest strongly encourages recreators to practice fire safety while out on all wild lands.  Never leave any fire unattended, and always have a shovel and water on hand to extinguish their campfire. Fully extinguished ash pits should have no heat remaining.

For additional information, please contact the Gila National Forest at 575.388.8201.#

Ellen C. Brown

Fire Prevention and Mitigation

Fire and Aviation Management

R3, Gila National Forest

575.388.8262

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on Gila National Forest as of May 21, 2013

Gila National Forest Heads into Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

May 15, 2013- Silver City, NM- The Gila National Forest will be implementing Stage 1 Fire Restrictions beginning on May 21, 2013. “Forest visitorshave been diligent in putting out their campfires and taking care not to spark a human-caused fire,” states Kelly Russell, Forest Supervisor, “but we feel it’s critical to reduce the potential for any additional fire starts during this period of drought and high fire danger.”

Fire restrictions for the Gila National Forest include allowing campfires only in designated developed campgrounds and picnic areas, and must be in a Forest Service provided grill or fire pit. Fires in rock rings will not be allowed. The use of petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns or heating devices are acceptable, provided they meet the fire underwriter’s specifications for safety. Smoking is limited to a vehicle, building, or 3-foot area cleared of all flammable materials. The following campgrounds and picnic areas have been designated for campfire use:

Kingston Campground                                           Juniper Campground

Piñon Campground                                                El Caso Campground

Big Horn Campground                                          Cottonwood Campground

Pueblo Park Campground                                      Grapevine Campground

Lower Scorpion Campground                               Forks Campground

Upper Scorpion Campground                                Sapillo Campground

Upper End Campground                                        Mesa Campground

Lake Roberts Picnic Area                                      Apache Creek Campground

Little Walnut Picnic Areas                                    Cherry Creek Campground

McMillan Campground                                         Iron Creek Campground

Upper Gallinas Campground                                  Lower Gallinas Campground

Railroad Canyon Campground                           Catwalk National Recreation Area (correction added 05/17/13 per USFS)

Forest personnel strongly encourage extreme care when traveling in the National Forests. As always, fireworks are prohibited on National Forest System lands. Please contact Ellen Brown, Fire Prevention Officer at (575)388-8201 or individual districts between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. for further details regarding campgrounds and fire restrictions.

Black Range Ranger District-(575) 894-6677 Reserve Ranger District-(575)533-6232

Glenwood Ranger District-(575) 539-2481 Quemado Ranger District-(575)733-4678

Wilderness Ranger District- (575) 536-2250 Silver City Ranger District-(575)388-8201

###

Ellen C. Brown

Fire Prevention and Mitigation

Fire and Aviation Management

R3, Gila National Forest

575.388.8262

Gila NF to Accept Credit/Debit Cards May 22, 2013

Gila NF Provides Internal Training for Accepting Payment with Credit/Debit Cards for Over-the-Counter Sales

Silver City, NM; May 9, 2013--The Gila National Forest will be providing training on May 15 & 16, 2013, to Front Desk personnel at District Ranger offices on accepting payment using credit/debit cards for all over-the-counter sales for timber products such as firewood and vigas, forest and wilderness maps, range permittee billing, etc.

After the training and beginning May 22, 2013, all Forest offices will be accepting credit/debit cards for all over-the-counter purchases.

Due to the scheduled training and the unavailability of Front Desk personnel who sell these products to the public, several District Ranger offices will be unable to provide sales on May 15 & 16th. All Forest offices will be open for all other business.

The Black Range, Glenwood, Wilderness, and Quemado Ranger Districts including the Luna Work Center in Luna, NM, will be unable to sell these timber products and maps on May 15 & 16th. The Quemado Ranger District and the Luna Work Center will also be unable to provide sales on May 14th starting at 1:00 p.m. After these dates, normal sale of timber products and maps will resume.

The Silver City Ranger District will be unable to sell timber products on May 15th (Wednesday) but will be able to sell them on May 16th with map sales available during the two days of training. Reserve Ranger District will be available to sell all products and maps throughout the training period.

Please contact the local District Ranger office or the Supervisor’s Office, 575.388.8201, in Silver City for further information.

NM 159 (Bursum Road) Opens

Glenwood, NM; May 2, 2013--The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) has opened NM State Highway 159 (Bursum Road) today, May 2, 2013. Prior to re-opening, NMDOT completed the majority of its annual spring maintenance along the road.

Bursum Road is closed annually during the winter months as it is a high-elevation road prone to icy, snowpacked conditions; it re-opens annually during the month of May.

Motorists can expect roadbed conditions to be rough and rocky, and are asked to slow down and exercise caution on the Mogollon-to-Willow Creek portion of the road to avoid tire and vehicle damage.

Bursum Road is paved up to the Community of Mogollon and reverts to native material as it climbs into the mountains. Narrow and winding, the road is characterized as single lane with turnouts. Recommended vehicle length is 20’ maximum. An alternative route for motorists having larger vehicles is Forest Road 141, south of the Community of Reserve.

For further information, contact the Glenwood Ranger District office at (575) 539-2481.