Christmas Tree Cutting Patrol Day 4, December 7, 2024

[LCPilot]

Meet at the Divide Philips 66 at 7:45 am. Leave at 8:15 and go to the Rule Ridge parking lot at 8:30. That is where we air down and get a briefing on the latest conditions, areas to patrol, maps etc.

Remember to bring a GMRS radio (we use channel 15-0), recovery gear, winter clothes, tire chains, coffee and lunch.

We do a debrief at 3:00 pm back at Rule Ridge, air up and go home.

If you volunteer the FS Rangers will allow you to cut a tree without buying a permit.

Please reply to this thread if you plan on going on this day.

Attached is a PDF of the Tree cutting area and the FS roads that we patrol.

 

[LCPilot]

I will be there with a co-driver.

 

[SAS]

I'll be there on Sunday, DEC 7th.

 

[EricG]

I'm planning on being there Sunday 12/7

Anybody know how much snow they got up there?

 

[Goslow]

We will report back tomorrow regarding the snow depth.

 

[Goslow]

6 inches. Tire chains not needed.

 

[SAS]

Good day on the trails...three rigs--FJ60, FZJ80, and LX450. Three drivers, and one co-driver. Plus Percy! (his volunteer hours count!)

Mark treated us to donuts. Highly motivating!

We patrolled the different routes--traffic was concentrated at the Rule Ridge Trailhead and Painted Rocks areas, and at 359G on the west side. We distributed a bunch of Stay the Trail coloring books, Smokey Bear "true story" books, and "Smokey Fire Patrol" badges to children. Met and chatted with lots of forest visitors. Late lunch at the "364 Creek Crossing", then one last pass to the north, east, and southwest boundaries. Departed the Rule Ridge TH at about 4pm.

 

[SAS]

Here are a few photos from today, Sunday, December 7, 2025.

 

[LCPilot]

A beautiful day today. The roads were snow packed with some areas of drifts in the sheltered places. Most of the tree cutters were on the far South, far North or far West parts of the cutting area. I documented the erosion areas on FR366 for the Forest Rangers. There are 4 places where water has eroded the outside edge of the road to the point of narrowing the road and making a hole large enough to swallow a tire. The problem is worse when it is covered covered with snow and the driver has no clue what is there. As we were airing up a guy approached the Forest Ranger and reported 3 elk carcasses. They could not explain where they were located. I took the guy out and he showed me the route. I took a picture and got the Lat Lon coordinates and gave them to the Forest Ranger. He surmised that it was a poacher that was only after the heads and left the rest of the animal to rot.