Hello!
While we’re all looking forward to meeting #1 tonight, we realize that not everyone will be able to participate. However, we’re eager to hear what YOU think of the “state of the Lakes Basin” and want to be sure your input can be recorded as part of this special effort. If you are unable to attend the “State of the Lakes Basin” public meeting but would nonetheless like to share your thoughts about recreation and mobility, please post them as a comment below.
If you have attended the “State of the Lakes Basin” public meeting and would like to provide follow-up comments, please post those here as well.
We hope to see you for our second public meeting, “Lakes Basin Recreation Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,” on October 14, where we’ll go more in-depth about the outdoor-recreation experience. Thanks for taking part in LABSS!
Unfortunately, I am not able to attend the meeting tonight on the “State of the Lakes Basin”, and I have asked that MLTPA read the following comments from me and have them placed in the public record.
I worked on the mobility study in the Lakes Basin on August 21 counting turning movements of vehicles, pedestrians, and bikes at the Coldwater Campground intersection on the Lake Mary Loop. I also counted vehicles coming and going from the Coldwater/Duck Pass Trailhead parking area on September 5. I am also a cabin owner in the Lake Mary Tract. The following are my recommendations based on my observations during the mobility study, and my experiences as someone who spends lots of time in the Lakes Basin, especially around Lake Mary:
1) Vehicle traffic in the lakes basin is VERY HEAVY on weekends in the summer. During one 15 minute period, I counted approximately 65 vehicles pass by/or turn into the Coldwater Campground exit from the Lake Mary loop. I have also seen several close collisions almost happen with vehicles backing up, passing on the left, and stopping in the road to read signs for turnoffs. My first, and favored option to reduce these traffic hazards as well as excessive pollution to the lakes and air, is to prohibit vehicle traffic in the Lakes Basin from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon (say 1pm Friday to 1pm Sunday) during the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day). The Lakes Basin Trolley has runs every ½ hour from various places in town, which visitors could take. Camping and resort visits would be on a reservation basis, with permits allowing tourists and campers access to come in or to leave only when vehicles are prohibited. Same for cabin owners. With the trolley and the bike trail from town, this option would only reduce the volumes of traffic in the Lakes Basin, and enhance all the recreation experiences of the area.
2) My second recommendation would be to charge a day-use fee on weekends in the summer for all vehicles coming into the Lakes Basin beginning at the Twin Lakes entrance. Campers and resort stayers could purchase a multiple day or week pass at a reduced fee. Cabin owners would be given a permit on a yearly basis with the payment of their lease fee to USFS. Again, this option would reduce traffic and all the accidents and pollution associated with too many vehicles in the Basin on weekends in the summer. The trolley and bike-path are wonderful alternatives to driving loops around the lakes, and illegally parking because lots are full.
3) My third recommendation (and one that I think needs to done regardless) is to make Lake Mary Loop Road one-way for vehicle traffic. Traffic would move one-way from the turn-off of Lake Mary Road toward Pine City campground, and continue around Lake Mary in one direction past the Lake George turn-off until the intersection with the main road at Pokanobe Store. This would reduce accidents, and increase safety to bikers and pedestrians on the road.
4) My last recommendation (and another one that I also think should be done regardless), is to improve signage for campground turnoffs and trailheads in the Lakes Basin. Larger, more visible signs are needed at the Coldwater/Duck Pass turn-off from Lake Mary, and for Lake George also. I’ve seen too many near accidents with vehicles stopping and backing up to read signs, or make turns that were missed.
My hope is that with foresight and proper planning, we can preserve and maintain the beauty and health of the Lakes Basin for years to come. Our air, water, recreational benefits, and personal safety are at risk if the volumes of traffic continue to pour into the Lakes Basin. We can start to change this by adopting one or more of the above stated options. Thank you.
I like the Lakes Basin the way it is. The new bike path will be a very nice addition when completed and hopefully alleviate some of the vehicle traffic in those few busy summer months. The Lakes Basin is a very pleasant experience for locals and visitors, and it would be a shame to put further restrictions, fees, etc. in place. Unless those fees were only for visitors. In that case, charge ‘em a boat load of money. Please don’t try to fix an experience that isn’t broken! Thanks!
Regarding Sarah Yarborough’s comments. A one way arrangement on the Lake Mary Loop Road would actually increase air pollution in the Basin since it would mean many unnecessary trips around the lake. In her recommendation everyone going to Lake George would have to go all the way around Lake Mary rather than going directly to George and that is a large number every day especially on weekends. Anyone making the short drive from Coldwater campground to rent a boat at Barrett’s would have to go all the way around the lake to return to Coldwater. The same would be true for every short trip by lake users, the return trip would be greatly increased.
I don’t think most rec cabin owners would be so self serving as to want to ban cars on weekends. I have been part of the Sunday Church Services at Pokonobe for a number of the 26 years it has been going on. Fred Weatherly the minister drives up from Bishop.
Would you bar people from launching boats, floattubes, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards; or bringing picnic materials and folding chairs to enjoy the lake? I agree with Justin that we ought to leave things substantially as they are and focus on making things work better.
And a personal comment. The day the lakes basin isn’t open evry day of the summer for free is the day I take the $6-10,000 my wife and I have spent in Mammoth evry summer for over 20 years and head elsewhere. We all pay plenty of taxes for our National Lands and Mammoth is already one of the greediest areas I know for milking it’s visitors.
I have been coming to Lake Mary for the past 55 years. For the past 31 years my husband and I have owned a cabin on Lake Mary and have had the privilege of spending four months a year at the lake during the summer and fall. While basically the Basin has remained much the same over the years there are definitely more people using the area now which requires some adjustments.
Trollies – The trolly has been a huge success. Each year I have noticed increased usage and this past summer the addition of the bike trailer appears to have been extremely popular. It is time to decrease the time between trollies or at least add a “Basin Only” trolly so that people can move between lakes more readily. This has potential for reducing traffic.
Parking – There is definitely a need for more parking for those people with families who are carrying lots of ‘kid’s stuff’ and fishing gear. There have been areas identified for parking in past studies of the Lakes Basin. (see Sandy Hogan’s Lakes Basin Transportation Committee). Horseshoe Lake has areas for parking and if there was a “Basin Trolly” for people to move around easily that has potential to reduce the need for parking in other parts of the Basin.
Signage – It would seen that there are three good areas for general information about the Lakes Basin. The first at the Welcome Center, the second at the Twin Lakes parking area, and the third at Horseshoe Lake. In addition it would be desirable to have some information at each of the campgrounds.
Lake Mary Water Levels – When the levels for draw down on Lake Mary were established over 30 years ago there was not a lot of objection about the September draw down date but with the increased visitation in the fall months this should be revisited. While 2010 was a great year for water in the basin and the lake level remained almost full well into October, there are many years that the upper end of Lake Mary is a mud flat and smells horrible. This is not a pretty sight for visitors. The draw down should not occur until October 31.
Erosion – During the summer of 2003(?) the Forest Service made a number of erosion improvements around Lake Mary. Many of those have since deteriorated and need to be repaired especially in front of Crystal Crag Lodge. The parking lot at the Lake Mary Store/Marina was built with public funds to reduce run off into the lake and needs to be posted as public parking.
One way around Lake Mary – In 2000/2001 Sandy Hogan’s Lakes Basin Transportation Committee studied the feasibility of making the Lake Mary Loop Road one way. The results of that study determined that it was not feasible due to many factors including; increased time cars spent driving in the basin, volume of cars going around the lake especially on holidays and weekends, need to reconfigure the access roads for the Lake Mary Tract, lack of flexibility for Crystal Crag Lodge in accessing cabins distributed along the road, volume of traffic passing in front of the Lodge where guests and their families are crossing to the lake side, etc. Spreading out the traffic was seen as a more desirable solution. None of the factors considered have changed in the intervening years.
Development – For the most part commercial permittees and cabin permittees have made a concerted effort to maintain and improve their structures in the Lake Basin. Most spend much of the summer maintaining, painting, and clearing 100 feet around structures. The three lodges in the basin are well maintained and an asset for visitors. The recreational residences are likewise well maintained. The basin has four campgrounds and given the volume of traffic already in the basin it would be undesirable to add more. Coldwater Creek Campground is in need of maintenance especially to the roads which are badly deteriorated on the Mammoth Creek side of the campground. The Lake Mary Marina is an eyesore in the basin. Many visitors refer to it as the ‘gulag’ with the ugly fencing. It is not appropriate for a lakeside mountain setting. Historically, the former Lake Mary Store provided a cafe and campers store for the visitors but no longer. There is a need for such a service at this time.
Boat Marinas – At this time boat service is provided on Mamie, Lake George and Lake Mary. There are three providers on Lake Mary. There are an excessive number of pontoon boats on Lake Mary and way too many boats on Saturdays (Lake Mary Marina is closed on Sunday) and holidays. Pontoon boats and boats need to be reduced on Lake Mary.
Bike Path – The bike path from town to Horseshoe Lake will be a tremendous asset to recreation in the Basin. A bike/walking path around Lake Mary would be very desirable and allivate conflicts with vehicles.
Trash Containers – There are not enough trash containers and recycling bins in the Basin. There are dumpsters in the campgrounds but none at Horseshoe which is heavily used and none on the south side of Lake Mary. This leads to much too much trash in the basin. There are recycling bins in the campgrounds and at Crystal Crag Lodge but there is need for more especially at Pokonobe and Lake Mary Marina were there is a large around of trash and items that could be recycled. Crystal Crag Lodge maintains the lake front around the lodge cleaning up trash. The Lake Mary Tract permittees have always cleaned up trash around the lake on a regular basis. The Town has community clean-up days but additional opportunities for the public might help reduce the amount of items that are discarded.