FOPV Chris Wicht Cleanup 2/2/08
Contact: Friends of Panamint Valley, info@fopv.org
Chris Wicht Cleanup A Huge
Success
Motorized Recreation
Advocates Show Up in Force
Panamint Valley, CA - On February 2, 2008, groups from across the country came together at the site of Chris Wicht Camp in the Panamint Mountains of Inyo County, California to assist the Bureau of Land Management in the restoration of this historic site. Chris Wicht Camp, the one time of of the famous Ballarat, California bartender of the same name, burned in September of 2006.
After the camp burned, it was quickly abandoned by its residents. The trash, debris, cars and hazardous materials that littered the site were all left behind.
The call went out to many recreation groups for assistance with the effort to cleanup the site, but it was the multiple-use organizations that answered in force outnumbering attendees representing enviromental groups 5 to 1. The groups made quick work of the camp, filling three 40 cubic yard dumpsters with over 13 tons of metal, trash and debris by early afternoon. The groups also hauled eight burned out vehicles from the site down to the valley floor where they were hauled off to be recycled.
According to Craig Beck, with the Ridgecrest BLM office, this cleanup saved taxpayers thousands of dollars.
The BLM is planning to remove the remaining hazardous materials at the site and return the area to a primitive campground and interpretive site.
Participants representing a diverse coalition of multiple-use oriented groups showed up from as far away as Colorado and Georgia. Groups represented include the Friends of Panamint Valley, California Off-Road Vehicle Association, California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Southern 4 Wheel Drive Association, Blue Ribbon Coalition and the United Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, as well as local residents from the nearby communities of Panamint Springs and Ridgecrest.
In all there were 69 volunteers, 13 members of the Student Conservation Association (contracted by the BLM) and 7 BLM employees in attendence.
Enviromental groups opposed to motorized access to public lands are hoping the road to Chris Wicht Camp washes out now that its residents have left the site. Their hope is that Inyo County will no longer maintain the road without residents at Chris Wicht Camp. However, Friends of Panamint Valley will continue to monitor the area and work with the BLM and Inyo County to ensure the road to the historic site remains open and clear so that all may enjoy this valuable resource.
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Group Photo
Loading the bus
Car graveyard
Hauling Cars
Throwing Out Trash
Working Hard
Filling the Loader