Meeting Notes - WCS · Meeting Notes Meeting Notes - Public Comments: Lake: • Save fishing - People tossing left over food in the lake. • Fish are getting caught in the shoreline

Sylvan Lake Area Master Plan Public Workshop #1

July 22, 2019 and July 25, 2019, 5 to 7pm MSTCuster Courthouse AnnexThe Outdoor Campus

Meeting Notes

Meeting Notes - Public Comments: Lake: •Savefishing-Peopletossingleftoverfoodinthelake. •Fisharegettingcaughtintheshorelineweeds. •Therearenomoreplatformsforfishing,theyarebeingusedforotherthings,like sunbathing. •Don’tmakestorelikeLegionLake,it’stoobusy. •Parkinglotdrainsintothelake. Trails: •SundayTrailGulch-notifypeoplethattheyneedtocarrywater! •ADApathtolakeedgeandstorefromparkinglot. •Northlooptrailneedsmaintenance. •ThefarsideofLakeTrailistoodifficultforseniors. •CreatelooptrailatLittleDevil’sTower. •Needfortrailmaintenance-toomanyruts. •Providesignagethatindicateshowtechnical/difficultatrailis. •Isthereawebsitethatshowsallthetrails? •Developmorefamilyfriendlygreenbicycletrails. •LinknorthernCusterStateParkwithCentennialTrail. • Trail access needs to be improved •.Providea3%grade,looptrail •MaketrailmoredifficulttoPoet’sTabletodiscourageaccess •Erosionandhighstepsonsomeofthetrailsmakesitdifficultforthosewithsmallchildren andelderlyfolkstouse. •Generaltrailimprovementsareneededaroundthelake. •Therearetoomanysocialtrails. •Getridofboardwalksaroundthelaketrail,usesomethingelselikenaturalstone. •NoproblemwithmovingorconstructinganewtrailheadforBlackElkPeaktraileither insideoroutsideofthepark. •OfftrailpedestrianuseinareasloggedforMPBarenowenticingforpeopleandsomewhat denudingtheareaofvegetationcreatingerosionandruggedtrailswithexposedrootsand rockshaveappealandmaybethemostsustainableonandwaterqualityconcerns.Mayneed toconsidertemporaryrestrictionstoallowvegetationtoestablish. •Undesignatedtrailsfromresort–mayneedtomapthemandunderstandthembetterand perhapsmakesomechanges. •CreatetrailconnectionstoSylvanLakefromMickelsonandtheCityofCuster.

•Visitorshikingaroundthelake(particularlyonthebeachside)areclimbingonrocks. •Possibleboardwalktokeeppeopleoffrocksandontrail. •ThereshouldbeamarkedtrailfromSylvanLaketoSylvanLakeLodge. •ParkinglottoBlackElkPeakneedstobemovedtoadifferentspot. •Nottoomanytrails.Donotoverbuild. •MakePahaSapabiketrailofficial. •SundayGulch,treeswithexposedrootswilleventuallydie,needtofill. Nature’s Beauty: •Protectthenightsky. •Pleaseprotectanyendangeredorrareflowers/treesinthearea. •Preservationoftheareaneedstobethetoppriority. •Needmorelandscapingandscreeningaroundresortcabins. •ErosionControlisneededinmanyareas. Service: • Customer service needs to be improved •Employeesareambassadors,andshouldplaythatroleaccordingly •OpentheLodgeinwinter. •NotafanofthecabinadditionsupatSylvan. •Swimbeachvaulttoiletssmellbad. •Shuttleservicesaregettingmorecommon.Mayneedtoconsiderhere. •VaulttoiletsneartheSylvanBeachareastink.Asyousitonbeachyousmellthem. •TheGeneralStoreneedsupgrades. Parking: •Don’tincreaseparking. •Parkingtolakepathisbadshape. •Considerlimitedaccess,liketheydoforsnowmobiledatYellowstone. •Parkingisimpossibleinthesummermonthsduetoovercrowding. •RemovetheaddedparkinglotandmovetheBlackElkPeaktrailheadtoanotherlocation. •ParkingattheSylvanLakelodgeneedstobefixed.TheHandicapparkingisatthebottom andmakesitverydifficultforawheelchairtomakeituptheinclinetoaccessthefrontdoor. •Nonewparking. •ConsidermakingaClimbersParkingLotatmaintenancearea. •Parkinglimited,sopeopleareparkinginditches. History: •Tellstoryabout1935OlympicskijumpandtobogganridedowntrailacrossSylvan. •Concernabouttheremovalofhistoricbuildingsandwhethereffortstoretainorproperly recordthemhavebeenfollowed. •ThehistoryofthePayton’satSylvanLakeneedrecognition. •TheodoreRederbuiltthelakeandoriginallodge.Elizabethdesignedthelodge. •1996ClimbingManagementPlanExistsandshouldbereviewedaspartofthisplan..

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Activities: •Winterpictures-crosscountry,skiing,groomcrosscountryskitrails. •Iceskating,hockey,backpackers. •MaybetherecouldbebicycleonlyeventsontheNeedlesHighwaytheweekbeforeitopens aftertheWinterclosure. •Wouldliketoseemorewinterrecreationopportunitiessuchasiceskatingandseeresort openallyear. •LookingforcrosscountryskitrailstobeaddedinthewinterintheSylvanLakeArea,orat leastgroomhalfofNeedlesHighwaytomaintainXCskiinginthewinter. •Don’timpactabilitytoclimb. Miscellaneous: •Moveweddingvenuetoquieterlocation. •Pittoilet,badlocations,needimprovement. •Don’twidentheroad. •Sylvanrocksaregoodonbackside. •Sitereclamationatcabinsisbadlyneeded. •Providelandscaperestorationareas. •CouldNeedlesHighwaybeoneway.SylvantoCusterStatePark. •StoplightorflaggersneededattheNeedlesEye. •Theconstanthelicopternoisetakesawayfromscenicbeautyofthearea. •Needvegetativerehabdonearoundthearea. •ThereisagreaterhumanimpactinCusterStateParkthanYosemite.Yosemiteis700,000 acresandsees4millionvisitorseachyear.CusterStateParkis71,000acresandseesalmost2 millionpeopleeachyear. •Weddingsontheshorearenotanappropriateuseofpubliclands,iftheymustcontinue theyneedtobeinadifferentarea. •ManagingSylvanLakeisnotsustainableintothefuturewithoutreducingvisitornumbers. •Overall,seemedtobeconcernaboutthearea’sintegrityandfuture. •Appreciatetheopportunitytohavethesemeetingsandbeproactive. •Questionofhowmuchdevelopment(newbuildings)havebeenconstructedatSylvanand intheparkinrecentyears. •Socialmediahascontributedtoadditionalproblems. •Weddingsareimpactingtheexperienceandtheabilitytoaccesstheexperience.Theyneed tobeeliminated. •One-wayNeedleshighwayconcepthasmerit. •Timetolookatone-wayfromPlayhouseRoadtoAmericanCentercut-off,maybetothe LittleDevil’sTower. • Road next to the auditorium: •Reallywashedout. •Verycrowded. •Sometimesbusses. •Mostareoutofstate. •Parkingisanissue.

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Sylvan Lake Are Master Plan Meeting NotesWorkshop #1Page 4 of 5 •Isthereabetterself-containedweddingvenue? •Overcrowded. •Endangeredspeciesinventory.

Sylvan Lake

To CusterTo CusterState Park

Sylvan Lake Area Master Plan, Study Area

Lake Trail

Cathedral Spires TrailLodge

Store

Trail 9 toBlack Elk Peak

SundayGulch Trail

SewageTreatment

Hwy. 87

Hwy 87Needles Highway

Campground

Hwy. 89

Trail 4 toLittle Devil’s Tower and Poet’s Table

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