---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Scott Dietrich <sandianordic@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 18, 2019 at 12:26 PM
Subject: [Sandia Nordic Ski Club] Brief Summary of Last Night's Meeting with USFS
To: Sandia Nordic Ski Club <sandia-nordic-ski-club@googlegroups.com>


Hi Everyone,

I wanted to provide a brief summary of last night's Sandia Trails Improvement Project (STIP) public scoping meeting with Kerry Wood of USFS.
  • Overall, the meeting was well attended by SNSC members.  Of the roughly 25 people in attendance, we had 10 SNSC members, including 6 of our board members present.  THANK YOU to all who attended to help represent Sandia Nordic.
  • Kerry provided a nice overview of each of the five components of STIP, including our planned improvements to the Sandia Nordic trail system.
  • Kerry shared that they are expecting to have the Decision Memo signed by September (note that a signed Decision Memo takes the projects from proposed to actual planned projects).  He indicated that we should be able to start moving dirt as early as this September.
  • There are a variety of considerations running in the background while USFS prioritizes the various projects, including available resources (volunteer labor hours, financial, paid work crew availability, etc.).  ONE KEY CONSIDERATION IS THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR EACH PROJECT.  If you have not already sent written feedback to Kerry in support of our trail modifications, please make sure that you do so before the July 30th deadline (guidance provided below).  As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel gets the oil...
  • Kerry did mention to the group that the Ski Trails would have an elevated priority out of the gate this September to ensure that we are able to get at least a few improvements made to the trails before the snow starts to fall.  We will need to have a strong commitment from our Club members to help with the physical work on the trails this fall (more to come as planned work days begin to get scheduled).
  • No one at the meeting expressed opposition to the planned Sandia Nordic trail improvements.

Guidance on Submitting Comments to Kerry Wood

Attached please find a letter from Sandia District Ranger, Crystal Powell, soliciting input on the proposed trail modifications, as well as a map of the Sandia Nordic trails that will be included in the project.  In the letter the groomed trail modification project is referred to as "Construct (and designate as NFST) approximately 3 miles of purpose-built cross-country skiing trails.  Prohibit all other uses on designated trails." (See 3rd bullet in 4th paragraph of letter).  Please note that Crystal asks that feedback be sent to Kerry Wood, who will be managing the project, by July 30, 2019.  You can send your comments to Kerry via email (kerry.wood@usda.gov) or US Mail at:

Cibola National Forest
Attn: Kerry Wood
2113 Osuna Road NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113

General Guidance on Submitting Comments

Obviously, expressing general support of the groomed cross country ski trails is critically important.  Comments should express a need and a purpose (e.g., We need to reroute certain sections of the upper trail system in order to make the access from the Ellis parking lot to the lower meadows easier [make some of the downhills less steep; increase the visibility around some of the corners].  The purpose of this reroute would be to provide easier access to beginner and novice skiers and make the trails safer).  

You may want to consider including comments related to how skiing on groomed trails is safer than skiing on ice-crusted trails that are not maintained.  Also, having a groomed track provides the opportunity to skate ski and a better opportunity for classic style skiing as well  A nice groomed track also helps elevate Albuquerque's winter recreation status when compared to other areas in the nation that have groomed xc ski areas.

Thank you for your support of Sandia Nordic!

Scott



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