Palomar Mountain News

  Ohmygoodness!  Take a look at the plans coming down from Sacramento on GATING and LOCKING the road through the State Park.  I’ve waited to turn this letter around because I first wanted to speak with our wonderful Ranger, Jessica, and her supervisor, Nedra. 

The idea of having padlocks at the entrance to the park and at the top of the Nate Harrison Grade, of course are not their ideas at all.  So, please be kind in your comments to them – don’t shoot the messengers! 

My suggestion would be, if the Park must close, KEEP THE PUBLIC ROAD OPEN.  Nate Harrison Grade, to my knowledge, was the first road up the Mountain, and to my way of thinking, was a Public Road long before the land was acquired by the State Park.  Having to fiddle with padlocks to open and close, each time the 300+ staff and guests come and go at the Christian Conference Center, or the 300+ staff and guests at the School Camp, plus the utility companies and all the vendors, seems to make no sense.

If close they must, would it be a wise idea to simply put a chain across the driveways, residences, and campgrounds, but KEEP THE ROAD OPEN?  Locking out the road in two places, in my opinion, invites vandalism.  I can only imagine that some folks would resort to having bolt cutters tucked away for those times when the South Grade is closed due to an accident or mud slide, and residents find the need to be part of a long line of vehicles winding up the Nate to get home to Palomar, Warners, Borrego or beyond.

The State Park has maintenance the park of State Park Road that goes through the park. So, road maintiance snow plowing would need to be addressed – could the County take that on? 

Of course, many of us are looking forward to the opening of the newly refurbished Boucher Fire Lookout.  Lotsa money has recently been invested there and it is almost ready for the Grand Opening!  That historic building is on State Park land (oh, that land actually belongs to “We the People”, right?).    It just seems that there could be other options.

Another idea is that  instead of boarding up the historic homes in the park, perhaps they could be rented  out.  Vacation Rentals are booming up here.  Makes sense to me!   I’d be glad to manage them.  How fun to stay in one of those cabins built by the CCCs seven decades ago.  Think there could be quite a waiting list!

Click to read Nedra’s letter.  She welcomes your comments and also invites you to voice your opinion to Sacramento:

email their comments info@parks.ca.gov and feel free to share this information

• www.parks.ca.gov
• Click on Parks Closure List (Orange block)
• Click on “Share your ideas for helping State Parks” (at the bottom of page)

Attention Ruth Coleman

PO Box 942896, Sacramento, CA 94296

Save Our State Park!

Bonnie Phelps,

Editor of the Palomar Mountain News since 1998

760 742-1742