Damn carpetbaggers!

[katqanna]

Update From Forest Service

I just received this update from the Forest Service.

Basically, they are putting the trail proposal on hold until they resolve the issue of the Schlueter house encroachment on 166B.

 

[RobG]

I just received this update from the Forest Service.

Basically, they are putting the trail proposal on hold until they resolve the issue of the Schlueter house encroachment on 166B.

i.e. have Schlueter pay for a road to replace the one he blocked with his house.

 

[katqanna]

Update

Rob and I just met with Rick Reese and Frank Culver, the two gentlemen that acquired the foia information from the Forest Service, which they turned some of it over to Laura Lundquist in bullet points for her article. I now have all of that documentation. Rob and I are going up to take some additional pictures and measure the arch. The road has a 66 foot easement and the arch is on part of the road with a no trespassing sign nearby. We are going to see if tha sign is outside the 66 foot area or inside. We are also checking other points we found out about.

There is a bigger picture here than just this road. Part of what is at stake is the Pygmy Trail, which comes off of 166B. This trail the Forest Service has rights to, but Schlueter claims they do not. If this trail is given up, it could set a legal precedent for over 40 other such trails in the same classification/category that cross private land.

 

[katqanna]

Thats my 25 ft tape measure spread between the two stone bases of the archway. The road easement is 66 ft. So not only is Schlueters house on the road easement, but his archway is on the road easement as well.

We also saw tons of bear tracks, especially at the end of the 166D and into the GNF. No bear spray, just a camera and the hope that I could look more threatening than him, since you are not supposed to run from bears, or so I've heard.

 

[bigskyblueman]

I worked a job at that house two years ago and recall that the cement driveway extends beyond the east side of the house. The large bronze elk sits in the center of it.

 

[katqanna]

As soon as the feds get back to work, I am getting a copy of the original road map. What was stated yesterday was that the original road is actually between his house and garage. The map that was drawn by an engineer, showing the building envelope Appendix A, was based on his asking Schlueter where the road was and Schlueter pointed to the drive to the west of the house, which his yard is currently extending over. If I remember correctly, that beautiful elk statue would be right on the original road then.

 

[ecb]

I saw someone build a camp on state land in a popular hunting area in LA, they waited till he was done, then burnt it... Not advocating that, just stating what happened.

 

[katqanna]

I had been meaning to call the FS about the fix to the road that Schluter was required to make, but one thing always drives out another. But this article came up on my feed today and I called about it.

New deal preserves public access in Big Sky area

The map in their pdf looked different than what I remembered being discussed for the access restoration. So I dug out my previous maps. And overlayed the new portion they mentioned in the article with the old map, the area circled in red.

The road is available for winter ski use immediately through Lone Mountain Ranch grooming and will be available as an open motorized road during the snow-free season. Forest Road 166B, a looped road, provides access to the North Fork Trailhead for non-motorized recreation opportunities including mountain biking, hiking, running, and accessing National Forest System lands to the Spanish Peaks, Lee Metcalf Wilderness, Bear Basin (#16) and multiple connecting trails. The Schlueter family financed the construction of the replacement road section and the Forest Service split the costs of finalizing the easement documents.

Edit: Just got off with the Forest Service and asked about their Travel Management Plan for that area of road. It is designated as passenger car, year round, no restrictions, closed to snow mobiles. And the reason for the wee bit of loopy road at the top is is to ensure road grade and turning radius because of the terrain.

 

[teamhoyt]

I like how the news release leads the public to believe the shuester family did something good for the people and that we should thank them.

 

[Gr8bawana]

In the end I'm thinking the rich guy with political influence will get to keep his house where it is with no punishment what so ever. Like the saying goes "money talks".
Us little people are just getting in the way.

 

[RobG]

Schlueter offered to build this bypass (using his personal funds) last year to give us the same access to the National Forest that we had previous to him building the house. It appears that he has followed through with his proposal. I don't see any reason to view this pessimistically.

 

[pabearhunter]

I think I would start having very loud party's every night just about straight across from that curve in the trail.

 

[theat]

Hmm...not a lot of info in that article, but if I am reading it right, this whole cluster turned out better than I expected.

 

[bigskyblueman]

Without John Q. Public, he would have pulled it off.

 

[hank4elk]

I've seen this $h!t for yrs and they always get away with it and the Forest Circus scratches their collective heads. It's either the wealthy entitled or the Wildearth entitled,or a Corp.,and they get away with it.Cause they got law weasels
I used to deal with crap like this when I had a cabin in Sierras.Folks buy little 800sqft cabin,add on or build new one(3000sq ft) on public land and it stays.Everyone else that has old to code 1400sqft place gets hit with high fees with new appraisals.
I heard Bruce Willis and the Cougar did this in ID with 10k sqft place.
Me, I'd drive around the house on the legal access..............I hate it when they block my access.