Altadena Crest Trail

This is an issue of concern for all equestrians in the County. If you have a moment, could you send an e-mail to Mr. Adrian Garcia, County of Los Angeles Chief Administrative Office at agarcia@cao.lacounty.gov? Or his address is 500 West Temple Street, Room 754, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The deadline is Sept. 20. I think the County is bending to pressure from the La Vina homeowners to exclude equestrians and mountain bikes and this sets a very bad precedent. Thanks for your help.

E-mail I sent out to the local ETI list:

If you want to ride the full length of the restored Altadena Crest Trail from Hahamongna to Eaton Canyon, you should go to one of the scoping meetings concerning the trail tonight or next week (see schedule below) and let your preferences be known.

The Final Feasibility Analysis prepared by Sapphos designates the Millard Canyon Gap Trail, the La Vina EIR West Trail and the La Vina EIR west Alternative Trail as for hiking ONLY. Equestrians and mountain bikes are to be excluded so there will be no completed Altadena Crest Trail for these two major trail user groups who have worked so hard to make this trail a reality. This despite the fact that at last night's scoping meeting a long-time equestrian described riding these canyons decades ago. This also despite the fact that LA County trails are multiuse trails which were first built in the 1930s and 40s as bridle paths, a history which should be recognized and given weight when new trails are built.

The usual reasons are given for limiting these trails to hiking "to reduce the potential for adverse physical and water-quality impacts to the stream." There is a large body of literature which discusses how to mitigate any adverse consequences along trails and streams caused by animals (and why are horses specifically singled out?) Surely there is a suitable trail alignment in a canyon where horses have been ridden since the 19th century.

I have to wonder too if the La Vina promises of a trail were made only to hikers? That would probably come as a surprise to all the equestrians who have worked so hard these many years. Does this really have less to do with water quality and more to do with limiting the use of the trail to as few members of the community as possible?

Finding equestrians excluded from segments of the trail is very disheartening when the U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously passed and sent to the Senate a "Right-to-Ride" bill which guarantees the continued right to ride on public lands, including wilderness areas and national monuments where there is a historical tradition of such use. How ironic that we may be prevented from riding in our own back yards!

The scoping meeting schedule is as follows:

THURSDAY - 9/7/06 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N. Altadena Dr.

WEDNESDAY - 9/13/06 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., General Farnsworth Park, 568 E. Mount Curve Ave.

THURSDAY - 9/14/06 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Loma Alta Park Multipurpose Room, 3330 N. Lincoln

Mary Barrie