Tonto Closure

[Tough_Boots]

Looks like I won't be playing on the Highline this weekend

Area closures on Tonto National Forest begin June 21 due to extreme fire conditions - Fireworks prohibited at all times

Release Date: Jun 20, 2012

Payson, Ariz. (June 20, 2012) –Public safety concerns due to drought conditions, hot temperatures, and increased fire danger have resulted in two temporary area closures on the Tonto National Forest beginning at 8 a.m., Thursday, June 21. The area closures are within the following boundaries:

All National Forest System Lands, roads and trails described as follows: Beginning at Forest Road 708 at the Fossil Springs Trailhead thence proceeding southeasterly along the power line corridor following the Mazatzal Wilderness Boundary; thence easterly along the power line corridor to the junction of Forest Trail 540 (FT540); thence easterly and southeasterly along the power line corridor to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park; thence easterly along Forest System Road 583 to State Highway 87; thence southerly following State Highway 87 to the Intersection with State Highway 260; thence easterly along State Highway 260 to the junction of the Colcord Road (Forest Road 291); thence easterly and southerly along FR 291 to Forest Road 512; thence northerly along FR 512 to the Forest boundary at the top of the Mogollon Rim; thence westerly along the Mogollon Rim and Tonto National Forest Boundary to the Fossil Springs Trailhead at Forest Road 708.
All National Forest System Lands, roads and trails within the Mt Ord, Four Peaks and Three Bar Wildlife Area, more specifically described as follows: bounded by Highway 87 on the west beginning at the intersection with Forest System Road 143; thence northerly along the eastern edge of State Highway 87 to the intersection with State Highway 188; thence southerly along the western edge of Highway 188 to the Salt River corridor; thence westerly along the north side of the Salt river corridor including the north shores of Apache Lake, Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake to Cottonwood Creek; thence northerly along Cottonwood creek to the intersection with Forest System Road 401; continuing northerly on Forest System Road 401 to the intersection with Forest System Road 143; thence westerly on Forest System Road 143 terminating at the intersection with State Highway 87.

Forest System Road 583 from State Highway 87 will remain open for access to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. The Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery operated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department will be closed for public access.

State Highway 87, State Highway 260, and State Highway 188 are open.

County roads through the Tonto National Forest remain OPEN unless the road is specifically closed by the agency managing that road; all National Forest System roads and trails within the described area are closed.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/new ... RDB5375197

[Jim]

Yes, but the Coconino National Forest, as well as Flagstaff, and it's many shops, boutiques, prevues, cafes and pubs, are open for business!

[Tough_Boots]

@Jim_H
I should probably quit complaining and use this as an excuse for an annual Humphries ascent this weekend. I haven't gone up the Weatherford before ;)

[nonot]

Does anybody have a map? I'm not familiar with half these roads. It would appear that the rim road is open and anything north of rim road is still open as well?

[trekkin_gecko]

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC ... 375194.pdf

map is on page 3

[Jim]

@Jim_H
I should probably quit complaining and use this as an excuse for an annual Humphries ascent this weekend. I haven't gone up the Weatherford before ;)

Twas just a joke.

[paulhubbard]

that the rim road is open and anything north of rim road is still open as well?

That's all in the Apache Sitgreaves Nat Forest. Couple years ago the Tonto had fire restrictions but A-S didn't, so you could have a campfire on top of the rim.

[te_wa]

i might do W. fork from the bottom, overnight. any takers?

[Tough_Boots]

@paulhubbard

Some of it is Coconino and there's definitely restrictions there.

[Grasshopper]

Some of it is Coconino and there's definitely restrictions there.

Hwy 87 / Rim Road (FR300) all the way to the Rim Road intersection with the FR to Knoll Lake is all in the Coconino NF which is, as of this posting, open for business with these following Fire Restrictions in force.. http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/coconino/ ... ?aid=11559

[chumley]

Does anybody have a map? I'm not familiar with half these roads. It would appear that the rim road is open and anything north of rim road is still open as well?

The rim road is not on the Tonto. Coconino has no closures except for its portion of fossil creek (nor does as-nf). Closures are only on the Tonto below the rim.

[nonot]

Thanks Hank and Chumley, I forgot where the boundaries are. What's interesting is that Fossil Creek is largely under Coconino, that has a fire closure, so I was thrown when it was associated with the Tonto FS. Tonto apparently owns the Fossil Creek Trail and trailhead area and part of the road on the Strawberry side. But the mail trail and majority is actually under the Coconino.

Tough Boots - I did not find anything on the coconino site that closes anything north of the rim rd. I also found nothing on Apache Sitgreaves that closed anything north of the rim rd. As per Chumley's post above it appears that areas around Fossil Creek are closed, and several areas south of the rim rd are closed, a few areas south of the rim rd are open, and everything north of the rim rd is open. I don't think you can have a campfire anywhere, but you can hike,backpack,etc.

Which means my current plans are not affected by this!

[Tough_Boots]

@nonot
my statement was that Coconino has restrictions-- not closures.

[CannondaleKid]

Rats!
I guess all I can hope for is the upcoming 'chance of thundershowers' to bring some actual moisture and lots of it. Otherwise three out of four summit-bagging hikes I planned will have to wait til late August.
Thankfully I completed #1 on Tuesday. Looks like I'll be spending more time in the Florence/Superior area for a while.

[azbackpackr]

I have lived here in Eagar off and on for 13 years, and I am thinking today is just about the worst "fire weather" I have ever seen in June here in Eagar. Over 100 degrees, and windy. The FS is saying it is the worst year in 21 years. I am wondering if they will just close the whole forest, and many locals think they should. This decision is now made by a committee, including various agencies and local business people, etc.

[Jim]

I blame conservative SUV driving carbon emitting liberal jet setting hollywood latte drinking pro-choice gun nut NRA card carrying members Tax-and-Spend Tea Bagging gay rights pro-family and marriage god fearing atheist special interest non-voting union members, and global warming.

[paulhubbard]

and global warming

Oh, so it's Al Gore's fault...

[chumley]

I just received the following email from the Blue Ridge Ranger District office of the Coconino NF. Apparently there has been a lot of inquiry into potential forest closures elsewhere. This is the response to those inquiries:

I am sending this email out because there is a lot of concern about closing the forest down due to high fire danger. I want all of you to know that we are discussing and monitoring the possibility of a forest closure daily. Every day we have in depth discussions with the National Weather Service regarding when our monsoon will begin developing, our Forest Supervisor is in contact with other surrounding forests, Apache-Sitgreaves, Kaibab, and Tonto National Forests, and we are very pleased to say that the public has been pretty good about obeying the campfire and smoking regulations, we realize there are some that don’t, but basically most of the public is being very cautious, more then we have noticed in years past. It may comfort you to know that we have numerous resources available at a moments notice to assist us if a fire does break. We definitely recognize everyone’s concern during this time of severe drought and fire danger, and we also want you to understand that the possibility of closure is of the highest concern to us at this time. For those of you that have sent me emails please consider this email my reply, thank you. As always I will keep our community informed of any changes or decisions. Thank you for your concern for our forest and our community, and for goodness sake, THINK RAIN!!

Good to hear that people have been following the restrictions better than in the past. It sounds like they feel somewhat comfortable with the resources available to fight any fires that might start (let's face it, monsoon brings lightning before it brings rain).

[RickVincent]

So these closures basically mean that there are too many boneheads out there who cannot responsibly manage a camp fire. Everyone else who enjoys using the areas has to pay the price.

[paulhubbard]

Unfortunately the boneheads seem to outnumber the people who CAN responsibly manage a campfire (and take our trash out with us, and not destroy the beauty of the area, and, and, and...)