South Skyline Association

Progress is being made on the General Plan in a number of areas, most of it consistent with the interests of the SSA.

First, the planning staff is seriously considering designating some 2000 acres of the Park as a "natural preserve" instead of classifying the entire Park as "wilderness." Hiking trails would be allowed to traverse the natural preserve area. They cite a number of conditions within the Park's watershed which make wilderness classification unsuitable. These include noise pollution from air and automobile traffic and the gun club; high-tension power lines traversing the Park; residential and radio antenna developments; and potential for water pollution from outside the Park's boundaries. Further, the agricultural activities on the former Boisseranc property have changed it beyond the point where it might realistically be restored to a wilderness condition. In fact this area may become the Park Headquarters and parking area. The extent to which picnic and camping facilities might be developed there remains to be seen.

Second, there is a recognition of the impact rock climbing has had on Park resources in terms of removal of moss and other vegetation, volunteer trails, and extensive placement of bolts. There will likely be a provision to limit rock climbing only to Goat Rock and Castle Rock, to the area between them, and their immediate environs. Further, rock climbing would be limited to "low-impact" style climbing which will likely preclude the impacts which have occurred in the past. No climbing would be allowed in the proposed natural preserve area, including the Lion Caves area.

Third, recommendations are being formulated for a number of resource management plans and directives including streams and other wetlands, vegetation and exotic plants, fire, wildlife, scenic preservation, noise, preservation of cultural features such as old orchards and roads, and trail development. Many of the recommendations are that management plans be prepared on each of these topics, so it may be some time before the specifics are spelled out.

Fourth, the vision of a Multi-Agency Visitor Center at Saratoga Gap continues to come up. It would be located across Highway 9 from the old CalTrans maintenance facility. The biggest obstacle to implementing this will be coordination of the various agencies involved: State Parks, MROSD, and Santa Clara County Parks.

Finally, the hot topic of allowing mountain bikes on the trails continues to burn. It now appears that the decision lies within the authority of the District Superintendent rather than being conclusively addressed in the General Plan. The new Superintendent, Dave Vincent, seems quite sensitive to the impacts mountain bikes have on hikers and horseback riders and on the trails themselves and has formed a task force to resolve the issue on a District-wide basis.

Please address your comments and concerns to one of the following:

	SSA representative on the Citizens Advisory Committee: Eric Isacson (408) 395-6543
	Chair of the Committee: Stu Langdoc (408) 395-1167
	Head of State Parks planning team: Dave Keck Northern Service Center P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 (916) 322-2997