Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the
above named project. Thank you too for hosting a Public Scoping Workshop
this month. I have sent you my detailed comments on forms provided at the
Workshop, and summarize same here.
First and foremost, I would like to see Los
Caballos re-opened and the Native American concerns mitigated. Maybe we
could build a Native American Horse Camp, after all the Native Americans did
camp there with horses! If indeed that is not feasible, my second choice
would be Stonewall mainly because of the privacy it provides. My third
choice, and perhaps the most feasible, would be Los Vaqueros North. All of
the above sites offer a similar camping experience, access to the most popular
trails, shaded environments, privacy and security from Highway 79 with
minimal regulatory requirements.
As a frequent visitor to RCSP for over 20 years, it
is my opinion that Tulloch and Arrowmaker do NOT offer
a camping experience anywhere near similar to the Los Caballos
experience, for human or horse. They lack good access for vehicles hauling
livestock, they lack shade, they suffer from road noise and light pollution and
they do not provide the same access to the most used trails. Riding
an hour and crossing the highway, just to get to the beginning of the trail you
want to ride, is not acceptable. Also, I in disappointed that DPR is
recommending a relocation in ABDSP rather than in CRSP, where we would be out of
boundaries and in another jurisdiction altogether. Last, but not least, any site that close to Highway 79 creates a security
problem by providing immediate access for Highway travelers to our camp, our
rigs, our gear, our horses and ourselves. I am seeing and hearing more and
more about security at horsecamps and staging areas. We equestrians
typically have $25,000 to $200,000 investments parked at camp. Please do
not jeopardize our safety and security by locating us next to the Highway.
It may work for staff, but it does not work for visitors.
Also, on the site design, please consider "pull
through" sites as many of us now have horse trailers with living quarters, and
we do not want to camp in the road. We do not want to be "dusted" by each
and every vehicle that drives through camp, we do not want to step out of our
trailer into the road. All of our gear/tack is IN the trailer, which
should be parked near the corrals, and IF we tie our horses to the trailer (a
very common practice) we certainly don't want their hindquarters sticking out in
the road. It is not safe and not desirable to park our rigs on the camp
roadside.
I would be happy to help in any way I can to
expedite and assist in making a family horsecamp again available to
equestrians. Please also work on providing a Day Use area near the horse
camps. The current "turnout" off Highway 79 is not adequate.
Thank you again for the opportunity to comment on
this very important project.
Jeannie Gillen
Note to "CC" recipients:
Please prepare your own comments to Karen
Miner at the above address BY JUNE 30TH
Do not let this opportunity to retain equestrian
camping at Cuyamaca be lost! You can learn more about this project at www.parks.ca.gov THANK
YOU
