News Release

US Forest Service
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 
35 College Drive
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Public Affairs (530) 543-2627
Fax: (530) 543-2743

Date: November 4, 2008
Contact: Public Affairs, Cheva Heck (530) 543-2608 or Rex Norman (530) 543-2627

Winter Parking for Spring Creek Area Begins Mid-November

South Lake Tahoe, CA. --The Forest Service will implement winter parking procedures this month for the Spring Creek area to reduce soil damage and erosion for water quality protection. Effective November 15 of this year, the Spring Creek winter parking procedures will remain in effect over the winter, and a closed and locked gate will be maintained through May 10, 2009.

The Forest Service recommends that winter 2008-2009 backcountry recreation users park their vehicles at the Taylor Creek SnoPark area. An over snow trail into the backcountry will be available from the Taylor Creek SnoPark. Signs are posted on Highway 89. Information on SnoParks, permit sales locations and fees is available at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/recreation/winter/snow-parks-permits.shtml.

Driving and parking on non-paved surfaces increases the compaction of soil resulting in run-off. Over the years, off-road parking in the Spring Creek Tract by backcountry users as well as permittees has resulted in increased soil damage and erosion, causing water quality concerns at Spring Creek.

Previous procedures to manage recreation user parking along roads in the tract required reallocating winter patrol staff away from high priority patrol areas, had only limited effectiveness and did not significantly resolve soil compaction and water quality concerns.

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