The Summer issue of the National Forest Homeowners newsletter is now available both on our website, and on the NFH website. As you know, NFH is the nationwide organization representing owners and families of more than 14,000 recreational residence cabins throughout the United States. Take a look at the current newsletter as well as the NFH website to read more about what the NFH is doing, as well as some stories about other cabin owners like ourselves.
Source: realtree.com
Aggressive Coyotes
Coyotes have apparently become more aggressive and emboldened in our Southwest Shore area. Geoff Migala (Cabin 57) sent the following message to be shared with all Southwest Shore families and friends:
"Coyote warning! While coyotes are common to our area in BBL, there was a pack this last week that attempted to surround and attack two larger dogs on our tract. Good news the dogs survived! Please pass this message to other neighbors ahead of the holiday. For more info, please drop a line to me or Judy Ridgway. Was nothing like I've ever experienced. Care to all!."
If you have questions or comments, you can post them below in the Comments section, or you can contact Geoff or Judy directly:
Geoff Migala (Cabin 57) -- gmigala@pacbell.net
Judy Ridgway (Cabin 56) -- judyprinterslink@aol.com
Keep a close eye on pets and children as you enjoy the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
New Cabin Cam homepage - click the image to try it!
Exciting New Cabin Cam!
Ed Leonhardt (Cabin 39), our cabin cam-master has made some wonderful changes and additions to the Cabin Cam site. Rather than try to describe it here, we encourage to simply click on the image above, or click on this Cabin Cam link to visit the new site and experience it for yourself. Check out all of the new weather data, photos, and other informative links that are available there. Thanks, Ed, for all of your time and effort over the past many years since you first set up the Cabin Cam in 2004!
To help him decide what other changes and additions to consider in the future, Ed would like to know which aspects of the Cabin Cam site you use and enjoy the most, and what suggestions you have for additional features and capabilities for the site. Please make your comments below on this blog post, or send your comments, suggestions, and thank-you notes to Ed using our website Contact Form. Let's all tell Ed how much we support and appreciate the wonderful resource he is providing to us with his Cabin Cam.
If you would like see the old Cabin Cam site for comparison, it is still available for a limited time at the following link: Old Cabin Cam. Take a look at the old site to really appreciate all the wonderful changes Ed has made!
How do you get your Internet service at the Souhtwest Shore?
Image source: consumerreports.org
Fast, Reliable Internet Service?
An ongoing dilemma at the Southwest Shore seems to be the lack of fast, reliable internet service. Once again we would like to start a group discussion about the internet service alternatives that work best in the Southwest Shore. Please take a few minutes to leave a comment below, and tell us how you get your internet service in the Southwest Shore. Is your cell phone reception strong enough to use your phone as a "hot spot" to provide internet access to computers and tablets? Do you have some type of amplifier to boost your cell phone signal? Do you get internet service via Dish Network or Direct TV? Do you have some form of DSL service through your landline phone? Please let us know what you are using, how satisfied you are, some idea of the installation and monthly costs, and any other information you think might be helpful. Thanks in advance for your willingness to share your experiences and insights.
A little piece of heaven...
USDA Forest Service Annual Permit Fees
By now all cabin owners should have received and paid the 2017 Forest Service Annual Permit invoices. If you did not receive an invoice from USDA Forest Service, we suggest you immediately contact Scott Evans, our Forest Service Special Uses Coordinator (909-382-2802 or saevans@fs.fed.us). If you have not yet paid your annual Forest Service Annual Permit fee, we suggest that you pay it as soon as possible, to avoid issues and additional charges. The Cabin Fee Act is now in effect and stabilized, so there appear to be no outstanding unresolved issues. At this point the only future fee increase allowed under the CFA is an annual adjustment for inflation. There are no more time-consuming, costly, and controversial appraisals involved in the fee determination process. For more information please follow this link to read "Cabin Fee Act - 2017 Update" on the National Forest Homeowners (NFH) website.
Speaking of National Forest Homeowners, the NFH organization continues to do excellent work on behalf of the owners, families, and friends of the almost 14,000 cabins that are part of the federal Recreation Residence Program on National Forest System land across the country. We encourage you to visit the NFH website (NationalForestHomeowners.org) for current information on the implementation of the Cabin Fee Act, as well as other issues that are important to Forest Service cabin owners. You might also consider becoming a member of NFH, as a way to offer your financial support the organization.
Dead brush, downed limbs, over-grown bushes -- all must be removed for a healthy forest!
2016 Brush Clearance Project
During the summer our Association once again sponsored the annual Brush Clearance Project to gather and remove brush, shrubbery, tree limbs, slash, and other forest debris that constitute a fire hazard. The project was completed and the brush piles hauled away in October 2016 after many of you had already closed your cabins for the season. Dennis Moran (Cabin 84) and Rick Krugh (Cabin 38) organized the project, and through their efforts we were able to take advantage of a USFS grant that provides funds for projects to maintain healthy forests and reduce fire fuels. The Brush Clearance Project was completed at no cost to our Southwest Shore Association or its members. Thanks, Dennis and Rick, for your excellent work on behalf of all the Southwest Shore families and friends. Thanks, also, to all the cabin owners, families and friends who did their part to clear brush and debris from their cabin areas to help keep our local forest healthy and safe.
Cougar photo obtained from High Desert Museum, Bend, OR - www.highdesertmuseum.org
Now, About Them Cougars...
Hello, Southwest Shore Families and Friends,
Reminding us again that our cabins are part of the forest, in addition to the recent bear activity observed on the SW Shore, we have a very recent filmed sighting (by a “surveillance cam” operating by motion detector) of a mountain lion in the Keystone Point area in the middle of the night. It was a fleeting partial shot, but certainly appeared to be a cougar, and has been identified as such with 95%+ certainty by a game expert. This cougar was alone – as expected since cougars are solitary creatures who meet with other adult cougars only to mate. Also the camera sighting at night was not surprising since cougars are primarily nocturnal and most active at dusk and dawn.
What is unusual is that this mountain lion was observed at all, since they are very secretive, avoid humans, are primarily nocturnal and are therefore rarely sighted by humans – despite their presence in all mountain areas of Southern California, including the Santa Monica, San Gabriel, San Bernardino and San Jacinto ranges. They live by hunting deer and a wide variety of smaller animals.
Some comforting facts: The risk of any of you being killed by a mountain lion is statistically much lower than the risk of being killed by your own pet dog, or drowning in your bathtub, or dying from a snake bite, bee sting, or lightning strike.
Having said that, mountain lions are such formidable creatures (weighing up to 200 lbs., capable of sprinting 35-45 mph, and leaping horizontally for 30 to 40 feet and vertically for 15 to 20 feet) that we should be aware of best practices in the extremely unusual event of confronting one. A review of the literature tells us that the safest mode of hiking or walking is in groups (especially if small children are present), and the most successful response is to slowly back away while maintaining eye contact. The results are marginally worse for those who instead choose to freeze, or throw rocks, or run (unless you are very fast and have a very short and unobstructed distance to a safe spot). It is a good idea to keep pets indoors at night and on leash when outdoors – and as with the bears, do not leave any food or refuse outside the cabin or accessible.
Again, it is unlikely in the extreme that any of us will ever sight or confront a cougar, even if one is moving through the area, so covering these safety suggestions is just for background and general information.
Dick Fisher
July 20, 2016
Note: The photo is not "our" cougar. The photo was obtained from the High Desert Museum, Bend, OR (www.highdesertmuseum.org)
SWS Operating Plan and Architectural Standards - July 1, 1998
Too many boring documents! We hear you, but we also know that these "boring documents" govern the operations and maintenance of our Southwest Shore Colony. The new Forest Service Handbook - Special Uses Supplement, as well as our own Southwest Shore Operating Plan and Architectural Standards, are the two key documents that define for the policies, procedures, activities, restrictions, and mutual obligations that enable the Southwest Shore community and Forest Service personnel to work together toward productive management and enjoyment of our Southwest Shore Colony.
The provisions of the Southwest Shore Operating Plan and Architectural Standards are critically important to our ability to maintain our historic district status, which in turn protects us against any Federal actions that are inconsistent with the Plan. The Forest Service has accepted the SWS Operating Plan as an integral part of its administrative guidelines, and has actually incorporated the Southwest Shore Plan into our Special Use Permits by reference.
As a reminder of the topics covered by the Plan, here is the Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Permits Required for All Projects
- General Requirements
- Landscape
- Roads, Gates, and Road Signs
- Cabin Signs
- Lighting
- General Appearance and Storage
- Care of Basic Cabin Structure, Siding, and Related Repairs
- Care of Wood Surfaces -- Protective Coatings, Preservatives, Stains, Colors
- Porches
- Roofs and Roofing Material
- Windows and Doors
- Stonework
- Interiors
- Violations -- Permit Revocaqtions
- Public Access
Please follow this link to view the entire Southwest Shore Colony Operating Plan and Architectural Appearance Standards. We encourage you to print our a copy for convenient reference.