03 NOVEMBER 2020 | KERBY, OR. — A fence installed in 2020 by Lomakatsi hasn’t kept OHVs from trespassing at Chetco Pass. SMC member Jeff Thieret recently witnessed the damage first-hand. “The
fencing installed at the pass has proved inadequate,” he writes in an email. “There is a large gap at the northern end of the fence that folks have been driving around.”
They’re heading in all three directions, evident from tracks that are heading south, west, and north. Thieret saw more than just tracks, though. “When we reached the southern terminus of trail #1125, directly below Pearsoll Peak Lookout, we encountered a parked ATV.” According to the Forest Service’s own maps, that area is off limits to motorized use, except for administrative purposes.
“This ATV could have only gotten there by driving around the barricade at Chetco Pass,” Thieret went on. He recorded their ATV permit number and reported it to aut
horities. He’s advocating that the fencing gets fixed, and points out there was still a lot of materials that weren’t used.
“There are still several stacks of fencing logs at the pass, as though the crew that built the barricade knew that their work was not done,” he writes.
Executive Director Gabriel Howe points out that trespass has been an ongoing issue in the Kalmiopsis. “Motorcycles traversing the Chetco Divide, four-wheelers driving around gates and into the wilderness. It’s all common.” He says he’s optimistic, though, “about recent changes in leadership. The Wild Rivers District has a new Ranger and has been receptive.” ###
