This is the first of what will hopefully be a series of updates and orientation emails. Each of you play an important part in the community of Enchanted Forest and we look forward to deepening those relationships.
Even though you are probably all familiar with the details the following is to get us all on the same page. Early morning December 15th Enchanted Forest experienced strong winds. Nearby a NMDOT weather station reported winds of 115 mph, which by our estimate was in a “spillover” wind zone, we strongly believe that areas of EFXC saw winds in excess of 130 mph. Due to this wind event we estimate 200 acres of our permit zone are 98% flattened, another 200 acres are 60% flattened. Again estimating, we think we have 3000 trees across the ski trails with 30,000 down across the entire area. The Carson National Forest East Zone Supervisory Forester, Juan Jauregui, told me that EFXC had the most extensive damage of any geographical area in his area of responsibility. We are part of a regional declared disaster area.
Northwest Passage, Little John, Inner Sven Wiik, and portions of Powderpuff trails were particularly hard hit. The only trail with no damage is Molly B. Denum. Our neighborhood generously pitched in and opened the road to the area before we had a chance to help. We have not completed a complete survey of the snowshoe trails. The new dog trails yurt, the Glade Yurt, is a total write-off, the Midway and Little John Yurts have extensive damage, while the Latir Yurt and the Long John Yurt received very minor damage.
During our multi-day on-the-ground assessment we could not find many trail signs and couldn’t find outer Judy’s Lead trail, even though we know where the trail is. There are sections of trail that have over ten feet of blown down trees requiring complicated and careful clearing in the future. Most of the blow down is inline with the winds, while the dog trails are a rat’s nest of fallen trees.
The effort to fully clean-up the area with take months. We hope to clear the ski and snowshoe trails as quickly as we can.