BLM - Ukiah Field Office
I support this grant application for Ukiah field office. Improved law enforcement will enhance the outdoor experience at both locations. Brad Seder – 3/21/16
This letter of support for Grant # G15-01-17-G01 is being submitted on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition, a national non-profit trail-based recreation group. BRC has reviewed the proposal and believes this LE grant is appropriate given size and scope of the patrol area. LE at South Cow Mountain and Knoxville as become even more important given that some of the OHV area is now in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. BRC strongly supports this grant and looks forward to working with you and other stakeholders to support OHV-related LE at the Ukiah Field Office. Don Amador, BRC – 3/22/16
Both areas suffer from vandalism and abuse by those who are not there to use the area for OHV. A better law enforcement presence would go a long way to improving the safety of OHV users and protecting the area from damage. Peter Lipson – 3/25/16
Enforcement is one of the key components to keeping our riding areas open. Please move forward with this request. Thanks Dave Froman – 3/28/16
The Ukiah field office is doing a good job in preparing Cow mtn to become one on the states best OHV areas. I support their grant application to help them further improve the riding experience there. Brad Seder – 3/21/16
I am a off road motorcycle rider and I support responsible off road recreation. South Cow Mountain has a backlog of trail maintenance needs. With endangered steelhead in the watershed to the west and the State listed "clear lake hitch" to the east it is imperative that this trail system be properly maintained. The current "trail dozer" used by the Ukiah Field Office has failed multiple times leading to missed seasons of maintenance. Replacement with a new Sutter 500 is appropriate. Please award this grant. Thank you. Ron McDonell – 3/21/16
This letter of support for G15-01-17-G01 is being submitted on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition, a national non-profit trail-based recreation group. BRC believes this grant should be given high priority since it will help fund a full-time trail dozer to help maintain the quality motorized trail opportunities afforded the public at the South Cow Mountain and Knoxville OHV Areas. Increased management of these riding areas has become even more important given that some of the OHV opportunity is in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. BRC strongly supports this grant and looks forward to working with you and other stakeholders to support managed OHV opportunity at the Ukiah Field Office. Don Amador, BRC – 3/22/16
I strongly support the use of OHV funds for the purchase of additional land to expand OHV use in the BLM Cow Mtn OHV area. CJ Johnson – 3/22/16
This deserves support - Cow Mountain is heavily used and would benefit from additional maintenance. Our club (NBMC) already volunteers to help work on the trails, but there is far more work to do than volunteer organizations can handle. Peter Lipson – 3/25/16
I support this grant. Proper maintenance of an OHV area provides a habitat for indigenous flora and fauna better than most other human uses. Gustave Meyner – 3/26/16
As a user of Knoxville OHV area, I feel there is a need to recover from last year's fires and maintain access to the area. I support G15-o1-17-G01. Thank you, John Seymour – 3/27/16
This is a needed grant to continue the current OHV operations. Please move forward on this request. Dave Froman – 3/28/16
G15-01-17-A01: This is a great opportunity to improve access to S. Cow mtn. The existing roads used to access the Mtn are narrow and go through residential areas. This will also improve access for emergency vehicles, and hopefully provide a good campground in the future.. I wholeheartedly support of this grant. Brad Seder – 3/21/16
G15-01-17-A01: I am a off road motorcycle rider and I support responsible off road recreation. This acquisition grant would enable an important expansion to South Cow Mountain, providing an appropriate site for a campground with trails connecting to the existing trail system. The current layout at Cow Mountain requires permitted OHV events to be staged out of a creek bed. I encourage the State Parks Staff to award this Grant. Thank you. Ron McDonell – 3/21/16
The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national non-profit trail-based recreation group, is in strong support of G15-01-17-A01 to acquire the Blue Oak Ranch from willing sellers along the Highway 175 corridor. It will provide much needed high quality public access to the South Cow Mountain OHV Area. As you know, there has been a long standing need for improved access to the area. Currently, there is very limited camping and staging. BRC believes acquisition of this property along Highway 175 will help the unit realize its full potential as a world-class destination recreation site. BRC looks forward to working with you and other stakeholders in support of managed OHV opportunity on lands under the Ukiah Field Office’s jurisdiction. Don Amador, BRC – 3/22/16
G15-01-17-A01: I have been riding at Cow Mountain for many years and strongly support the acquisition of additional land, as detailed in the proposal. This appears to be a win-win situation all the way around, with additional trails being opened for recreation, easier access via hwy 175, as well as the mitigation of either accidental or purposeful trespass on private land. I am enthusiastic about being able to enjoy this expanded version of Cow Mtn for years to come. Thank You Shawn Storc – 3/23/16
G15-01-17-A01: This would be an extremely valuable addition to a very popular area. Our club (NBMC) volunteers at Cow Mountain, and holds events there. This property would take pressure off some of the existing trails while making it easier to access and stage events. Peter Lipson – 3/25/16
G15-01-17-A01: Hello, I would like to voice my support for the acquisition of the Blue Oak Ranch property. I occasionally ride in the areas near Clear Lake and know others who also come from other regions of the state to enjoy the area. I am happy to see the current landowners are willing to work with the BLM in support of OHv users and support this lands development for that use. Thank you for your time. Brett Powell – 3/25/16
G15-01-17-A01: I support this grant; it would eas the recreation burden on the land and local population while adding econimic vitality and a venue for exercise and enjoyment of the great outdoors. Gustave Meyner – 3/26/16
G15-01-17-A01: I think this acquisition would compliment the riding area drastically. The current access to the east side of the mountain is in a riverbed. This parcel would not only provide better access to the east side but could be used as a staging area. Please go forward with this request for acquisition! Dave Froman – 3/28/16
REF: G15-01-17-A01 I support the acquisition of 10 acres south of Cow Mountain that connects to HWY 175. It will make access to Cow Mountain significantly easier for me and will increase my use. Thank you, John Seymour – 3/27/16
Ground Operations and Law Enforcement Reference: G15-01-17-G01 and G15-01-17-L01. As a long term property owner with a home at the southern end of Devils Head Road in the Knoxville area, I would like to make the following comments regarding the Bureau of Land Managements (Ukiah Field Office) 2015/16 grant application for ground operations (maintenance of OHV trail systems) and law enforcement and educational outreach in the Knoxville Recreation Area (KRA). BLM has again failed to properly designate Devils Head Road as a Napa County road. This distinction is important not only from a factual standpoint but also from a safety point of view. The proper designation as a county road versus just an undesignated road or trail, makes a big difference in the public’s perception of road usage, safe driving, and law enforcement. This road has been maintained as a Napa County road for a long period of time. In fact, Devils Head Road has been a county road for over 100 years. It was accepted by the Napa County Board of Supervisors as a county road under Petition No. 102 dated May 9, 1873. The road was originally constructed to haul freight, supplies, and heavy timber by mule train between the Quicksilver (Cinnabar) Mines in the Knoxville area near the former town of Knoxville through Pope Valley to the railroad in Calistoga. By all reasonable measure, the remaining 5.5 miles of the original road running south from the Knoxville Berryessa County road, is in fact, a historic road. Going forward, BLM should correctly designate Devils Head Road as a county road on all brochures, maps, signage, and websites. To the best of my knowledge, there is no mention by BLM of Devils Head Road as a county road in any of the above indicated sources of public information provided by BLM. It is interesting to note that in the herein referenced BLM Grant Allocation, the directions to the South Cow Mountain OHV Recreation Area specifically indicates that access points (Mill Creek Road and Scotts Creek Road) are county roads. However, nothing indicates that Devils Head Road is also a county road. Overall, BLM signage on Devils Head Road, which is the primary access point to the KRA, is very poor and needs significant improvement. Case in point, there needs to be specific signage indicating that to the south of the Hunting Creek intersection, Devils Head Road is the only way out of the entire southern portion of the KRA. This dead-end road situation, with many miles of BLM roads off the county road, presents several potential problems relating to public safety, law enforcement, emergency response time, and the ever present threat of a forest fire to the north of Adam’s Ridge Road (BLM) blocking any exit from much of the southern KRA. The public needs to be made aware of the above issues through adequate signage. Fortunately, neither the Rocky nor Jerusalem fires reached Devils Head Road. Sincerely, Joseph J. Erasmy – 3/29/16
I do not believe that OHV money was intended for Law Enforcement. My monies should be going towards maintaining the OHV system of parks and creating new opportunities for the tax payers that provide the funding. Chris Gallop – 4/2/16
I support this grant. Proper maintenance of an OHV area provides a habitat for indigenous flora and fauna better than most other human uses. Marles Talli – 4/3/16
I support this grant; it would ease the recreation burden on the land and local population while adding economic vitality and a venue for exercise and enjoyment of the great outdoors. Chris Gallop – 4/2/16